Healthy Pad Thai
Servings: 4
Pad Thai is a classic Thai street food that’s incredibly delicious and satisfying, with its perfect balance of sweet, salty, and tangy flavours. This homemade version is simple to whip up, making it a great option for a quick, nutritious dinner packed with veggies, protein, and fresh herbs. It's perfect for busy weeknights or whenever you’re craving those vibrant Southeast Asian flavors!
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar or rapadura
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce - or 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp tamari - or coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 lime/s (small) juice
Stir fry
- 250 g rice noodles - Pad Thai (I find Changs brand hold up best)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 onion/s – finely sliced
- 4 clove/s garlic – minced
- 300 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts - or thigh, sliced very thinly (you can also use leftover cooked chicken too)
- 3 egg/s – whisked in a jug
- 1 bunch/s garlic chives – cut into 2 cm lengths
- 120 g bean sprouts (approx. couple handfuls)
- 60 g roasted peanuts - (½ cup) – finely chopped
- 1 bunch/s fresh coriander leaves – finely chopped, or Thai basil is lovely too
Serve
- 1 lime/s – cut into quarters (or lemon)
- 1 red chilli/s - optional, sliced
Instructions
- Start with making the sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Prepare ALL of your stir-fry ingredients so they are ready to cook, including whisking the egg into a small jug.
- Check how your noodles are best prepared. Fill your kettle and put on to boil if they need to be soaked. Or put a large pot of water on to boil if they need simmering.
- Start heating your wok (especially if using induction as I find it takes time for it to heat well).
- Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for approx. 5 minutes until just softening then drain in a colander, rinsing immediately under cold water to stop them further cooking. Alternatively, cook according to the rice noodle packet instructions. Shake the colander to remove as much water as possible. Take care not to over soften them, they need a bit of a bite.
- While the noodles are soaking/cooking, work quickly and heat the oil in a wok or large non-stick pan over a high heat.
- Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until it softens. Add the garlic and chicken and stir-fry to cook (approx. 3-4 minutes). If using cooked chicken, only heat for 30 seconds.
- Once cooked push to the side and pour in the whisked egg in the other side of the wok, mixing to cook.
- Then add two thirds of the bean sprouts, garlic chives, two thirds of the peanuts, half the coriander, noodles and all of the sauce.
- Turn off the heat straight away and gently fold to combine the ingredients with the sauce so that the noodles are evenly coated.
Serve
- Garnish with remaining bean sprouts, peanuts and coriander.
- With lime wedges (this is essential), see note below.
Note
- Make sure you add the extra lime juice to taste. It really helps to balance out the saltiness and sweetness of the dish. Add to suit your taste.
- Garlic chives are a herb that taste like a mix of spring onions and chives. They are sometimes available in a supermarket however if you cannot find them, you can substitute with some extra garlic. They are a very hardy herb so if you have space in your garden, grow some. They're also delish chopped through mashed potato.