Nut-free Prawn Pad Thai
Zesty nut-free prawn Pad Thai with tamarind, fish sauce and lime — quick, balanced Thai stir-fry of flat rice noodles, without peanuts.
This Pad Thai hits all the right notes — tangy tamarind, salty fish sauce and a touch of palm sugar — but crucially it’s nut-free. Perfect when you want the familiar street-food flavours without peanuts on the plate.
It’s an ideal midweek supper: pantry-friendly, ready in about 30 minutes and easily scaled. Follow the critical steps for sauce balance and high-heat tossing for the best texture.
Ingredients
- 300 g flat rice noodles
- 300 g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 150 g bean sprouts
- 3 spring onions — slice; separate white and green parts if you can
- 2 garlic cloves — crushed
- 45 ml tamarind paste
- 60 ml fish sauce
- 30 g palm sugar — soft; finely chopped or grated if solid
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 5 ml dried chilli flakes — adjust to taste
- 1 red chilli — finely sliced, optional
- 10 g fresh coriander — leaves picked for garnish
- 2 limes — cut into wedges for serving
Equipment
- wok or large frying pan
- tongs or two spatulas
Instructions
Make the Pad Thai sauce: in a small bowl whisk together tamarind paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, light soy sauce and dried chilli flakes until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust balance — it should be tangy, salty and a little sweet.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the flat rice noodles and cook according to packet instructions until just tender (usually 2–4 minutes). Drain, rinse briefly under cold water to stop cooking and set aside.
Heat a wok or large frying pan until very hot, add vegetable oil and swirl. Add the raw king prawns and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Transfer prawns to one side of the pan.
Push the prawns to the side. Add the garlic cloves and the white parts of the spring onions to the empty side and fry for 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Crack in the large eggs and scramble quickly until just set.
Add the drained noodles and the prepared sauce to the pan. Toss thoroughly over high heat for 1–2 minutes until noodles absorb the sauce and everything is evenly coated and heated through.
Stir in the bean sprouts and most of the green parts of the spring onions for 30 seconds only — they should remain crisp. Add the cooked prawns back in and toss once more to combine.
Divide between bowls and garnish with fresh coriander, sliced red chilli and lime wedges. Serve immediately with extra lime on the side.
Tips
- Taste and adjust the sauce before you start frying — getting the sweet/tangy/salty balance now saves time later.
- Use a very hot wok or frying pan and keep the ingredients moving to avoid steaming and to keep the prawns tender.
- Do not overcook the noodles in the water; they should be slightly underdone so they finish in the pan without going mushy.
- Make ahead: mix the sauce and keep in the fridge up to 24 hours. Cooked Pad Thai is best eaten the day it’s made; store leftovers for up to 24 hours and reheat quickly in a hot pan.
- If you want a crunch element in place of peanuts, serve with extra crisp bean sprouts and slivers of raw red chilli rather than nuts.
Substitutions
raw king prawns, peeled and deveined → 200 g thinly sliced chicken breast, stir-fried until just cooked
Stays closeraw king prawns, peeled and deveined → 250 g firm tofu, pressed and cubed, pan-fried until golden (vegetarian option)
Noticeably differentlight soy sauce → 15 ml tamari (gluten-free)
Stays closepalm sugar → 30 g soft dark muscovado sugar
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 425
- Calories
- 22 g
- Protein
- 68 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 1100 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes — swap the prawns for firm tofu (press to remove excess moisture, then pan-fry) and replace fish sauce with a vegetarian fish-sauce alternative or extra light soy sauce plus a squeeze of lime for umami.
Why are my noodles sticky or mushy?
That usually means they were overcooked in the water or the pan wasn’t hot enough. Cook noodles until just tender, rinse in cold water, and toss quickly in a very hot pan.
How can I make it spicier or milder?
Adjust the dried chilli flakes and sliced red chilli to taste. Add chilli gradually — you can always add more at the table but you can’t take it out.
Can I freeze leftover Pad Thai?
It’s not ideal — the noodles become soft and the texture changes. Eat within 24 hours refrigerated and reheat briefly in a hot pan for best results.
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