11 Thai Dinners So Fresh and Flavorful You Will Skip Takeout for Good

Thai food is all about balance. Every great dish mixes sweet, sour, salty and spicy until each bite tastes bright and exciting. The good news is that most Thai dinners come together in one pan in less time than it takes for delivery to arrive. With a few pantry heroes like fish sauce, coconut milk, curry paste and fresh lime, your kitchen can smell like a Bangkok street market tonight. How spicy are you willing to go? Let us find out..

Classic Pad Thai, the Most Famous of All Thai Dinners

Pad Thai is the dish most people try first, and for good reason. Soft rice noodles are stir fried with shrimp or chicken, egg, tofu, bean sprouts and green onions in a sauce that is tangy from tamarind, salty from fish sauce and a little sweet from palm sugar. Top it with crushed peanuts, chili flakes and a big squeeze of lime. Once you make it at home, you may never order Thai dinners for delivery again.

You will need: 8 ounces flat rice noodles, 3 tablespoons tamarind paste, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 3 tablespoons brown or palm sugar, 2 tablespoons oil, 3 garlic cloves, 1/2 pound shrimp or sliced chicken, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup cubed firm tofu, 2 cups bean sprouts, 4 green onions, crushed peanuts, lime, chili flakes.

How to make it: 1. Soak the noodles in warm water for 30 minutes and drain. 2. Mix the tamarind, fish sauce and sugar. 3. Stir fry the garlic, shrimp and tofu in hot oil. 4. Push them aside, scramble the eggs, then add the noodles and sauce. 5. Toss 2 to 3 minutes until the noodles are tender. 6. Add the sprouts and onions and top with peanuts and lime.

Pad Krapow, the 15 Minute Basil Chicken of Thai Dinners

Ask people in Bangkok what they eat on a busy weeknight and many will say pad krapow. Ground chicken is stir fried with lots of garlic, chilies, soy sauce, oyster sauce and a big handful of holy basil, then served over jasmine rice with a crispy fried egg on top. Break the runny yolk into the rice and mix it all together. It is fast, spicy and wildly addictive. How spicy do you like it, from 1 to 10?

You will need: 1 pound ground chicken, 2 tablespoons oil, 5 garlic cloves, 2 to 4 Thai chilies, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 cups Thai holy basil or regular basil, 4 eggs, jasmine rice.

How to make it: 1. Pound or finely chop the garlic and chilies. 2. Fry them in hot oil for 20 seconds. 3. Add the chicken and break it up until cooked. 4. Add the sauces and sugar. 5. Toss in the basil until wilted. 6. Fry the eggs in hot oil until crispy and serve on rice.

Creamy Green Curry With Chicken

Green curry is bright, creamy and fragrant with lemongrass, galangal and fresh green chilies. A store bought curry paste makes it weeknight easy, while coconut milk, fish sauce and a little palm sugar balance the heat. Chicken, bamboo shoots and Thai eggplant simmer right in the sauce. Finish with Thai basil and serve with jasmine rice to soak it all up. Is green curry your go to order?

You will need: 3 tablespoons green curry paste, 2 cans (14 ounces each) coconut milk, 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs (sliced), 1 cup Thai eggplant or zucchini, 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon palm or brown sugar, 4 kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil, jasmine rice.

How to make it: 1. Simmer 1/2 cup of the thick coconut cream until it bubbles. 2. Fry the curry paste in it for 2 minutes. 3. Add the chicken and stir to coat. 4. Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and add the lime leaves. 5. Add the vegetables, fish sauce and sugar and simmer 10 minutes. 6. Stir in the basil and serve.

Mild and Cozy Massaman Curry With Potatoes

If spicy food is not your thing, massaman curry is the perfect place to start. It is rich and mild, with warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom and cloves that came to Thailand through old trade routes. Beef or chicken simmers with potatoes, onions and peanuts in coconut milk until everything is tender. It tastes like a cozy stew with a tropical twist. Would you choose massaman or green curry?

You will need: 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck or chicken thighs (cubed), 3 tablespoons massaman curry paste, 2 cans (14 ounces each) coconut milk, 1 cup water, 3 potatoes (cubed), 1 onion (wedges), 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons palm or brown sugar, 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, 1 cinnamon stick.

How to make it: 1. Fry the curry paste in 1/2 cup of coconut cream for 2 minutes. 2. Add the meat and brown it. 3. Add the rest of the coconut milk, the water and the cinnamon. 4. Simmer beef for 1 1/2 hours or chicken for 20 minutes. 5. Add the potatoes, onion and peanuts and cook 20 minutes. 6. Season with fish sauce, sugar and tamarind.

Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce for Fun Thai Dinners

Satay is the street food that gets everyone excited. Chicken strips soak in a golden marinade of coconut milk, turmeric, curry powder and garlic, then grill on skewers until lightly charred. The creamy peanut sauce is the real star: sweet, salty, nutty and a little spicy. Serve with cucumber salad and rice for easy Thai dinners. Love food from street stalls? Explore our street food recipes from around the world.

You will need: 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast or thighs (strips), 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, skewers. Sauce: 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon red curry paste, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon sugar.

How to make it: 1. Mix the marinade and coat the chicken for 2 hours. 2. Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes. 3. Thread the chicken onto the skewers. 4. Grill or broil 3 to 4 minutes per side. 5. Simmer the sauce ingredients until smooth. 6. Serve the skewers with the sauce and cucumber salad.

Spicy Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

Drunken noodles do not have any alcohol in them. One story says they got the name because they are the perfect late night meal. Wide rice noodles are tossed over high heat with chicken, garlic, chilies, bell peppers, tomatoes and lots of Thai basil in a savory, slightly sweet sauce. They are bold, spicy and incredibly satisfying. Quick poll: noodles or rice? A) Noodles B) Rice C) Why not both?

You will need: 12 ounces wide rice noodles, 2 tablespoons oil, 5 garlic cloves, 3 Thai chilies, 1 pound chicken (sliced), 1 bell pepper, 1 tomato, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 cups Thai basil.

How to make it: 1. Soak or cook the noodles until just soft and drain. 2. Fry the garlic and chilies in hot oil. 3. Add the chicken and cook through. 4. Add the pepper and tomato for 1 minute. 5. Add the noodles and sauces and toss over high heat. 6. Fold in the basil and serve.

Pineapple Fried Rice Served in the Pineapple

This one is pure fun. Pineapple fried rice is tossed with shrimp, cashews, raisins, curry powder and sweet juicy pineapple, then served right in a hollowed out pineapple boat. It looks fancy enough for a party, but it is a great way to use leftover rice on a weeknight. Sweet, salty and a little smoky, it always gets a wow at the table. Have you ever eaten dinner out of a pineapple?

You will need: 1 pineapple, 3 cups cold cooked jasmine rice, 1/2 pound shrimp, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons oil, 3 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup peas and carrots, 1/3 cup cashews, 2 tablespoons raisins, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, green onions.

How to make it: 1. Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise, scoop out the fruit and dice 1 cup. 2. Fry the garlic and shrimp in oil, then set aside. 3. Scramble the eggs. 4. Add the rice, vegetables, curry powder and sauces and stir fry 3 minutes. 5. Add the pineapple, shrimp, cashews and raisins. 6. Spoon into the pineapple halves and top with green onions.

Pad See Ew, the Comfort Noodles of Thai Dinners

Pad see ew is the mild, smoky noodle dish many kids in Thailand grow up on. Wide rice noodles get caramelized in a very hot pan with sweet dark soy sauce, egg, chicken and Chinese broccoli. The edges get a little crispy and charred, and that is exactly what you want. It is not spicy, so it is great for the whole family. Which Thai dinners do your kids love most?

You will need: 12 ounces wide rice noodles, 2 tablespoons oil, 3 garlic cloves, 1/2 pound chicken (sliced), 2 eggs, 3 cups Chinese broccoli or regular broccoli, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar.

How to make it: 1. Separate the noodles and mix the sauces with the sugar. 2. Fry the garlic and chicken in very hot oil. 3. Add the broccoli stems, then the leaves. 4. Push everything aside and scramble the eggs. 5. Add the noodles and sauce and let them sit 30 seconds to char. 6. Toss and repeat a few times, then serve.

Crying Tiger Steak With Spicy Dipping Sauce

Crying tiger is grilled marinated steak sliced thin and served with a tangy, spicy dipping sauce called nam jim jaew. One fun story says the sauce is so spicy it would make a tiger cry. The sauce is made with lime, fish sauce, chili flakes and toasted rice powder for a nutty crunch. Serve it with sticky rice and fresh herbs and vegetables. Would you dare to dip?

You will need: 1 1/2 pounds flank or sirloin steak, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar. Sauce: 3 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 to 2 teaspoons chili flakes, 1 tablespoon toasted rice powder, 1 shallot (sliced), cilantro. Sticky rice to serve.

How to make it: 1. Marinate the steak in the soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar for 1 hour. 2. Grill over high heat 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare. 3. Rest 10 minutes. 4. Mix the sauce ingredients. 5. Slice the steak thinly against the grain. 6. Serve with the sauce and sticky rice.

Hot and Sour Tom Yum Soup With Shrimp

Tom yum is the famous hot and sour soup of Thailand, and one sip will wake you right up. Shrimp simmer in a fragrant broth of lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and chilies, finished with lime juice and fish sauce. Add mushrooms and tomatoes to make it a light, full meal. It is perfect when the weather turns cold. Do you like your soup clear or creamy with a splash of milk?

You will need: 6 cups chicken broth, 3 stalks lemongrass (smashed), 6 slices galangal or ginger, 5 kaffir lime leaves, 3 Thai chilies, 1 pound shrimp, 8 ounces mushrooms, 1 tomato (wedges), 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 3 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon chili paste in oil, cilantro.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the broth with the lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves and chilies for 10 minutes. 2. Add the mushrooms and tomato and cook 3 minutes. 3. Add the shrimp and cook 2 minutes until pink. 4. Turn off the heat. 5. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and chili paste. 6. Top with cilantro and serve.

Som Tam Papaya Salad to Round Out Your Thai Dinners

No Thai meal feels complete without something fresh and crunchy on the side. Som tam is a green papaya salad pounded with garlic, chilies, lime, fish sauce, palm sugar, tomatoes, green beans and peanuts. It is sour, salty, sweet and spicy in one bite, and it is lovely next to grilled meat or sticky rice. So which Thai dinners are you making first: A) pad Thai B) basil chicken C) green curry D) satay?

You will need: 3 cups shredded green papaya (or shredded carrot and cucumber), 2 garlic cloves, 1 to 3 Thai chilies, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon palm or brown sugar, 6 cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup green beans (cut), 3 tablespoons roasted peanuts.

How to make it: 1. Pound the garlic and chilies in a mortar. 2. Add the green beans and bruise them lightly. 3. Add the sugar, fish sauce and lime juice and stir. 4. Add the tomatoes and press gently. 5. Add the papaya and toss with a spoon while pounding lightly. 6. Top with peanuts and serve right away.