Description
A quick and flavorful homemade shrimp pad thai that balances sweet, salty, sour, and spicy notes. This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients and takes only 20 minutes from start to finish, offering a better alternative to takeout.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces (225g) flat, wide rice stick noodles
- Hot tap water (for soaking noodles)
- 3 tablespoons (45g) tamarind paste
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30g) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pound (450g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (60g) fresh bean sprouts
- 3 stalks green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup (30g) crushed unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak the rice noodles in a large bowl of hot tap water for 5-10 minutes until soft and pliable but still firm. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together tamarind paste, fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice until the sugar is dissolved. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Mince garlic, slice green onions, and crush peanuts. Pat shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Scramble eggs quickly until just set, then remove from pan and set aside.
- Increase heat to high. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Sear shrimp in a single layer for 1-2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside with eggs.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add drained noodles to the skillet. Pour sauce mixture over noodles and toss to coat evenly. Add minced garlic and white parts of green onions. Toss for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and heated through.
- Return shrimp and scrambled eggs to the pan. Add bean sprouts and toss for 1 minute until combined but still crisp.
- Serve immediately topped with crushed peanuts, green parts of green onions, and lime wedges. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top before eating.
Notes
Do not boil the rice noodles; soaking them in hot water prevents them from becoming mushy or breaking. Ensure high heat is used for stir-frying to achieve a slight char and prevent sticking. The sauce should balance sweet, sour, and salty flavors. If using soy sauce instead of fish sauce, the flavor profile will shift slightly. Rice noodles do not freeze well.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 25
Keywords: shrimp pad thai, thai noodles, quick dinner, stir fry, pad thai recipe, easy thai food, weeknight dinner