This authentic Thai basil shrimp recipe is easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes using just one pan. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, with adjustable spice and the option to swap in your favorite protein.
🤔 What is pad kra pao goong?
Pad kra pao goong is a spicy Thai street food dish made with shrimp stir-fried in garlic, chilies, and holy basil. It’s tossed in a salty-sweet sauce, served with jasmine rice and often a crispy fried egg, and loved across Thailand as a quick lunch or dinner.
🍚 Ingredient tips and substitutes
Feel free to switch up the protein; chicken, pork, beef, or squid, anything works. Just adjust the cooking time depending on what you use!
- Oil Use a neutral oil like vegetable, sunflower, or canola oil.
- Shrimp Use large shrimp suitable for stir-frying, such as jumbo black tiger shrimp. I like to leave the heads on when cooking; the shrimp head oil adds extra richness and deep umami to the sauce.
- Onion Authentic Thai basil shrimp stir-fry doesn’t include vegetables, but nowadays, some street vendors add onion or yard long beans to stretch the dish and use less meat. Just skip the onion if you prefer to keep it traditional!
- Garlic
- Chilies Adjust the amount to your spice preference. Thai Jinda chilies are often used in Thailand for making pad kra pao.
- Holy basil Adds a peppery, slightly anise-like flavor. Use regular Thai basil if not available. Leftovers? Try holy basil fried rice and holy basil stir-fry!
- Oyster sauce Thick and glossy with a savory, slightly sweet, and briny flavor that adds richness to stir-fries.
- Fish sauce Provides the salty umami flavor of the stir-fry sauce.
- Water Loosens the sauce and helps everything coat evenly.
- Sugar Balances out the salt and spice.
🍤 More shrimp recipes to try
Don’t forget to serve your Thai holy basil shrimp with a crispy fried egg on the side! The runny yolk pairs perfectly with the heat from the chilies and the fragrant holy basil. Let me know in the comments if you tried this recipe! Follow me on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more!
Authentic Thai Basil Shrimp Recipe (Pad Kra Pao)
Equipment
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Kitchen scissors or sharp knife for deveining while keeping heads/shells on
- Mortar and pestle optional, to crush garlic and chilies
- Wok or large skillet
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 chilies adjust to taste
- 8 shrimp deveined, optionally heads-on
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- ½ onion sliced
- a handful of holy basil
Instructions
- Pound the garlic and chilies with a mortar and pestle and set aside.
- Mix water, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar in a small bowl.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Sauté the pounded garlic-chili paste until fragrant.
- Add the shrimp and cook until just pink.
- Pour in the sauce and stir to coat. Allow the shrimp to cook in the sauce for a moment.
- Add sliced onion and stir-fry until softened and the shrimp is cooked through.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the Thai basil, and serve immediately with rice and optionally a fried egg.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and should be considered approximate.
🦐 How to make Thai garlic shrimp
- Start by pounding garlic and chilies in a mortar and pestle until roughly crushed, then set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together water, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar to make the stir-fry sauce.
- Heat your pan over medium-high until hot, then add your cooking oil.
- Sauté the pounded garlic and chili mixture until fragrant.
- Add the shrimp and stir-fry until they just start to turn pink and curl.
- Pour in the sauce mixture and toss to coat the shrimp evenly.
- Add sliced onion and continue stir-frying until the shrimp are fully cooked, and the onions have softened slightly.
- Turn off the heat and gently stir in the Thai basil leaves. Stir just until wilted and serve hot with jasmine rice and optionally a fried egg!
