Thai Drunken Noodles – Pad Kee Mao

Vegan Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe – Rice Noodles with vegetables and the most delicious sauce! A healthy, protein-rich, and quick Thai main dish!

Thai Drunken Noodles, also known as Pad Kee Mao (original Thai name of this dish), is a spicy stir-fry noodles dish with rice noodles, vegetables, protein, and a delicious sauce. It’s an authentic Thai dish with the most delicious flavors and leaves you feeling satisfied and happy. 

Table of Contents

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Storage
• More Asian Recipes You’ll Love
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It’s not as popular as Pad Thai Noodles, but this doesn’t mean it’s not equally delicious. Both have a unique taste but use a similar cooking method, and rice noodles as the main ingredient.

Despite the name of the dish, alcohol is not part of the recipe. There are many theories as to the origin of its name, but the most accepted explanation is that Thai drunken noodles are best served with late-night drinking and/or as an excellent hangover food after drinking! 

However, you do not have to consume alcohol to enjoy this dish. It’s delicious just how it is and makes an outstanding dinner.

The rice noodles are soaked with a salty sauce made with soy sauce and mushroom sauce (this is the vegetarian version, the original recipe uses fish and oyster sauce). It comes along with some vegetables, Thai basil, and if wished, protein. 

I am a huge fan of this Thai noodle dish as it comes so easily together!  

Ingredients

See recipe card for quantities.

• Rice Noodles → Use wide rice noodles or Pad Thai Rice Noodles! Must be soaked in cold water before use. Check the package instructions. If I am in a hurry, I soak mine for 15 minutes in cold water, then quickly in hot water, then rinse under cold water and drain. Do not soak until entirely soft. They will soften when tossed with the sauce. Otherwise, they can turn a little mushy. If you can get a hand on fresh rice noodles, pick those or even make your own!
• Optional: Vegan Protein → I love to cook this rice noodle dish with vegan chicken, so delicious! You can also use extra-firm tofu or skip the protein altogether. Vegan Pad Kee Mao is also very delicious only with vegetables!
• Vegetables → Bok Choy, Bell Pepper, Ginger, Garlic, Scallion, Chili Pepper!
• Thai Basil → Use sweet Thai Basil (Holy Thai Basil), available at the Asian market. The recipe works too with spicy Thai Basil, although this will give the whole dish a spicy touch! Can be substituted with Italian Basil. 

• Regular Soy Sauce
• Dark Soy Sauce → Often used for adding color and flavor to Chinese dishes such as this Vegetable Lo Mein! It’s made of soy sauce, caramel color, and sugar. It’s a tad thicker, darker, and slightly sweeter than regular soy sauce. Available at the Asian market! Can be substituted with soy sauce, although this won’t give your Thai drunken noodles such an intense color.
• Vegetarian Mushroom Stir-Fry Sauce → Mushroom Sauce is the vegetarian alternative to the oyster sauce and is very popular for seasoning any Asian meal. It consists mainly of soy sauce and mushroom extract, which makes for an exquisite flavor. You can buy it in every Asian grocery store. 😉

Hint: Serve it along with this Thai cucumber salad.

Instructions

This visual step-by-step instruction will help you along the way – definitely recommended if you’re a cooking beginner! 

• Soak rice noodles according to the package instructions. → This can take up to 60 minutes. To speed up the process, I usually soak them for 15 minutes in cold water, drain, and quickly soak in hot water until almost soft.
• Mix all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl.
• If you make the recipe with protein: Toss 1-2 tablespoon of the sauce with your protein (vegan chicken or tofu). If using tofu, cover in a paper towel and press to remove excess liquid, then cut into cubes.

• Heat a large skillet with 1 tablespoon oil, fry protein for 5 minutes. Set aside.
• In the same skillet, add more oil along with the minced garlic, ginger, and chili pepper, stir fry for 1 minute.
• Add bell pepper and bok choy, stir fry for 3 minutes.
• Add noodles and sauce. Toss well.

• Add protein, green onions, and Thai basil leaves. Toss well and serve! 

Storage

Store noodles in an airtight container in the fridge. Good for 3 days. Reheat in a wok or microwave.

I don’t recommend freezing the noodles!

More Asian Recipes You’ll Love

• Vegetarian Pad Thai
• Vegetable Lo Mein
• Vermicelli Noodle Salad
• Pho – Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup
• Udon Stir Fry

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