Skip eating out for this easy Pork Pad Thai peanut sauced noodles. Pad Thai noodles are are covered in a flavorful Thai peanut sauce. Crunchy with cabbage and carrots you’ve got a wonderful meal with simple ingredients that are addicting in flavor.
This recipe was first published in May of 2015 and updated October, 2020
Easy Pork Pad Thai – Why This Recipe Works
Who knew a big scoop of peanut butter could transform rice noodles and pork into such a delicious meal. Simply whisked with a few Thai seasonings, some colorful veggies and browned ground pork makes a hearty and oh-so flavorful dinner.
Simply stated you’ve got an addicting and amazing plate of noodles.
As I’m typing this, I want to eat it everyday.
Sweet, nutty, savory, spicy, creamy and crunchy. Let’s take a look at what goes into making this recipe.
Ingredients
Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.
- Ground Pork, Just pick up a package from the grocery store. Ground pork is usually made from pork shoulder, or pork BUTT.
- Coconut Milk, A staple in Thai cooking, don’t confuse coconut milk with coconut water. Coconut milk is made by grinding the meat of a coconut. Rich floral and nutty, it adds great flavor to any dish.
- Shredded Carrots and Cabbage: Adds the crunch to this beautiful meal. They’re not cooked, they’re added raw.
- Fish Sauce, Sweet, salty, fish and funky, fish sauce brings some show-stopping flavor to any Thai recipe.
- Toasted Sesame Oil, Made from toasted Sesame Seeds, earthy and nutty, I recommend you use toasted sesame oil over regular sesame oil. The pronounced flavor rocks this dish.
- Seasoned Rice Vinegar, is regular rice vinegar seasoned with sugar and salt. I always prefer it over regular rice vinegar.
- Peanut Butter, Any brand will do, and preferably creamy.
- Rice Noodles, An Asian noodle made from rice flour and water, has a very mild flavor and chewy texture. Look for Thai rice noodles or Pad Thai noodles.
- Jalapeno Pepper: Jalapeno pepper is used to add some spicy heat. Keep the jalapeno seeds and veins in tact for a pure spicy heat. Remove the seeds and veins to tame the heat if you’re sensitive to spice.
Ingredient Swaps
- Want to make this an even easier Pork Pad Thai weeknight meal, purchase a package of coleslaw mix from the produce department. A mix that includes shredded carrots.
- Substitute Ground Pork with Ground Chicken. Just use your food processor to grind chicken thighs or chicken breasts. Or purchase a package of ground chicken from the market.
- Substitute Napa Cabbage for regular green cabbage.
How To Make This Recipe
Start by stirring together the easy peanut sauce with coconut milk.
- Step 1: Simply combine the peanut butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, fish sauce and coconut milk. Using a whisk, stir until well mixed. Use a large bowl because you’re going to add the rest of the ingredients to finish the dish.
- Step 2: Grab a large fry pan and cook the ground pork. While the pork is cooking, cook noodles according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the starchy noodle water, then drain noodles in a colander.
- Step 3: Drain any access grease from the pork. Then stir in the cooked noodles, cabbage, carrots and some sliced jalapenos.
- Step 4: Take this mixture and add it to the large bowl of peanut sauce along with the reserved noodle water. Stir gently until well combined and serve.
- Step 5: Garnish with cilantro (optional) and don’t forget that squeeze of fresh lime. It brightens the flavor of this dish.
Grab those chopsticks and dig in. You’re going to love these noodles with pork. And it’s easy!
FAQ’s And Tips
Yes. You can make the spicy Thai peanut sauce a day ahead of time, and you can fry the ground pork in advance and then easily finish the dish.
This is one of those recipes that once those flavors marry is even better the next day. To reheat, just place a portion in the microwave and gently reheat in increments of 1 minute at 50% power. You don’t want to dry it out, so go slowly. This recipe for easy peanut sauce for noodles, is actually ver good served at room temperature.
Absolutely. Just cook the noodles according to package directions.
Recipe for Easy Pork Pad Thai with Peanut Sauce and Ground Pork
I hope you give this Pad Thai Noodles with Pork a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating. Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes.
And if you have a favorite recipe using Pad Thai Noodles, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Noodle Recipes You Might Like
And if you’re pasta fans like us, don’t miss my category for Pasta Recipes. You’ll find lots of great recipes, including the most popular on my site for Flemings Steakhouse Macaroni and Cheese.
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Easy Pork Pad Thai with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter creamy
- ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- ¼ Cup coconut milk
- 8 ounces Pad Thai Noodles
- 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
- 1 pound ground pork browned
- 2 jalapeños stemmed, seeded and sliced into thin rounds
- 2 medium carrots grated
- 2 cups green cabbage very thin sliced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ cup starchy water from cooked noodles
- Cilantro for garnish
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the peanut butter, vinegar, fish sauce, sesame oil, coconut milk until smooth. Set aside. Use a large bowl, because you're going to add vegetables, pork and noodles later.
- Heat a fry pan over medium high heat. Add the ground pork and cook, stirring to break up the meat. Cook until cooked through. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Pad Thai noodles and cook, stirring often, until just tender, about 5 minutes or according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the starchy water before draining noodles.
- Add the drained noodles, pork, jalapeños, carrots, cabbage, and toss gently with the peanut sauce. Add the reserved starchy pasta water and red pepper flakes stir well.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- Jalapeno Pepper: Jalapeno pepper is used to add some spicy heat. Keep the jalapeno seeds and veins in tact for a pure spicy heat. Remove the seeds and veins to tame the heat if you’re sensitive to spice.
Nutrition
Thai Peanut Sauce Noodles with Pork …It’s what’s for Dinner.
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
Is the cabbage and carrots raw?
Yes, they add a nice crunch to the dish.
We had such a cool end-of-May here too. I couldn’t even plant my tomatoes, peppers and begonias until recently as the night temps were in the low 40s! I love that Elephant Ear color and I have the same trailing begonia in red/orange and white/pink. I love it. Never had good luck with lobelia here. Hope you’re getting some better weather now!
Love the noodle dish. I could live on those too.
I like how you picked certain plants to be grown in certain containers Lee Ann, your patio is already looking pretty amazing. Anyway, love Asian food, especially quick to prepare ones.
Thanks Cheri. Now if it would just quit raining, some sunshine might help it all grow.
Lovely plantings. I will be watching in a month to see how they have grown. And that pork and noodle Asian dish…can’t wait to try. Wishing you much grilling ahead.
So good to hear from you Susan. And thanks for stopping in. I can’t wait to take photos for comparison. Always fun.
Your pots and plants are gorgeous. You definitely have a decorating flair about you. I wish I did. I could eat this noodle and pork dish every week. I love everything about it.
Thank you very much Maureen. I have my decorating “moments”. I loved this dish Maureen, one of those things that I can eat too much of.
Followed this recipe exactly and it turned out very bland.
Good Morning Em. I’m not sure in which way you mean bland, but if it didn’t have enough spice, I’d suggest adding more jalapeno peppers to add more spice to the dish. For us, two jalapenos are just enough heat, even with removing the seeds and veins to tame it down.
Hi Lee Ann, your Japanese maple is just amazing, love all your pots!!!! also love this dish, quick and healthy meals are the best~!
I’m in love with that little Maple. And it’s already loving my entryway and getting bright orange new growth. Yay.
I love your pots. It’s been raining non-stop here. Just waiting for all the weeds to pop up! Love this recipe!
We got about 12 inches in May …. which I believe rivals rainy Tulsa. :/
Love this recipe Leanne. Beautiful planters. I have yet to attempt mine. Hopefully this weekend will work out. I need sun!
Thanks Abbe!
We’ve had a really cool May too, although not as cool (or rainy) as yours. Weird weather. Anyway, love this dish! Such a great combo of flavors, and I’m always looking for quick recipes. Thanks!
I’m always looking for quick recipes too. I need more!
Looks like you potted garden is off to a good start. The dish looks very good.
That’s all the Master Gardner has to say????? Not even a warning about a pairing or two? 🙂
You had me at “Asian”. 🙂
Love the plantings. If that nice Japanese Maple gets too big and you want a place to plant it, send it out our way. Can’t wait to see it all!
I’ll let you haul it back on the plane if it looks like there’s a threat. 🙂
Your containers are so pretty, Lea Ann. Most of my plantings are in pots on my deck. It’s amazing how many tomatoes I can grow in two half wine barrels. Your noodle dish looks fantastic. I love all those yummy flavors.
I’ve got one little Patio tomato that is screaming for sunshine. 🙂
I love peanut sauces with pork, they are so delicious. Those noodles would go great with the wings I just made!
gimme those wings! 🙂