There is nothing like a delicious Asian Meal that is quick to make and something everyone will like! This Homemade Pad Thai is made in less than 30 minutes and uses mainly pantry ingredients. I decreased the sugar content to be a bit healthier, but didn’t sacrifice the flavor! And…the kids LOVED it! Seconds for everyone in the house!

Nutty, savory, sweet but spicy with some chewy rice noodles makes for a perfect lunch or dinner. I love to add a bit more red pepper (than usual) and you can’t skip the green onions (it’s a crime in Asia). Pad Thai is also able to accomodate any fixin’ you may have on hand like crushed peanuts, cilantro, skirt steak beef (yum!), carrots, or bean sprouts. The list is almost endless! Let’s talk about how I make this —and making it on the healthier side of things.

how to make Homemade Pad Thai

Step 1 – prepare, boil, chop.

Get all ingredients on the workbench. Start a pot of water and boil. While it starts to boil, dice up garlic, ginger, serranos, limes, and green onions so you are ready to go, without delay.

Step 2 – boil noodles.

Place noodles in simmering water, reduce to low. Cook no longer than 3-4 minutes (set a timer). Make sauce while noodles cook (see below👇). NOTE: if your noodles get done before you, strain the water out, and add sesame oil and lime juice to keep the noodles from sticking.

Step 3- make the sauce.

In a saucepan on medium heat, add sesame oil and let it warm. Drop in diced garlic, ginger, serranos, whole red peppers and stir (1 minute). Decrease heat to low so the garlic does not burn. Add in brown sugar, fish sauce, and tahini paste and brown (about 2 minutes). This will turn to a paste.

NOTE: if your sauce thickens to much, add more sesame oil and lime juice to break it up.

NOTE: if you want it a bit more “nutty” add a couple more scoops of tahini paste.

Step 4 – drain noodles, place into sauce.

Noodles should be done, so grab some tongs, and lift noodles out of water (let it drip off) and put into brown sauce. Stir in sauce from the bottom and flip up, then add more noodles, stir in more sauce, and repeat.

Step 5 – add eggs (optional).

Crack open 1-2 eggs and scrable in the pan. They will naturally scramble as you toss the pasta with your tongs.

Step 6 – Add Lime juice.

Add lime juice and leave the whole lime in the pan. Stir well.

Step 7 – Add Fixin’s.

Finally, add your green onions, carrots, bean sprouts, or any crunchy additve to the Pad Thai. Serve warm, and done!

Complications of Pad Thai that can happen:

Over cooked the noodles. You will see Pad Thai (rice noodles) overcook quickly— don’t worry—we all have done it! Add some sesame oil or lime juice to help break them up— sometimes if they are too far gone, there is no recovery. Substitute spagetti noodles (or angel hair is even better). It’s not the same because they don’t absorb the sauce as well, but that’s ok.
Sauce is too thick. Thin out with more tahini paste, oil, or lime. You can also use the pasta water—just don’t get carried away.
I want it healthier. The way you get that dark brown sauce is more sugar. You could substitute for a fake brown sugar, but make sure you have used it before and like it. The amount that is in this recipe is as little as I’d make it—otherwise, you would have a peanut sauce instead of Pad Thai.

Pad Thai Recipe Short Video

Pin Pad Thai

I love how you can take a picture and save it to a board….see, now you can’t lose me 👀💕☺️!

Tell me all about it, folks.

The good, the bad, the ugly Pad Thai. Truth is, I hope you love it and your kids love it too. My kids love this and always go back for more! That makes my heart BEAM!! Ahhh….☺️

Love to your Mother, and your Mothers Mother,

Farmer Franny.

Check out Asian Eggs— over easy eggs with an Asian-persuasian. Or, take it to another Continent and have some Carne Asada Kabobsies! That Carne Asada….slurp!!

The Recipe