Shrimp, chopped peanuts, and fresh cilantro twirled into a bed of rice noodles with a savory sauce will infuse a little adventure into your weeknight menu. The finishing squeeze of fresh lime is like the exclamation point declaring, “Of course you can make this at home!”
Who loves Pad Thai?
We do!
Every sauce-soaked noodle, crunchy peanut, fresh cilantro and lime part of it!
Spicy?
Yes, but not scorched-earth spicy (a.k.a. Thai hot), I prefer just-gets-your-attention spicy, somewhere around medium, please. I’m not looking for a bead of sweat to form on my brow, so there’s Sriracha on the table to adjust the spice to your liking.
Pad Thai with Shrimp is a quick and easy one-dish meal.
If you’ve never tried making Pad Thai at home it might seem intimidating, but the ingredients are easier to find than you might imagine. Stores like Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, and even King Soopers carry items like tamarind paste, Bonito flakes, and fish sauce, though King Soopers stopped carrying bean sprouts.
Dried Bonito flakes, known as katsuo-bushi or katsuobushi in Japanese cuisine, are thin flakes of dried, smoked bonito fish. Like dried shrimp or shrimp paste (often used in Pad Thai), Bonito flakes add a savory flavor to any dish. Bonito is sliced so thinly it melts into soups, sauces, or stews for a umami flavor boost. It makes a difference in this recipe, adding that extra something you can’t quite describe but is pleasant and tasty.
Easy to customize with any combination of protein.
Whether you choose beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, or some combination, cook the meat separately and toss-in at the end to avoid overcooking. For this recipe I recommend buying larger shrimp and cutting them in half lengthwise rather than buying a smaller variety. In my experience, larger shrimp have a better taste and texture; cutting them in half allows for more bites of shrimp throughout.
Try our Pad Thai with Beef Recipe and Red Boat Fish Sauce too!
Inspired by Emeril’s Pad Thai
Pad Thai with Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried rice noodles
- 1/4 cup fish sauce , like Red Boat Fish Sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 3-4 tablespoons coconut palm sugar , adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 3 large cloves garlic , minced
- 1 1/4 pound shrimp 16-20 count; peeled and deveined , cut in half lengthwise
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups green onions (2-3 bunches), white and green parts separate, chopped
- 8 ounces bean sprouts (about 2 cups), rinsed and dry
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Bonito flakes , chopped
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts , chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves , chopped
- 1 lime , cut into wedges for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the noodles with enough warm water to cover. Soak until just tender, about 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, vinegar, lime juice, tamarind paste, crushed red pepper, and sugar; stir until the tamarind paste and sugar dissolves and is well blended. Set aside.
- In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds or fragrant. Add the shrimp and cook until shrimp becomes pink in color and mostly cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.
- Add the eggs to the skillet and cook, stirring to break up into small pieces, about a minute. Add the white part of the onions and cook for 2 minutes to soften (add more oil if needed). Add the sprouts, Bonito flakes, green part of the onions, fish sauce mixture, and most of the noodles; cook over medium heat until mixed well and warmed through, stirring frequently. Note: I add most of the noodles at first, then add more based on how well the sauce is covering everything in the skillet. Sometimes the noodles soak up more sauce depending on the brand and type.
- Add the reserved shrimp and peanuts, and cook for 30 seconds to incorporate into the noodles. Finally, toss with the cilantro and serve immediately with lime wedges and Sriracha sauce on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
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Jan says
We really liked this! A little work to prep but so worth it.
Il bruciacchio says
This look amazing
Judy Purcell says
Thanks!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Your updated version of pad thai sounds great. I thought when we moved to Florida that the availability of ethnic ingredients would be easier to find. Actually it is the opposite and I don’t think I’ll be able to find bonita flakes.
mjskitchen says
Who loves pad Thai? We do! We do! One of us orders it almost every time we go out for Thai. Thanks for sharing this recipe so we can make it at home. It looks much more doable than I thought!
John/Kitchen Riffs says
Love this dish! Good to see the update. We read that some cats love bonita flakes, so offered some to our cat — she turned up her nose at them. Weird! So we ate them. 🙂
Sharon Reese says
Do you mean fermented fish sauce for this pad thai recipe? One quarter cup would be way too much.
Sharon
Judy Purcell says
Hi Sharon, glad you asked! And I understand your question and hesitation because every time I make this dish I do a double-take on the fish sauce (which is fermented) and think it must be a type-o. I assure you it is not and the recipe works, as I have proofed it a number of times now. I am sensitive to how pungent fish sauce can be and often reduce the amount in any recipe the first time around just to be sure it doesn’t overwhelm. The combination of flavors really is great, I hope you try the recipe. If you do, please let me know what you think, feedback is so helpful. 🙂
Joanne @ Fifteen Spatulas says
What a wonderful recipe! I love love love Pad Thai. I could eat it all day every day!
Judy Purcell says
Oh it is very do-able, April. You are a good cook, so it would be a cinch for you and so very delish!
April @ The 21st Century Housewife says
Your Pad Thai looks delicious, Judy! I’ve never made Pad Thai at home but your recipe sounds very do-able, and very, very yummy 🙂
Pure Complex says
I’ve never wanted to try pad thai because it never looks great when some people make it. But yours looks amazing! And I love the shrimp in this dish.
Judy Purcell says
Oh Kay, it is a must try dish!
Jed Gray (sportsglutton) says
I too love Pad Thai, but have stopped ordering it at Thai restaurants because I have been disappointed all too often. Time to fire up the store and get busy making it at home!! Thanks for sharing the recipe Judy and a bit of spice is always welcome here!
Judy Purcell says
Jed, I think you’ll like this recipe and the best part about making it at home is you can highlight the flavors you like the most, so it’s all good.
Raymund says
Nice one Judy, I love this noodles because nearly all flavor notes are represented in this dish (except for bitter). From the sweetness of palm sugar (which I guess you opted out), sourness and fruitiness of lime and tamarind, the saltiness of fish sauce and hotness for chilli, what more can you ask for
Judy Purcell says
Hi Raymund, I agree, this dish pretty much has it all. I always thought tamarind was a kind of bitter, but maybe the brand we have here is a little different? I didn’t opt out on the coconut palm sugar, to me, it is important for balance in the recipe. I always value your opinion so much on dishes like these, you are far more experienced with this cuisine than I am — thanks for the encouragement. 🙂
Ellya Brill says
Hello,
Stopping by from G’Day party. Pad Thai is my fave dish. Definitely will give it a try. Thank you for sharing.
Judy Purcell says
Hi Ellya, thanks so much for stopping by! It was fun to check out your blog too, so beautiful. Have a great week!
Krista Low says
My husband loves Pad Thai. I love this with shrimp. Just pinned 🙂 Thanks for a great recipe!
Judy Purcell says
Hi Krista, thanks for pinning and taking time to comment — really appreciate that!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I love pad thai but haven’t had it with shrimp or prawns for a while. Now it’s all I can think about. 🙂
Judy Purcell says
Hi Maureen, I know what you mean, one look is all it takes sometimes to get something stuck in my head — there’s no rest until I can make it! 🙂
ChgoJohn says
Pad Thai is a favorite, to be sure. In fact, only recently did I order something else while at a Thai restaurant, for the first time in quite literally years. You should have seen the faces of my dinner companions. Thanks to you, I’ll be able to make Pad Thai at home while I continue to explore other options on the menu. Yay!
Judy Purcell says
I know exactly what you mean, it is hard for me to order anything else when we go out for Thai! You are right, making it at home helps open more options when going out. 🙂
Natasha in Oz says
Thanks so much for posting this yummy recipe and sharing it at my Say G’day Party!
Best wishes,
Natasha in Oz
Judy Purcell says
Hi Natasha, thanks so much for stopping by and taking time to comment. Have a great week!
betsyb says
One of my all time favorite dishes, and yours looks particularly tasty and easy to make! My husband hates shrimp, but maybe I could do a half beef and half shrimp. 🙂
Judy Purcell says
Hi Betsy! It has become one of my favorites too. You can make it with chicken, beef, or pork too so hubby would be happy too. 🙂