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Pad Kra Pao is the Thai street-food classic I crave on a busy weeknight: savory minced pork stir-fried with garlic, chilies, and fragrant holy basil, all spooned over rice and crowned with a crispy fried egg. It comes together in under 20 minutes, faster than takeout. If you love a quick Asian dinner, it is right up there with our teriyaki chicken fried rice.
A simple sauce of soy, oyster, and fish sauce coats the pork while a big handful of Thai basil added at the end fills the whole kitchen with that unmistakable peppery aroma.
Pad Kra Pao Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 12 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 17 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 29 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 319kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Savory, garlicky minced pork with chili heat and fragrant Thai basil
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a fast stir-fry like our teriyaki chicken fried rice
Quick Answer
To make pad kra pao, stir-fry minced garlic and Thai chilies in hot oil until fragrant, then add ground pork and cook until browned. Add long beans, pour in a sauce of light soy, oyster, fish, and dark soy sauce with a little sugar, and simmer briefly. Turn off the heat and toss in a generous handful of Thai basil. Serve over rice with a crispy fried egg.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Holy basil is the star. Thai holy basil, or kra pao, gives the dish its signature peppery, slightly spicy aroma that defines the recipe.
- High heat and fast cooking. Stir-frying over high heat keeps the pork juicy and the garlic and chilies fragrant without burning.
- A balanced umami sauce. Light soy, dark soy, oyster, and fish sauce layer salty, savory, and deep umami flavor in just a few spoonfuls.
- Basil added off the heat. Tossing the basil in at the very end keeps it bright green and fragrant instead of wilted and dull.
- The crispy fried egg. A runny, crispy-edged fried egg on top is traditional and makes every bite richer.
- Ready in minutes. The whole dish cooks in under 20 minutes, making it perfect for a fast weeknight dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is authentic Thai street food you can make at home in under 20 minutes.
- It is faster than takeout and just as crave-worthy, like our teriyaki chicken fried rice.
- That combination of garlicky pork, chili heat, and fragrant holy basil over rice is pure comfort.
Key Ingredients
Here is what you need for pad kra pao. See the recipe card below for exact amounts.
- Ground pork: The classic protein for pad kra pao. Ground chicken or beef work too.
- Thai basil: Holy basil is traditional for its peppery aroma. Thai basil is the easiest substitute to find.
- Garlic and red chilies: Pounded or minced together, they build the spicy, fragrant base.
- Long beans: Snake beans add a fresh crunch. Green beans are an easy swap.
- The sauce: Light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, and fish sauce with a pinch of sugar create that signature savory glaze, much like the sauce on our butter chicken.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Pad kra pao is easy to adapt to what you have. Here are a few ideas.
- Change the protein: Use ground chicken, beef, turkey, or even crumbled tofu.
- Adjust the heat: Add more or fewer Thai chilies to control the spice level.
- Add vegetables: Toss in bell peppers, green beans, or mushrooms.
- Make it gluten free: Use tamari in place of soy sauce.
- Skip the egg: The dish is delicious on its own, but the crispy fried egg is traditional.
How to Make Pad Kra Pao
- Heat the cooking oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the minced chilies and garlic and stir-fry for 2 minutes until the garlic turns slightly golden and fragrant.
- Add the ground pork and stir-fry for 3 minutes, breaking it up as it browns.
- Toss in the long beans and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
- Pour in the prepared sauce, bring it to a simmer, and cook for 3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and toss in the Thai basil, stirring until evenly combined. Serve over rice with a crispy fried egg.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use holy basil if you can find it. It gives the most authentic peppery flavor, but Thai basil is a great substitute.
- Add the basil off the heat. Stirring it in after turning off the burner keeps it fragrant and bright green.
- Do not overcook the pork. Stir-fry just until browned so it stays juicy.
- Adjust the chilies to taste. Traditional pad kra pao is spicy, but you can scale the heat up or down.
- Mix the sauce ahead. Stir the soy, oyster, and fish sauces together before you start so you can move fast.
- Serve it right away. Pad kra pao is best hot off the pan over rice, like our teriyaki chicken fried rice.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Pad kra pao is traditionally served over a bed of steamed jasmine rice with a crispy fried egg on top. The runny yolk mixes into the savory pork for an unbeatable bite.
Round out the meal with sliced cucumber, long beans, or a simple Thai soup. It pairs beautifully with another quick stir-fry like our teriyaki chicken fried rice.
Leftovers keep well, so make extra for easy lunches. For another fast, flavor-packed dinner, try our butter chicken next.
Pad Kra Pao FAQs
Pad kra pao, also spelled pad krapow, is a popular Thai stir-fry of minced meat cooked with garlic, chilies, and holy basil in a savory soy-based sauce. It is one of the most common street-food and home-cooked dishes in Thailand, usually served over rice with a crispy fried egg on top.
The traditional basil is Thai holy basil, called kra pao, which has a distinct peppery, slightly spicy aroma. It can be hard to find outside of Asian markets, so Thai sweet basil is the most common substitute. Regular Italian basil has a different flavor but will work in a pinch.
Traditional pad kra pao is quite spicy thanks to the Thai chilies. You can easily control the heat by adding more or fewer chilies, or by removing the seeds. Even with less heat, the garlic, basil, and savory sauce keep the dish full of flavor.
Ground pork is the most traditional choice, but ground chicken, beef, or turkey all work well. For a vegetarian version, use crumbled firm tofu or a plant-based ground. Whatever you choose, mince or crumble it so it cooks quickly and soaks up the sauce.
Store leftover pad kra pao in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in a hot pan or the microwave until warmed through. Cook a fresh fried egg when serving and add a few fresh basil leaves to revive the aroma.
Fish sauce adds important salty, umami depth, but you can substitute extra light soy sauce or a vegetarian fish sauce if needed. The flavor will be slightly different but still savory and delicious. Taste and adjust the seasoning as you go.
Craving more quick dinners? Try our teriyaki chicken fried rice next.
Craving Southeast Asian flavor? Our lemongrass chicken grills juicy thighs in a bright lemongrass-lime marinade.
For another Thai favorite, try our pad see ew with chicken, egg, and charred broccolini.
Round out a Thai dinner with our one-pan coconut curry salmon.
Pad Kra Pao
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 lbs ground pork 680g
- 1 head garlic
- 3 red chilies
- ¼ cup diced long bean.
- 1 cup Thai basil use holy basil if you manage to find them
- 2 Tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Heat cooking oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the minced chili and garlic, and stir fry for 2 minutes until the minced garlic turns slightly golden and fragrant. Make sure you don’t sniff too hard, the chilies can be intense!1.5 lbs ground pork, 1 head garlic, ½ teaspoon sugar
- Add the minced pork and stir-fry for 3 minutes, breaking it up as it browns.½ teaspoon salt
- Toss in the long beans and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.3 red chilies
- Pour in the prepared sauce and bring it to a simmer, continue to cook for 3 minutes.1 cup Thai basil, 2 Tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon fish sauce, 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
- Turn off the heat and toss in the basil leaves. Stir the basil leaves evenly with the minced pork.¼ cup diced long bean.
Notes
- Massage the salt into the pork before cooking. It helps season the meat evenly.
- Use a hot wok or pan. Cooking over medium-high heat gives the pork great texture.
- Chop the garlic and chilies finely. A food processor or food chopper works great.
- Don’t overcook the basil. Add it at the end, using just the residual heat to wilt it.
- Top with a crispy fried egg. The creamy, runny yolk adds richness to the dish.
- Adjust spice to taste. Use fewer chilies for a mild dish or bird’s eye chilies for real heat!
Nutrition
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