Pad See Ew, a Thai street-food staple and restaurant favorite — stir-fried rice noodles with soy sauce, shrimp and baby bok choy.
When I was in my twenties and living in Chicago, my friend Carol introduced me to her “secret” Thai restaurant. She called it secret because she didn’t want it to get crowded — it was tucked in the lobby of a transient hotel — but it was always busy when we went. Our go-to order there was Pad See Ew.
Pad See Ew is a Thai stir-fried noodle dish flavored primarily with soy sauce — sweet, savory, and often translated as “fried soy sauce.” It is sweeter and milder than Pad Thai and is traditionally prepared with beef and Chinese broccoli.
At the little restaurant, Sukhumvit (which no longer exists), a large platter would arrive at the table. We’d dive into the condiments — chopped peanuts and a jar of vinegar steeping chili slices were our favorites. That simple combination made it one of our all-time favorites.
About 14 years ago I found a Pad See Ew variation that uses shrimp, and that’s how I began making it at home. It’s straightforward to prepare, but you may need a trip to an Asian grocery to find a few authentic ingredients. Regular supermarkets sometimes lack items like wide rice noodles or certain sauces.
In my version I swap the traditional Chinese broccoli for baby bok choy. I trim the ends and separate the leaves into pieces — it cooks quickly and I often prefer its texture and flavor. I finish the dish with chopped roasted peanuts and thinly sliced Thai red bird chilies. If you like the classic tang, a simple chili vinegar condiment on the side works well.
Pad See Ew is best with wide rice stick noodles. I usually keep dried rice stick noodles on hand, but if you can find fresh wide rice noodles (Sen Yai), they elevate the dish. Avoid thin rice vermicelli for this recipe — they lack the heft and chew needed to carry the sauce and char from the pan.
Pad See Ew — Thai stir-fried noodles with soy sauce, shrimp and baby bok choy. My partner particularly loves this shrimp version, and I like to think Carol would have liked it too. Best, Kelly 🍴🐦
You might also want to try:
- Thai Curried Sweet Potatoes and Chicken
- Easy Coconut Curry Salmon
- Instant Pot Chicken Pho Ga
- Wafuu Chicken Curry
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UPDATED: Originally posted in November 2016; refreshed in February 2020 with no changes to the original text.
Shrimp Pad See Ew
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 lb baby bok choy, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 12 oz wide rice stick noodles, dried (fresh Sen Yai if available)
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3/4 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 3 Thai bird chilies, thinly sliced (or serrano)
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped roasted salted peanuts
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a small bowl whisk together fish sauce, miso, oyster sauce, sugar and soy sauce. Set aside.
- Add the bok choy to the boiling water and cook 2 minutes until crisp-tender. Remove to a plate. Add the noodles to the pot and boil until still firm but pliable, about 5 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, then toss with 1 tablespoon oil and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a very large nonstick skillet. Add shrimp, season with a little salt, and cook until just pink, about 2 minutes. Remove shrimp to the plate with bok choy.
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup oil to the pan and heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook, stirring, about 15 seconds — don’t burn. Add the eggs and scramble slightly for about 30 seconds. Add the noodles and toss, then pour in the soy sauce mixture and toss again. Cook without stirring until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir and flip the noodles once, then cook until lightly browned, about 3 more minutes. Add the shrimp and bok choy, toss until heated through. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with peanuts and chilies, and serve with lime wedges.
Recipe Notes
If you want the traditional pickled chili vinegar condiment: slice a couple of long red chilies (prik chi fa if available), place them in a container and cover with plain white vinegar by about an inch. Do not use Thai bird chilies for this pickling method and avoid rice vinegar. Let steep at room temperature 24–48 hours, then refrigerate.
Nutrition
Calories: 661 kcal • Carbohydrates: 85 g • Protein: 31 g • Fat: 21 g • Saturated Fat: 3 g • Sodium: 2322 mg • Fiber: 4 g
*Adapted from Mai Pham, Food & Wine, September 2005