Pescatarian Pad Thai
A bright, wok-tossed Pad Thai with prawns, crisp tofu and tamarind-sweet sauce — quick enough for weeknights, impressive enough for guests.
This Pescatarian Pad Thai keeps the soul of the street-food classic — sticky tamarind sauce, crunchy peanuts and a hit of lime — while leaning on prawns and crisp tofu for texture. It’s just the ticket for a midweek crowd-pleaser or a fuss-free supper when you want something a bit more exciting than pasta.
The trick is in the prep: press the tofu, soak the noodles until pliable and have the sauce ready. Quick heat and fast tossing make the difference between a soggy pile and a glossy, wok-fried finish.
Ingredients
- 300 g dried flat rice noodles
- 400 g raw peeled prawns — tails removed if preferred
- 200 g firm tofu — pressed (see method)
- 2 eggs
- 150 g bean sprouts
- 4 spring onions — trimmed and sliced on the diagonal
- 3 garlic cloves — finely sliced
- 1 shallot — finely sliced
- 60 g tamarind paste
- 60 ml fish sauce
- 50 g soft brown sugar
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 45 ml vegetable oil
- 50 g unsalted peanuts — roughly chopped
- 2 lime — quartered for serving
- 5 ml dried chilli flakes — adjust to taste
- 15 g fresh coriander — leaves picked for garnish
- 60 ml water — to loosen the sauce
- 5 ml sesame oil
- 5 ml sea salt — for seasoning
Equipment
- wok or large frying pan
- kitchen scales
- spatula or tongs
Instructions
Press the tofu: slice the firm tofu into 2cm cubes, place between layers of kitchen paper on a plate and weight with another plate or baking tray. Leave to press for 20 minutes to remove excess water.
While the tofu presses, soak the dried flat rice noodles in a large bowl of warm water until pliable but still slightly firm in the centre — about 30 minutes. Drain well before using.
Make the sauce: in a small bowl combine the tamarind paste, fish sauce, soft brown sugar, light soy sauce, water, sesame oil and dried chilli flakes. Stir until sugar dissolves and set aside.
Roughly chop the unsalted peanuts and prepare the aromatics: slice the shallot, crush and slice the garlic cloves, and slice the spring onions. Pick the fresh coriander leaves and halve the limes.
Heat a large wok or frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and fry the pressed tofu cubes until golden all over, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
Add a little more oil to the hot pan and quickly fry the raw peeled prawns until just pink and cooked through, about 2–3 minutes. Season lightly with sea salt and transfer with the tofu.
Return the pan to a high heat with the remaining oil. Add the shallot and garlic and stir-fry for 30–60 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
Push the aromatics to one side of the pan, crack in the eggs and scramble briefly until just set (about 1 minute). Add the drained noodles and pour over the prepared sauce. Toss quickly for 2–3 minutes until noodles are glossy and heated through.
Return the cooked prawns and tofu to the pan with the bean sprouts and most of the spring onions. Toss everything together for 30–60 seconds so the sprouts remain crisp.
Divide the Pad Thai between plates. Scatter over the chopped unsalted peanuts, the remaining spring onions and fresh coriander. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.
Tips
- Press tofu well (20 minutes) — dry tofu equals crisp exterior and firm bite.
- Soak noodles until pliable but not floppy; they finish cooking in the pan and will go mushy if over-soaked.
- Taste and tweak the sauce before you toss the noodles: more sugar for sweetness, more fish sauce for salt, or a squeeze of lime for acidity.
- Toast the peanuts in the pan first for extra flavour and chop roughly for texture contrast.
- Make ahead: mix the sauce up to 24 hours ahead and keep chilled; warm to room temperature before using.
Substitutions
raw peeled prawns → firm white fish such as cod or haddock, cut into 2cm pieces
Stays closefirm tofu → extra 200 g prawns and omit tofu for a prawn-only Pad Thai
Stays closetamarind paste → 40 ml tamarind concentrate or 30 ml lime juice plus a touch more sugar (noticeable acidity difference)
Noticeably differentunsalted peanuts → 50 g roasted cashews (different, but still crunchy)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 730
- Calories
- 40 g
- Protein
- 86 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 18 g
- Sugar
- 1520 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian?
Swap the prawns for extra tofu or portobello mushrooms and replace the fish sauce with 60 ml vegetarian fish-free sauce or extra soy plus a little seaweed for umami. The flavour will be slightly different but still tasty.
How do I stop the noodles sticking together?
Soak until just pliable and drain thoroughly. Toss them quickly in the very hot pan with oil and sauce; if they clump, add a splash of warm water and keep tossing.
Can I use fresh rice noodles instead of dried?
Yes — fresh rice noodles need only a brief toss in a hot pan (about 1–2 minutes). Omit the soaking step and use gently to avoid breaking them.
Is Pad Thai very spicy?
Not necessarily — this recipe uses a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes which gives a gentle heat. Adjust up or down, or serve extra chilli on the side.
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