Shrimp Pad Thai with Bok Choy and Peanuts

Shrimp Pad Thai with Bok Choy and Peanuts

It might surprise you to discover that one of your favorite Thai noodle dishes is incredibly uncomplicated, and so easy to recreate at home. Here, Chef Michelle's adding the classic mix-ins, like seared shrimp, sautéed vegetables, and crunchy peanuts. And because it's really all about the sauce, look forward to a salty-sweet mix of soy, brown sugar, and umami-packed fish sauce to boost the flavor of the shrimp.

4

Servings

30 mins

Total cook time

Beginner

Skill level

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Main Ingredients

  • 8 ounces baby bok choy
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 3 scallions
  • 1/2 ounce ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 1/4 pounds shrimp
  • 14 ounces rice noodles
  • 1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts
  • 4 limes
  • 1/3 cup gluten-free soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • canola oil
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper

Cooking Instructions

Step 1

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Rinse all produce. Halve bok choy lengthwise and rinse thoroughly; cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Halve bell pepper lengthwise, discarding seeds and stem; cut lengthwise into .25-inch strips, then halve. Trim and discard scallion roots and thinly slice, keeping whites and light greens separate from dark greens. Trim and discard skin of ginger, then halve (see recipe tip). Mince garlic.

Step 2

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large high-sided pan over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add bok choy, bell pepper, ginger, and scallion whites and light greens. Sauté, stirring, until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Season with .5 teaspoon salt and black pepper, then transfer to a plate, reserving pan for the next step. Remove and discard ginger.

Step 3

Pat shrimp dry with paper towel and season with .75 teaspoon salt and black pepper as desired. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in pan from vegetables over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add shrimp and sear, without stirring, 2-3 minutes (to keep them from sticking to the pan). Then, stir shrimp and continue cooking until opaque and cooked through, 2-3 minutes more. Remove pan from heat.

Step 4

While shrimp cook, add pad thai noodles to pot with boiling water and immediately remove from heat. Using a spoon or tongs, gently stir to separate noodles and keep them from sticking. Set aside to soak until tender, about 8 minutes (move on to Step 5—but don't forget to come back!). Then, drain noodles and immediately rinse under cold water for 30 seconds to cool—this prevents them from overcooking. Set aside.

Step 5

While noodles soak, roughly chop peanuts, or leave in bag and gently crush with the bottom of a heavy pan. Halve limes. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar to combine. Whisk in juice of 4 limes (or start with a little, taste, and add more as desired—just make sure you have enough sauce to coat all of the noodles, vegetables, and shrimp).

Step 6

Place pan with shrimp over high heat. Add noodles, sautéed vegetables, and sauce. Cook, stirring, until sauce is reduced by half, 2-3 minutes. Divide shrimp pad thai among serving bowls, garnish with peanuts and scallion dark greens, and dig in!

All recipe ingredients should be cooked to a safe internal temperature according to USDA guidelines. After preparing a recipe, please store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Recipe