Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe (Pad Kee Mao)
This post may contain affiliate links.Love Thai noodles? This Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe (Pad Kee Mao) is packed with chewy rice noodles, juicy shrimp, tender pork, and fragrant Thai basil, all tossed in a delicious savory sauce. It’s surprisingly easy to make at home, and I’ll share a few tips to get those perfectly chewy noodles without breaking them!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
🏷️ Recipe Name: Thai Drunken Noodles – Pad Kee Mao
⏱️ Ready In: ~ 20 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 2 portions
🔥 Calories: 843 kcal per portion (estimate)
🧾 Main Ingredients: Wide rice noodles, garlic, shallots, pork, egg, Chinese broccoli, Thai basil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, palm sugar.
🥗 Dietary Info: Contains meat.
🧠 Difficulty: Easy with simple step-by-step guide.
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Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) is a popular Thai stir-fried noodle dish made with wide rice noodles, meat, vegetables, and fragrant Thai basil. Everything is tossed together in a delicious savory sauce with a little heat from the chilies.
For this recipe, I use shrimp, pork, and eggs, which make the noodles even more flavorful and satisfying. The wide rice noodles have a lovely chewy texture and soak up the sauce beautifully.
If you love Thai noodle dishes like Pad Thai and Pad See Ew, you should definitely give these drunken noodles a try!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Wide Rice Noodles: These give Pad Kee Mao its signature chewy texture. Fresh wide rice noodles are ideal, but you can also use dried wide rice noodles prepared according to the package instructions.
- Shrimp and Pork: I use both shrimp and sliced pork for extra flavor and protein. You can substitute chicken, beef, or tofu according to your preference.
- Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan): Adds a lovely crunch and some greens to the dish. If you can’t find Chinese broccoli, regular broccoli or bok choy will also work.
- Thai Basil: Gives the noodles a wonderful fragrance. Thai holy basil is traditionally used in Pad Kee Mao, but Thai sweet basil is a good alternative.
- Palm Sugar: Balances the salty and savory flavors. Brown sugar works well as a substitute. Or if you have sweet soy sauce, you can use that too.
How to Make Thai Drunken Noodles
STEP 1. Cook the eggs, pork, and noodles. Heat a little cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the eggs, scramble until just cooked, and set aside (Image 1).
In the same wok, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Sauté the garlic and shallots until fragrant (Image 2). Add the pork slices and stir-fry until they change color and are nearly cooked through (Image 3). Add the fresh wide rice noodles, followed by the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, mushroom powder, pepper, and palm sugar. Gently toss everything together until the noodles are evenly coated with the seasonings (Image 4).
STEP 2. Add the vegetables, shrimp, and Thai basil. Add the Chinese broccoli or bok choy, followed by the shrimp and scrambled eggs (Images 5, 6). Stir-fry until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, the pork is fully cooked, and the vegetables are tender but still slightly crisp.
Lastly, add the Thai basil (Image 7). Gently toss everything together for a short while until the basil starts to wilt (Image 8). Serve hot and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Separate the rice noodles. If you’re using fresh wide rice noodles, gently separate any noodles that are stuck together before cooking. This makes them easier to stir-fry and helps the sauce coat the noodles evenly without breaking them.
- Add Thai basil last. Thai basil wilts quickly, so add it toward the end of cooking. Toss briefly until the leaves are just wilted to preserve their wonderful aroma and flavor.
- Use medium-high to high heat. Stir-fry the noodles over medium-high to high heat to develop a delicious flavor without making them soggy.
- Toss the noodles gently. Fresh wide rice noodles are quite delicate and can break easily. Use a spatula or chopsticks to gently toss them with the other ingredients.
- Add some chilis if you like. Traditionally, Pad Kee Mao is quite spicy, but you can easily adjust the heat to your preference. Add some fresh Thai chilies if you enjoy spicy food, or leave them out for a milder version.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these Thai Drunken Noodles hot with a refreshing drink like Thai Tea or lychee soda to balance the savory flavors. You can also pair them with some delicious fried appetizers like crispy fried wontons or fried meatballs for a more satisfying meal.
Thai Drunken Noodles FAQs
Despite the name, drunken noodles don’t contain any alcohol! There are several stories behind the name. One popular explanation is that this flavorful noodle dish is often enjoyed after a night of drinking.
Both are popular Thai stir-fried noodle dishes made with wide rice noodles. Pad Kee Mao is typically spicy and has a distinctive aroma from Thai basil, while Pad See Ew has a milder, slightly tangy, soy sauce-based flavor.
Yes! If you can’t find fresh wide rice noodles, dried wide rice noodles work too. Just prepare them according to the package instructions before stir-frying. Be careful not to overcook them, or they may become too soft and break apart.
Yes, although Thai basil gives the dish its signature fragrance. If you can’t find Thai basil, you can use regular sweet basil instead. The flavor will be slightly different, but the noodles will still be delicious.
If you’re using fresh wide rice noodles, gently separate any noodles that are stuck together before cooking. When stir-frying, toss them gently with the sauce to prevent them from clumping or breaking apart.
Storage
Store leftover Thai Drunken Noodles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, stir-fry the noodles in a pan over medium heat until heated through. You can add a splash of water if the noodles seem too dry. Alternatively, microwave until steaming hot, stirring halfway through for even heating.
More Thai Recipes
If you love Thai food, here are some more delicious Thai recipes you might want to try!
- Pad Kra Pao (Thai Basil Chicken) – A flavorful Thai stir-fry with ground chicken, basil, garlic, and chilies.
- Thai Green Curry (coming soon) – A rich, aromatic curry made with coconut milk, green curry paste, and vegetables.
- Mango Sticky Rice – A popular Thai dessert with sweet sticky rice, fresh mango, and creamy coconut sauce.
- Bua Loy – Soft, chewy rice balls served in a warm, sweet coconut milk soup.
Looking for more quick meals? Browse my Easy Stir Fry Recipes for more noodle, meat, seafood, and vegetable stir-fries. If you love noodles and Asian food, check out my Asian Noodle Recipes or Asian Food Recipes for more Chinese, Thai, and Indonesian favorites.
Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
Equipment
- 1 wok
Ingredients
- 300 g noodles
- 150 g pork
- 50 g shrimp
- 1 egg
- 2 garlic
- 2 shallots
- Thai basil
- 4 stems Chinese broccoli or you can use bok choy
Sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp mushroom powder
- 1 tsp palm sugar sweet soy sauce
Instructions
- Heat a little cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the eggs, scramble until just cooked, and set aside.
- In the same wok, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Sauté the garlic and shallots until fragrant. Add the pork slices and stir-fry until they change color and are nearly cooked through.
- Add the fresh wide rice noodles, followed by the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, mushroom powder, pepper, and palm sugar. Gently toss everything together until the noodles are evenly coated with the seasonings.
- Add the Chinese broccoli or bok choy, followed by the shrimp and scrambled eggs. Stir-fry until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, the pork is fully cooked, and the vegetables are tender but still slightly crisp.
- Lastly, add the Thai basil. Gently toss everything together for a short while until the basil starts to wilt. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Separate the rice noodles. If you’re using fresh wide rice noodles, gently separate any noodles that are stuck together before cooking. This makes them easier to stir-fry and helps the sauce coat the noodles evenly without breaking them.
- Add Thai basil last. Thai basil wilts quickly, so add it toward the end of cooking. Toss briefly until the leaves are just wilted to preserve their wonderful aroma and flavor.
- Use medium-high to high heat. Stir-fry the noodles over medium-high to high heat to develop a delicious flavor without making them soggy.
- Toss the noodles gently. Fresh wide rice noodles are quite delicate and can break easily. Use a spatula or chopsticks to gently toss them with the other ingredients.
I love how flavorful these Thai Drunken Noodles are! The chewy rice noodles, savory sauce, and fragrant Thai basil make such a delicious combination. It’s a quick and satisfying meal, and you can easily adjust the ingredients to your liking!