Want to make authentic Pad Thai at home? All you really need is a jar of this pad thai sauce in your fridge and you can have fresh, amazing Pad Thai any night for dinner at a fraction of the cost of takeout. (Besides, we think all the best takeout can be made at home.)

Have you noticed that it’s been quite saucy around here lately? First it was this sweet and sour goodness, then Thai peanut sauce (yum), and then tamarind paste which….well….isn’t technically a sauce. But you get the idea.

We couldn’t resist going a little heavy on the sauces when it comes to Thai home cooking. All of these sauces are building blocks for so many other delicious recipes. We’ve currently got a refrigerator stocked with sauces and I’m giddy about all the possibilities.

But no Thai fridge is complete unless it includes Pad Thai sauce. Just 4 ingredients and with super simple adaptations for paleo, gluten-free, and vegan / vegetarian. (See the recipe below for all the adaptations!)

This sauce’s uses aren’t limited to Pad Thai either. Use it in a stir-fry of chicken and vegetables, marinate tofu in it, whisk a spoonful with some olive oil for a ridiculously good salad dressing, dip summer rolls in it, toss it with just about anything and serve it in lettuce cups.

Endless possibilities, I tell ya!

Ingredients for Pad Thai Sauce

The ingredients list here is so simple, but the key element is tamarind paste. Read everything you need to know about making tamarind paste here. We also tested this recipe using tamarind concentrate found at our local Asian grocery store or online here.

As you can see below, the homemade tamarind paste (left) is thicker and has more texture to it than the commercial version (right), but both made a delicious version for pad thai sauce.

And now that you’ve got the sauce mastered, I bet you can guess what’s coming up next…

Now you’re ready to make Pad Thai – recipe here!

Pad Thai Sauce

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

An authentic Pad Thai sauce (with gluten-free, paleo, vegetarian/vegan variations in the notes) for making Pad Thai noodles. Recipes makes 1.5 cups (enough for 6 servings of Pad Thai) and stores in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Recipe type: Sauce

Cuisine: Thai

Yield: 1.5 cup (6 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 cup Tamarind paste
• ¼ cup Water
• ¼ cup Fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp Soy sauce
• ⅓ cup Brown sugar

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the brown sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. (Do not let it reduce any further once the sugar is dissolved or it won't be the right consistency for making pad thai.)
2. IMPORTANT: At this point, you need to taste the sauce and adjust it to fit your taste. Some people like their sauce a bit more sweet, so if that's you, add a bit more sugar and simmer for another minute. If you prefer a bit more salty/umami flavor, add a bit more soy or fish sauce. You can also add a bit of lime zest if you like a more pronounced citrus flavor. With all the flavorful elements of this sauce, you'll love it the most if you adjust it suit your own unique taste preferences.
3. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.
4. Click here to get the recipe for Authentic Pad Thai using this sauce!

Notes

Use the following ingredient variations for these diet preferences. Cooking instructions are the same (though palm sugar may take a few minutes extra to dissolve for paleo).
For paleo:
1 cup Tamarind paste
1/4 cup Water
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp Fish sauce
6 oz / 170 g Palm sugar, finely chopped
For gluten-free variation:
substitute tamari for soy sauce
For vegetarian / vegan variation:
1 cup Tamarind paste
1/4 cup Water
1/4 cup Soy sauce
1/3 cup Brown sugar

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 3 Tbsp Calories: 82 Total Fat: 0 g Saturated fat: 0 g Unsaturated fat: 0 g Trans fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 21 g Sugar: 10 g Sodium: 926 mg Fiber: 1 g Protein: 1 g Cholesterol: 0 mg

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