Easy Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe with Fresh Basil and Spice – Better Than Takeout
Easy Thai Drunken Noodles is a bold, flavor-packed dish ready in just 20 minutes. After making this many times, I discovered the trick to authentic Thai flavor is in the sauce. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls and Crispy Dill Pickle Fritters.
Why This Easy Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe with Fresh Basil and Spice – Better Than Takeout Is Pure Comfort
- Authentic Thai flavor in 20 minutes
- Customizable spice level
- Better than takeout taste at home
What You'll Need for Easy Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe with Fresh Basil and Spice – Better Than Takeout
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- Wide rice noodles
- Shrimp or chicken
- Bok choy or Chinese broccoli
- Garlic
- Fresh basil
- Thai fish sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Soy sauce
- Palm sugar or brown sugar
- Bird's eye chili or Thai chili
- Optional: Lime wedges
- Optional: Crushed peanuts
- Optional: Fried garlic or shallots
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Bok choy: Can substitute with Chinese broccoli or baby spinach.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Wok — Even heat distribution for perfect stir-frying. → See on Amazon
- High-quality fish sauce — Makes all the difference in Thai dishes. → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe with Fresh Basil and Spice – Better Than Takeout
- Soak noodles: Soak rice noodles in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain.
- Prepare sauce: Mix fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and chili in a small bowl.
- Stir-fry protein: Stir-fry shrimp or chicken in a hot wok until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Stir-fry vegetables: Add bok choy to the wok, stir-fry until tender. Remove and set aside.
- Cook noodles: Add drained noodles to the wok, pour sauce over, and toss until coated. Add protein and vegetables back in. Stir-fry for another minute.
- Serve: Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil, lime wedges, and crushed peanuts.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe with Fresh Basil and Spice – Better Than Takeout
- Common mistake and fix: Don't overcook the noodles. They should still have a slight bite to them. If they're too soft, they'll become soggy.
- Pro tip: For a spicier version, add more bird's eye chili or use Thai chili flakes.
- Pro tip: To make this dish vegetarian, substitute tofu or tempeh for the protein.
- Pro tip: For a lighter version, reduce the amount of oil used in stir-frying.
Storing & Reheating Easy Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe with Fresh Basil and Spice – Better Than Takeout
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Noodles can be soaked and sauce prepared ahead of time.
Freezing Easy Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe with Fresh Basil and Spice – Better Than Takeout
Not recommended for freezing.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a quicker version, use pre-cooked noodles and protein.
- Best substitution: For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Make-ahead: Noodles can be soaked and sauce prepared ahead of time.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
- Troubleshooting: If your noodles are too hard, add a little water to the wok and continue stir-frying.
Want to level up this recipe?
High-quality wok — Even heat distribution for perfect stir-frying. → Check price on Amazon
Easy Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe with Fresh Basil and Spice – Better Than Takeout
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Wide rice noodles
- Shrimp or chicken
- Bok choy or Chinese broccoli
- Garlic
- Fresh basil
Seasonings
- Thai fish sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Soy sauce
- Palm sugar or brown sugar
- Bird's eye chili or Thai chili
Optional Toppings
- Lime wedges
- Crushed peanuts
- Fried garlic or shallots
Instructions
- Soak noodles: Soak rice noodles in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain.
- Prepare sauce: Mix fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and chili in a small bowl.
- Stir-fry protein: Stir-fry shrimp or chicken in a hot wok until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Stir-fry vegetables: Add bok choy to the wok, stir-fry until tender. Remove and set aside.
- Cook noodles: Add drained noodles to the wok, pour sauce over, and toss until coated. Add protein and vegetables back in. Stir-fry for another minute.
- Serve: Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil, lime wedges, and crushed peanuts.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a quicker version, use pre-cooked noodles and protein.
- Best substitution: For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Make-ahead: Noodles can be soaked and sauce prepared ahead of time.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
- Troubleshooting: If your noodles are too hard, add a little water to the wok and continue stir-frying.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Not recommended for freezing.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
- Make ahead: Noodles can be soaked and sauce prepared ahead of time.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 450
- Protein: 25g
- Fat: 10g
- Carbs: 60g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 2000mg
- Cholesterol: 100mg
- Sat. Fat: 1.5g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe with Fresh Basil and Spice – Better Than Takeout FAQs
While you can prepare the sauce and soak the noodles ahead of time, it's best to cook and serve this dish fresh for the best texture.
This could be due to overcooking the noodles or not adding enough sauce. Ensure you're using enough sauce and not overcooking the noodles.
While you can cook the protein and vegetables in the air fryer, the noodles are best cooked in a wok on the stove.
You can substitute baby spinach or Chinese broccoli for bok choy.
Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) is a spicy stir-fried noodle dish with a bold, fermented flavor from the fish sauce and oyster sauce. Pad Kee Mao is a spicy stir-fried noodle dish with a more tomato-based sauce.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe with Fresh Basil and Spice – Better Than Takeout and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
