Pad Thai Sauce Recipe

Homemade Pad Thai Sauce

Want to up your homemade Pad Thai game? Start with the sauce. Get the Pad Thai Sauce right and the rest of the dish falls right into place.

This is the exact sauce I use in my Pad Thai recipe, called out here so you can make it ahead. It's sweet, sour, salty and savory, with a little kick from chili-garlic sauce, just the way we like it. It uses only 7 ingredients you likely have in your fridge and pantry, plus a splash of water. No cooking needed. Just whisk and go.

Why make your own? You control the balance. Many bottled Pad Thai sauces are on the sweet side, and once it's bottled, you can't pull back on certain ingredients to your personal taste. With homemade, you taste it and adjust it the way YOU like it.

The recipe makes a little over 1 cup, enough for one batch of my Pad Thai. Double or triple it and keep a jar in the fridge, and Pad Thai night is ready whenever you're in the mood.

What is Pad Thai Sauce?

Pad Thai sauce is a sweet, sour and salty stir fry sauce made with tamarind, fish sauce and palm sugar. It gives Pad Thai its signature tangy flavor and makes noodles glossy and delicious.

Many Thai cooks stick with only those three ingredients and let everyone season the finished dish at the table. For my version, I add oyster sauce and soy sauce for more savory flavor, a splash of rice vinegar for an acidic pop, and chili-garlic sauce for a bit of heat. It comes together very nicely.

Pad Thai itself is a stir fry of rice noodles with shrimp or chicken, tofu, eggs, bean sprouts and peanuts. It exploded in Thailand in the late 1930s and 1940s, when the government promoted it as a national dish. Today you'll find it on the menu at just about every Thai restaurant in the United States.

Let's talk about how to make Pad Thai Sauce, shall we?

Pad Thai Sauce Ingredients

• Fish Sauce. A key salty ingredient.
• Oyster Sauce. Adds umami and the caramel-like sweetness helps the sauce cling to the noodles. Need a swap? See my list of oyster sauce substitutes.
• Soy Sauce. More savory, salty flavor.
• Tamarind Concentrate. The key sour ingredient. I use the pourable Thai-style concentrate, which is sometimes sold as tamarind paste or puree. If yours is the thick, black Indian-style kind, use half as much. More on that below.
• Chili-Garlic Sauce. Try my homemade chili-garlic sauce recipe, or use sriracha.
• Palm Sugar. Balances out the sour and salty flavors. Brown sugar can be used.
• Rice Vinegar. A little extra bright acidity.
• Water. I use some hot water for thinning.

Tamarind Paste vs. Tamarind Concentrate

You can use either, but the labels are confusing, and the products are NOT the same strength.

• Thai-Style Tamarind Concentrate. Brown and pourable, a bit like a thick sauce. You'll find it in jars or tubs at Asian markets, labeled "tamarind concentrate," "tamarind paste" or "tamarind puree." This is what I use, and you only need 2 tablespoons.
• Indian-Style Tamarind Concentrate. This product is nearly black, thick and sticky, and MUCH more sour. Use half as much, about 1 tablespoon, then taste and adjust if you want more tang.
• Tamarind Pulp Block. This is the compressed block of fruit pulp, seeds and fibers included. Soak a chunk in hot water, mash it with your fingers, then strain it to make your own paste. It has the freshest flavor of these options, but it takes a few extra minutes.

How to Make Pad Thai Sauce - the Recipe Method

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Taste and adjust. Want it more sour? Add a bit more tamarind. Sweeter? More palm sugar. Saltier? A splash more fish sauce. Make it yours.

Store and refrigerate in a sealed container until ready to use.

Boom! Done! Your pad thai sauce is ready to use. Easy enough to make, isn't it?

Grab some bean sprouts, green onions, lime wedges and all your favorite toppings. It's time to make Pad Thai! Here is my Pad Thai Recipe.

How much to use: One batch (a little over 1 cup) is the right amount for 4 ounces of dried rice noodles, which serves 2. That's the same ratio I use in my Pad Thai recipe. Cooking more noodles? Scale the sauce up to match.

You can also toss this easy-to-make sauce with any Thai noodle dish or stir fry. Dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less.

Pad Thai Sauce Substitutions

• No Tamarind? Honestly, there's no perfect swap. Tamarind is THE flavor of Pad Thai. In a pinch, use fresh lime juice with a little extra brown sugar. It will taste brighter and less fruity, but still good.
• No Fish Sauce? Use more soy sauce, or a vegan fish sauce for a vegetarian version.
• No Oyster Sauce? Vegetarian mushroom "oyster" sauce works great, or use one of the oyster sauce substitutes linked above.
• Gluten Free? Use tamari instead of soy sauce, plus a gluten-free oyster sauce. Check your fish sauce label, too.
• No Palm Sugar? Light or dark brown sugar works great. Coconut sugar works, too.

Ways to Use Pad Thai Sauce

Pad Thai is the obvious one, but don't stop there, my friends.

• Toss it with other noodles, like my Easy Thai Noodles.
• Use it as the sauce for a quick stir fry of chicken, shrimp, tofu or vegetables.
• Splash some into fried rice.
• Use it as a quick marinade for chicken or shrimp before stir frying or grilling.
• Drizzle it over rice bowls.

Storage

Pad Thai sauce will last up to 1 month or longer in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Simply use as desired.

You can also freeze it for 3 months. Freezing is a great way to extend the shelf life of the sauce and preserve its flavor.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this homemade pad thai sauce recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how you enjoyed it and how you made it your own.

More Thai Recipes to Try

• Pad Thai Recipe
• Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
• Pad See Ew (Stir Fried Thai Noodles)
• Thai Shrimp Curry
• Coconut Chicken Curry
• Khao Soi – Northern Thai Coconut Curry Soup
• Thai Red Curry Paste
• Thai Chili Paste (Nam Prik Pao)
• Thai Peanut Sauce
• Chicken Fried Rice (Thai inspired!)

Pad Thai Sauce FAQs

What is in Pad Thai sauce?

Traditional Pad Thai sauce is tamarind, fish sauce and palm sugar. My version also includes oyster sauce, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, rice vinegar and a little water.

Is Pad Thai sauce spicy?

Not traditionally. Pad Thai is a mild dish, and people add chili flakes at the table. My version has a gentle kick from chili-garlic sauce, and you can leave it out or turn it way up.

Can I use tamarind concentrate instead of tamarind paste?

Yes. Pourable Thai-style tamarind works at the full 2 tablespoons, whether the label says paste, puree or concentrate. Thick, nearly black Indian-style concentrate is much stronger, so use about half as much (1 tablespoon) and taste.

How much Pad Thai sauce do I need?

One batch of this recipe, a little over 1 cup, is enough for 4 ounces of dried rice noodles, or about 2 servings of Pad Thai.

Can I make Pad Thai sauce without tamarind?

You can, but it won't taste quite the same. Fresh lime juice with a little extra brown sugar gets you a tangy sauce that's brighter and less fruity than the real thing.

How long does homemade Pad Thai sauce last?

Up to 1 month in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

Is Pad Thai sauce gluten free?

Not as written. Soy sauce and most oyster sauces contain wheat. Swap in tamari and a gluten-free oyster sauce, and check your fish sauce label.