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Drunken Noodles Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 67 reviews

Drunken Noodles is a flavorful and spicy Thai stir-fried noodle dish featuring wide rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and your choice of chicken, shrimp, or tofu, all tossed in a savory and slightly sweet sauce with fragrant Thai basil. This quick and easy recipe delivers restaurant-quality results with a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and umami in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Noodles

  • 8 oz wide rice noodles

Vegetables

  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 roma tomato, sliced
  • 2 green onions, chopped (whites and greens separated)
  • 1 cup fresh Thai Holy Basil leaves (or substitute regular basil), roughly chopped

Protein

  • 1 large chicken breast, chopped (or shrimp or tofu)

Aromatics and Flavoring

  • 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon fresh minced ginger
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil (or canola oil)

Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon Thai red chili paste (or sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes, to taste)

Instructions

  1. Cook Noodles: Prepare the wide rice noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and set aside to ready them for stir-frying.
  2. Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the oyster sauce, low sodium soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, water, and Thai red chili paste. Set this flavorful sauce mixture aside.
  3. Sauté Vegetables and Protein: Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame or canola oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add chopped shallots and thinly sliced carrots, cooking for about 2 minutes until slightly softened. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Then add the chopped chicken breast (or shrimp/tofu) seasoned with black pepper. Cook until the protein is fully cooked through. Next, add the minced garlic and fresh minced ginger, cooking quickly for about 10 seconds until fragrant. Add the bell pepper, zucchini, sliced tomato, and the white parts of the green onions. Cook everything together for 2 more minutes to tender-crisp the vegetables.
  4. Add Noodles and Sauce: Add the cooked noodles to the pan with the vegetables and protein. Pour the prepared sauce over the noodles. Toss everything together thoroughly and cook for a few minutes until the noodles are heated through and have absorbed the flavors.
  5. Finish with Basil: Remove the pan from heat and immediately stir in the roughly chopped Thai Holy Basil leaves (or regular basil). The residual heat will wilt the basil and release its aroma.
  6. Serve: Serve the Drunken Noodles hot, garnished with the remaining green onion greens and, if desired, extra chili sauce, sriracha, or crushed red pepper flakes for additional spice.

Notes

  • You can substitute chicken with shrimp or firm tofu for different protein options.
  • If you don’t have Thai Holy Basil, regular sweet basil works as a good substitute.
  • Adjust the amount of chili paste or substitute with sriracha or red pepper flakes to control the dish’s heat level.
  • Using low sodium soy sauce helps manage saltiness while maintaining flavor.
  • Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor, as the noodles can become soggy if left to sit.

Keywords: Drunken Noodles, Pad Kee Mao, Thai Noodle Recipe, Stir-fried Noodles, Spicy Noodles, Thai Basil Noodles, Easy Thai Recipes, Chicken Noodles, Vegetarian Option

Find it online: https://dailysimplerecipe.com/drunken-noodles-recipe/