Pad See Ew Recipe (Thai Noodles Cooked with Soy Sauce) (2024)

Pad See Ew Recipe (Thai Noodles Cooked with Soy Sauce) (1)

Jessica Randhawa

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Pad See Ew is a popular Thai street food made with flat rice noodles, fresh Chinese broccoli, chicken, and egg stir-fried in a sweet and savory sauce. Learn how to make this easy, 30-minute Pad See Ew Recipe right and enjoy all the wonderful flavors of Thailand right from home.

Pad See Ew Recipe (Thai Noodles Cooked with Soy Sauce) (2)

Pad See Ew

Pad See Ew (ผัดซีอิ๊ว) when translated means “fried soy sauce”. A Chinese-influenced dish adapted to reflect Thai flavors, Pad See Ew today is a Thai fried noodle dish made with soy sauce, meat, and vegetables.

Like Pad Thai, Pad See Ew is one of the most popular street foods in Thailand and is frequently found on Thai menus in western countries. The overall cook time is fast with little time between steps, so it’s important to have all ingredients prepped and a hot wok (or skillet) ready to go!

Pad See Ew Recipe (Thai Noodles Cooked with Soy Sauce) (3)

Key Ingredients

There are several ingredients that define this recipe and several others that can be substituted or swapped for something else. Depending on where you live, some ingredients may be more difficult to find, so do what you can and substitute with other ingredients for the rest.

Pad See Ew Sauce

The sauce is probably the most important “ingredient” aside from the rice noodles. A bad (or boring) sauce has the potential to ruin the entire dish, so do your best to get as many of these ingredients as possible.

  • Oyster Sauce – Key ingredient. Oyster sauce is complex and made of several different sauces mixed into one.
  • Sugar – To balance the savory with a little sweetness.
  • Soy Sauce – The regular stuff. You know, the kind you’d find on the table at your favorite Chinese restaurant. Saltier than dark soy sauce.
  • Dark Soy Sauce – Sweeter, thicker, and darker than regular soy sauce. You’ll probably have to order a bottle online.
  • Fish Sauce – a splash of fish sauce is paramount to any Thai recipe. It gives it a unique salty umami flavor that can’t be replicated with any other ingredient.

Pad See Ew Stir-Fry

You’ll usually find the following in stir-fried Pad See Ew,

  • Fresh Rice Noodles – Pad See Ew is made with broad rice noodles calledkuaitiao sen yaiin Thai (abbreviated to justsen yai meaning “big strip”). It is, I admit, incredibly difficult to find fresh rice noodles unless you have access to a well-stocked Asian supermarket. If you do, great! Otherwise, dry rice noodles like these sold on Amazonwill work just as well (they’re just a little less wide).
  • Chinese Broccoli – A leafy vegetable with broccoli-like stems, Chinese broccoli is amazing because it cooks quickly. If you can’t find it at your local market, substitute with any leafy greens such as chard, kale, or spinach.
  • Protein – I added chicken, but steak, shrimp, or tofu are other popular options.
  • Egg – Like Pad Thai, Pad See Ew typically includes fried up scrambled egg for extra protein.

For the full list and amounts of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Pad See Ew Recipe (Thai Noodles Cooked with Soy Sauce) (4)

How to Make Pad See Ew (Thai Noodles Cooked with Soy Sauce)

The first and most important – prep your ingredientsfirst before you even start to think about cooking. Pad See Ew, typically cooked from little street carts in Thailand, is a fast, on-the-go type meal. The sequence of events is fast and fluid. There’s no time for chopping ingredients while you wait for things to cook.

This means that before you even start to cook anything, you should:

  1. Marinate the chicken
  2. Whisk together the sauce
  3. Get the noodles ready
  4. Mince the garlic and Thai chilis (if using) and chop the Chinese broccoli

If you’re using fresh rice noodles, remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature. If they come folded and in uncut sheets, slice them into ribbons approximately 3/4-inch wide. Place them in a large colander and rinse under hot water to help separate the stuck-together ribbons. Gently shake off any additional water.

If you’re starting with dried rice noodles, cook according to package instructions, making sure to undercook slightly since they will continue to cook when they are stir-fried with the rest of the ingredients.

With everything prepped and ready to go, it’s time to grab a large wok or skillet and,

  1. In order to help protect the rice noodles, you want to cook the chicken (or other protein) first. Given the small size, the chicken should only take 4-5 minutes to cook when added to a wok or skillet set over high heat. Once cooked, remove to a clean plate and set aside.

  2. Return your wok or skillet back high heat. Add an additional tablespoon of oil and add the minced garlic and chopped Thai chilis (if using). Immediately add the Chinese broccoli and cook, stirring continuously for 1-2 minutes. Remove to a clean plate and set aside.

  3. Return the wok or skillet to high heat. Add an additional tablespoon of oil and, working quickly, add the noodles to your pan immediately followed by the sauce. Gently mix to combine. Continue to cook for approximately 20-30 seconds before returning the chicken and vegetables back to the pan.

  4. Push everything to one side of the skillet. Add the final tablespoon of oil to the empty side of the skillet and add the eggs. Wait 5-10 seconds for the eggs to start cooking before scrambling and breaking into smaller pieces.

  5. Allow the stir fry to cook until the noodles are evenly heated through (approximately 1-2 minutes). Be careful not to over-mix or the noodles will start to break apart.

Pad See Ew Recipe (Thai Noodles Cooked with Soy Sauce) (5)

More Noodle Recipes,

  • Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles
  • Pho Recipe; How to Make Vietnamese Noodle Soup
  • Korean Glass Noodle Veggie Stir Fry
  • Ginger Garlic Noodle Soup with Bok Choy (Bok Choy Soup)

If you try making this Pad See Ew Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know!I always love to hear your thoughts.

Pad See Ew Recipe (Thai Noodles Cooked with Soy Sauce) (6)

RECIPE CARD

Pad See Ew Recipe (Thai Noodles Cooked with Soy Sauce) (7)

Pad See Ew Recipe

AuthorAuthor: Pad See Ew Recipe (Thai Noodles Cooked with Soy Sauce) (8)Jessica Randhawa

Pad See Ew is a popular Thai street food made with flat rice noodles, fresh Chinese broccoli, chicken, and egg stir-fried in a sweet and savory sauce. Learn how to make this easy, 30-minute Pad See Ew Recipe right and enjoy all the wonderful flavors of Thailand right from home.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Marinate (optional) 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Thai

Servings 4 servings

Calories 892 kcal

Ingredients

For the Chicken + Marinade

  • 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 4 large boneless skinless chicken thighs - chopped into small pieces

For the Stir Fry

  • 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 pound fresh wide rice noodles - (substitute with dried rice noodles if necessary)
  • 4 tablespoon vegetable oil - divided
  • 5 cloves garlic - diced
  • 2 Thai red chilis - chopped (optional - they're HOT!)
  • 4 cups Chinese broccoli - roughly chopped
  • 2 large eggs - whisked

Instructions

  • Marinate the chicken - In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oil, and cornstarch. Add the chopped chicken to the bowl and thoroughly mix to coat the chicken in the marinade. Set aside.

  • Prepare the sauce - As the chicken marinates, combine the oyster sauce, sugar, regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and fish sauce. Stir well to combine.

  • Prepare rice noodles - Remove rice noodles from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature. If they come folded in uncut sheets, slice them into ribbons approximately 3/4-inch wide. Place the folded up rice noodles in a large colander and rinse under hot water to help separate the stuck-together ribbons. Rinse off any additional water. If using dried rice noodles, cook according to package instructions, making sure to undercook slightly since they will continue to cook when they are stir-fried with the rest of the ingredients.

  • Cook the chicken - Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large wok or heavy-bottomed skillet set over high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes, mixing frequently, to ensure even cooking. Once cooked, remove to a clean plate and set aside.

  • Sauté the aromatics and Chinese broccoli - Return the wok or skillet to high heat. Add an additional tablespoon of oil and add the minced garlic and chopped Thai chilis (if using). Immediately add the Chinese broccoli and cook, stirring continuously for 1-2 minutes. Remove to a clean plate and set aside.

  • Add the noodles and sauce - Return the wok or skillet to high heat. Add an additional tablespoon of oil and, working quickly, add the noodles to your panimmediatelyfollowed by the sauce. Gently mix to combine. Continue to cook for approximately 20-30 seconds before returning the chicken and vegetables back to the pan.

  • Fry the egg - Push the noodles and chicken to one side of the skillet. Add one more tablespoon of oil to the empty side of the skillet and add the eggs. Wait 5-10 seconds for the eggs to start cooking before scrambling and breaking into smaller pieces.

  • Finish cooking and serve - Allow the stir fry to cook until the noodles are evenly heated through (approximately 1-2 minutes). Be careful not to over-mix or the noodles will start to break apart. Some noodles will stick, but with the heat high enough, they should start to stick less. When in doubt, add a teaspoon or two of additional oil as needed. Best served immediately.

Jessica's Notes

Soy sauces: There are hundreds of different soy sauce varieties, each a little different from the other, depending on its place of origin (China, Thailand, Malaysia, etc.) This recipe, when made in THAILAND, is probably made with black Thai soy sauce (which comes in several varieties, btw). As much as I love keeping things authentic and a good bottle or two of new and exciting soy sauce with print on the bottle that I can't actually read, I figured it best to make this with the two types of soy sauce most popular/common/available to us westerners.

  1. Regular soy sauce. Yep, the kind you find at your fav Chinese place or the stuff you dunk your sushi rolls into. You can so with low-sodium or regular.
  2. Dark soy sauce. Ok, you guys. It took me a long time to actually buy and start cooking with this stuff. I couldn't possibly understand what made it so special or different from regular soy sauce. Do yourself a favor (especially if you love cooking Asian inspired recipes at home) and order a bottle from Amazon or buy a bottle from your local Asian supermarket. Dark soy sauce is sweeter than regular soy sauce with a completely different taste.

Rice Noodles - Pad See Ew is made with broad rice noodles called kuaitiao sen yai in Thai (abbreviated to justsen yai meaning "big strip"). It is, I admit, incredibly difficult to findfresh rice noodles unless you have access to a well-stocked Asian supermarket. If you do, perfect! Otherwise, dry rice noodles like these sold on Amazon will work just as well (they're just a little less wide).

Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan or kai lan) - If you can't find Chinese broccoli, substitute with any other fast-cooking leafy vegetable such as bok choy.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 892kcal | Carbohydrates: 127g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 213mg | Sodium: 2816mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 4355IU | Vitamin C: 218mg | Calcium: 230mg | Iron: 5mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword Pad See Ew, Pad See Ew Recipe

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Pad See Ew Recipe (Thai Noodles Cooked with Soy Sauce) (2024)

FAQs

Does pad Thai usually have soy sauce? ›

It is usually a mixture of fish sauce (condiment made of fish), oyster sauce (made from oyster extract), brown sugar and tamarind (tree seed), but can also include shrimp, garlic, shallots or red chili pepper. Some establishments or chefs may use soy sauce, which is traditionally made by fermenting soybeans and wheat.

What is the difference between Pad See Ew and pad Thai noodles? ›

What is The Difference Between Pad See Ew & Pad Thai? Noodles – Pad Thai is often made with thin rice noodles whereas Pad See Ew will have a wider, flatter rice noodle. Sauce – Pad Thai is all about the tamarind whereas Pad See Ew takes its primary sauce flavor from soy sauce.

Do you have to soak pad Thai noodles before cooking? ›

Soak them. All dried noodles simply need to be soaked until fully rehydrated before being stir fried or blanched for noodle soups. The reason we want to soak rather than boil is because rice noodles overcook very easily.

Why soy sauce is used in noodles? ›

As well as for seasoning purposes, soy sauce adds a strong umami flavour to dishes that adds an unmistakable layer of richness. It also imparts a golden hue to food that makes it look even more appetising (in my opinion), as is the case with fried rice, marinated chicken, stir-fried noodles and so on.

Do you use soy sauce in Thai cooking? ›

Originating in China, soy sauce is a staple ingredient that was adopted into Thai cuisine and cooking. It is also used in a very similar manner to Chinese cuisine, with two main varieties used to either bring flavour (light soy sauce) or colour (dark soy sauce) to recipes.

Is Thai soy sauce different from regular soy sauce? ›

This is your basic soy sauce, but with a Thai twist. Thai soy sauce has a mild and soft salty flavour not present in many other Asian soy sauces, hence I don't think non-Thai varieties are appropriate for use in Thai recipes (but they work fine, don't worry).

What type of noodle is best for Pad Thai? ›

What is Pad Thai?? Pad Thai is a Thai noodle stir fry with a sweet-savoury-sour sauce scattered with crushed peanuts. It's made with thin, flat rice noodles, and almost always has bean sprouts, garlic chives, scrambled egg, firm tofu and a protein – the most popular being chicken or prawns/shrimp.

Are Pad Thai noodles healthier than pasta? ›

Pasta and rice noodles are just about tied when it comes to calories, fat and fiber, as well as on the carb front (if you're on a low-carb diet like keto, stick to zoodles). Regular pasta has about 2 grams of sugar per serving while rice noodles are virtually sugar-free. Both are also free of cholesterol.

Why are Pad Thai noodles pink? ›

Why is Pad Thai pink? The thing that has turned rice noodle into pink colour is a tamarind sauce and fish sauce that commonly use when cooke Pad Thai. So basically Tamarind sauces add to give a hint of sour and sweet.

Why are my Pad Thai noodles mushy? ›

Cooking fresh rice noodles in boiling water can make them too soft and mushy. Soaking them in warm water is a gentler way to cook them and results in perfectly cooked noodles every time.

Why do my Pad Thai noodles break? ›

Rice noodles don't need to be boiled, just soaked

Did you know that rice noodles don't need to be boiled in water, but rather soaked in hot water until rehydrated? If boiled, the noodles will overcook, turn mushy, and are likely to break apart, according to Kitchen Skip.

Why do Asians use so much soy sauce? ›

In authentic Chinese cooking, soy sauce is used for flavoring but more importantly, darkening of a dish. Many authentic Chinese dishes do not use soy sauce at all. If the color of ingredients for a dish is expected to shine, soy will not be used.

Can you add soy sauce to boiling noodles? ›

The pasta water will eventually contain quite a bit of starch and, depending on the brand and quality of the soy sauce, it might cause some issues with over boiling. Adding that much soy sauce to the pot means that you won't be able to use the pasta water to emulsify your sauce.

How much soy sauce is too much? ›

The recommended daily limit for soy sauce is 2 tablespoons. Consuming more than that can lead to high sodium intake, which can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. It is important to keep in mind that soy sauce is a flavorful condiment and a little goes a long way.

What does Pad Thai sauce contain? ›

Pad Thai Sauce is made with fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar and tamarind. Tamarind is the ingredient that is the heart and soul of Pad Thai sauce, giving the sauce the sour flavour that Pad Thai is known for. It's an ingredient used in South East Asian cooking, like this Malaysian Beef Rendang.

Does all Thai food have soy sauce? ›

Most Thai restaurants offer fish sauce in lieu of soy sauce so this won't be a problem for you. Go for dishes such as Pad Thai, which contains rice noodles and ditches soy for sweeter sauces. Meat dishes and the most well-known soups are also usually devoid of it.

Does chicken Pad Thai have soy? ›

Pad Thai Sauce Ingredients

Tamari: gluten free Tamari (or soy sauce if you don't need to eat GF) adds saltiness and savoriness to the sauce. Fish sauce: Pad Thai will not taste like Pad Thai unless it contains fish sauce. It's a defining ingredient.

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