In the mood for Thai takeout – but feel like you should cook instead? These Thai recipes smack with authentic flavor, and are easy to make at home. Spicy, sweet, salty and sour! From red curry chicken to pad Thai to mango sticky rice (and all stops in between). Plus, a list of Thai ingredients that can level up your Thai cooking with minimal effort.
When I lived in Bangkok, my favorite part of any day was dinnertime. I loved the smoky street stalls and food carts – and getting punched in the mouth (in a good way!) by Thai recipes loaded with salty, sour, sweet, bitter and spicy flavors.
Key Ingredients for Making Thai Recipes
Now you won’t need everything on this list. However these are some of the iconic ingredients that can elevate your homemade Thai recipes to restaurant quality with fairly little effort.
Read more about each ingredient by clicking the links:
- Bird’s Eye Chili – Thai Chili (พริกขี้หนู)
- Thai Basil – Holy Basil (โหระพา)
- Kaffir Lime Leaves (ใบมะกรูด)
- Lemongrass (ตะไคร้)
- Fish Sauce (น้ําปลา)
- Jasmine Rice (ข้าวหอมมะลิ)
- Galangal (ข่า)
- Tamarind – Tamarind Paste (มะขาม)
- Palm Sugar (น้ําตาลปี๊บ)
- Shrimp Paste (กะปิ)
- Cilantro – Coriander (ผักชี)
- Peppercorns (พริกไทยอ่อน)
Thai Rice And when it comes to making rice to go along with these 21 delicious and easy Thai recipes, I’ve got step by step instructions for the stove top and rice cooker.
Drunken Noodles – Pad Kee Mao
These fragrant Thai rice noodles are savory, sweet and herbaceous. Made with garlic, shrimp, tomatoes, kaffir lime leaves and basil, this Thai dish has all the natural charm of sitting down to eat at your favorite open air food stall as Bangkok traffic whizzes past. Oh, and you’ll definitely want to add Thai classics like bird’s eye chilis, fish sauce and a little sweet soy sauce for the full monty. This is one of my favorite Asian noodle recipes of all time – because the taste is absolutely evocative of my time in Krung Thep!
Thai Basil Chicken Recipe
Krapow Gai Kai Dow. Those are the first Thai words my husband learned (after ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’) during an extended trip to Thailand. And with good reason. It translates to basil chicken with a fried egg on top. It’s a common dish in Thailand – but the flavors are anything but common. Fiery and salty, you’ll do well to have some chopped Thai chilis soaking in fish sauce to up the spice level if you’re a spice junky. This recipe works with ground chicken, beef or plant based meat alternatives like Beyond Beef ground. Top with plenty of fresh herbs. Basil and cilantro really make it pop! And, if you have leftovers, they won’t last long.
Thai Green Curry
Creamy, nutty, sweet and spicy, this green curry has it all. And there’s no shame in using a couple of tablespoons of store bought green curry paste. Coconut milk delivers sweetness which contrasts the spicy, floral and grassy flavors from the curry. Delicata squash imparts an earthy hint of sweetness as well. But, obviously, use the veggies you like (and whatever is in season). Actually this is one of those Thai recipes that works with chicken, tofu or shrimp like a charm. So think of the recipe as a flavor blueprint – and go for broke with the veggies and protein that move you.
Tom Kha Soup (Thai Coconut Soup)
This silky and milky tom kha soup is loaded with aromatic flavors and only takes 17 minutes to make from start to finish. So, if you’re in a rush, you still have time for tom kha! While I love this soup, some restaurant versions go a little heavy on the sweetness for my taste. This one isn’t cloying (or overly pungent either), but still delivers on the trademark coconut-y goodness. Watch the step-by-step video here.
Pad Woon Sen (Thai Glass Noodle Stir Fry)
Do you love Thai cuisine, but happen to be a little shy on the potential spiciness? Well, this stir-fried noodle dish is for you. Pad woon sen is a mix of glass noodles, eggs, tomatoes and veggies like cabbage, baby corn and carrots (but use the veggies you have handy). It’s all stir fried in a combination of soy sauce, oyster sauce and fish sauce. The chili powder in this recipe is actually more smoky than spicy. The whole dish is savory, sweet, saline and umami. It’s the perfect Thai noodle stir fry for the spice adverse – but still packs a punch.
Crazy Hot Garlic Chili Sauce
This one is not for the faint of heart. Trust me. There are over 40 Thai chilis in this chili garlic sauce. But, for those of you that are still reading – this Asian style hot sauce isn’t simply one-note-heat. There are also sweet and sour notes at play. And I’m using shallots and garlic for an earthy pungency. This makes it a fantastic all-purpose condiment for noodles, rice, Thai chicken, or eggs. Really… anything you’d normally spoon the store bought stuff on will shine with this Thai chili sauce. Here’s a non-negotiable: wear gloves when handling the chilis 🔥
Thai Red Curry Chicken
I find comfort in a bowl of Thai curry. There’s a taste of home that comes through, no matter where you’re from. The heart of this dish is Thai red curry paste. Aside from red chilis, most brands will incorporate things like garlic, shrimp paste, chili powder, turmeric, shallots and lemongrass (to name a few of the vast ingredients). Here’s the Thai curry paste I use. Savory chicken stock, fish sauce and basil are all ingredients you can add to this curry recipe that will elevate the flavor to restaurant quality. This is comfort food that still delivers the heat.
Classic Pad Thai Recipe
When you eat pad Thai in Thailand there will be a spice/condiment caddy. Once that is placed on the table, it’s go time. You get to augment the dish to your personal taste. Some like it sweet and add a bit more sugar – while others like it spicy and pile on the dried red chili pepper. Common additions are crispy fried garlic, shallots, crushed peanuts, lime juice, tiny dried shrimp, and fish sauce with sliced Thai chili. The point is, pad Thai is meant to be augmented to your specific taste. How will you personalize this one? Tell me about your favorite pad Thai additions in the comments section below!
The Best Thai Peanut Sauce
Whether you’re making chicken or beef satay – or just need a little aromatic peanut-y goodness with your veggies or noodles, this may end up being your new obsession. Sure, there’s peanut butter in this sauce. But there are also quite a few aromatics and spices that make this sauce shine. The secret is to toast the turmeric, chili powder, cumin and coriander seeds in a pan without oil. Then you’ll blend those spices with garlic, ginger, Thai chilis and tamarind paste. Use a mortar and pestle if you’ve got one (I use a spice grinder for ease). Sound intimidating? It’s not. Watch the video to see how easy this fragrant, iconic sauce is to make at home.
Panang Curry
Panang curry is generally on the milder side of things when it comes to spice levels. But that doesn’t mean it’s timid. Far from it. You’ll get vibrantly sweet, nutty and salty notes from this heady Thai recipe. Most versions include a protein like chicken, tofu or shrimp. However, I’m keeping it simple and fresh with a load of vegetables. Serve with freshly steamed Jasmine rice for an easy weeknight meal you’ll want to make again and again.
Red Coconut Curry Soup
Don’t let the short cooking time fool you. This Thai soup has a complex flavor profile that combines the boldness of red chilies with sweet and wholesome notes of peanut butter and coconut. The result is a beautiful red soup with a slightly sweet, savory and smoky flavor. Rice noodles are perfect for this Thai noodle soup recipe – but feel free to use egg noodles if that’s what you have handy in your own pantry. Two things: DO use coriander stems when making this soup – and DON’T forget to top with shredded lettuce just before serving. The lettuce in particular absorbs the flavors of the soup, while still retaining a pliant crunchy texture. Must try!
Thai Potato Curry (Vegan)
Vegan Thai recipes can be tricky to pull off. Since fish sauce is essentially the table salt of Thailand, you’ll be tough pressed to find many recipes that don’t call for a little. But, by that same logic, it can be pretty easy to make a ton of Thai recipes plant based by simply omitting that one iconic ingredient. Regardless, this vegan Thai potato curry is loaded with warming spices and the rich sweetness of coconut milk. Best thing (aside from the flavor) – it’s ready in 25 minutes from start to finish. Easy peasy.
Thai Egg and Brussels Sprouts Salad
This one SMACKS! While I’m using egg and Brussels sprouts, there’s more than a passing resemblance (in both flavor and appearance) to the seminal Thai beef salad. Loaded with red onion, basil, mint and cilantro, this salad is fragrant and perfect. Get a char on your Brussels sprouts for an additional hit of smokiness. Then top with a simple dressing that features garlic, Thai chili, fish sauce, a bit of sugar and plenty of lime juice. In my opinion, this Thai salad is an 11 out of 10.
Vegetable Pad See Ew (Savory Thai Stir Fried Noodles)
Of all the stir-fried noodle dishes I’m likely to order at my local Thai restaurant, pad see ew tends to be my go-to. It’s smoky, savory perfection when it’s done right. But it’s also one of the easiest in the Thai cuisine lexicon to make at home after a long day. Seriously. Just a handful of ingredients and you’re off to the races. Now, I’m using a simple veggie mix – but feel free to use what moves you. And if you’re a visual learner like I am, watch this video for a peek at how simple making pad see ew at home can be.
Steamed Fish With Ginger Chili Lime Sauce
Steaming a whole fish at home had me pretty intimidated at first. But I shouldn’t have worried. Because, while it was much easier than expected, the flavor would have been worth it (even if it had been tough to pull off). I used a whole trout, but feel free to use whatever freshwater fish looks best at your local fishmonger’s. This whole steamed trout is moist, flaky and tender. But the best part is the fresh cilantro and the zingy lime, garlic and chili fortified sauce.
Thai Vegetable Curry Noodle Soup
Sure, this veggie loaded Thai noodle soup features the usual suspects in terms of red curry paste, fish sauce and coconut milk. But what if I told you that shallots – fried until crispy – are the linchpin that brings the whole thing together? Well, they are. Now, this soup stands on it’s own. Actually sometimes I make it without the egg noodles. But I always load it with veggies and medium or firm tofu. It’s always nice when a healthy soup still has assertive Southeast Asian flavors, right?
Thai Yellow Curry With Cauliflower
While there’s a bit of heat in this one, yellow curry paste tends to be milder than the red and green variants. Turmeric delivers the yellow hue to this particular curry paste – and is oftentimes rounded out by the inclusion of lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chilis, coriander and cumin. Now, full disclosure, I only made this curry with cauliflower in an attempt to lower my meat intake years ago. But I still make it with cauliflower all this time later because it has the perfect balance of simple, earthiness – and is the perfect veggie vehicle to soak up the pungent curry. Must try!
Thai Jungle Curry
Hailing from the mountainous city of Chiang Mai, jungle curry is spicy – but the heat comes from a source you might not expect in most Thai recipes. Whole black peppercorns deliver fiery pops of heat without being full-on volcanic. And I love using kaffir lime leaves for the floral, citrusy tang they impart. While my particular Jungle curry recipe calls for zucchini, that was out of necessity at the time. Use Thai eggplant instead if you can find it at your local grocery store. If you live on the coasts, it should be fairly easy to track down. Interestingly, Jungle curry is one of the few Thai curries that doesn’t call for coconut milk.
Thai Cucumber and Shrimp Salad
Now, if you like things light and refreshing – this Thai salad is right up your alley. But the inclusion of chopped chilis, fish sauce and lime ensure that this cucumber salad is still assertive, salty and spicy. And fresh shrimp make it a bit heartier than your typical greens-only salad. While I prefer to use chopped shallots, red onion would make a good stand-in for that particular ingredient. English cucumbers, small tomatoes and hand torn lettuce round things out quite nicely indeed. This is hot weather eating at its best.
Thai Iced Tea (ชาเย็น)
Is there a drink more synonymous with the land of smiles than Thai iced tea? It’s the perfect refreshing antidote to unforgiving heat and crushing humidity. But I make this drink in the dead of winter as well because I just can’t get enough. Use black tea like darjeeling, Earl Gray or assam for the best results. Then you can use plain water or orange blossom water – your choice. And the condensed milk will satisfy your sweet tooth. Serve over crushed ice – and beat the heat!
Mango Sticky Rice Recipe
Of all the Thai desserts out there, this is the one that ALWAYS gets me fired up when it see it on the menu at any Thai restaurant. Khao niew mamuang is deceptively simple to make – but happens to have the most trademark, quintessential link to Thailand my tastebuds have ever encountered. Made with sticky rice, ripe mango and both condensed milk and coconut milk, there’s an almost floral sweetness when everything comes together in one perfect bite. Try this easy Thai dessert at home. But – warning – this one is addictive.
Have you tried any of these easy Thai recipes? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below.
