Best Drunken Noodles

Pad Kee Mao, also known as drunken noodles, is stir-fried noodles with holy basil, plenty of chilis, and an epic savory sauce. It’s a cult Thai street food that’ll never get old. 

If you’re hungry and don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but are craving something satisfying, flavorful, spicy, and healthy, then drunken noodles are here to save you. 

Why Is It Called Drunken Noodles?

There’s no alcohol in drunken noodles, but legend says that it was a drunk man who invented them when he was trying to make something quick in the kitchen. It turned out surprisingly hot and tasty, becoming one of the most famous street foods in Thailand. 

Why We Love These Drunken Noodles

These drunken noodles with shrimp are one of my favorite meals. The first thing that makes this the best drunken noodles recipe is that they’re healthy and customizable.

Secondly, pad kee mao is one of the easiest stir-fry dishes to make – the list of ingredients isn’t that long, the prep time is minimal, and it takes less than 10 minutes to cook! And you can make it as spicy or mild as you want. 

Thirdly, this is the best drunken noodles recipe thanks to the authentic pad kee sauce, the holy basil, and generous amounts of garlic and Thai chilis that give it a mouthwatering taste. The sauce is rich, savory, just the right amount of sweet, full of heat, and very umami. 

To make this drunken noodles recipe, you’ll need:

Shrimp (or other protein of choice):

• 8 oz fresh shrimp, cleaned and deveined (or other protein of choice)
• 1 tsp. oyster sauce
• Ground white pepper or black pepper 
• 1 clove of garlic, grated

Sauce:

• 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp. each Thai fish sauce and Thai light soy sauce
• Optional (for the color): 1 tsp. dark soy sauce 
• 2 Tbsp. palm sugar (maple syrup, agave, granulated sugar, or honey work too) 

Stir-fry:

• 8-10 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
• 4 Thai chilis, crushed and minced
• 1 shallot, sliced into thin rounds
• Optional (for garnish): 1 red chili sliced for later or some red bell pepper
• 6-7 oz Bok Choy or Chinese broccoli, chopped
• 1-2 handfuls of Holy basil
• 2 Tbsp. neutral vegetable oil

Noodles: 

• 1 lb fresh rice noodle sheets cut into chunks and separated or 7 oz. dried rice noodles
• Lime wedges to serve
• Lime wedges to serve

How To Make Drunken Noodles From Scratch

Step 1: Marinate The Shrimp (Or Other Protein)

• Add the shrimp with the grated garlic clove, oyster sauce, and ground white or black pepper to a bowl. Set it aside while you prepare the other ingredients.

Step 2: Prepare The Sauce

• In a separate medium-sized bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of Thai light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of palm sugar, and an optional 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce. Stir well and set aside.

Step 3: Make The Stir-Fry

• Heat your wok until it smokes. Now, add 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the minced garlic, Thai chili, and shallot rounds until they’re aromatic (for about 1 minute).
• Now, add the shrimp and cook them until they’re golden brown, stirring often. Meanwhile, if you’re using dry noodles, soak them in hot water for 2 minutes and drain them before cooking. If you’re using fresh rice noodles, there’s no need to presoak them.

Step 4: Add Chinese Broccoli/Bok Choy

• After the shrimp has cooked, add your Bok choy or Chinese broccoli and cook for 1-2 minutes (or until the desired doneness).  

Step 5: Add Noodles & Sauce

• Then add the noodles and sauce, and stir until the noodles, protein, and greens are coated in sauce.

Step 6: Add Red Chili & Holy Basil

• Once cooked, add the red chili and Holy basil, toss everything together, turn off the heat and serve your pad kee mao with lime wedges.

Step 5: Enjoy your Drunken Noodles!

How To Make Drunken Noodles Vegan Or Vegetarian

To make this pad kee mao recipe vegan or vegetarian, first substitute the shrimp for a vegan protein such as seitan, tofu, tempeh, or edamame. You could also use vegan shrimp or vegan crab substitutes for a sea-food-like experience.  

Next, make sure you use vegan or vegetarian oyster sauce and fish sauce or an alternative. 

Some good oyster sauce and fish sauce substitutes include hoisin sauce, mushroom sauce, sweet soy sauce, black bean sauce, tamari sauce, or teriyaki sauce. 

For the fish sauce, you can also use more soy sauce and some seaweed, coconut aminos, Worcestershire sauce, or mushroom and soy sauce broth.  

What Noodles Do You Use For Drunken Noodles?

Pad kee mao is made with wide rice noodles – I find the wider, the better. Using dry wide rice noodles is perfectly fine. Presoak them for 2 minutes in hot water, then drain them. Don’t soak them longer, they’re supposed to finish cooking in the wok with the sauce. 

But if you want to level up this recipe, use fresh rice noodle sheets cut into large chunks and separated. They don’t need to be presoaked and taste amazing. 

Tips & Substitutions

• Make sure your wok is hot and you have prepared all the ingredients before cooking. The stir-fry itself takes about 7 minutes in total, so you want to ensure you don’t overcook any of the ingredients.
• If you don’t have a wok, you can use a 12-inch non-stick skillet. It’s just a lot easier to toss the ingredients in a wok.
• To keep your palm sugar soft, pour water into the palm sugar jar after opening it. A week later it’ll be soft and easy to use – you’ll be able to spoon it out like honey. 
• To make this recipe gluten-free, use a gluten-free soy sauce, tamari sauce, or coconut aminos instead. Also, use a gluten-free oyster sauce such as Kikkoman’s brand or more coconut aminos. Fish sauce can also contain gluten depending on the brand.
• You can replace the Bok choy or Chinese broccoli with other greens such as zucchini, swiss chard, collard greens, or kale. And add more vegetables if you wish. Julienned carrots, bell peppers, baby corn, or snow peas are all delicious additions packed with vitamins and minerals. 
• Regular Italian basil is a good substitute for Thai Holy basil. It’s closer in flavor than regular Thai basil which has a slight aniseed flavor. 
• If you love spicy food, stick to the 4 Thai chilies or more. You can also substitute bird-eye chilis or red chili peppers. But if you prefer a mild version, simply omit the chilies. The garlic and sauce already bring a lot of flavors. 
• I love shrimp, but you can substitute any meat or vegan protein. If using chicken, pork, or beef, thinly slice the meat and let it marinate in 2 teaspoons soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon water for at least 15 minutes. 
• To make pad kee mao with tofu, press the tofu for 8-10 minutes to drain out excess water, then cut it in cubes. You don’t need to drain seitan or tempeh.

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