Pad Krapao (Thai Basil Stir Fry)
Pad Krapao (Thai Basil Stir Fry) is one of those quick, flavour-packed Thai dishes that never disappoints. It’s a spicy, savoury, and slightly sweet stir-fry, made fragrant with Thai holy basil and packed with umami from the rich, caramelised sauce. I was scrolling through my saved recipes on Instagram, looking for something easy yet full of flavour, and came across an amazing Pad Krapao post by Vanja van der Leeden—instantly, I knew what was for dinner!
Traditionally, Pad Krapao is made with ground meat (often chicken or pork) stir-fried in a hot wok with garlic, chilli, and Thai holy basil, then served over steamed jasmine rice with a crispy fried egg on top. The original recipe doesn’t include vegetables, but I love adding extra texture, flavour, and vitamins—so I threw in green beans and red pepper for a colourful twist.
The beauty of this Thai basil stir-fry is that it’s incredibly versatile. You can use chicken, pork, beef, or even vegan mince—whatever suits your preference! This time, I went with high-quality organic pork, and it turned out absolutely delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔️ Authentic Thai flavours – The perfect balance of spicy, savoury, sweet, and fragrant Thai basil.
✔️ Quick & easy – Ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for a weeknight dinner.
✔️ Customisable protein – Use chicken, pork, beef, or vegan mince.
✔️ Simple ingredients, big flavour – No-fuss pantry staples with restaurant-quality results.
✔️ Perfect with rice & egg – Serve with steamed jasmine rice and a crispy fried egg for the ultimate experience.
This Pad Krapao (Thai Basil Stir Fry) is a must-try Thai dish that’s bold, vibrant, and easy to make at home. Let’s get cooking!
Recipe inspired by @vanjavanderleeden and @thewoksoflife.
Another GREAT Thai stir fry are these Pad Kee Mao – Thai Drunken Noodles or what about a curry? This Thai Red Curry with Crispy Fried Cod is always a hit! And this Thai Red Curry & Crispy Skin Chicken inspired by @jasminseats is also the ultimate crowd pleaser.
Pad Krapao (Thai Basil Stir Fry)
(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
Loading...Learn how to make Pad Krapao, a delicious Thai Basil Stir Fry packed with flavour, spice, and umami in every bite.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 Thai bird's eye chili's, thinly sliced (deseed if you like it less spicy)
- 3 small shallots (thinly sliced)
- 3-4 garlic sloves (sliced)
- 300 - 400 g mince of choice (pork, chicken or vegan)
- 150 g green beans, chopped into bitesize pieces
- 1/2 red pepper, sliced into strips
- The sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 stock cube (chicken or vegetable)
- 1 pound ground pork (450g)
- ▢1 teaspoon sugar
- ▢1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ▢1 tablespoon thin/light soy sauce
- ▢2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- ▢2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- ▢⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth or water
- ▢holy basil leaves (about 1 1/2 cups packed)
- To serve
- Steamed white rice (1/2 cup rice per person)
- A squeeze of lime (optional)
Instructions
Cook the rice as per the packaging. I boil the rice for 8 minutes in ample salted water, then drain and let steam in the pan with the lid in for at least another 8 minutes. In this time you can prepare and cook the rest of the dish.
Prep all your ingredients so you can move fast when stir frying: slice all the vegetables and mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan and fry the shallots and garlic on high heat while you keep stirring for ± 2 minutes until fragrant and starting to caramelize. Add the chilis and stir fry for 1 minute.
Add the mince and stir fry until just cooked through, ± 3 minutes. Pour the mince mix into a bowl, leaving a little oil in the pan, and set aside.
Stir fry the green beans and the red peppers on high heat until starting to char, ± 2-3 minutes. The beans will be a little undercooked still.
Add back the mince mix and pour in the sauce, stir fry it all on high heat until the moisture has evaporated a bit and everything is cooked through, ± 2 minutes.
Add the Thai basil and stir through until wilted.
Serve with the steamed rice and a squeeze of lime juice. Enjoy!
