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Home » Recipe » Easy Pad Thai Sauce Recipe

Mar 10, 2018 · Last Updated: Apr 28, 2021 by Calleigh ~

Easy Pad Thai Sauce Recipe

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What is the secret to a great Pad Thai? I am so glad you asked. The answer is simple, the secret is in the sauce!

Guess what? Pad Thai sauce is quite easy to make and stores well in your refrigerator.

Enjoy Pad Thai anytime using this Pad Thai Sauce. This perfectly sweet, tangy, a bit salty sauce with a little kick of spice is so easy and quick to make so you'll have a perfect dish every time.

Take the time to make a great sauce now, which will significantly reduce your Pad Thai cooking times.

Who knows, you may be a lot like me and enjoy the flavor of the sauce so much you add it to your stir-fry as well!

Who knows, you may be a lot like me and enjoy the flavor of the sauce so much you add it to your stir-fry as well!

Jump to:
  • What is Pad Thai sauce made of?
  • How to make Pad Thai sauce without tamarind
  • Tip for the tamarind concentrate
  • How long does Pad Thai sauce last?
  • Can you freeze Pad Thai sauce?
  • Grab these ingredients
  • Step by step instructions
  • Notes
  • Interesting Thai recipes:
  • Full Recipe
  • Pad Thai Sauce

Do you want to create the best Pad Thai sauce? Of course, you do and to do that, you want to start with fresh shallot, garlic, and large dried chili pepper (soak in the water ahead of time).

You will use a food processor or a blender to create a paste out of these fresh ingredients, which are the base of the sauce.

Some will be fortunate enough to have an Asian supply store readily at hand, but for everyone else, here are substitute ingredients for Tamarind Sauce Substitute: if you tamarind concentrate isn't available


What is Pad Thai sauce made of?

Die-hard fans of Pad Thai sauce will tell you palm sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind concentrate, but it must be said that these 2 ingredients (palm sugar and tamarind paste) can be difficult to get your hands on.

Tamarind paste is one of the essential ingredients of Pad Thai sauce. This gives the sauce a tangy, sweet, salty flavor which is what Pad Thai is known for.


How to make Pad Thai sauce without tamarind

Some will be fortunate enough to have an Asian supply store readily at hand, but for everyone else, here are substitute ingredients for Tamarind Sauce Substitute: if you tamarind concentrate isn't available :

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Whisk together ingredients. Serve several tablespoons over pad Thai.


Tip for the tamarind concentrate

Below is the Tamarind I used for this recipe and bought it from 99 Ranch market.

At first attempt, my Pad Thai Sauce tasted so sour/intense and not even close to a Pad Thai dish when I followed the recipe to a T from one of the popular FB and Youtube videos.

I tried to puree this tamarind concentrate in a blender (the whole pack) and added 1 cup of water. The result was much better than my first attempt, now I realized that lots of recipes that I tried to re-create at home
Tamarind concentrate

So, I tried to puree this tamarind concentrate in a blender (the whole pack) and added 1 cup of water.

The result was much better than my first attempt, now I realized that lots of recipes that I tried to re-create at home, I basically end up modifying the measurement of the ingredients as the results are either too salty or bland.

Click here for the Pad Thai Recipe

Pad Thai Sauce

Perhaps the best thing about creating your Pad Thai sauce is the many variations you can make on the recipe.

It is an easily adaptable item and people from all walks of life tweak it to make it their own. Think of it as the meatloaf of the Asian food world!

Pad Thai Sauce


What does Pad Thai sauce taste like

When tasting the sauce, you'll taste the mixture to be perfectly sweet first, followed by a little kick of spice fusion, a bit salty, and then tangy in that particular order.

It is so easy and quick to make so you'll have a perfect dish every time and best of all, it's a treat for your tastebuds.


What meat goes well with Pad Thai?

It can be made with chicken, pork, or beef stock (rarely vegetarian), as well as either rice noodles or egg noodles. Most of the time, vendors also add wontons or meatballs to the broth. The dish is best topped with a selection of condiments including, sugar, dried chili peppers, lime juice, and fish sauce.


How long does Pad Thai sauce last?

  • Transfer the homemade Pad Thai sauce to a glass container and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Can you freeze Pad Thai sauce?

  • Absolutely. When freezing the leftover Pad Thai sauce, I normally put them in an ice cube tray. Once they turned solid, I immediately transfer the cubes into a zip-top bag and freeze them for future use. They could last for up to three months.

Final Thoughts

If you enjoy this dish when you visit your favorite Thai restaurant, why not spend some time creating your very own recipe?

There is nothing hard about the process and the resulting sauce will easily keep in your refrigerator for a month. Enjoy Pad Thai anytime!


Grab these ingredients

  • 4 cups water
  • 6-8 tablespoon tamarind paste (See Notes)
  • 8 discs palm sugar (16 oz)
  • 4 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 small shallots
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 2 pcs large dried red peppers rehydrated or 6 small dried chilies
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce (optional but makes a difference)

Step by step instructions

Prep the Tamarind Sauce

Step 1

Puree the tamarind concentrate using a blender. Add the whole pack + 1 cup of water to make a Tamarind paste.

Puree the tamarind concentrate using a blender. Add the whole pack + 1 cup of water to make a Tamarind paste.


Prep the Sauce

Step 2

Re-hydrate the dried chilies for 15 to 20 minutes (or overnight) by soaking them in warm water to make them soft.

Dehydrate the dried chilies overnight by soaking them in water to make them soft.


Step 3

Place the shallots, garlic, and the rehydrated dried chilies in a blender to make a paste.

Place the shallots, garlic, and the rehydrated dried chilies in a blender to make a paste.


Step 4

Heat the oil over medium heat. Stir fry the shallot/garlic/chili paste for a minute to infuse the aroma. Now, you can add 4 cups of water and let it boil.

Heat the oil over medium heat. Stir fry the shallot/garlic/chili paste for a minute to infuse the aroma. Now, you can add the water and let it boil.


Step 5

Once the water is boiling, you can add the palm sugar disc. It may look like a lot of sugar but Pad Thai dish is always sweet, sour, and salty.

Once the water is boiling, you can add the palm sugar disc. It may look like a lot of sugar but Pad Thai dish is always sweet, sour, and salty.


Step 6

You can lower the heat now and add the fish sauce, the salt, and the Tamarind paste. I added around 8 tablespoon of tamarind paste but you can adjust yours to 6 tbsp, it depends on your taste. Just add the tamarind paste gradually and adjust the taste to your liking.

You can lower the heat now and add the fish sauce, the salt, and the Tamarind paste. I added around 8 tablespoon of tamarind paste but you can adjust yours to 6 tbsp, it depends on your taste.


Step 7

Give them a good mix allowing the palm sugar to dissolve thoroughly. Try sifting the Tamarind paste and use a spoon to dissolve or blend well in the mixture.


Step 8

This final step is optional, I added the Sriracha sauce to give the sauce a nice color and taste much better.

This final step is optional, I added the Sriracha sauce to give the sauce a nice color and taste much better.


Step 9

Once all the ingredients are melted and blended well, transfer the mixture into a bottle container. Let them cool down and store them in the fridge for future use.


Notes

For Tamarind Concentrate: The level of the tartness of the tamarind concentrate that I bought was too strong, so I tried to puree it in a blender.

  • Use the whole package (as per the picture above) and add 1 cup of water to make a Tamarind paste.

    Interesting Thai recipes:

    • Khao Pad Sopparot Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
    • Thai Beef Salad
    • Thai Green Papaya Salad
    • Thai Chili Basil Chicken Stir Fry

    Full Recipe

    Enjoy Pad Thai anytime using this Pad Thai Sauce. This perfectly sweet, tangy , a bit salty sauce with a little kick of spice is so easy and quick to make so you'll have a perfect dish every time.

    Pad Thai Sauce

    4.15 from 7 votes
    Enjoy Pad Thai anytime using this Pad Thai Sauce. This perfectly sweet, tangy, a bit salty sauce with a little kick of spice is so easy and quick to make so you'll have a perfect dish every time.
    Servings: 4 .5
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes

    Ingredients:

    • 4 cups water
    • 6-8 tablespoon tamarind paste (See Notes)
    • 8 discs palm sugar (16 oz)
    • 4 tablespoon fish sauce
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 small shallots
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
    • 2 pcs large dried red peppers (rehydrated or 6 small dried chilies)
    • 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce optional

    Instructions:

    Prep the Tamarind Sauce

    • Puree the tamarind concentrate using a blender. Add the whole pack + 1 cup of water to make a Tamarind paste.

    Prep the Sauce:

    • Rehydrate the dried chilies overnight by soaking them in water to make them soft.
    • Place the shallots, garlic, and the rehydrated dried chilies in a blender to make a paste.
    • Heat the oil over medium heat. Stir fry the shallot/garlic/chili paste for a minute to infuse the aroma. Now, you can add 4 cups of water and let it boil.
    • Once the water is boiling, you can add the palm sugar disc. It may look like a lot of sugar but Pad Thai dish is always sweet, sour, and salty.
    • You can lower the heat now and add the fish sauce, the salt, and the Tamarind paste. I added around 8 tablespoon of tamarind paste, but you can adjust yours to 6 tbsp; it depends on your taste. Just add the paste gradually and adjust the taste to your liking.
    • Give the mixture a good stir allowing the palm sugar to dissolve thoroughly.
    • Try sifting the tamarind paste and use a spoon to dissolve or blend well in the mixture.
    • This final step is optional; I added the Sriracha sauce to give the sauce a nice color and taste much better.
    • Once all the ingredients are melted and blended well, transfer the mixture into a glass container. Let them cool down and store them in the fridge for future use.

    Click here for the Pad Thai Recipe

      Watch the Video:

      Notes

      For Tamarind Concentrate:
      1.) The level of the tartness of the tamarind concentrate that I bought was too strong, so I tried to puree it in a blender.
      Use the whole package ( as per the picture above) and add 1 cup of water to make a Tamarind paste.

      Nutrition Information:

      Calories: 468.39kcal | Carbohydrates: 112.64g | Protein: 1.77g | Fat: 3.22g | Saturated Fat: 0.27g | Sodium: 1271.6mg | Fiber: 1.27g | Sugar: 107.2g

      Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.

      Did you make this?I would love seeing what you've made! Tag me on Instagram @theforkbitedotcom or leave me a comment or rating below.
      Course: entree
      Cuisine: Asian, Thai
      Keywords: pad thai sauce, Pad thai sauce recipe, tamarind paste substitute

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Calleigh says

      March 22, 2018 at 8:45 am

      @Tesha Cummings,
      This sauce is for Pad Thai Recipe - you can find the recipe here: https://www.theforkbite.com/pad-thai-recipe/

    2. Flora_the_Sweaterist says

      March 22, 2018 at 1:20 am

      I haven't heard about Pad Thai sauce before, oops. I love the sound of it, though, and as there's a prevalent preference in my family for sauces, I'll give this recipe a go. I'm sure the others will love it!

    3. Tesha Cummings says

      March 21, 2018 at 8:02 pm

      What would you add this too. I have only eaten Thia food a few times but this looks yummy . My husband is reading with me and wants to try the recipe..

    4. Nati says

      March 18, 2018 at 1:45 am

      Thank you for this amazing recipe! And I also appreciate all the tips on how to adapt the recipe better to your taste 🙂

      Nati | Polished Polyglot

    5. Elizabeth says

      March 17, 2018 at 7:54 pm

      It has been a minute since I ate pad thai but yummmmm! I'll have to try out this recipe.

    6. Preet says

      March 17, 2018 at 11:35 am

      I love Pad thai and your pad thai sauce recipe sounds easy and quick to try. I will have to try this myself.

    7. Tee says

      March 17, 2018 at 9:52 am

      mmmm! this recipe looks perfect. You did a great job. I might give this a try

    8. Elizabeth O says

      March 17, 2018 at 4:43 am

      This looks lovely and really quick and easy to make. I like the little jars you picked to store the sauce in too. Cute!

    9. Melanie williams says

      March 17, 2018 at 1:16 am

      This is one of my fav dishes, so the sauce recipe is a great one for me to try x

    10. Agnes Vazhure says

      March 16, 2018 at 7:11 pm

      oh, my!! This pad thai sauce recipe is a must try. It looks easy and quick to do. Looks delicious as well.WIll absolutely give this recipe a try.

    11. Sarah says

      March 16, 2018 at 6:23 pm

      I hadn't considered making Pad Thai at home, but I love it and should be making it. Pinning this recipe for sure and will surprise my husband with it sometime in the next couple of weeks!

    12. Tanvi Rastogi says

      March 16, 2018 at 1:00 pm

      I LOVE pad thai ... and have never considered making it at home ... Now I am thinking I must try. Thanks for the sauce recipe.

      ❥ tanvii.com

    13. Sue Tanya Mchorgh says

      March 16, 2018 at 11:06 am

      I would love to try this Pad Thai Sauce, It looks tasty. I love that it is easy to make and easy to store.

    14. Kristi Ann says

      March 16, 2018 at 6:39 am

      Yum!! This sauce sounds amazing. I love Pad Thai, but never would have thought to make it at home!

    15. Emily Leary says

      March 16, 2018 at 5:55 am

      I love Thai food, especially Thai Green Curry. This looks like the perfect sauce for a wonderful pad thai - quick, authentic and delicious.

    16. Alison Rost says

      March 16, 2018 at 5:28 am

      I love Thai food, it has amazing flavors and the freshness, just wow! I think making your own Pad Thai sauce at home is a great way to enjoy Thai flavors whenever you feel like it. Thanks for the recipe and the step-by-step!

    17. Joanna says

      March 15, 2018 at 10:37 am

      You are right when you say that everyone has their own variation of Pad Thai sauce. I use rice vinegar for mine and no tamarind concentrate, as I oculdn't find it in my local supermarket.

    18. Jessica Robinson says

      March 12, 2018 at 9:37 am

      Love that you can make your own Thai sauce at home. I'm that type of girl! Would rather make it from scratch than buy a bottle in the grocery store!

    19. Renee @ The Good Hearted Woman says

      March 12, 2018 at 9:35 am

      I like to think of myself as a pretty adept cook, but I have yet to master Pad Thai, and you are so right - it is all about the sauce. I am going to give this a go and see if it does the trick. Thank you!

    20. Lane | With Two Spoons says

      March 12, 2018 at 9:10 am

      I can;t wait to try this one! Pad Thai is one of my favorite dishes, and it is the sauce that I've been afraid of! I would love to make it at home!

    21. Natalie says

      March 12, 2018 at 8:43 am

      What a great recipe! Whenever I make pad thai at home it's always a guess on how to season it properly! This sauce is a keeper!

    22. Elaine @ Dishes Delish says

      March 12, 2018 at 8:41 am

      I absolutely love Pad Thai, but have never considered making it at home! You make it look so easy and delicious! I can't wait to make it. Hey, in fact, I'm going to make it this weekend! Yay! Great recipe!

    Trackbacks

    1. Pad Thai Recipe | The Fork Bite says:
      03/18/2019 at 3:42 pm

      […] unused portions for up to 30 days. Don’t worry if your sauce hardens. Click here for the Pad Thai Sauce […]

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    abt me 150x150 Hi there, my name is Calleigh. Glad you're here, you will find recipes that are easy to make and taste fantastic. You’ll also find some of my personal favorite foods, ones I’ve eaten in restaurants. Thank you for stopping by.

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