Description
A bold and flavorful Thai stir-fry dish featuring wide rice noodles coated in a spicy, savory, and slightly sweet sauce. Bursting with fresh basil, garlic, and chilies, Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) is the ultimate street food-inspired comfort dish.
Ingredients
- 8 oz wide rice noodles
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or soy sauce for a vegetarian option)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 cup water
- 2–3 Thai chilies, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup mixed vegetables (such as bell peppers and baby corn)
- 1/2 cup Thai basil (or holy basil if available)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Protein of choice (chicken, shrimp, or tofu)
Instructions
-
Prepare the Noodles:
Soak or cook 8 oz wide rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. -
Mix the Sauce:
In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and 1/4 cup water. Stir until sugar dissolves. -
Stir-Fry Aromatics:
Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 2-3 minced Thai chilies. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. -
Add Protein & Veggies:
Add your protein of choice and cook until fully cooked. Toss in 1 cup mixed vegetables and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp. -
Combine with Noodles & Sauce:
Add the soaked rice noodles to the wok, followed by the sauce mixture. Toss everything together until the noodles are evenly coated and heated through. -
Add Fresh Basil:
Remove the wok from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Thai basil. Let the residual heat wilt the basil. -
Serve Hot:
Plate the Drunken Noodles and serve immediately. Garnish with extra basil or lime wedges if desired.
Notes
- Adjust spice levels by adding more or fewer chilies.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute fish sauce with soy sauce and use tofu as the protein.
- Holy basil offers the most authentic flavor, but Thai basil is a great substitute.
- If the dish is too salty, balance it out with a squeeze of lime or a pinch more sugar.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stir-fry
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Keywords: Drunken noodles, Pad Kee Mao, Thai stir-fry, spicy noodles, quick dinner, Thai cuisine