Pad Mee Korat Recipe
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This authentic pad mee korat recipe is a spicy Thai noodle stir-fry made with rice noodles and pork belly (or your favorite protein) tossed in a punchy sauce. It’s ready in just 30 minutes and ideal if you like something with a little more heat than pad Thai.
What is pad mee korat?
Pad mee korat is a traditional Thai rice noodle stir-fry from Nakhon Ratchasima, better known as Korat, in Northeastern Thailand.
The noodles are stir-fried with pork, garlic, shallots, bean sprouts, and green onions in a sauce made with tamarind, fish sauce, palm sugar, soybean paste, and black soy sauce. The sauce has the classic Thai balance of sweet, sour, savory, and spicy flavors.
It’s often compared to pad Thai because both dishes use rice noodles and a tamarind-based sauce. The biggest difference is that pad mee korat is traditionally spicier and doesn’t include peanuts or dried shrimp.
If you prefer a milder Thai noodle stir-fry, my pad mee recipe is another great one to try.
Praew’s cooking tips
After making this recipe many times, these are the little things I always pay attention to:
Praew ♡
Learn Thai cooking step by step
My cookbook is a combination of authentic Thai recipes and Western dishes cooked with Thai flavors and ingredients. It’s a great starting point if you’re new to Thai cooking or want to cook it more often.
Ingredient notes & substitutes
You can find everything at Asian grocery stores or markets. Head to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.
- Rice noodles: I use medium dried rice noodles because they hold up well during stir-frying and soak up the sauce without falling apart.
- Pork belly: As the pork belly cooks, it releases enough fat to stir-fry the garlic and shallots, adding so much more flavor than using oil alone. If you prefer, chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu all work well too.
- Palm sugar: Palm sugar gives the sauce its signature caramel-like sweetness.
- Fish sauce: This adds the salty, savory depth that balances the tamarind.
- Tamarind paste: Tamarind gives the pad mee korat noodles their signature tangy flavor.
- Soybean paste: This ingredient adds a rich, savory flavor that’s unique to this dish. I always use Healthy Boy soybean paste.
- Black soy sauce: You only need a little. It gives the noodles their deep brown color and adds a subtle sweetness.
- Water: The water brings the sauce together and gives the noodles time to absorb all those flavors as they cook.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic builds the base of the dish.
- Shallots: Shallots are sweeter and milder than regular onions, adding another layer of flavor to the noodles.
- Bean sprouts: I add these right at the end so they stay crisp.
- Green onions: These only need a few seconds in the wok.
- Thai chili flakes: This is where the heat comes from. Add more or less depending on how spicy you like your noodles.
Cooking instructions
1: Soak the noodles. Place the dried rice noodles in a bowl of room-temperature or lukewarm water and soak according to the package directions until they’re flexible but still slightly firm. Drain well.
2: Cook the pork belly. Heat a wok over medium heat and cook the pork belly until it’s lightly browned and the fat has rendered. Transfer the pork to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the wok. If you’re using a different protein, heat 2 tbsps of neutral oil instead.
3: Build the sauce. Add the garlic and shallots to the pork fat and stir-fry until fragrant. Stir in the soybean paste, tamarind paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, black soy sauce, and pepper flakes. Cook until the palm sugar has dissolved.
4: Add water and noodles. Pour in the water and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Add the soaked rice noodles and toss gently until every strand is coated. Continue cooking until the noodles are tender and have absorbed most of the sauce.
5: Finish. Return the pork belly to the wok and toss to combine. Add the bean sprouts and green onions, then stir-fry for another 30 seconds, just until they’re slightly softened but still crisp. Serve immediately with extra chili flakes on the side.
How to store & reheat
- Refrigerate: Let leftovers completely, then transfer them to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: I don’t usually recommend freezing rice noodle stir-fries. The noodles become much softer after thawing and lose their chewy texture.
- Reheat: Warm the noodles in a wok or skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Toss gently until heated through.
Pad Mee Korat Recipe
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- Strainer or colander for draining the noodles
- Mixing bowl for soaking the noodles
- Wok or large skillet
- spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup palm sugar
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp soybean paste, Healthy Boy Brand preferred
- ½ tsp dried chili flakes, adjust to taste
- ½ tbsp black soy sauce
- 2 cups water
- 1½ cups pork belly, thinly sliced
- 1½ cups bean sprouts
- 1 lb dry rice noodles
- 3 green onions, chopped into 2-inch pieces
Instructions
- Soak the rice noodles according to the package directions until flexible but still slightly firm. Drain well.
- Heat a wok over medium heat and cook the pork belly until lightly browned and the fat has rendered. Transfer the pork to a plate, leaving the fat in the wok. If using another protein, heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil instead.
- Stir-fry the garlic and shallots until fragrant. Add the soybean paste, tamarind paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, black soy sauce, and dried chili flakes. Cook until the palm sugar has dissolved.
- Pour in the water and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the soaked noodles and toss until evenly coated. Continue cooking until the noodles are tender and have absorbed most of the sauce.
- Return the pork belly to the wok. Add the bean sprouts and green onions, then stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
- Soak the noodles until they’re slightly firm, as they’ll continue cooking in the wok.
- The sauce should coat the noodles rather than pool in the bottom of the wok.
- Adjust the amount of chili flakes to suit your preferred spice level.
- Chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu can be used instead of pork belly.
I think I’ve accidentally added too much water, but other than that it was really good!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!