Authentic Pad Thai Sauce
If you're a fan of Thai food, then you're in for a treat with this best homemade Pad Thai sauce recipe. It captures the authentic flavors of this popular Thai dish, combining tangy, sweet, and savory elements in perfect balance. Learn how to make our own Pad Thai sauce using only 6 ingredients for this recipe!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 1 serving
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tamarind paste or tamarind concentrate. Homemade tamarind recipe. You can also use tamarind concentrate from a jar
- 1/2 cup fish sauce
- 1 cup palm sugar
- 1/8 cup garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup shallot, minced
- 2 tbsp oil
Instructions
- 1
Make tamarind paste from the pulp using this homemade tamarind recipe. You can also use tamarind concentrate from a jar. Store leftover tamarind paste in a glass jar in the fridge for other recipes! (Check below for other delicious tamarind recipes!)
- 2
Add two tablespoons of oil over medium heat In a medium skillet with deep sides. Once hot, add garlic and shallot and cook until lightly golden brown. Using a small stock pot works too.
- 3
Add the tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar, and stir well until the palm sugar melts. Stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves and the sauce reaches a smooth consistency and thickens slightly.
- 4
You should have a dark and slightly thick tamarind sauce. Carefully taste the sauce (it's hot! ). Adjust the flavors according to your preference. If you prefer it tangier, add more lime juice; if you like it sweeter, add more sugar and fish sauce for a saltier flavor. Customizing the sauce to your liking is the key to creating a truly exceptional Pad Thai.
- 5
Remove the sauce from the pan and pour into a heat-safe container like a glass bowl or jar. The sauce will thickens as it cools. You can stop here or add this next step.
- 6
Optional step! Once the sauce cools, add the Pad Thai sauce to a small food processor to get a smooth tamarind puree sauce. I didn't, as I loved the texture of the garlic and shallot and used the sauce as a dipping sauce. Do as you wish with this step. You're the boss now! (;