Love Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Kra Pao Gai)? These fresh Thai Basil recipes (not to be confused with Thai holy basil) go beyond Thai Basil Beef Rolls. From healthy Asian pesto, stir fry pork, tofu rolls, vegetarian, shrimp fried rice, drunken noodles, quinoa salad- if you enjoy authentic Thai food, you'll love these Asian recipes for busy weeknight dinners.
The aniseed flavor of Thai Basil leaves go really well with many Thai dishes! Scroll down for the list:
Noodles
Drunken Noodles
This easy recipe is just as good as the one at your favorite Thai restaurant! It's so simple, you can make it perfectly the first time.
To bulk the dish up, you can also add green beans and chicken- I recommend chicken thighs, not chicken breast, as it stays juicy longer (even if you overcook it slightly.)
Tip: I usually use Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce.
Pad Kee Mao Spaghetti
If you can't get rice noodles, you can make this easy Thai pasta instead. And if you can't get black soy sauce, you can substitute with dark soy sauce.
Note: you can replace the tinned tuna with ground chicken or ground turkey (but this will increase the cooking time, as the meat needs to be cooked thoroughly, and you may need to add more salt, as the tinned tuna is naturally salty.)
Rice
Thai Basil Fried Rice (Vegetarian)
Note: both jasmine rice and brown rice work for this recipe.
Shrimp Fried Rice
Serve with sliced green onions and a crispy fried egg on top and you'll feel like you're back in Thailand!
Others
Stir Fried Chicken
Pad Kra Pao Mince
Veggie Curry
Thai Pesto
For this delicious Thai pesto sauce, you will need:
- 2 Cups of loosely packed fresh Thai basil: you can supplement with regular basil if you don't have enough
- ½ bulb of galic, peeled
- ½ t chili flakes (or to taste if you like it spicier): you can also use Thai chilies. Remember to remove the membranes/ seeds as those are very spicy!
- ¼ Cup roasted peanuts
- 3T sesame oil
- 2.5 lime juice or rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 3 Tablespoon parmigiano
Blend the ingredients till it forms a chunky paste, and enjoy!
Chicken Skewers
Looking for a great recipe for a summer BBQ? This Thai chicken skewer is full of authentic Thai flavor- so easy and delicious to make! Serve them with these teriyaki chicken skewers or Chinese chicken skewers for some variety.
Note: you can add red bell pepper to the skewers to make the meat go a longer way!
Vegan
Quinoa Salad
This vegan Thai-inspired quinoa salad is the perfect summer recipe: it's crunchy, full of flavor, and healthy!
Stir Fried Tofu
This Pad Kra Pao Tofu can easily be made vegan by using a vegan fish sauce and is ready on the dinner table in 15 minutes!
Note: the classic Thai recipe uses pork and holy basil, but holy basil is more difficult to find than Thai basil (even in the Asian grocery store), hence the substitution in many Pad Kra Pao recipes.
Tofu Rolls
These vegan tofu rolls are a spin on the classic Vietnamese spring rolls, filled with fresh herbs and vegetables, tofu, and rice noodles for texture. Don't forget to serve with the peanut sauce, which gives it the flavor!
Expert Tips
Tip #1: This Thai herb can be hard to find fresh in regular grocery stores, so you may need to go to the local Asian market.
Tip #2: Compared to sweet basil, Thai basil has a slight anise flavor and is a key ingredient in Thai cuisine, so you can add a bunch to many Thai recipes.
Tip #3: The easiest way to have a good supply of fresh basil on hand for stir fries etc is to grow it yourself in a Click&Grow garden! (Here's my review of the indoor gardening set.)
Any questions on using Thai Basil at home? Let me know in the comments!
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