Why spend the time and money on takeout when you can whip up this authentic Shrimp Pad Thai recipe in less than 30 minutes at home?
When my husband and I vacationed in Thailand, one of the activities we were most excited about was our time at a traditional Thai cooking school. We had anticipated it for months and it certainly did not disappoint! We toured a traditional market, learned about the meat and ingredients used in dishes, and then toured a huge farm. There we were introduced to many of the vegetables and spices used in most Thai households. I loved that part the most because the recipes didn’t intimidate me anymore. I was seeing exactly where things were sourced, what we needed, and how to make it happen in my own kitchen. One of the more popular recipes we learned to make was this authentic 30-Minute Shrimp Pad Thai recipe. It is so tasty and equally simple to make!
30-Minute Authentic Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe
Here in the states, Pad Thai is a popular dish at many restaurants. It is often recommended for people who are trying Thai food for the first time. I love this fried noodle dish because it can be made with any sort of protein (including tofu) or with the protein omitted entirely, making it perfect for vegetarian appetites.
Today I’m going to share one of my favorite ways to enjoy this meal – with fresh jumbo shrimp! I like to buy the jumbo shrimp, so I use fewer in the recipe, but if you’re working with smaller shrimp, feel free to add more than the 10-12 I recommend in the recipe card.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive or coconut oil
- 4 cloves of crushed garlic
- 10-12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 package rice noodles, pre-softened
- 1 tsp green onions, chopped
- 1 tsp of fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp white vinegar mixed with 3 tbsp water
- 1 cup of bean sprouts
- 1 egg
- Pinch of chili powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts
- Lime wedge, for garnish
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive or coconut oil and 1 crushed clove of garlic.
- When aromatic, sauté shrimp until fully cooked.
- Turn the heat down to low and add in the rest of the garlic, noodles, chili powder, and vinegar/water combination.
- Turn the heat up to medium again.
- When the noodles are soft, turn the heat back down to low.
- Move the noodles and shrimp to one side of the skillet.
- Crack and scramble the egg on the empty side.
- Mix egg with noodles and shrimp.
- Add in fish sauce, sugar, salt, crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, and green onions.
- Turn the heat to high and stir fry before serving.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: When pre-softening the rice noodles, undercook them a bit so when they are added to this dish, they don't become mushy.
One of my biggest fears upon returning home from Thailand was that I would be unable to locate the ingredients we used during our cooking school adventure. I was so wrong! In fact, every ingredient can be found at your normal grocery store in the international aisle. If you have an international grocer, you may also be able to find tamarind juice, which could replace the vinegar and water combination in this Shrimp Pad Thai recipe.
Whether you’re whipping up this Shrimp Pad Thai dish for yourself and plan to enjoy a week’s worth of leftovers, or you’re sharing it with friends and family, this recipe is going to be a new favorite.
We hope you love this authentic 30-Minute Shrimp Pad Thai recipe from SoFabFood Home Chef, Kait from CommuniKait, as much as we do. If you love this recipe, be sure to visit our 30-Minute Meals Section for more like it. For daily recipe inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
Valeria Menefee says