Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe
This shrimp pad Thai recipe creates an authentic tasting version of the popular noodle dish right at home. Rich shrimp get tossed with rice noodles, all the fixings, and a savory, sweet, tangy peanut sauce! Better than takeout.
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Thai food is some of my very favorite food out there.
And pad Thai is one of the best dishes there is!
What’s not to love about rice noodles tossed with a tangy, slighly sweet peanut sauce and loaded with rich shrimp?
It’s something I love to order in, but I love making it at home even more because this recipe feeds all six of us for a fraction of the cost of takeout.
Why does pad Thai taste so good?
Pad Thai is so very good because it is a balanced blend of salty, sweet, and sour.
The saltiness is from the fish (or soy) sauce, sweetness from the sugar, and sourness from the rice vinegar and lime juice.
Then add a little heat from cilantro and you have a real treat for your tastebuds!
Ingredients
Let’s break this down into a set of ingredients for the pad Thai sauce and another set for the pad Thai itself.
For the sauce you’ll need:
- Fish sauce– You can find this in the international section of the store or online here. Not a fan of fish sauce? Substitute soy sauce instead.
- Seasoned rice vinegar– Not rice wine vinegar. You’ll be able to find this in the international section or online here.
- Sriracha sauce– Adjust the amount to suit your heat preferences.
- Peanut butter– Creamy not crunchy.
- Lime juice– For that tart bright background.
- Sugar– To balance the tart and the heat.
- Canola oil– Optional to thin the sauce if needed.
And for the pad Thai noodles themselves you’ll need:
- Stir fry rice noodles– Cooked according to the directions on the package and drained
- Shrimp– Large shrimp, peeled, deveined, with the tail off.
- Eggs– Beaten
- Ginger paste– Heaping teaspoons of it
- Garlic– Minced
- Shallots– Minced
- Green onions– Thinly sliced and divided
- Bean sprouts– Canned sprouts drained well
- Sriracha sauce– Adjust to suit your spice preferences
- Sesame oil– Just a little since it has a very strong flavor
- Canola oil– To stir fry everything in
How to Make
Don’t let the ingredients list intimidate you!
Our shrimp pad Thai recipe is very easy to make!
To do it, start by stirring all the ingredients for the sauce together in a bowl and set it aside.
Then heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large wok or other nonstick pan set over high heat.
When the oil is hot and shimmery, stir fry the shrimp in the oil until just cooked and opaque.
Transfer the cooked shrimp to a waiting plate.
Then turn the heat down to medium high and add the ginger and garlic to the wok, cooking for 30 seconds or so.
Stir in half the sliced green onions, all the shallots, and the Sriracha sauce.
Let everything cook just until the onions have softened.
Then add the beaten eggs to the wok and cook them, stirring often, until they’re scrambled.
Transfer the mixture to the shrimp plate.
Heat the remaining oil in the wok.
Once the oil is nice and hot, stir fry the noodles in the oil for about 5 minutes.
Stir the noodles often but gently so they don’t break up too much.
Then, pour the sauce over the noodles and continue stir frying for another 2-3 minutes, until well combined.
Once the noodles and sauce are combined, add the shrimp, vegetable mixture, and sprouts to the pot and stir fry for another 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and serve the pad Thai warm with your desired garnish.
Enjoy!
Garnish Ideas for Shrimp Pad Thai
This is delicious as is but pad Thai is one of those meals that begs for extra toppings and garnishes!
Some of our favorite garnishes include:
- chopped peanuts or cashews
- fresh cilantro
- lime wedges
- an extra drizzle of sriracha
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave or in a nonstick pan on the stove top over medium heat until warmed through.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overcook the shrimp! The shrimp is done as soon as it turns opaque and pink but hasn’t curled in on itself too much.
- Add more sriracha for extra heat or omit it totally if you aren’t a fan of spice.
- Be careful when tossing the noodles so you don’t completely break them.
Other Thai Recipes
Shrimp pad Thai is a yummy at home version of my favorite Thai takeout dish.
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other Thai recipes?
Try these:
If you’ve tried this SHRIMP PAD THAI RECIPE, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe
Ingredients
For The Sauce
- 4 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/2 – 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
- 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 1 tbsp canola oil optional
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 6 tsp sugar
For The Pad Thai
- 5-6 cups cooked and drained stir fry rice noodles
- 1 lb large shrimp peeled & tail off
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 heaping tsp ginger paste
- 2 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp minced shallots
- 1 bunch green onions thinly sliced & divided
- 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
- 1 14 oz can bean sprouts drained well
- 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 1/2 tbsp canola oil
Instructions
To Make The Sauce
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk together until evenly combined. Set aside.4 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar, 1/2 – 1 tbsp sriracha sauce, 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter, 1 tbsp canola oil, 2 tbsp lime juice, 6 tsp sugar
To Make The Pad Thai
- In a large wok, or other nonstick pan, set over high heat add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 2 tablespoons canola oil. Add the shrimp to the hot oil and stir fry for 4-5 minutes stirring constantly, just until cooked. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a waiting plate.1 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 2 1/2 tbsp canola oil, 1 lb large shrimp
- Reduce the heat to medium high and add the ginger and garlic to the wok and cook for 30 seconds. Add half the onion to the pot along with all the shallots and the sriracha sauce. Stir together and cook just until the onion's have softened.2 heaping tsp ginger paste, 2 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 3 tbsp minced shallots, 1 bunch green onions, 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
- Add the eggs, cooking and stirring just until they're scrambled. Transfer the mixture to the shrimp plate.2 large eggs
- Add the remaining oil to the wok and let it heat up. Once the oil's hot add the noodles, and stir fry them for 5 minutes- stirring/tossing often, but gently so they don't break up too much.5-6 cups cooked and drained stir fry rice noodles
- Pour the sauce over the noodles and continue stir frying for another 2-3 minutes, until well combined.
- Add the shrimp, vegetable mixture, and sprouts to the pot and stir fry for another 3 minutes.1 14 oz can bean sprouts
- Remove the pan from heat, and serve the pad thai warm with your desired garnish.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the shrimp! The shrimp is done as soon as it turns opaque and pink but hasn’t curled in on itself too much.
- Add more sriracha for extra heat or omit it totally if you aren’t a fan of spice.
- Be careful when tossing the noodles so you don’t completely break them.
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details. As always, all opinions are my own.
