Pad Thai is a classic Thai stir-fried noodle dish made with rice noodles, a sweet-tangy tamarind sauce, vegetables, tofu or meat, and garnished with peanuts, lime, and herbs. My homemade version is a Pad Thai-inspired vegetarian recipe made without fish sauce or eggs, using fresh tamarind water, mushrooms, seasonal vegetables, and roasted peanuts - deliciously balanced and perfect for weeknight meals.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

  • 200 grams rice noodles (- thin and flat, can use 180 grams)
  • 4 cups water (- for cooking noodles)
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind (- soaked in ¼ cup hot water)
  • OR
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons tamarind paste (- adjust as needed)
  • 3 tablespoons oil (- sunflower or any neutral-tasting oil)
  • ½ cup scallion whites (- sliced, (spring onion whites))
  • 2 teaspoons garlic (- finely chopped)
  • 3 cups white button mushrooms (- sliced or chopped)
  • ⅓ cup carrots (- finely chopped or shredded)
  • ½ cup baby corn (- sliced)
  • 1 cup green bell pepper (sliced (capsicum))
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (- adjust to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or 2 teaspoons lime juice)
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes (or add as required)
  • 1 teaspoon oyster mushroom powder (- optional)
  • ¼ cup palm sugar (or add as required)
  • salt (as required)
  • ¼ to ⅓ cup scallion greens (- chopped (spring onion greens))
  • ½ cup peanuts (- coarsely crushed or chopped roasted)
  • 1 lime (- cut into wedges)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons coriander leaves (- chopped (cilantro), optional)

Method

Cook Rice Noodles

  1. Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. I have boiled in 4 cups of water until tender and al dente. Drain the water and set cooked noodles aside.

Prepare Tamarind Water

  1. Soak tamarind in ¼ cup hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Mash and strain to extract the pulp. Alternatively, use 1 to 2 tablespoons tamarind paste directly when making the sauce.

Stir-Fry the Vegetables & Mushrooms

  1. Heat oil in a heavy wok on high flame.
  2. Add sliced scallion whites and chopped garlic. Stir-fry for about 1 minute.
  3. Add mushrooms, carrots, and baby corn. Stir-fry on high heat until all the moisture evaporates.
  4. Add green bell pepper and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add Sauces & Spices

  1. Add red chilli flakes and oyster mushroom powder (optional).
  2. Pour in the tamarind water (or paste), soy sauce, rice vinegar (or lime juice), palm sugar, and salt to taste.
  3. Mix thoroughly and simmer on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.

Combine with Noodles & Make Pad Thai

  1. Add the cooked rice noodles to the wok. Mix and toss well until the sauce coats the noodles evenly.

Garnish and Serve:

  1. Garnish with chopped scallion greens, crushed roasted peanuts, and lime wedges.
  2. Serve hot, optionally topped with fresh coriander leaves or Thai basil.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.