I remember the first time I encountered Pad Thai in a restaurant. My husband ordered it, and when it arrived, he whispered, “Why is there peanut butter smeared on the plate?”
If you’ve been following my collection of international recipes, you know that I love Thai food. You can check out my recipes for Thai red curry and Thai green curry here. But despite my love of Thai cuisine, I avoided Pad Thai for a long time.
Recently, however, that all changed with a late-night snack.
Origins of 5-Minute Pad Thai
I was chatting with a travel-loving foodie friend late one night, popping popcorn and sipping margaritas. She was hungry, so I offered to make her some ramen – after all, it’s a quick and easy snack.
I asked what she wanted in it, and she surprised me with the question, “Do you have any peanut butter?” To soothe my look of horror, she told me that sauteed scallions, peanut butter, and chilli crunch make a passable Thai-inspired sauce.
The next day, I had to try it for myself.
Pad Thai Ramen Cooking Tips
This recipe is great on its own – the protein from the peanut butter and fat from the chili oil make it very filling. It can also be served alongside vegetables or meats such as shrimp or chicken.
What type of peanut butter should you use? I prefer creamy, but chunky peanut butter will work just as well.
I’ve tried multiple brands of chili crunch and chili oils at this point, but Momofuku remains my favorite for its intense flavor and welcome heat.
This recipe makes one serving, but you can easily double, triple, or quadruple the ingredients depending on your family size.
The noodles quickly soak up the chili peanut sauce – they are fully covered in the flavorful sauce but have a dry texture. If you prefer a juicier dish, increase the amounts of peanut butter and chili crunch by half, or even double them.
5-Minute Pad Thai Ramen
Ingredients
- 1 package ramen noodles
- 1 tbsp chili crunch
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a small sauce pan. Cook the ramen noodles for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the chili oil in a skillet over medium. Add the onions and peanut butter; stir.
- Drain the noodles in a strain, then add to the skillet. As you stir, the noodles should absorb the sauce.
- Enjoy.
One part Lois Lane, one part Jimmy Olsen, one part Johnboy Walton, and a bit of that Clark Kent secret identity thing thrown in for good measure.
Cara Siera is a freelance writer and photographer with a passion for travel and exotic cuisine. Join Cara, her husband Marc, and one very spoiled German Shepherd on their next great adventure.