Tofu pad thai

Name: Tofu pad thai
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Thailand
Ingredients: 200 g flat rice noodles; 200 g firm tofu, cubed; 2 eggs; 3 tbsp oil; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; 2 shallots, sliced; 2 tbsp chopped sweet preserved radish (optional); 150 g beansprouts; 3 garlic chives or spring onions, cut into lengths; 3 tbsp tamarind paste; 2 tbsp palm sugar; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp chilli flakes; 3 tbsp roasted peanuts, crushed; Lime

Local name: ผัดไทยเต้าหู้

Wok-fried rice noodles with golden tofu, egg, beansprouts, tamarind and crushed peanuts.

Published on 11 October 2025·Updated on 12 September 2026

#noodles#tofu#tamarind#wok#street food

Photo: avlxyz , CC BY-SA 2.0

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 35 min
Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium

Method

Soak the noodles in warm water for 20 minutes until pliable but still firm. Drain.
Mix the tamarind, sugar and soy sauce in a bowl to make the sauce.
Heat the wok over high heat with 2 tbsp oil. Brown the tofu on all sides and set aside.
Add the remaining oil, garlic, shallots and preserved radish. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, push to one side and crack in the eggs. Scramble quickly.
Add the noodles and the sauce. Toss for 2 to 3 minutes until the noodles soak up the sauce.
Add the tofu, beansprouts and chives. Toss for 1 more minute.
Serve with the peanuts, chilli flakes, a lime wedge and raw beansprouts.

Pad thai is cooked two portions at a time, never more: an overloaded wok boils the noodles instead of searing them. Leave out the eggs and the dish is vegan.

The techniques this recipe uses

Drain and rinse
Canning liquid clouds a sauce and salts it blind: rinse until the water runs clear.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 1080 kcal
Protein: 42.3 g
Fat: 47.2 g
Carbohydrate: 129.7 g
Fibre: 11.2 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Why did my noodles turn sticky and pasty?

Two likely causes: over-soaked noodles, or an overloaded wok. They should come out of the soak pliable but still firm, since they finish cooking in the sauce. Beyond two portions the wok loses its heat and the noodles boil instead of frying.

What can replace tamarind paste?

Tamarind brings a fruity sourness that vinegar does not match. The closest substitute is lime juice with a little extra sugar, keeping the sour-sweet-salty balance of the sauce. Taste it before pouring it in: it should be clearly tangy.

How do I get tofu that actually browns?

Press the cubes between two cloths to squeeze out the water, lay them in oil that is already very hot, and leave them alone for the first minute. Stirring too early tears off the crust that is forming and the tofu crumbles.

How to cook tofu so it is never bland
Why tofu is not a meat substitute but a carrier of flavour, and traditional Asian techniques to give it real depth and texture.
Umami without meat in China, Japan and Korea
Fermented pastes, kombu and dried shiitake, tofu and high heat — four sources of flavour that stand in for meat in Chinese, Japanese and Korean cooking.
Japanese vegetarian cooking, beyond sushi
Learn to make dashi without bonito, tell the forms of tofu apart, and build a Japanese vegetarian meal from small plates.

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