If you love Thai food, you must try my savory spicy holy basil stir-fry with ground meat, red chilis and aromatics! This quick and easy pad kra pao is made with simple ingredients - ready in 15 minutes. A delicious main that's better-than-takeout!
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What is Pad Kra Pao?
Pad Kra Pao (or 'Pad Ka Prao' or 'Pad Gaprao') is a flavorful Thai dish made of minced meat stir fried with holy basil, red chilis, garlic, and shallots in a savory sauce.
You'll often find this dish at Thai restaurants, usually served with steamed rice and topped with a crispy fried egg.
Depending on the restaurant, it may be made with ground chicken, beef or pork, so you can customize this recipe to your preferences.
In Thai, the word 'pad' means 'stir-fry' and 'kra pao' means 'holy basil'. It's also the unofficial national dish of Thailand as it's beloved among Thai locals!
Why you'll love this recipe:
- Ready in just 15-minutes!
- Made with minimal ingredients.
- Great as a busy weeknight meal.
- Can be made non-spicy - see FAQ below!
- Restaurant-quality.
You can also add veggies to this dish - try adding 1 cup of chopped green beans to the stir-fry after the meat has browned!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements:
- Extra-Lean Ground Meat: feel free to use fresh ground chicken, beef, pork, or even ground turkey.
- Neutral Oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or any low-smoke point oil.
- Holy Basil: or substitute with Thai basil, Thai sweet basil, or Italian basil.
- Shallot: or substitute with ¼ cup onion.
- Red Chilis: use any large red chili or for an authentic version, use red bird's eye chili. For a non-spicy version, swap with ¼ cup red bell pepper.
- Garlic Cloves
- Chicken Stock: low-sodium kind, or substitute with beef stock.
Sauce
- Oyster Sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir-fry sauce.
- Fish Sauce: or substitute by adding more oyster sauce to taste.
- Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce, light soy sauce, tamari sauce, or coconut aminos.
- Dark Soy Sauce: or substitute with dark mushroom soy sauce.
- White Granulated Sugar: or substitute with cane sugar, palm sugar or coconut sugar.
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or check online.
Expert Tips
- Source fresh ground meat and aromatics as these are the star ingredients!
- Prepare your ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast.
- Don't skimp on the oil or the meat will taste dry.
- Sauté the aromatics for only 30 seconds or the garlic can burn.
- Break up the ground meat so it can evenly cook and brown properly.
- Evaporate all the liquids in the pan before adding the sauce and stock.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make pad kra pao:
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above until sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
- Fry aromatics: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, stir fry shallot, garlic and chilies until have softened, about 30 seconds.
- Cook ground meat: Add ground meat and break it up into smaller pieces (not chunks). Cook until liquids in the pan have evaporated and the meat is slightly browned.
- Add sauce then stock: Add sauce and stir fry for 30 seconds. Then pour in stock and stir fry for another 30 seconds.
- Cook basil: Add basil and stir fry until softened, about 15 seconds. Transfer the dish to a large serving plate.
- Serve with rice and egg: Serve with steamed white rice and fried egg on top (optional). Enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
- Pad Kra Pao can last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge, once cooled. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.
- Pad Kra Pao can be frozen for up to 2-3 months in a freezer-safe bag, once cooled. To enjoy, defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.
Pairing Suggestions
Pad kra pao serves well with:
- starters like egg rolls or fresh spring rolls.
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- cooked protein like bang bang shrimp, crying tiger beef, or Thai garlic shrimp.
- noodle dishes like Thai Drunken Noodles, Pad See Ew, Chicken Pad Thai or Shrimp Pad Thai, Thai Glass Noodle Stir-Fry, or Pad Woon Sen.
- rice dishes like Thai Spicy Basil Fried Rice, or Thai Railway Fried Rice.
FAQ
Pad kra pao can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge, once cooled. To reheat, microwave or reheat on the stovetop until hot throughout.
To make pad kra pao vegetarian, substitute the meat with extra-firm tofu. Substitute the oyster sauce and fish sauce with vegan alternatives, which are available online. Substitute the stock with cold water.
To make pad kra pao non-spicy or mild, reduce or omit the red chilis or substitute with ¼ cup chopped red bell peppers.
📖 Recipe
Easy 15-min. Pad Kra Pao (Thai Holy Basil Stir-Fry)
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra-lean ground chicken or ground pork / ground beef
- 1 cup Holy basil or Thai basil / Sweet Basil - stems removed
- 1 shallot or ¼ cup onion, finely diced
- 2 large red chili or bird's eye chili for more spice, de-seed & finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup chicken stock or beef stock, low-sodium
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir-fry sauce
- 2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar / palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
Serve with:
- 2 fried eggs optional
- cooked jasmine rice or any white rice of choice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above until sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, stir fry shallot, garlic and chilies until have softened, about 30 seconds.
- Add ground meat and break it up into smaller pieces (not chunks). Cook until liquids in the pan have evaporated and the meat is slightly browned.
- Add sauce and stir fry for 30 seconds. Then pour in stock and stir fry for another 30 seconds.
- Add basil and stir fry until softened, about 15 seconds. Transfer the dish to a large serving plate.
- Serve with steamed white rice and fried egg on top (optional). Enjoy!
Donna
Simple and delicious recipe! I used rock sugar instead of white sugar and added the juice of half a lime to my sauce. I also added red bell peppers which I added my wok about 2 minutes before I added the ground meat. Will definitely make this recipe again. Thanks!!
Christie Lai
Thrilled to read that this worked out well for you and thank you for making my recipe, Donna! I loved that you used rock sugar and added some lime juice and red peppers. I hope you continue to enjoy it in the future 🙂
Erin Fleischman
Easy to make and delicious! Added snap peas from my garden right before adding the sauce and it was delicious!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Erin! So pleased to hear that you enjoyed it and found it delicious with the garden snap peas!
Caitlin Takata
Easy to make and came out delicious! I didn’t include the chilis because my daughter doesn’t like spicy but still came out with so much flavor! Made it twice in one week!
Christie Lai
Thank you for making my recipe twice in one week! Glad you and your daughter enjoyed it 🙂
Allison
How many chili peppers would I use to keep this mild for my kids? My kids think mild enchilada sauce from the store is spicy. I want it to taste authentic but don't want to waste my money and time if they won't be able to eat it. Thanks!
Christie Lai
I would recommend either omitting the red chili so it's not spicy at all or using 1 de-seeded large chili and avoid the small Thai bird's eye chili as they're very spicy. I don't recommend using mild enchilada sauce from the store as the flavors from the sauce will conflict. Hope this helps!
Jd
Will cook pad kra pao
Maria
This was so easy, delicious and satisfying! Thank you!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making it, Maria! Glad you enjoyed it!
Dan
Great stuff. Just needs more heat, adding thai peppers would be great but this has incredible taste. Thanks!
Kelly
This was delicious and so easy to make. I omitted the peppers in case it was going to be too spicy - but used siracha when eating. I bulked it up by adding sugar snap peas (blanched for 2 mins) with diced red peppers, and added lime juice using 1 lime. Will be adding this to my rotation.
Christie Lai
Thank you for making my recipe and for leaving this positive review, Kelly! Glad you enjoyed with the additions 🙂 Have a great day!