Instant Pot Pad Thai (2024)

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This Instant Pot Pad Thai is an easy, comforting dish that the whole family will love. It has so much flavor, texture and tastes similar to your favorite takeout meal. Let the Instant Pot do most of the work for you so you can have a delicious dinner on the table in no time at all.

Instant Pot Pad Thai (1)

Backstory:

A little backstory on this recipe, I developed this dish back in 2017 when I was first starting out as a food blogger. I created it for my daughter because she was gluten free and dairy free at the time and loved a frozen pad thai meal from the store. I wanted to recreate a better version for her at home. She loves this recipe.

I want to acknowledge right off the bat, that this is not a traditional pad thai. It is more similar to a peanut noodle dish, but still has a lot of the flavor and texture you love from pad thai.Pad thai is a Thai stir fry dish with tamarind being a key ingredient. This recipe does not call for tamarind, I chose to use peanut butter along with other flavorful ingredients to make my own personal spin on the sauce.

Instant Pot Pad Thai (2)

I have received many, many reviews of this Instant Pot Pad Thai. SO many of you love it but there are also some consistent criticisms. So I re-tested and I believe, perfected this recipe so hopefully you will all have a wonderful and delicious outcome.

Recipe Updates:

  • Soaking the noodles before adding to the sauce – a consistent note about the recipe had to do with the noodles and how to cook them. I am now updating the recipe to have you pre-soak the noodles before adding to the sauce for the perfect texture. It only takes a few minutes and provides the desired outcome.
  • Reducing the salt – I reduced the amount of fish sauce and used water instead of chicken broth in the sauce – the flavor is amazing but without overpowering saltiness
  • Veggies – instead of cooking carrots and the green onion with the sauce, we are adding it to the warm sauce with the noodles for improved texture and flavor
Instant Pot Pad Thai (3)

FAQs:

What Kind of Noodles Should I Use?

I love and use both the Annie Chun’s and Thai Kitchen noodles. You can use plain or brown rice noodles, but the brown rice noodles need to soak just a bit longer

Do You Need the Fish Sauce?

Yes, absolutely. Pad thai traditionally has a bit of a ‘funk’ to it but in a good, addicting kind of way. Fish sauce gives it that flavor, trust me on this one.

What is Coconut Aminos?

Coconut aminos is a ‘soy-free’ soy sauce alternative. It is similar but a little bit sweeter than soy sauce. This is my preferred option for this recipe. It is also gluten free. If you choose to use regular soy sauce, use a low sodium version or the dish can get too salty.To keep the recipe gluten free, use Tamari.

Instant Pot Pad Thai (4)

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  • Instant Pot Butter Chicken
  • Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
  • Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Beef
  • Instant Pot Healthy Jambalaya
  • Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup

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Instant Pot Pad Thai (5)

Instant Pot Pad Thai

Instant Pot Pad Thai (6)Sara

This Instant Pot Pad Thai is an easy, comforting dish that the whole family will love. It has so much flavor, texture and tastes similar to your favorite takeout meal.

4.51 from 365 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 7 minutes mins

8 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Asian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 493 kcal

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1.5 lbs Chicken Breasts cubed
  • 3 Tbls Peanut Butter creamy
  • 1/2 cup Coconut Aminos can also use low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 Tbls Fish Sauce
  • 1 Tbls Sesame Oil
  • 2 Tbls Rice Vinegar
  • 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 Tbls Fresh Ginger minced (or 1 tsp powdered ginger)
  • 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 Tbls Lime Juice

Noodles

  • 8 oz Rice Noodles I use Annie Chuns or Thai Kitchen
  • 1/4 cup Green Onion chopped
  • 1.5 cups Shredded Carrots

Toppings

  • 1/4 cup Cilantro chopped
  • 1/2 cup Peanuts chopped
  • 1 Lime cut into wedges

Instructions

  • Add your cubed chicken breast to the Instant Pot

  • In a small bowl, mix the coconut aminos, fish sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, peanut butter, pepper flakes, lime juice, water, ginger and garlic until well combined and pour over the chicken – give it a little stir

  • Put the lid on, hit pressure cook and set time to 7 minutes. It will take a minute to come to pressure and then the 7 minute countdown will start

  • While the chicken is cooking, boil 3 cups of water

    Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with the boiling water for 5-7 minutes until they are just softened. Drain from the water

  • When the timer goes off for the chicken, do a quick release of the steam

    Stir in the drained rice noodles, shredded carrots and green onions. Toss together

  • Serve in a bowl and top with chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro and lime wedges

    Enjoy!

Notes

I have received many, many reviews of this Instant Pot Pad Thai. SO many of you love it but there are also some consistent criticisms. So I re-tested and I believe, perfected this recipe so hopefully you will all have a wonderful and delicious outcome.

Recipe Updates

  • Soaking the noodles before adding to the sauce – a consistent note about the recipe had to do with the noodles and how to cook them. I am now updating the recipe to have you pre-soak the noodles before adding to the sauce for the perfect texture. It only takes a few minutes and provides the desired outcome.
  • Reducing the salt – I reduced the amount of fish sauce and used water instead of chicken broth in the sauce – the flavor is amazing but without overpowering saltiness
  • Veggies – instead of cooking carrots and the green onion with the sauce, we are adding it to the warm sauce with the noodles for improved texture and flavor

Nutrition

Calories: 493kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 33gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 893mgPotassium: 727mgFiber: 6gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 5500IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 1mg

Keyword dairy free, gluten free, instant pot

Tried this recipe?Mention @thebetteredblondie

Instant Pot Pad Thai (7)
Instant Pot Pad Thai (2024)

FAQs

What makes Pad Thai so delicious? ›

Pad Thai Adaptations

But the backbone of the dish remains the same – rice noodle, eggs, tofu and dried shrimps. As for the all-important sauce, it consists of a balanced nuance of three tastes: saltiness from either fish sauce or soy sauce, sweetness from palm sugar, and sourness from tamarind juice.

What is a substitute for tamarind sauce in Pad Thai? ›

Rice vinegar: Mix rice vinegar or white wine with an equal amount of brown sugar to replace tamarind paste in recipes. The rice vinegar or wine adds acidity and some sweetness, while the brown sugar enhances that sweetness. Use this as a one-to-one substitute for tamarind paste in recipes.

How do you not break Pad Thai noodles? ›

Cook the rice noodles as per packet instructions until just cooked (this will be a few minutes less than what the packet instructions say). As soon as the noodles have softened in the rapidly boiling water, drain them and rinse in cold running tap water. This will stop the noodles overcooking and breaking in your pan.

Why are my pad thai noodles still hard? ›

If your noodles are too hard, they may not have been soaked long enough. Try soaking them for a longer period of time — up to 20 minutes.

Do you have to soak pad thai noodles before cooking? ›

Flat Rice Noodles (Pad Thai Noodles)

Soak for 10 minutes. If the noodles are longer than the bowl, slowly bend them as they soften in the water so that they are eventually all submerged under the water. Strain the noodles and run your fingers through them to prevent sticking.

What is the difference between Pad Thai and crispy Pad Thai? ›

Very similar to pad thai, right? The only two differences here are the noodles and using cashews instead of peanuts. Left to right, top to bottom: Garlic chives, beansprouts, mee krob noodles, pressed tofu, lime, shrimp, roasted cashews, egg.

Why is my Pad Thai soggy? ›

Don't crowd the pan

Crowding the pan is all sorts of bad news, but when it comes to noodles, this is likely the most common reason people end up with soggy and mushy noodles. Crowding traps moisture, and this moisture steams the noodles and you're basically boiling them, which causes the noodles to overcook.

What does authentic Pad Thai taste like? ›

A More Authentic Pad Thai

Pad Thais can be both sour and sweet, depending on the region they're made in and who is making the dish! Generally, in Thailand, pad thai will include ingredients like dried shrimp and fish sauce which lends tangy umami to the overall dish.

What can I use instead of soy sauce in Pad Thai? ›

Fish Sauce

Many Asian dishes, including Pad Thai, use this ingredient to enhance the rich and savory tastes within the dish. Due to the salty nature of fish sauce, it is a great alternative for soy sauce, or even salt in cooking.

What is a substitute for lime juice in Pad Thai? ›

The obvious choice if you're out of limes is lemons. Lemons have a similar, but distinct flavor from limes and make an ideal substitute.

What can I use instead of fish sauce in Pad Thai? ›

Here are our go-to fish sauce substitutes:
  1. Mushroomy, umami broth. ...
  2. Soy sauce + minced anchovy. ...
  3. Soy sauce + vinegar + a pinch of salt. ...
  4. Liquid or coconut aminos + a pinch of salt. ...
  5. Vinegar + wakame powder + pinch of salt. ...
  6. Vegan Fish Sauce.

Why is my pad Thai gummy? ›

They require extensive stir-frying to fully cook, leading to dry and sticky noodles. Boiling the noodles, on the other hand, leads to gummy strands that glue themselves together in the pot, resulting in a soggy, clumpy stir-fry and a whole lot of frustration.

Why are pad Thai noodles pink? ›

The thread-thin rice noodles are enriched by coconut milk and tinted an iconic pink colour by red bean curd. What is this?

What if my pad Thai is too dry? ›

If you find that the sauce is too dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time, until the noodles are slippery and do not stick together. Stir in the cilantro and top with chopped peanuts. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. Enjoy!

How to cook rice pad Thai noodles? ›

INSTRUCTIONS
  1. 1 BRING large pot of water to boil. Add rice noodles; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until noodles are tender but firm. ...
  2. 2 HEAT oil in large skillet or wok on medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir fry 30 seconds or until fragrant. ...
  3. 3 STIR in rice noodles and tamarind mixture; stir fry 1 minute or until heated through.

How do you cook Mama Tom Yum instant noodles? ›

1. Put the noodles and condiments into 1 1/2 cups (350ml), of boiling water. 2. Cover for 3 minutes.

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