Pad Thai Recipe

Soak noodles

Place the dried flat rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with warm (not boiling) water. Soak 20–30 minutes until pliable but still slightly firm; drain well and set aside. If noodles are thin, soak less time (10–15 minutes).

Prepare proteins

Pat shrimp (or tofu) dry. If using shrimp, leave whole or halve if large. If using tofu, press and cube before starting.

Cook eggs

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add beaten eggs (lightly whisked) and scramble quickly until just set. Transfer eggs to a plate and set aside.

Cook shrimp/tofu

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the hot pan. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1–2 minutes per side until opaque and cooked through (or cook tofu cubes until golden all over, 4–6 minutes), then push to the side to finish with noodles.

Combine with noodles

Add drained noodles to the pan with the shrimp/tofu. Pour prepared sauce over the noodles (see Sauce section) and toss or use tongs to gently combine. Stir-fry 1–2 minutes until noodles absorb sauce and are tender. If mixture seems dry, add 1–2 tablespoons water and continue tossing.

Finish

Return scrambled eggs to the pan along with shallot, half the scallions, and half the bean sprouts. Toss 30–60 seconds just to warm and combine. Remove from heat.

Make sauce by whisking together tamarind paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, rice vinegar, water, and sriracha (if using) in a small bowl until sugar dissolves and mixture is homogeneous. Taste and adjust: balance should be tangy, salty, and sweet — add more sugar to sweeten, fish sauce to salt, or tamarind to sour.

At the start of cooking (after heating the pan and before eggs), add minced garlic and sliced shallot to the hot oiled pan and sauté 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Then proceed with eggs and protein as directed in the Noodles & Main section.

Reserve remaining bean sprouts and scallions for garnish/tossing at the end so they stay crisp.

Plate the pad thai and top with remaining bean sprouts, scallions, chopped roasted peanuts, cilantro (if using), and a sprinkle of chili flakes if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side to squeeze over each portion.