Description
This easy homemade Pad Thai recipe is a lightened-up version of the original, featuring shrimp, eggs, and tofu. It’s packed with protein and delivers the classic sweet-tangy flavor you love, with a perfect balance of textures from chewy rice noodles to crunchy peanuts and fresh bean sprouts.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 ounces packaged rice noodles (or rice sticks)
- 2 teaspoons oil (such as peanut oil or avocado oil)
- 1 clove garlic (finely minced)
- 8 ounces medium-sized shrimp (shelled and deveined)
- 2 ounces fried firm tofu (cut into slices, optional)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white (or use whole egg if preferred)
- 5 ounces bean sprouts
- 1 ounce Chinese chives (or scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths)
- 1 tablespoon crushed peanuts
- Lime wedges (for serving)
- Basil (optional for garnish)
Seasoning Sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce (Thai Kitchen brand for gluten free)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (or more, to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the noodles: Follow the package instructions to cook the rice noodles until soft but still chewy, then rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.
- Prepare the seasoning sauce: Mix fish sauce, sugar, water, rice vinegar, and chili powder in a small bowl until well combined and set aside.
- Heat the skillet and sauté garlic and proteins: Heat a large skillet over high heat and add oil. Once hot, add minced garlic and stir until fragrant. Quickly add shrimp and tofu slices and continue stirring until shrimp turns pink and opaque.
- Add noodles and eggs: Add the noodles to the skillet and stir continuously for about 30 seconds. Push noodles to one side of the skillet, crack the eggs onto the empty side, break the yolks with a spatula, and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Combine noodles, eggs, and sauce: Mix eggs and noodles together, then add the seasoning sauce. Stir well to evenly coat all ingredients.
- Add veggies and peanuts: Toss in the bean sprouts and Chinese chives, stirring until the bean sprouts are tender but still crunchy. Stir in crushed peanuts.
- Serve: Turn off heat and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side, garnished with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- This recipe is a lighter, protein-packed version of traditional Pad Thai, making it a great choice for a nutritious meal.
- Use gluten-free fish sauce brands like Thai Kitchen to keep the recipe gluten-free.
- If you prefer vegetarian, omit shrimp and replace fish sauce with tamari or soy sauce substitute.
- Adjust chili powder quantity to your preferred spice level.
- Be careful not to overcook the noodles to keep the perfect chewy texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 9.5 g
- Sodium: 1391 mg
- Fat: 18.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
