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    Urban Bliss Life » All Recipes » Asian Recipes » Thai recipes » Beef Pad Thai

    Published: February 3, 2023 / Updated: February 16, 2023 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Beef Pad Thai

    18 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    beef pad thai noodles with vegetables and title text overlay.
    beef pad thai noodles with vegetables and title text overlay.
    beef pad thai noodles with vegetables and title text overlay.

    This Beef Pad Thai recipe is easy to make at home in under 30 minutes! With rice noodles, skirt steak, vegetables, and a simple pad thai sauce, you can have a restaurant favorite at home in less time than it takes to order delivery.

    beef pad thai noodles with vegetables, lime wedge, and parsley in a cast iron skillet.

    Pad Thai is the national dish of Thailand but is also one of the most popular Thai food dishes in the United States.

    This traditional Thai noodle dish is usually made with rice noodles, a protein (steak, chicken, shrimp, crab, or tofu), and vegetables, which are tossed together in a rich umami sauce.

    Just like other Thai food like Thai Peanut Curry and Red Curry Pasta, it's so easy to make a delicious Pad Thai dish at home. And cooking at home saves so much money!

    Jump to:
    • 🌟 Why this recipe works
    • 🛒 Ingredient notes
    • ✅ Step-by-step instructions
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs
    • 🍽 Serving ideas
    • 🍷 🥂 Wine pairings
    • 🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment
    • More Thai food recipes
    • Beef Pad Thai

    🌟 Why this recipe works

    beef pad thai noodles in a white bowl with chopsticks above.

    This easy Beef Pad Thai recipe that is a popular main course for many reasons.

    • 30-minutes: This less-than-30-minute-recipe is perfect for busy weeknights.
    • Easy: It's an easy recipe that is simple enough for beginner cooks to make.
    • Saves money: Making this restaurant favorite dish is inexpensive to make at home. Local Thai restaurants sell one serving of traditional pad thai for $13-$22. At home, you can make 6 servings for less than $15.
    • Veggies: It's packed with fresh vegetables, which add nutrition and crunch to the dish.
    • Meal Prep: This is a great Thai recipe to use for Meal Prep.

    🛒 Ingredient notes

    You can find most of these ingredients in the produce and Asian sections of your local grocery store.

    bowls of ingredients to make beef pad thai noodles on a white table.

    Full ingredient list and measurements are in the recipe card below, but here are some notes about ingredients and substitutions.

    Noodles - Regular rice noodles are best. Some will be labeled as Pad Thai noodles, or they may be labeled as Stir Fry Noodles.

    Steak - Skirt steak, flank steak, or even sirloin steak sliced into thin strips all work well in stir fry recipes! If you don't want to use beef, you can substitute your favorite protein. Chicken, shrimp, crab, and tofu all work well in pad thai!

    Oil: You can use canola oil, olive oil, avocado oil, or sesame oil.

    Vegetables: You can also add/substitute sliced red bell pepper or green bell pepper, sliced or quartered mushrooms, bean sprouts, and/or broccoli.

    Sauce - This recipe includes a simple pad thai sauce with oyster sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar (can sub brown sugar), minced garlic, and minced fresh ginger. For a deeper depth of flavor, you can add 2 teaspoons of dark soy sauce or regular soy sauce.

    Note: traditional pad thai sauce is made with tamarind paste which is currently harder to find at local grocery stores and somewhat expensive. So I've left it out of this recipe. However, you can usually find tamarind paste at your local Asian market or online. If you have some, add about a tablespoonful of tamarind paste for an authentic, sweet flavor.

    Optional Egg: If you want to add scrambled egg to your Beef Pad Thai, lightly beat 2 eggs then add the beaten eggs to the wok or skillet in the beginning. Cook the scrambled eggs then remove and set aside on a plate. Continue cooking the pad thai according to the recipe instructions. Add the scrambled eggs when you add the vegetables. 

    ✅ Step-by-step instructions

    rice noodles soaking in a large pot of water.
    white bowl with pad thai sauce, and minced garlic and ginger.
    1. Soak the pad thai rice noodles in cold water for 8-10 minutes.
    2. In a small bowl (or medium bowl) whisk together the ingredients to make the pad thai sauce.
    cooking steak in a cast iron skillet.
    steak cooking in a cast iron skillet.

    3. Cook the steak in a large wok or large skillet over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes, just until the meat is browned.

    snap peas, carrots, scallions, and steak in a cast iron skillet.
    blue tongs holding up beef pad thai noodles with vegetables in a cast iron skillet.

    4. Add the carrots, snap peas, and green onions (AKA spring onions or scallions) to the cooked beef and cook all together for 1-2 minutes.

    5. Add the noodles to the skillet and toss together.

    pad thai sauce on top of rice noodles on top of steak and vegetables in a pan.
    adding crushed peanuts to beef pad thai noodles with vegetables in a skillet.

    6. Add the sauce and stir together.

    7. Top with crushed peanuts and stir, then serve immediately. Garnish with additional peanuts, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro or fresh parsley, if desired.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

    beef pad thai noodles with vegetables in a Finex cast iron skillet with side of lime wedges and chopped peanuts.
    How to reheat pad thai

    Place a serving in a microwave-safe bowl, drizzle a little olive oil or water on top, then microwave in 1-minute increments until heated through, stirring in between microwave times. 

    Storage tips for beef pad thai

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. 

    🍽 Serving ideas

    beef pad thai noodles with vegetables in a meal prep glass container.

    Serve this Beef Pad Thai recipe with Thai Chicken Salad (our CPK copycat recipe of their Thai Crunch Salad!). It's also delicious with this satisfying, crunchy Asian Carrot Cucumber Salad. Or make my Filipino Lumpia and serve it with Homemade Peanut Sauce for a yummy Asian fusion side dish.

    And, this is a great recipe for meal prep! Portion out servings in airtight glass containers for the week. It makes a great light lunch, as well as dinner!

    🍷 🥂 Wine pairings

    bowl of beef pad thai noodles with vegetables with glass of white wine and skillet of more pad thai.

    Pair Beef Pad Thai with a white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, dry Riesling, or Pinot Grigio.

    🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment

    Ready to make this recipe? Here are the kitchen tools and equipment you'll need:

    Wok/Skillet - you'll need a large wok or a large skillet to make this recipe.

    Wooden Spoon - Use a wooden spoon to cook the beef and vegetables.

    Tongs - Use kitchen tongs to toss all of the ingredients together before serving.

    More Thai food recipes

    • Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing (CPK Copycat Recipe)
    • Asian Carrot Cucumber Salad
    • Thai-Inspired Red Curry Pasta
    • Thai Peanut Curry

    Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!

    closeup of beef pad thai noodles with vegetables in a skillet with side of parsley.

    Beef Pad Thai

    5 from 1 vote
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 30 mins
    Recipe by Marlynn Schotland
    This classic Thai recipe is easy enough for you to make at home in under 30 minutes.
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 343kcal
    PRINT PIN RATE

    Equipment

    • Large Wok or Large Skillet with High Sides

    Ingredients

    • 8 ounces rice noodles

    Pad Thai Sauce

    • ¾ cup oyster sauce
    • ¼ cup fish sauce
    • 1 Tablespoon lime juice
    • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
    • 3 minced garlic cloves
    • 1 1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced

    Beef and vegetables

    • 3 teaspoons canola oil
    • 8 ounces skirt steak, cut into thin strips
    • 2 cups snap peas
    • 2 cups julienned or matchstick carrots
    • ½ cup sliced scallions plus more for garnish
    • ½ cup crushed peanuts plus more for garnish
    • finely chopped cilantro (optional)

    Instructions

    • In a large pot, cover the rice noodles with just enough water to fully submerge the noodles in the water. Soak for 8-10 minutes, or according the package directions.
    • Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together oyster sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Set aside.
    • In a large skillet or wok, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Once heated, add the steak and cook just until the steak is browned on all sides.
    • Add the snap peas, carrots, and green onions. Stir and cook together for 2 minutes.
    • Drain the noodles and add them to the wok/skillet. Use tongs to toss the noodles, steak, and veggies all together, just until the noodles are coated with the sauce.
    • Add the sauce and peanuts and toss all of the ingredients. together. Serve topped with additional crushed peanuts, lime wedges, chopped cilantro (all optional).

    Notes

    Oil: You can use canola oil, olive oil, avocado oil, or sesame oil.
    Vegetables: You can also add/substitute sliced red bell peppers or green bell peppers, sliced or quartered mushrooms, and/or broccoli.
    Optional Egg: If you want to add scrambled egg to your Beef Pad Thai, lightly beat 2 eggs then add to the wok or skillet in the beginning. Cook the scrambled eggs then remove and set aside on a plate. Continue cooking the pad thai according to the recipe instructions. Add the scrambled eggs when you add the vegetables. 
    Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. 
    To reheat: Place a serving in a microwave-safe bowl, drizzle a little olive oil or water on top, then microwave in 1-minute increments until heated through, stirring in between microwave times. 
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 1678mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 7572IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

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