Shrimp Pad Thai

5 from 1 vote

Shrimp pad Thai is full of silky rice noodles, tender shrimp, fresh veggies and a peanut-y sauce to bring it all together. This version uses familiar ingredients and is ready in just 20 minutes!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Pad Thai:

4 oz. vermicelli/angel hair rice noodles
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium red pepper, sliced thin
1 cup matchstick carrots
½ cup snow peas, sliced in ½ inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
12 oz. small, cooked shrimp (see notes)

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons fish sauce (see notes)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon spicy Asian chili-garlic sauce (see notes)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Optional toppings:

Chopped peanuts, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, extra soy sauce, sriracha or hot sauce, etc.

Instructions

Soak the rice noodles according to the package directions for sauté, then drain.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the red pepper strips and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the carrots, snow peas and garlic and cook another 3 minutes, until carrots are softened.
Clear a small space in the pan and add the eggs. Stir until the eggs are cooked and scrambled then mix the eggs in with the rest of the vegetables.
While the egg is cooking, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well.
Add the drained rice noodles, shrimp and the sauce to the pan and stir well. Cook for 2-3 minutes to allow everything to heat through and until the rice noodles are al dente.
Serve immediately with desired toppings.

Notes

Shrimp: I love the small shrimp (size 71-90) for this recipe because they are easier to eat with all the veggies and noodles. Mine are frozen and already cooked and that works great. (But you have to thaw them first!) If you are using raw shrimp, add them with the carrots and snow peas and cook on both sides until almost cooked through before you add the eggs.

Rice noodles: I recommend the vermicelli or angel hair rice noodles for this; the delicacy seems to go well with the shrimp. If you’re using a larger noodle, like the linguine style, you’ll want to use 8 oz. (For the brand at my store, it’s half the package of either one.)

Peanuts: Peanuts are a traditional ingredient in pad Thai and I’m making life easy by using peanut butter in the sauce (and optional chopped peanuts for topping). You could substitute almond butter if you need this to be peanut-free.

Fish sauce: The fish sauce adds an extra dimension of flavor, but I get it, you may not have any or want to buy a whole bottle. In that case, just substitute extra soy sauce.

Chili garlic sauce: Spicy Asian chili-garlic sauce is one of my favorite condiments to use in Asian dishes and it’s easily found in most grocery stores, in the international aisle. You could also substitute some extra minced garlic and some hot sauce or sriracha or red pepper flakes to approximate these flavors. (As is, the amount used here does not make this a spicy dish.)

Veggies: I’ve included a red bell pepper, matchstick carrots and sliced snow peas in this recipe. They add great color and crunch. Plus, I love adding vegetables. You could omit them, however, if you prefer.

Bean sprouts: I use these in my chicken pad Thai but not usually in my shrimp version here. Feel free to add some if you’d like!

Leftovers: This is best served immediately, but leftover Pad Thai will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. You can reheat it in the microwave or in a small skillet over medium low heat. I usually add an extra few splashes of soy sauce to sorta wake up the sauce part.

Nutrition

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