Thai Drunken Spaghetti (Spaghetti Kee Mao)
With its tangy, sweet and spicy flavors, Thai Drunken Spaghetti (Spaghetti Kee Mao) is a mouthwatering and unique noodle dish that will wake up your tastebuds. One of the best fusion dishes, this Thai street food favorite gets its name from the slight drunkenness you’ll feel after taking just one bite of saucy linguini or fettuccine noodles loaded with colorful veggies and aromatic basil. The complex combination of soy and oyster sauces, chilies and Chinese broccoli brings the exotic and exciting flavors of Thailand right to your dinner table. Once you try this Thai Drunken Spaghetti (Spaghetti Kee Mao), with its perfect blend of tastes and textures, you’ll be hooked and eager to make it part of your regular dinner rotation.
What is Pad Kee Mao made of?
Similar to Pad Kra Pao, Pad Kee Mao gets its aromatics from garlic, Thai chili, and Holy Basil. However, you can easily substitute the Holy Basil by using sweet Italian basil or Thai basil, unlike in Pad Kra Pao where most people insist on not replacing the Holy Basil. Also, Pad Kra Pao normally does not contain many vegetables since the Holy basil is the primary vegetable. In contrast, this Thai Drunken Spaghetti or Spaghetti Kee Mao is loaded with vegetables so you get enough protein and fiber. Additionally, the authentic version of Pad Kee Mao uses wide rice noodles or Ho Fun noodles instead of pasta noodles. Please see my authentic Drunken Noodles or Pad Kee Mao recipe for more details.
Vegetables that Works for Pad Kee Mao
Besides basil, you can add carrots, cabbage, snap peas, Gailan or Chinese broccoli, broccoli, bell peppers, cauliflower, and Bok Choy. Vegetables that are crunchy and good for stir fry are good for this Thai Drunken Spaghetti or Spaghetti Kee Mao.
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Are Drunken Noodles like Lo Mein?
Don’t be fooled by how they look alike. This spaghetti tastes nothing like Lo Mein. They both use oyster or Hoisin sauce. But the Drunken Spaghetti is spicy, sweet, and flavorful. You can make it as spicy as you can handle. It must have some kick. Lo Mein is mild with noticeable sesame oil. You can certainly tell these two stir fries apart by how they smell. Their aromas are quite different.
Thai Drunken Spaghetti (Spaghetti Kee Mao)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce or Hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons dark soy sauce optional
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4-5 Thai chilies chopped
- 4-5 garlic minced
- 1/2 onion white, yellow, or red
- 1/2 lb linguine or fettuccine (dried pasta)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 – 1 cup basil Holy Basil, or Thai, or Italian Basil
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 carrot
- 1-2 Bok Choy or Gailan or brocoli
- 1 cup pasta water
Instructions
- Boil water to cook your choice of pasta noodle (linguine or fettuccine ) according to the package instruction. Take the noodle out of the pot 1 -2 minute sooner than the instructional time on the package as you will continue to cook the noodle during the stir fry.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce by combining oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and dark soy sauce together. If you do not have dark soy sauce, don't worry about it.
- Chop garlic, chili, and vegetables that you'd like to use in this stir fry.
- Use medium heat, add vegetable oil. Then saute garlic, chili, and onion. (I forgot the onion while filming so I added them later and that is ok:).
- Add ground beef and continue to stir fry until the ground beef is about 80 -90% done. Add half of the stir fry sauce so that the beef can soak up the flavor.
- Add the vegetables (except for the basil) to stir fry and mix well.
- Add the noodles and the rest of the sauce. Add the pasta water to make it more saucy. Stir fry sauce until the spaghetti is al den te or to your desire of doneness. Turn the heat off and add basil. Mix well. The basil will wilt and your Spaghetti Kee Mao will be fragrant. Enjoy!