Beef Pad Thai is a classic take out dish with rich sweet, umami sauce, delicate rice noodles and tender beef all coming together for the perfect noodle dish that can be enjoyed on it’s own or alongside your other Thai favorites!
Certainly one of the most recognizable and popular Thai dishes out there, Pad Thai is delicious and quick to prepare.
It can come with a variety of proteins; chicken, shrimp, beef, and tofu, all with the same base flavors. I like beef best because it’s a nice complement to other chicken dishes like panang curry or (Pad Kra Pao) basil chicken. This recipe could be adjusted to include whichever protein you like!
There are a few things that you may not be used to cooking with included in this recipe, such as tamarind paste, fish sauce, and oyster sauce. All of these interesting flavors combine together to create a stellar dish. They are readily available at most well stocked grocery stores.
Pad Thai also contains delicate rice noodles, protein-packed eggs, and fresh green onions. I took the green onions and cut them into about 2-inch pieces. They add a delicious onion flavor to the dish and are added right at the end of the cooking process so that they wilt slightly but hold on to their color.
Ingredients
- Rice Noodles: These come in a variety of sizes. For pad thai, I suggest using a medium thickness, around 3-5 mm. They are sometimes labeled as pad thai noodles in the asian food aisle.
- Tamarind Paste: Sweet and tart, tamarind paste is a staple in Thai cooking. It comes from the pulp of the Tamarind tree, which produces pod-like fruit.
- Fish Sauce: On its own, it has a strong odor. Don’t be afraid of it, once it’s in the dish it really adds a complex flavor and the smell dissipates. It is made from salt-coated, fermented fish or krill.
- Oyster Sauce: A much thicker texture and darker color than fish sauce, oyster sauce is made from oyster extracts, salt, sugar, and water.
- Aromatics: Garlic, ginger, and green onions add fresh flavor to the dish.
- Eggs: For added protein.
- Bean Sprouts: A classic addition to pad thai, bean sprouts do not have a strong flavor but add a nice texture to the dish.
How to Make Beef Pad Thai
Step 1. Place dry rice noodles in a dish and cover with water. Let sit for 1 hour until noodles soften.
Step 2. In a small bowl, combine ingredients for the sauce and set to the side.
Step 3. Carefully slice the steak thinly, against the grain, into bite-sized pieces.
Step 4. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add in steak and cook until almost cooked through, about two minutes. Remove steak to a side plate so that it doesn't overcook.
Step 5. To the pan, add onions and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Step 6. Add in softened rice noodles and sauce and stir to combine everything. Let noodles soak up sauce.
Step 7. Let noodles soak up sauce.
Step 8. Push noodles to the side of the skillet and crack in the eggs. Use fork to scramble them as they cook, about 1 minute.
Step 9. Add in green onions, bean sprouts, and cooked meat into the pan. Stir to combine everything and remove from heat.
Step 10. Serve with chopped peanuts and lime wedges.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure the rice noodles are fully soaked and softened before you add them to the pan. If they have to cook too long, they will get gummy.
- Everything cooks up fast and hot in this dish, so I suggest that you have all of the ingredients prepped and easily accessible before you begin the cooking process!
More asian inspired dishes
- Asian Chicken Marinade
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Miến Gà (Vietnamese Clear Noodle Soup)
- Crockpot Pho Ga (Vietnamese Soup)
- Thai Cucumber Sauce
- Thai Eggplant Curry Recipe
Did you enjoy this Beef Pad Thai Recipe? I would love for you to let me know by leaving a comment and star rating. I can't wait to hear from you!
Beef Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 10 oz. thin rice noodles
- 2 tbsp. oil like avocado oil
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 12 oz. steak flank steak, sirloin steak, or skirt steak
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups fresh bean sprouts
- ½ green onions cut into 2-inch pieces
Sauce
- ¼ cup tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp. fish sauce
- 2 tbsp. oyster sauce
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. water
Garnish
- lime wedges
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Place dry rice noodles in a dish and cover with water. Let sit for 1 hour until noodles soften.
- In a small bowl, combine ingredients for the sauce and set to the side.
- Carefully slice the steak thinly, against the grain, into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large skillet, heat oil. Add in steak and cook until almost cooked through, about two minutes. Remove steak to a side plate so that it doesn't overcook.
- To the pan, add onions and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in softened rice noodles and sauce and stir to combine everything. Let noodles soak up sauce.
- Push noodles to the side of the skillet and crack in the eggs. Use fork to scramble them as they cook, about 1 minute.
- Add in green onions, bean sprouts, and cooked meat into the pan. Stir to combine everything and remov e from heat.
- Serve with chopped peanuts and lime wedges.
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