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# Pad Thai — Rice Noodles in Lard with Tamarind
- URL: https://thefoodiekitchen.net/pad-thai-lard-tamarind/
- Published: 2026-09-12T07:41:01.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T19:06:43.000Z
- Description: Pad thai cooked in lard — rice noodles with egg, bean sprouts, peanuts, and tamarind sauce. Seed oil free. Better than takeaway.
- Author: Savannah Ryan
- Tags: MAHA Recipes, Asian Recipes

Pad thai is Thailand's most exported dish, and most versions outside Thailand are made with canola or soybean oil. The lard version is closer to what pad thai tasted like before seed oils standardised street food cooking. Lard handles the high heat of wok cooking without smoking acridly, and its flavour compounds complement the fish sauce and tamarind in a way that neutral seed oils cannot.

## Pad Thai Recipe

Serves

4

Prep

15 min

Cook

12 min

### Ingredients

- 300g dried flat rice noodles (3-4mm wide), soaked in warm water 20 min, drained
- 3 tbsp pasture-raised lard
- 300g raw shrimp (peeled) or chicken thigh (sliced thin)
- 3 large eggs
- 200g fresh bean sprouts
- 4 spring onions, cut into 3cm lengths
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Pad Thai sauce: 3 tbsp tamarind paste, 3 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tsp chilli flakes
- To serve: lime wedges, crushed roasted peanuts, sliced spring onion, fresh coriander

### Method

1. Whisk together all sauce ingredients. Set aside.
2. Heat the lard in a wok over the highest heat until smoking. Add the protein and sear for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. Remove.
3. Add the garlic to the wok. Sauté 30 seconds.
4. Add the drained noodles. Toss for 2 minutes, pressing against the wok surface.
5. Push everything to the sides. Add the eggs to the centre and scramble until just set, then fold into the noodles.
6. Return the protein. Add the sauce and bean sprouts. Toss everything together for 1 minute over high heat.
7. Add the spring onion lengths. Toss once more. Remove from heat.
8. Serve immediately topped with crushed peanuts, lime wedges, and fresh coriander.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pad thai seed oil free?

Yes with lard. Most restaurant pad thai uses canola or soybean oil. Tamarind paste, fish sauce, and rice noodles contain no seed oils.

What is tamarind paste?

A tart, fruity paste made from the tamarind fruit — the essential souring agent in pad thai. Available at Asian grocery stores. Lime juice is an inferior but workable substitute.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Yes — replace protein with firm tofu (pressed, then fried in lard), replace fish sauce with soy sauce, omit the eggs or keep them.

Shop on The Foodie Kitchen

- [Seed oil free pantry guide — every fat, every brand](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/seed-oil-free-pantry-staples-amazon/)
- [All 25 seed oil free cookbooks by Savannah Ryan](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/cookbooks/)

Savannah Ryan · Cookbook

Savor Asian

Pad thai, laksa, rendang, bibimbap — Asian recipes in lard and coconut oil.

[Get on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT7TL51P?tag=thefoodieki0f-20&ref=thefoodiekitchen.net)

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