Thai food hits every flavor note at once — sweet, sour, salty, spicy — and it’s one of my favorite cuisines to cook at home. Here are 20 of my go-to Thai recipes, from curries and noodles to skewers and dipping sauces.
A few to start with if you’re not sure where to begin: Thai Beef Curry, rich and warmly spiced; Thai Pumpkin Curry, a cozy, coconutty fall favorite; and Chicken Skewers with Peanut Sauce, grilled satay-style chicken with a creamy, spicy dipping sauce. From there, the rest are organized by category below.
THAI BEEF CURRY
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This Thai Beef Curry recipe is one of my weeknight favorites. It’s rich and creamy with coconut milk, layered with intense spicy-herby flavor from the Thai curry paste, and full of beef and vegetables that cook fast.
Get the Recipe: Thai Beef Curry
THAI PUMPKIN CURRY
Thai Pumpkin Curry is a delicious and satisfying meal that takes just 25 minutes to make. This version is vegan (as long as you use vegan fish sauce), but you can use regular fish sauce if you prefer) and includes chickpeas, but you can add tofu, chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp if you like.
Get the Recipe: Thai Pumpkin Curry
QUICK CHICKEN SKEWERS WITH PEANUT SAUCE
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce can legit make you feel like you’re noshing at a bustling street market in Bangkok. Tender, juicy chicken is marinated in a mix of savory and tangy ingredients, then grilled to perfection.
Get the Recipe: Quick Chicken Skewers with Peanut Sauce
EASY VEGGIE PAD THAI
Veggie Pad Thai bought from street vendors, served on paper plates and showered, by me, with assorted spicy condiments, forms the basis of some of my best memories of my time in Bangkok. It’s such a popular dish that you can find it on practically every street corner.
Get the Recipe: Easy Veggie Pad Thai
TOM KHA GAI
Tom Kha Gai is the best kind of Thai comfort food. This rich, soothing soup marries creamy coconut milk with the spicy hum of chiles in a broth loaded with tender chicken, meaty mushrooms, and bright tomatoes and flavored with distinctive Thai seasonings like galangal, makrut lime leaves, lemongrass, fish sauce, and Thai red curry paste. Tom Kha Gai is a Thai classic that proves that a spoonful of well-crafted flavors can be the simplest, most satisfying form of escapism.
Get the Recipe: Tom Kha Gai
EASY THAI GREEN CURRY CHICKEN
This Thai Green Curry Chicken is quick and easy to make. Better still, it is delicious and perfect for a light meal.
Get the Recipe: Easy Thai Green Curry Chicken
THAI RED CURRY SAUCE
Thai Red Curry Sauce is one of my favorite sauces because of its intense, spicy flavor and its versatility. I spoon it over chicken, fish, shrimp, tofu, veggies, and noodles.
Get the Recipe: Thai Red Curry Sauce
EASY HOMEMADE THAI CURRY PUFFS
If you’ve never tried Thai curry puffs (or Malaysian or a Singaporean curry puffs), then you have some important eating to do. Sinking your teeth into the decadent, flaky crust is just the beginning.
Get the Recipe: Easy Homemade Thai Curry Puffs
THAI SHRIMP CURRY
Thai Shrimp Curry explodes with vibrant flavor in your mouth. With its creamy coconut milk, fiery red curry paste, and succulent shrimp, this is one of my favorite Thai dishes to make at home.
Get the Recipe: Thai Shrimp Curry
THAI LARB RECIPE
This Thai larb recipe is one of my favorites. Larb is a tangy, spicy, delicious dish from Laos and Northern Thailand.
Get the Recipe: Thai Larb Recipe
THAI CHICKEN CURRY
Thai Chicken Curry is one of my favorite one-pot meals. It’s so easy to make in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop, loaded with vegetables, and full of flavor.
Get the Recipe: Thai Chicken Curry
PRIK NAM PLA THAI DIPPING SAUCE
Prik nam pla was on practically every restaurant table when I traveled in Thailand. The traditional Thai sauce is perfect for adding an extra boost of flavor to grilled meat or fish, or as a dipping sauce for Thai Fish Cakes, crispy spring rolls, or fresh summer rolls.
Get the Recipe: Prik Nam Pla Thai Dipping Sauce
THAI BLACK RICE PUDDING WITH COCONUT MILK
Thai black rice pudding with coconut milk is one of my guilty pleasures. It’s warm, dense, and sweet and rich with the flavor of coconut.
Get the Recipe: Thai Black Rice Pudding with Coconut Milk
THAI PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE (KHAO PAD)
Thai Pineapple Fried Rice or Khao Pad is a flavorful and easy-to-make main dish. This is one of my favorite Thai restaurant dishes.
Get the Recipe: Thai Pineapple Fried Rice (Khao Pad)
THAI TURKEY MEATBALLS
Thai Turkey Meatballs in Red Curry Sauce make great party food. Serve them as an appetizer, a snack, or even over steamed white rice as a quick weeknight dinner.
Get the Recipe: Thai Turkey Meatballs
TOD MUN PLA THAI FISH CAKES
Tod Mun Pla, or Thai Fish Cakes, are loaded with the flavors of lemongrass, cilantro, and hot chiles. This recipe uses Thai curry paste, which provides layers of flavor without requiring a ton of ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Tod Mun Pla Thai Fish Cakes
EASY THAI GREEN PAPAYA SALAD (SOM TAM)
Green Papaya Salad or som tam is a refreshing Thai salad made with long strands of crisp green papaya in a spicy-tangy-salty-sweet lime juice and fish sauce (or vegan fish sauce) dressing. Quick & Easy Papaya Salad Green papaya salad is a dish you’ll find at just about any Thai restaurant in the US, and you’ll see it in street stalls and restaurants in Thailand as well.
Get the Recipe: Easy Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam)
EASY THAI PEANUT SAUCE RECIPE
I don’t remember when I first tasted Thai peanut sauce, but I know for sure that I have been obsessed with it since childhood. Seriously, Thai peanut sauce is a top contender for my desert island food.
Get the Recipe: Easy Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe
EASY THAI CHICKEN SATAY RECIPE
Thai Satay Chicken is loaded with authentic flavors like turmeric, lemongrass, chiles, and fish sauce. A rich and spicy Thai Peanut Sauce is perfect for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Easy Thai Chicken Satay Recipe
PAD KEE MAO AKA DRUNKEN NOODLES
Pad Kee Mao, AKA Drunken Noodles, are both the perfect meal to eat with a crisp, cold beer and an incredible cure for a hangover if you drink too many! Flat rice noodles are stir fried with a savory sauce, spicy chiles, Thai basil, vegetables, and usually some sort of meat or tofu.
Get the Recipe: Pad Kee Mao AKA Drunken Noodles
