Pad Thai Sauce
Craving bold, tangy flavor fast? Keep this Pad Thai sauce ready—it transforms meals in minutes. Even better, use it in Son-in-law eggs, tamarind shrimp, stir-fried cabbage and turkey, or with a sunny side up.
What is Pad Thai Sauce Made of?
Pad Thai sauce is a flavorful balance of tangy, salty, and sweet. Here’s what goes into it:
- Vegetable Oil – Used to sauté the aromatics, adding richness and helping blend the flavors smoothly.
- Shallots or Red Onion – Adds a mild sweetness and depth; shallots are more traditional, but red onion works in a pinch.
- Tamarind Paste – Provides the signature tangy, fruity sourness that makes Pad Thai sauce unique. See my cheaper and better than store bought paste from the link.
- Coconut Sugar – Gives the sauce a deep, caramel-like sweetness; you can substitute with brown sugar if needed.
- Fish Sauce – Brings that umami, salty depth essential to Thai cooking. It’s naturally gluten-free, making this sauce 100% gluten-free.
- Water – Helps thin out the sauce so it coats noodles and proteins evenly without clumping.
How to Make Homemade Tamarind Sauce
- Sauté Shallots – Sauté Shallots. In a small saucepan, add vegetable oil and sliced shallots before turning on the heat. Sauté shallots on medium heat until translucent and smaller bits turn golden brown.
- Add Key Ingredients – Stir in tamarind paste, fish sauce, coconut sugar, and water.
- Simmer the Sauce – Lower heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 5–10 minutes.
- Stir Until Thickened – Stir constantly until the sauce thickens slightly; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
How to Use and Store The Sauce
- For Pad Thai – Use 3–4 tablespoons of sauce per serving. If it’s thick from the fridge, add 1 tablespoon of water to loosen it.
- For Son-in-law Eggs – Use 5–6 tablespoons of sauce with 2–3 tablespoons of water. Reheat and pour over fried eggs.
- For Tamarind Shrimp – Thin the sauce with water just like with Son-in-law eggs, then reheat and pour over the cooked garlic shrimp.
- For Stir-fries – My family tried using 5 tablespoons of the sauce sauce with 1/4 cup of water to stir-fry ground turkey and cabbage. It turned out to be a quick and delicious meal!
- To Store – Keep the sauce in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 months or if you freeze them like ice cube. However, I doubt you will wait for more than 2 weeks so use the sauce over and over again:).
Related Recipes
- Homemade Tamarind Paste
- Son -in – Law Eggs
- Shrimp Pad Thai
- Chicken Pad Thai
Pad Thai Sauce
Craving bold, tangy flavor fast? Keep this Pad Thai sauce ready—it transforms meals in minutes. Even better, use it in Son-in-law eggs, tamarind shrimp, stir-fried cabbage and turkey, or with a sunny side up.
Equipment
- 1 wok
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup shallots (or red onion) (chopped or thinly sliced)
- 1 cup tamarind paste
- 1 cup coconut sugar (palm sugar or brown sugar)
- 9 tbsp fish sauce
- 9 tbsp water
Instructions
- Sauté Shallots. In a small saucepan, add vegetable oil and sliced shallots before turning on the heat. Sauté shallots on medium heat until translucent and smaller bits turn golden brown.
- Add Key Ingredients. Stir in tamarind paste, fish sauce, coconut sugar, and water.
- Simmer the Sauce. Lower heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 5–10 minutes. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens slightly; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Store in glass jar while the sauce it still hot. Close the lid tightly and transfer the sauce to to store in the fridge right away or use it for your delicious meals such as Pad Thai and Son – in- Law Eggs. Enjoy!
Notes
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