Our Best Thai Recipes, from Curries to Noodle Dishes

Bring the signature sour, bitter, sweet, and spicy flavors of Thai cuisine to your kitchen

By | Published Jun 05, 2019 9:00 PM

Green Curry Chicken
You can buy the green curry paste to make this Thai classic at any Asian market, but it's so easy to make, and the results are so fragrant and flavorful, that it's more than worth making from scratch. Maxime Iattoni

Full of bright, fresh dishes with intense flavors, Thai cuisine is incredibly satisfying to cook at home. Staple ingredients in Thai cooking range from pungent fish sauce and funky shrimp paste to fiery chiles and sweet-and-sour tamarind. Once you’ve stocked your pantry, dive into this collection of our favorite Thai recipes. From the ubiquitous-for-a-reason pad Thai and papaya salad to regional specialties such as the pounded salads and chile-based dips (nam phriks) of northern Thailand, there’s something for everyone.

Springy Pad Thai with Green Garlic, Asparagus, and Peas

Green garlic, asparagus, and peas brighten this classic Thai street dish with springtime flavors. Out of season, you can substitute scallions for the green garlic. Get the recipe for Springy Pad Thai with Green Garlic, Asparagus, and Peas »

Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)

Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)

Green Chicken Curry

You can buy the green curry paste to make this Thai classic at any Asian market, but it’s so easy to make, and the results are so fragrant and flavorful that it’s more than worth making from scratch. Get the recipe for Green Chicken Curry »
While prepping the greens for this northern Thai dip takes more than a day, most of the time is hands off, and the results are so worth the effort. Reprinted from The Food of Northern Thailand. Get the recipe for Preserved Yu Choy Green Dip (Nam Phrik Nam Phak)
A mortar and pestle is key to getting the right texture for this beloved northern Thai chile dip. Reprinted from The Food of Northern Thailand. Get the recipe for Grilled-Chile Dip with Shallots and Garlic (Nam Phrik Num)
It’s worth investing in a traditional steamer pot to make this staple of northern Thai cuisine.

Thai Pomelo and Crab Paste Salad (Tam Som Oh)

Get the recipe for Thai Pomelo and Crab Paste Salad (Tam Som Oh) »
Thai Pounded Jackfruit Salad (Tam Khanun)

Thai Minced Pork Salad (Laab)

In northeast Thailand and Laos, laab is made of minced meat lightly poached in broth, dressed with chiles, fresh herbs, and roasted rice powder, and eaten with sticky rice. Get the Thai Minced Pork Salad (Laab) recipe »

Thai Red Curry with Roasted Duck »

For the best results when you’re making this sweet and spicy dish, ask the counterperson at your local Chinese market to cut the roasted duck into pieces. We recommend using the Mae Ploy brand of canned coconut milk; its high fat content makes for a rich and luxurious curry. Get the recipe for Thai Red Curry with Roasted Duck »

Spicy Cashew-Peanuts

Toss cashews and peanuts in caramelized sugar, fish sauce, garlic, and chile for a powerful, can’t-stop-eating bar snack. Add the lime, shallot, and basil right before serving so the nuts stay crispy. Get the recipe for Spicy Cashew-Peanuts »

Stir-Fried Chicken With Cashew Nuts

Stir-Fried Chicken With Cashew Nuts

Yellow Curry with Beef and Potatoes (Kaeng Karii)

The dried spices in this complex, coconut-enriched Thai curry from chef Andy Ricker of Pok Pok reveal its South Asian origins. Ricker’s advice, from his October 2013 article The Star of Siam: “Follow the recipe exactly the first time, then adjust the seasonings and the coconut milk. Put your stamp on it. After all, that’s what the Thai do.”

Sardine and Lemongrass Salad

Sardine and Lemongrass Salad

Sour Curry Soup with Shrimp

Light, tangy, and cooked with a modest amount of heat and any available seafood and fresh vegetables, kaeng som is an elemental and satisfying dish, and this curry from Pok Pok’s Andy Ricker is an easy recipe to master. Learn to make the shrimp-enriched broth, which leads with tart, pungent flavors but also delivers measured amounts of sweetness, salt, and spice, and you’ll begin to understand the balance in Thai cooking. Get the recipe for Sour Curry Soup with Shrimp »

Steep it for Killer Custard and Ice Cream

Often used in southeast Asian curries and Indian rice dishes, pandan leaf lends a subtly exotic savory note to this coconut ice cream.

Thai Grilled Chicken with Sweet Chile Sauce (Gai Yahng)

Thai Grilled Chicken with Sweet Chile Sauce (Gai Yahng)

Thai Pomelo Salad (Dtam Som Oo)

Sweet pomelo pairs beautifully with chiles, peanuts, and mint in this recipe for a classic Thai salad from Talde in Brooklyn, New York. Get the recipe for Thai Pomelo Salad (Dtam Som Oo) »

Thai Charred Squid (Pla Muek Yang)

This grilled squid dish, covered in a tangy sauce and topped with peanuts and cilantro, is a Thai roadside treat. Get the recipe for Thai Charred Squid (Pla Muek Yang) »

Green Curry with Fish and Eggplant (Kaeng Khiaw Waan)

Thai-style dumplings add a nice, bouncy texture to this green curry. Get the recipe for Green Curry with Fish and Eggplant (Kaeng Khiaw Waan) »

Thai Fish Burger

“Combining a mild fish like cod with store-bought curry paste, cilantro, and kaffir lime makes for an incredibly flavorful patty, and serving it with a simple topping of thinly sliced cucumbers, red onion, and cilantro tossed with nuoc cham (a classic Vietnamese dipping sauce made from garlic, chile, sugar, fish sauce, and lime) is my ideal summer meal.” —Farideh Sadeghin, Test Kitchen Director Get the recipe for the Thai Fish Burger »

Thai Boat Noodle Soup (Kuaytiaw Reua)

This spicy, delicious Thai noodle soup is enhanced with a touch of crimson pig’s blood. Get the recipe for Thai Boat Noodle Soup (Kuaytiaw Reua) »

Thai Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Coconut Cream

Get the recipe for Thai Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Coconut Cream »

Mussels with Coconut Sweet Chili Broth

Get the recipe for Mussels with Coconut Sweet Chili Broth »

Thai Steamed Coconut-Pandan Cake (Khanom Chan)

Get the recipe for Thai Steamed Coconut-Pandan Cake (Khanom Chan) »

Gai Hor Bai Toey (Thai Pandan-Wrapped Chicken)

Pandan, the aromatic leaves of a perennial grass, are wrapped around chunks of coconut-milk-marinated chicken, steamed, and finally deep-fried in this sweet-savory Thai recipe. Steaming the chicken in pandan leaves imparts a floral fragrance, while deep-frying caramelizes the sugary marinade and browns the leaves, imbuing the meat with a nutty flavor. See the recipe for Gai Hor Bai Toey (Thai Pandan-Wrapped Chicken) »

Thai Sweet Chile Sauce

An easy Thai chile sauce. Use it as a dipping sauce for wings or as a dressing in this sardine and lemongrass salad. Get the recipe for Thai Sweet Chile Sauce »

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