21 Traditional Thai Recipes That Are Easier Than You Think

Thai food has a permanent spot in the takeout rotation for a reason. It hits hard on flavor and feels way out of reach for the average home cook. Most people assume it takes special skills or a bunch of hard-to-find ingredients, so they don’t bother trying. But a lot of traditional Thai dishes are actually pretty simple once you break them down. These recipes prove you can make the real stuff at home without spending all day in the kitchen.

Pad Ga Prao

Pad Ga Prao proves that bold, fiery Thai flavor doesn’t need a long grocery list or hours in the kitchen. This one’s all about high heat, holy basil, and a sauce that pulls everything together in minutes. Serve it with rice and a fried egg if you’re really feeling it. If you’ve never tried making Thai food at home, this is a great place to start. It’s fast, simple, and tastes like you definitely know what you’re doing.
Get the Recipe: Pad Ga Prao

Thai Red Curry Soup

This soup gives you all the comfort of Thai red curry but with slurpable noodles. It’s quick to make, packed with flavor, and easy to switch up depending on what you’ve got in the fridge. It’s perfect for when you’re craving something warm, spicy, and low-effort that still hits like real Thai food.
Get the Recipe: Thai Red Curry Soup

Crunchy Thai Salad With Spicy Cashew Dressing

This salad does a lot with very little. Crunchy veggies, bright colors, and a creamy cashew dressing that brings just enough heat make it way more exciting than your average salad situation. It takes 15 minutes and zero stove time, which means it’s great when you want Thai flavor without cooking a full meal. Easy enough for a weekday lunch, but it definitely pulls its weight at dinner too.
Get the Recipe: Crunchy Thai Salad With Spicy Cashew Dressing

Thai Jackfruit Curry

This one is perfect if you’re curious about cooking Thai food but not trying to break out every spice jar you own. The jackfruit gives it a meat-like bite without needing any actual meat, and the coconut curry base handles the heavy lifting flavor-wise. You’ll only need a handful of ingredients and less than 30 minutes to pull it together. Great for anyone who wants to dip their toes into Thai cooking without overcomplicating things.
Get the Recipe: Thai Jackfruit Curry

Thai Curry Soup

This shrimp curry soup checks every box—creamy coconut broth, bold curry paste, fresh veggies, and just the right amount of kick. You can throw it together in about half an hour, and it’s hearty enough to stand on its own. It’s perfect for the nights when you want comfort food but still want to feel like you did something cool in the kitchen. This one leans hard into the “traditional but easy” theme and nails it.
Get the Recipe: Thai Curry Soup

Thai Basil Chicken

If you’ve ever had this in a Thai restaurant and thought you couldn’t pull it off at home, here’s your reality check. Thai Basil Chicken is fast, packed with flavor, and made with a short list of stuff you can actually find. The fresh basil gives it that unmistakable aroma, and the sauce clings to every bite of chicken. It’s a total go-to when you want something quick but still feels like real-deal Thai.
Get the Recipe: Thai Basil Chicken

Thai Red Curry

Thai Red Curry sounds like it should take all day, but this version keeps things low-effort without losing the good stuff. You get that rich coconut base, the punch of curry paste, and tender chicken all coming together in one pan. The kaffir lime leaf adds a hit of citrus that makes everything pop. This is the kind of meal that makes people think you spent way more time in the kitchen than you actually did.
Get the Recipe: Thai Red Curry

Chicken Pad Thai

This is your go-to Pad Thai without all the restaurant drama. It’s quick, loaded with flavor, and you probably already have half the ingredients. Chicken, rice noodles, peanuts, and that perfect balance of sweet, sour, and salty in the sauce. It’s great for weeknights when you want something with zero guesswork but still feels like you did more than just heat something up.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pad Thai

Vegan Thai Basil Fried Rice

This is what you make when takeout sounds great but staying in sounds better. Packed with heat and umami, this fried rice comes together in 15 minutes and makes regular fried rice feel boring. It’s fast, fiery, and a great example of how Thai food can hit hard with just a few smart ingredients. Skip the delivery and make this instead, you won’t regret it.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Thai Basil Fried Rice

Pad Krapao Nuea

If you’re into beef and spice, this dish just became your new best friend. Pad Krapao Nuea is a no-nonsense Thai stir-fry that gets right to the point with holy basil, garlic, chilies, and beef. Serve it with a Thai-style fried egg and jasmine rice and you’ve got something that feels like a restaurant meal without doing much more than tossing everything in a pan. It’s simple, fast, and exactly what this list is all about.
Get the Recipe: Pad Krapao Nuea

Vegan Pad Thai

This one ditches the meat but keeps everything else you love about Pad Thai. Rice noodles, veggies, and a sauce that comes together in minutes. No soy, no nuts, no stress. It’s great for anyone who wants something easy, filling, and full of flavor that still fits the Thai vibe. Leftovers hold up great, too, which makes this a smart move for meal prep.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Pad Thai

Thai Red Salmon Curry with Basil

This dish sounds fancy, but it’s weeknight-ready in 20 minutes. Using salmon and Thai curry paste shortcuts the process without cutting corners on flavor. The basil brings freshness and the coconut milk ties it all together. If you want something fast that still feels impressive, this is a great pick. It’s the kind of dish you could easily serve to guests or just make for yourself when you’re not in the mood to work hard.
Get the Recipe: Thai Red Salmon Curry with Basil

Thai Peanut Salad

This salad has no business being this good with so little effort. Packed with noodles, crunchy veggies, and a peanut dressing that you might just eat straight from the spoon, it’s big on flavor and light on prep. If you’re looking for something that feels fresh but still delivers that Thai punch, this is a great go-to. It’s quick, colorful, and actually fun to eat.
Get the Recipe: Thai Peanut Salad

Vegetable Spring Roll Recipe with Rice Noodles

These rolls are proof that “light” doesn’t mean boring. Packed with crisp veggies and rice noodles, they’re simple to make and great for lunch or a low-key dinner. They work especially well when you want to eat something fresh but don’t want to cook. Serve them with a peanut dipping sauce and enjoy licking your fingers clean!
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Spring Roll Recipe with Rice Noodles

Tom Kha Gai

This creamy coconut chicken soup is like Thai comfort in a bowl. You get tender chicken, mushrooms, and a tangy, aromatic broth that tastes like it took hours but really comes together in about 30 minutes. It’s a great way to bring traditional Thai flavor to your kitchen without overcomplicating anything. When soup season hits, this one’s always a win.
Get the Recipe: Tom Kha Gai

Pad See Ew

Big, chewy noodles, quick-cooked beef, and a salty, savory sauce — what’s not to like? Pad See Ew hits that takeout-style sweet spot, and you can make it at home in one pan and under 20 minutes. It’s great for when you want a full meal that actually feels like something you’d crave again tomorrow. Throw it in a bowl and call it a night.
Get the Recipe: Pad See Ew

Crunchy Thai Cucumber Salad

This one’s all about contrast with crunchy cucumber, a punchy dressing, and just the right amount of heat. It’s the perfect side when you’re already making something rich, or even just to snack on when regular salads sound like a chore. Fast, simple, and full of flavor, it’s a small dish that pulls its weight.
Get the Recipe: Crunchy Thai Cucumber Salad

Thai Curry Noodles with Chicken

These noodles mean business. You’ve got chicken, coconut milk, curry paste, and just enough lime to wake it all up. And the best part? You can have it on the table in 15 minutes. It’s a great pick for when you want comfort food that doesn’t involve a ton of prep or cleanup. Throw it in a bowl and go watch your shows.
Get the Recipe: Thai Curry Noodles with Chicken

Thai Drunken Noodles

This is the spicy, noodle-packed, slightly chaotic dish you make when you’re tired, hungry, and want something fast that still feels legit. It comes together in 30 minutes in one pan and punches way above its weight in flavor. It’s messy in the best way and fits the “easier than you think” theme like a glove.
Get the Recipe: Thai Drunken Noodles

Thai Pomelo Salad

Bright citrus, crunchy peanuts, fresh herbs keep this salad light without losing that Thai kick. It’s great as a starter or a side, and works especially well when you want something refreshing to go with a heavier main. No complicated steps, just bold flavor with minimal effort.
Get the Recipe: Thai Pomelo Salad

Nam Tok, Thai Waterfall Beef Salad

Nam Tok is basically grilled beef dressed up the Thai way with lime, fish sauce, herbs, and heat. There’s not much salad going on here, and that’s exactly why it works. It’s bold, fast, and doesn’t pretend to be anything fancy. A great dish when you want serious flavor without doing much more than slicing some steak.
Get the Recipe: Nam Tok, Thai Waterfall Beef Salad