This authentic beef pad Thai recipe with homemade sauce is so delicious and always a hit with the family. It’s perfect for your busy weeknights, as you can make the sauce in advance and stir-fry the noodles in less than 20 minutes. Quick, easy, and delicious!

Authentic beef pad Thai in a bamboo basket with lime, chili flakes, peanuts, sugar, and fresh vegetables.

Tip: This recipe uses my homemade pad Thai sauce and works with any protein you like. Whether you go for chicken, pork, or even a vegetarian version, just adjust the cooking time as needed.

Pad Thai beef is a classic Thai noodle stir-fry made with beef, flat rice noodles, garlic chives, and bean sprouts. Everything is tossed in a flavorful sauce made from fish sauce, palm sugar, and tamarind paste. The taste is a perfect balance of salty, sweet, and sour.

About this recipe

The sauce that’s used in this recipe was developed by my mom for use in my Thai restaurant. She has over 20 years of experience working at takeouts and restaurants!

It’s safe to say that this is an authentic recipe that beats takeout any day. It’s made with real Thai ingredients, so no peanut sauce or Western shortcuts here.

Squeezing lime over a plate of beef pad Thai with toppings like chili flakes, sugar, and crushed peanuts.

The noodles turn out slightly chewy, and the vegetables keep a bit of crunch. It’s just like the street food versions you’d find in Thailand!

I’ve included simple step-by-step photos, so just follow along, and it should be super easy to make at home.

Ingredient tips and notes

You’ll find ingredient notes and step-by-step below. Head to the printable recipe card for exact measurements.

Ingredients for beef pad Thai labeled: beef, pad Thai sauce, shallots, dried shrimp, eggs, garlic, sweet preserved radish, rice noodles, bean sprouts, oil, and garlic chives.

Pad Thai sauce – You’ll need palm sugar, tamarind paste, fish sauce, and water.
Rice noodles – Rice noodles can be found at Asian grocery stores or Asian markets.
Beef – The best cuts of beef for stir-fry are flank steak, skirt steak, tenderloin, and sirloin for the best flavors. Slice it into thin strips against the grain.
Dried mini shrimp (optional) – Authentic beef pad Thai often comes with dried mini shrimp. If you don’t like seafood, you can simply omit this.
Egg – Egg adds richness and binds the noodles and beef together.
Sweet preserved radish – This adds a delightful crunch and a distinct, slightly sweet flavor.
Bean sprouts
Garlic chives – Learn more about garlic chives. If you don’t have this you can use green onions or leek.
Shallots
Garlic
Oil – Use any oil with high smoke point and neutral flavor, like canola oil and vegetable oil.

How to make beef pad Thai

Step 1: Follow the instructions on the noodle package to soak your rice noodles. Different brands might need different soaking times. Drain after soaking.

Step 2: To make the sauce, warm palm sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stir until it dissolves and starts to take on a golden caramel hue. Add fish sauce, tamarind paste, and water. Stir and allow it to cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, letting the flavors meld and intensify.

Palm sugar dissolving in a pot, the beginning stage of pad Thai sauce.

Step 3: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wok over medium heat. Cook the beef until it’s mostly done and has a nice brown color on all sides. Take the beef out of the wok and set aside.

Step 4: Use the same wok to heat the remaining oil. Then, toss in the garlic, shallots, sweet preserved radish, and dried shrimp. Cook them until they’re fragrant, which should take about 20 to 30 seconds.

Golden fried shallots, garlic, and sweet preserved radish in wok.

Step 5: Push these ingredients to the side of the wok. Add the noodles and water in the empty space. Fry the noodles with the water until they get soft.

Wide rice noodles with garlic and shallots in a wok.

Step 6: Stir everything in the wok together so the noodles mix with the other ingredients.

Noodles tossed with garlic and shallots in wok.

Step 7: Add the browned beef and pour in the pad Thai sauce. Stir it all up so the noodles are completely covered in sauce.

Step 8: Move everything to one side again. Crack the eggs into the wok’s empty side.

Egg and beef noodles stir-fried in a wok.

Step 9: Scramble the eggs in the wok, then mix them in with the noodles.

Step 10: Turn the heat off. Now gently stir in the chopped garlic chives and bean sprouts. Serve hot and enjoy!

Serving tip: In Thailand, pad Thai is typically served with crushed roasted peanuts, a lime wedge for sourness, white sugar for sweetness, and Thai chili flakes for those who like spicy beef noodles.

Pad Thai beef with a side of bean sprouts, lime, pepper flakes, peanuts, and sugar.

How to customize this recipe

Ground beef pad Thai: If you love the flavor of ground meat, you can simply swap the beef slices for ground beef.
Spicy: You can easily add Thai chili flakes or fresh Thai chilies like bird’s eye chilies to give your stir-fried noodles a hint of spice.
Vegetables: The traditional version uses bean sprouts and garlic chives. However, no one’s judging you for adding different vegetables like carrot or onion.

Storing and reheating leftovers

Storing: Let your leftover beef noodles cool to room temperature before transferring them into an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to a day for optimal freshness and noodle texture.
Reheating: Reheat your noodles in a skillet over low heat, stirring frequently until warm. Alternatively, you can microwave it in a covered dish.
Sauce storage: The homemade sauce can be stored in your refrigerator for up to a week, and you can even freeze it for up to a month. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight when you’re ready.

Authentic Thai noodle recipes

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