Pad Thai with King Prawns and Tofu
Sweet-sour tamarind noodles tossed with prawns, golden tofu, crunchy peanuts and lime — quick, wok-fresh Thai at home.
Pad Thai is a weekday hero: quick, bright and reliably comforting. This version trusts a hot wok, a sharp tamarind sauce and the crunch of toasted peanuts to do the heavy lifting.
Make it for a speedy midweek supper or impress guests by keeping everything prepped — it all comes together in a flash. The key is timing: hot wok, thirsty noodles and a balanced sauce.
Ingredients
- 320 g dried flat rice noodles — about 6–8 mm wide; soak in warm water before cooking
- 45 ml vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloves — finely sliced
- 2 shallots — thinly sliced
- 3 medium eggs — lightly beaten
- 200 g firm tofu — pressed and cut into roughly 1.5 cm cubes
- 300 g raw king prawns — peeled and deveined
- 200 g bean sprouts
- 4 spring onions — trimmed and sliced into 3–4 cm pieces
- 75 g roasted unsalted peanuts — roughly chopped
- 45 ml tamarind paste
- 45 ml fish sauce
- 45 g palm sugar — finely chopped or grated if solid
- 5 ml dried chilli flakes — or to taste
- 2 lime — cut into wedges
- 20 g fresh coriander — leaves picked for garnish
Equipment
- wok or large non-stick frying pan
- spatula or tongs
- large mixing bowl
- small bowl for sauce
Instructions
Make the Pad Thai sauce: in a small bowl whisk together tamarind paste, fish sauce, palm sugar and dried chilli flakes until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust balance of sour/salty/sweet.
Soak the dried flat rice noodles in a large bowl of warm (not boiling) water for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice so they separate. They should be pliable but still slightly firm in the centre — they will finish cooking in the wok.
While the noodles soak, pat the firm tofu dry with kitchen paper and cut into 1.5 cm cubes. Roughly chop the roasted unsalted peanuts, slice the shallots, garlic and spring onions, and beat the medium eggs.
Heat a wok over a high hob. Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil and when very hot add the tofu. Fry, turning occasionally, until deeply golden all over, about 6 minutes.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil, then the shallots and garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the raw king prawns and stir-fry until just pink and cooked through, about 2–3 minutes.
Push the prawns and tofu to one side of the wok, pour the beaten medium eggs into the empty space and let them set for 10–15 seconds, then scramble lightly until just cooked.
Drain the soaked noodles and add them to the wok along with the prepared sauce (tamarind, fish sauce and palm sugar mixture). Toss quickly with tongs or a spatula to coat; if the pan looks dry add 2–3 tbsp hot water to loosen. Stir-fry for 3 minutes until noodles are evenly coated and glossy.
Add the bean sprouts and spring onions and toss through for 1 minute so they retain crunch.
Take the wok off the heat and stir in most of the roasted unsalted peanuts and most of the fresh coriander. Squeeze over lime to taste and give a final toss.
Serve immediately with lime wedges and extra dried chilli flakes on the side for those who want more heat.
Tips
- Do all chopping and have the sauce ready before you start stir-frying — Pad Thai is a fast, hands-on dish.
- Soak the rice noodles until just pliable; they must still have a slight bite as they'll finish in the wok.
- If you can't get palm sugar, use soft dark brown sugar but expect a slightly different caramel tone.
- Use a very hot wok and keep ingredients moving to get that light char and prevent sticking.
- Make the sauce a day ahead; it keeps well and lets the flavours meld. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 48 hours and reheat gently on the hob with a splash of water.
Substitutions
raw king prawns → skinless chicken thigh, sliced thinly and cooked through
Stays closepalm sugar → soft dark brown sugar, same weight
Noticeably differentroasted unsalted peanuts → roasted cashews, roughly chopped
Stays closefish sauce → vegetarian fish sauce or a mixture of soy sauce and a squeeze extra lime (use 2 tbsp soy + 1 tbsp lime)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 720
- Calories
- 31 g
- Protein
- 84 g
- Carbs
- 29 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 950 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How do I know when the noodles have soaked enough?
They should be pliable and largely separated but still slightly firm in the centre. They will finish cooking in the wok; over-soaking makes them fall apart.
Can I make Pad Thai gluten-free?
Use rice noodles (already gluten-free) and check your fish sauce is gluten-free (some brands contain wheat). Alternatively use tamari in place of fish sauce, but flavour will change.
My noodles stick and clump in the wok — how do I stop that?
Ensure the wok is very hot, use enough oil, and drain noodles well so they aren’t waterlogged. Toss constantly and add a splash of hot water if the pan looks dry.
Can I replace prawns for a vegetarian version?
Yes — increase tofu to 350 g and use a vegetarian fish sauce or soy-plus-lime. The result is tasty but lacks the seafood umami of prawns.
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