Pad Kee Mao Recipe – Thai Drunken Noodles (2024)

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Pad Kee Mao Recipe – Thai Drunken Noodles (1)Do you remember when you were in college and wanted to make a basic meal, like burgers? You run to the store to pick up meat and buns, but then you realize since you are a lowly college student you don’t have anything in your pantry so you also buy seasonings, a bottle of ketchup, mustard, a jar of pickles, a spatula, and perhaps a frying pan. Your simple meal just turned into a $40 affair, leaving you wondering why you didn’t just go out to eat again. Well, that is how I often feel about Asian recipes. I love eating Thai food, but I rarely keep the needed ingredients on hand.

Recently however I decided I need to change that. Cooking Thai food at home is not difficult, it just requires a few additional ingredients not typically found in a Wisconsin pantry. These are all ingredients that can easily be located in the Asian food aisle of any grocery store and the ingredients called for in my pad kee mao recipe are common staples that you will find use for in many other Asian dishes. Plus, having these ingredients on hand is compelling me to cook even more delicious Asian food. Certainly a good problem to have!

If there is any Asian food perfectly suited for Wisconsin it is Thai Drunken Noodles, otherwise known as Pad Kee Mao. Drunken noodles are the Thai version of 2 a.m. pizza. Popularly sold by street vendors, they are said to be the perfect post-bar meal, and hangover cure.

What I really love about this pad kee mao recipe is how versatile it is. Customize the vegetables however you would like. I wanted to add baby corn, but the grocery store didn’t have any. Other additions can be shredded carrots, Thai chilies, bean sprouts, tofu, chicken, shrimp, Skittles (just seeing if you are paying attention) or whatever your heart desires.

If you want to get serious about cooking this pad kee mao recipe, invest in a Wok. They are the workhorse of any Asian kitchen. If you are like me and don’t own a wok, just use a good 12" skillet to make Thai drunken noodles instead.

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Pad Kee Mao Recipe – Thai Drunken Noodles (2)

Pad Kee Mao Recipe – Thai Drunken Noodles (3)

Pad Kee Mao Recipe – Thai Drunken Noodles

Pad Kee Mao, otherwise known as Drunken Noodles, is a delicious Thai street food guaranteed to satisfy!

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Fox Valley Foodie

Ingredients

  • 8 oz oz Wide Rice Noodles
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 cup sliced onions
  • 1 Red bell pepper julienned
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (Optional)
  • 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • ½ cup Basil leaves; whole
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Instructions

  • Soak rice noodles as listed on the package instructions, stirring to separate and set aside.

  • Heat oil in 12” skillet or wok on high heat.

  • Add peppers, onions, and crushed red peppers and cook until onions begin to wilt.

  • Add garlic and cook until fragrant.

  • Add sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish Sauce and sugar. Mix until combined.

  • Drain noodles and add to skillet. Stir-fry until noodles are tender, about 4 minutes.

  • Mix in basil leaves and vinegar. Continue to cook until basil begins to wilt.

  • Serve.

  • If you do not have any sweet soy sauce, make your own by mixing 3 parts soy sauce to 1 part dark brown sugar. Simmer together in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved and sauce is slightly thickened.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Katie

    Pad Kee Mao Recipe – Thai Drunken Noodles (5)
    We love this recipe! The only change I make is adding chicken.

    Reply

  2. Rosh

    Pad Kee Mao Recipe – Thai Drunken Noodles (6)
    This was amazing--thanks so much for the simple, yet delish recipe! Only variation was i added tofu. The contents in the pot disappeared very quickly! 😀

    Reply

  3. Rob

    Amazing recipe - just finished it now. Perhaps a new favourite. Every step and ingredient = perfect!

    we added 5 diced oyster sauce and soy marinated chicken thighs and it only just fed 3!

    Next time I think I will try bean sprouts and tofu added!

    Reply

    • Fox Valley Foodie

      I'm glad it was such a hit. Those additions sound great!

      Reply

  4. Dan from Platter Talk

    Pad Kee Mao Recipe – Thai Drunken Noodles (7)
    Fantastic job with these drunken noodles; gorgeous photos and great post!

    Reply

    • Fox Valley Foodie

      Thanks so much! By the way, I think I either saw you or your doppelganger at the Neenah Festival Foods last week!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Pad Kee Mao Recipe – Thai Drunken Noodles (2024)

FAQs

Is Pad Kee Mao the same as Drunken Noodles? ›

Drunken Noodles is the literal translation of Pad Kee Mao because the theory is that these spicy Thai noodles should be eaten with an ice cold beer and that they are a great cure for hangover.

What is drunken noodle sauce made of? ›

Sesame oil (or canola) Chicken (or other protein) Sauce ingredients: oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, water, red chili sauce.

Are Thai Drunken Noodles unhealthy? ›

Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles both have a moderate calorie count, making them a good choice at a restaurant. On top of that, they're packed with veggies and protein. Pad Thai has roughly 357 calories in one cup. Drunk Noodles contain about 323 calories per cup.

What is the difference between drunken noodle and Pad See Ew? ›

The main difference between Pad See Ew and Drunken Noodles is the fact that Drunken Noodles are spicy whereas Pad See Ew has a sweeter meets salty profile. There are some other differences too; for example, Pad See Ew is heavily based on Chinese Broccoli whereas Pad Kee Mao invites other vegetables into the mix too.

Why are Drunken Noodles drunk? ›

One explanation is that because the dish is so spicy, you would have to drink a lot to handle the spice. Another is that the extreme spice of the noodles is the only thing strong enough for inebriated people to taste.

What does Kee Mao mean in Thai? ›

In English texts, it is rendered as pad kee mao, pad ki mao, or pad kimao /ˌpæd kiː ˈmaʊ/ – from its Thai name Thai: ผัดขี้เมา, RTGS: phat khi mao, [pʰàt kʰîː māw], in which phat means 'to stir-fry' and khi mao means 'drunkard'.

What does pad mean in Thai? ›

Pad thai is a popular Thai dish that can be prepared with a variety of ingredients. The word pad means “fried” and the word Thai means “dish.”

Is chow fun the same as Drunken Noodles? ›

Pad Kee Mao, also known as Drunken Noodles, is the supercharged aromatic and herbaceous Thai version of Chow fun using the same wide flat rice noodles. I can eat Pad Kee Mao anytime and definitely do not need to be drunk to enjoy it.

What is the healthiest Thai food to order? ›

10 of Our Favorite Healthy Thai Dishes, According to a Dietitian
  • Clear spicy Thai soup.
  • Hainanese chicken with rice.
  • Steamed fish.
  • Coconut lemongrass clams.
  • Garlic stir-fried vegetables.
  • Mango sticky rice.
  • Coconut water.
  • Tips.
Aug 19, 2022

Which is healthier, pad thai or Pad See Ew? ›

While both these recipes are carb happy, Pad See Ew has fewer calories than Pad Thai. As it's also the less sweet of the two, Pad See Ew is considered slightly healthier.

Is pho or Pad Thai healthier? ›

What's healthier - Pho or Pad Thai? In one serving of Pho, there are 450 calories. In one dish of Pad Thai, there are 1,131 calories. From a calorie perspective, Pho has the least amount of calories compared to Pad Thai.

What does pad kee mao taste like? ›

The key to a delicious pad kee mao is smashing fresh garlic with Thai chili to get a nice garlic chili paste. . This noodle dish is one of my favorite noodles. I love the sweet and savory spice and texture. It is super flavorful, simple, and has a nice balance of sweet and savory flavors.

What is the most popular Thai noodle dish? ›

Pad Thai. As one of the most popular noodle dishes in Thailand, pad thai is a household name when it comes to authentic cuisine. Made with thin rice stick noodles, chefs stir fry egg, scallions, bean sprouts, and crushed peanuts with shrimp to deliver an unforgettable blend of flavors!

What is the difference between Pad Thai and Kee Mao? ›

Difference Between Drunken Noodles and Pad Thai

Drunken Noodles (also known as Pad Kee Mao) is a spicy noodle stir-fry that has a flavor profile that includes more vegetables and a thicker, savory sauce made of oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce.

What is another name for Drunken Noodles? ›

The Thai dish also known as pad kee mao, consists of wide rice noodles, an array of vegetables, meat (or plant-based alternatives), soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, and chili peppers.

What is closest to Drunken Noodles? ›

Pad See Ew looks similar to drunken noodles because of the wide rice noodles found in both dishes. But it's sauce is mostly made up of a combination of dark and light soy sauce and it's not spicy.

What is the difference between Drunken Noodles and lo mein? ›

Generally, you're able to taste more of the oyster sauce in Drunken Noodles whereas the sesame oil flavoring of Lo Mein is more prominent. Drunken Noodles is often served spicy whereas Lo Mein generally has a very mild spice.

Is Pad Thai or drunken noodle better? ›

What's healthier - Pad Thai or Drunken Noodles? Overall, Pad Thai has less calories than Drunken Noodles. Pad Thai has 357 calories per cup whereas Drunken Noodles has 323 calories per cup.

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