I’ve put together 10 popular Thai dishes that you’ll find all over Thailand, as well as at Thai restaurants around the world. Each one comes with one of my own recipes, so you can try making your favourites at home!
1
Pad Thai
If there's one Thai dish almost everyone has heard of, it's pad Thai. These stir-fried rice noodles are cooked with a sweet, sour, and savory sauce made with tamarind, fish sauce, and palm sugar.What makes a good pad Thai is the balance of the sauce and the texture of the noodles. They should be soft but still have a little bite, not mushy or swimming in sauce.There are plenty of variations with chicken, shrimp, beef, or tofu. My chicken pad Thai recipe includes chicken, tofu, mini shrimp, preserved radish, egg, and garlic chives. I serve it with lime, chili flakes, and crushed peanuts so everyone can adjust their own plate.
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2
Som Tam Thai (Papaya Salad)
Som tam is a Thai green papaya salad made with crunchy, fresh green papaya and a punchy dressing made with lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, and chilies.It's especially popular in Isan, Northeastern Thailand, where papaya salad is often eaten with sticky rice and grilled meat. You'll find plenty of regional variations, too. The Thai-style version, som tum Thai, usually includes dried shrimp and roasted peanuts, while other versions can be much more intense with fermented fish sauce.One thing I love about ordering som tum in Thailand is that you can ask the cook to adjust the chili and seasoning to your liking. If you're making it at home, a mortar and pestle is needed to bruise the ingredients and bring the dressing together.
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3
Pad Kra Pao (Thai Basil Stir-Fry)
Ask a Thai person what they like to eat when they don't know what to order, and pad kra pao is a very good bet!This is everyday Thai street food: minced or chopped meat stir-fried with garlic, chilies, seasoning sauce, and holy basil. It's usually served over jasmine rice, often with a crispy fried egg (kai dao) on top.Here's an important detail: pad kra pao uses holy basil, not ordinary sweet Thai basil. Holy basil has a more peppery, distinctive aroma, and it's what gives the dish its familiar character.You can make it with pork, chicken, beef, or seafood depending on what you fancy. My pad kra pao recipe shows you how to get it just right.
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4
Thai Spring Rolls
Thai fried spring rolls are a popular appetizer at Thai restaurants, particularly outside Thailand. They're filled with a savory mixture of vegetables, often with glass noodles, and sometimes meat, then wrapped and fried until golden and crunchy.I like serving them with Thai sweet chili sauce. The crisp wrapper and sweet, slightly spicy dipping sauce make a lovely combination.They're also a good dish to prepare ahead when you're cooking for guests. You can roll them in advance and fry them just before serving!Try my Thai vegetable spring rolls recipe.
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5
Tom Yum Kung (Thai Shrimp Soup)
Tom yum is Thailand's famous hot and sour soup. It's known for its fragrant broth, which gets its character from lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, lime juice, and chilies.Tom yum kung, made with shrimp, is probably the best-known version internationally. You can also find tom yum with mixed seafood, chicken, and other ingredients.There are different styles, too. A clear tom yum broth has a lighter, sharper taste, while versions with roasted chili paste and evaporated milk have a richer, deeper red broth.If you enjoy a proper hot and sour soup, try my tom yum kung recipe now!
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6
Khao Pad (Thai Fried Rice)
Khao pad is Thai fried rice, a simple everyday dish that you'll find at street food stalls, local restaurants, and home kitchens throughout Thailand.It's usually made with cooked rice, egg, garlic, vegetables, and a protein such as chicken, pork, or shrimp. The seasoning is straightforward, often using fish sauce or soy sauce, with a little sugar to balance it.Unlike some Chinese-style fried rice, Thai fried rice is commonly served with lime wedges, cucumber, and fresh spring onion. A little prik nam pla (fish sauce with chilies) on the side is also a popular addition.My Thai chicken fried rice recipe is a good place to start if you want to make it at home.
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7
Pad See Ew (Fresh Rice Noodle Stir-Fry)
Pad see ew is another popular Thai noodle stir-fry, and one that many people in Thailand order for a quick lunch.It's made with wide rice noodles called sen yai, dark soy sauce, egg, and Chinese broccoli, usually with chicken, pork, or beef. The dark soy sauce gives the noodles their characteristic color, while cooking them over high heat helps create those slightly charred edges and smoky notes.The trick is getting the noodles nicely coated without breaking them apart. They're best when soft and chewy, with a little color from the hot wok.My beef pad see ew recipe walks you through making this classic noodle dish at home.
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8
Thai Mango Sticky Rice Dessert
Mango sticky rice is one of Thailand's best-known desserts, and once you try it, you'll see why. It combines sweet ripe mango with sticky rice that's been soaked in coconut milk, sugar, and salt.The rice should be soft and sticky, with coconut milk soaking into the grains. It's usually served with extra coconut sauce poured over the top, sometimes with crispy mung beans or sesame seeds for a little crunch.The type of mango makes a huge difference here. Look for ripe, fragrant Thai mangoes with sweet, juicy flesh. When mangoes are in season, this is one of my favorite Thai desserts to make.he sticky rice properly.
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9
Thai Green Curry
Thai green curry, or gaeng keow waan, is a coconut milk curry made with green curry paste, meat, and Thai ingredients such as eggplants and sweet basil.Green curry can be quite spicy. Fresh green chilies give the curry paste its color and heat, while coconut milk adds richness and softens the spice.Chicken is a popular choice, but you can also make it with pork, beef, or tofu. Thai eggplants and bamboo shoots are common additions, giving the curry different textures.If you want to make it from scratch, try my green curry pork recipe. You can also make a red version with my red shrimp curry recipe.
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10
Khao Soi (Northern Thai Curry Noodles)
Khao soi is a Northern Thai noodle curry, particularly associated with Chiang Mai and the surrounding region. It has a rich coconut curry broth with boiled egg noodles, topped with a handful of crispy fried noodles.The toppings are just as important as the soup. Pickled mustard greens, shallots, lime, and chili oil are served on the side so you can adjust each bowl as you eat.Chicken is a common choice, although beef is also popular. If you enjoy coconut-based curries but want something in noodle soup form, khao soi is worth trying.Make it at home with my chicken khao soi recipe.
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What was your favorite among this list of 10 most popular Thai dishes? Share your favorite one in the comments below, and follow me on social media for more Thai recipes! Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
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