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Pad See Ew

ByLyuba Brooke Last Updated

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Pad See Ew is a popular Thai street food features chewy wide rice noodles quickly stir-fried with egg and Chinese broccoli, and all coated in a rich and savory dark soy sauce mixture. You can add a protein or keep it meatless!
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closeup top view of stir fried noodles on a plate

What is Pad See Ew?

This is a Thai stir-fried noodle dish that is similar to Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles, but is distinctly different from both. It literally translates to “stir-fried soy sauce noodles” and is pronounced like “pad see you.”

Pad See Ew features wide rice noodles that are stir fried with Chinese broccoli and eggs. The biggest difference here is that this dish features dark soy sauce in addition to the fish sauce. Dark soy sauce is actually the main ingredient of the sauce in this dish.

ingredients for pad see ew on the cutting board

What Does Pad See Ew Taste Like?

Pad See Ew had a rich, deep flavor that is a combination of salty, savory, and a little sweet. It is not a spicy dish! To balance the dark soy sauce, there’s a lovely note of sweetness from the oyster sauce and brown sugar.

If you do want to make it spicy, you can add one or two (or more) Thai chili peppers when sautéing the garlic.

holding dark soy sauce in a bottle
Chinese broccoli cut and chopped

Important Recipe Ingredient Tips Before Cooking

Dark Soy Sauce – is very important to use here because it is different from the classic soy or low sodium soy. It’s much more rich in flavor and will give different results!

Wide Rice Noodles – Traditionally, this dish is made with fresh rice noodles, but those are very hard to find in Western countries. Check your local Asian market and if you happen to find some, consider yourself lucky! Otherwise, feel free to use dried wide rice noodles and cook them first according to the package instructions.

PRO TIP: When using fresh noodles, let them warm to room temperature or pop them into the microwave for a few seconds to warm and soften. Otherwise, you will have a hard time separating the cold fresh noodles in the wok.

Protein – Whether you’re using chicken, shrimp, beef, or tofu, prep it the same way and suggested in the recipe. Cook it first per recipe as well, just note that shrimp will take you less time to cook. If using tofu, cut it into about 1/2 inch pieces and sear them on all sides for a few minutes.

collage of six images of cooking steps to make chicken, vegetables, and noodles for Pad See Ew Thai noodles.

How to Make Pad See Ew

  1. Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.
  2. Prep all of the ingredients and mixtures before cooking.
  3. Sear garlic in a preheated wok until fragrant.
  4. Add the chicken to the wok and sear it.
  5. Add the broccoli stems, continuing to sear.
  6. Toss the broccoli leaves, cook until wilted, move everything to the sides and add the eggs. Mix and take everything out.
  7. Add noodles to a hot, greased, work and toss with sauce.
  8. Sear the noodles and finish the dish. This is important to let the noodles sear for the signature of the dish.
  9. Add everything back and sear a few more seconds.
stirring pad see ew in a wok

Is Pad See Ew Gluten Free?

If you use the dark soy sauce as this dish calls for, it will NOT be gluten free. Dark soy sauce does not come in a gluten free option. If you want to make it gluten free, you definitely can (and I do all the time)!

To make it gluten free, you have to substitute gluten free soy sauce instead of dark and light soy sauces. You also need to make sure to use gluten free oyster sauce. The flavor will not be as rich as with dark soy sauce but it will still be fantastic.

scooping some stir fried noodles with a fork

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stirring pad see ew in a wok

Pad See Ew (Thai Noodles) Recipe

Pad See Ew is a popular Thai street food features chewy wide rice noodles quickly stir-fried with egg and Chinese broccoli, and all coated in a rich and savory dark soy sauce mixture. You can add a protein or keep it meatless!
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 701kcal
Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

  • 8-10 oz chicken breast or thigh meat
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1-2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 4-5 stalks of Chinese broccoli fewer for very thick stalks
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 lb wide rice noodles

Sauce:

  • 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 4 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 3 tbsp chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp white pepper

Instructions

Preparation:

  • Cook rice noodles according to the package instructions, drain and set aside.
  • Whisk the ingredients for the sauce together and set aside.
  • Slice chicken into thin pieces and mix with cornstarch, dark soy sauce, and a little oil.
  • Mince garlic and cut the broccoli. To cut the Chinese broccoli, cut off the leaves off the stem and slice the stem thinly. Roughly chop the broccoli leaves.
    Whisk the eggs with a touch of soy sauce. Set aside

Cooking Pad See Ew:

  • Make sure your work is greased or seasoned. Preheat your wok over medium heat and add a little peanut oil. Add in garlic and sear until fragrant.
  • Add chicken, spread it around. Start to sear and add broccoli stems after the first toss. Continue to sear until it's almost done.
  • Add in the broccoli leaves and cook until wilted. Move everything to the side and add in the eggs. Start to stir and when eggs are half cooked, mix everything together.
  • Take everything out of the wok and set aside.

Searing Noodles:

  • Searing is your friend! One of the key aspects of Pad See Ew is that signature sear on the noodles. The way to achieve that is to get your wok hot, hot, hot, before adding the noodles.
  • Heat up the work on medium-high to high heat and add some more peanut oil.
  • Then, after you’ve added the noodles, whisk the sauce one more time, and pour it over the noodles. Toss and let them sear for a few seconds before moving. Then, toss and let them sear again. This will give you the irresistible, delicious sear on the noodles!
  • Toss again and let them sear while you add everything else back in. Once you get some of that sear on the noodles, which will only take a few seconds at high heat, take the wok off heat and serve your Pad See Ew!

Notes

Dark Soy Sauce – Dark soy sauce differs from your usual soy sauce as it is richer, deeper, and darker in color. It’s the preferred soy sauce to use in Pad See Ew, as it’s what dyes the noodles a darker color and gives the dish a richer flavor. Dark soy sauce is not gluten free, though. If you have to substitute it, do what you have to do, and use the gluten free soy. Your dish will still be amazing!
Protein Options – You can use thinly sliced dark or breast chicken meat, ground chicken, ground pork, ground turkey, thinly sliced beef (steak), chopped firm tofu, or chopped shrimp. As far as preparation, follow the steps in the recipe for preparing chicken but note than some protein will take less time to cook. 
Storing – Store leftover stir-fried noodles in an airtight container, in the refrigerator. It should be good for about 2-3 days.
Reheating – I recommend reheating it back in your wok with a little extra peanut oil. (If the noodles seem a little dry, you can add a tablespoon or two of chicken or vegetable stock to re-invigorate them.)

Nutrition

Calories: 701kcal | Carbohydrates: 110g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 2484mg | Potassium: 810mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 6062IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 299mg | Iron: 7mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles or tag #willcookforsmiles!

What else to serve with Thai noodles?

As an appetizer to these stir-fried noodles, you can serve Thai Spring Rolls or Chicken Satay. If you want a light appetizer, make a vegetable plate and serve it with Peanut Sauce for dipping.

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All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try.

5 from 1 vote

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One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    Man, this was so good!

    Reply

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