Quick and Easy Thai Pad See Ew With Beef

Jordan and I love our weekly at-home date nights, enjoying delicious recipes with a movie or one of our favorite board games after the kids are in bed! We love taking this opportunity to cook up something the kids might not appreciate as much. One of our absolute favorites is this quick and easy Thai Pad See Ew with Beef!

It’s a quick yet decadent dish perfect for whipping up after the kids are in bed. Between the perfectly chewy rice noodles, savory sauce, and the perfect crunch of Chinese broccoli or bok choy, it’s a treat we eagerly anticipate!

We find ingredients like wide rice noodles and oyster sauce online but you can also find them at the local asian grocery store . Whether it’s the umami of oyster sauce, the sweetness of dark soy, or the tender slices of flank steak, every bite is a celebration of Thai cuisine.

So, join us as we share how to make this popular noodle dish, turning your kitchen into the next best thing to a Thai street vendor.

This simple Quick and Easy Thai Pad See Ew with Beef recipe is sure to become a favorite!

Supplies for Making Thai Pad See Ew Recipe With Beef:

Wok or large skillet

Ingredients for making Thai Pad See Ew With Beef

• Noodles: flat wide rice noodles or pad thai noodles (dry)
• Flank steak: sliced into strips across the grain
• Sauces: oyster flavored sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, chili sauce
• Baby bok choy: whites and greens separated
• Aromatics: minced ginger and garlic

How to make Quick and Easy Thai Pad See Ew With Beef:

1. Prep the Noodles: Soak rice noodles in warm/hot water for 30 minutes or according to package instructions until softened. If using fresh noodles skip this step. Separate any clumps. Drain water when done. In a medium bowl toss rice noodles with a drizzle dark soy sauce for color. This soy sauce noodles is a trick used in resturants to give the noodles that rich dark color!
2. Marinate the Beef: Slice beef into thin strips and toss with dark soy sauce. Sprinkle the sliced steak with baking soda and cornstarch. Marinate for 30 minutes or up to a few hours.
3. Prepare the Pad See Ew Sauce: In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and chili sauce.
4. Cook the Beef: Heat a large wok or large non-stick skillet over high heat and add 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Cook the beef strips in batches, removing them promptly once done.
5. Stir Fry Aromatics: In the same wok, add the bok choy bottoms and aromatics. Stir fry until softened and fragrant.
6. Combine and Cook: Add the prepared sauce to the wok, followed by the soaked and drained noodles. Stir continuously to cook evenly without overcooking (we don’t want mushy noodles!), about 1-2 minutes.
7. Add Beef and Greens: Return the cooked beef to the wok, along with bok choy greens and onions. Toss everything together until the noodles are lightly caramelized and the greens softened.
8. Serve: Enjoy your delicious rice noodles with flank steak hot from the wok!

Storing Pad See Ew Noodles

We love to make a large batch for dinner and enjoy the leftovers for lunch the next day. Here is how I store them for optimal freshness!

Cool Down: Allow the noodles to cool to room temperature before storing. This prevents condensation inside the container, which can make the noodles soggy.

Airtight Container: Transfer the cooled noodles into an airtight container. This helps to retain moisture, keeping the noodles soft and preventing them from drying out.

Refrigerate: Store the container in the refrigerator. Cooked Pad See Ew noodles can last for 3-4 days when stored properly in the fridge.

Reheating Quick and Easy Thai Pad See Ew with Beef

When ready to eat, reheat the noodles gently in a microwave or on the stovetop. Add a little water or sauce to help loosen them up and restore some of the dish’s original texture and moisture.

How To Make Pad See Ew with Beef Better Then Takeout

To whip up Pad See Ew with beef that rivals your favorite takeout, here are some essential tips to ensure it’s just as delicious:

1. Choose the Right Cut of Beef: For tender meat in your Pad See Ew, opt for flank steak, sirloin, or ribeye. Slice the beef thinly against the grain to ensure it cooks quickly and remains tender.
2. Prepare Noodles Properly: Use wide, flat rice noodles and soak them according to package instructions until they’re just pliable but not too soft. Over-soaked noodles can become mushy and break apart when stir-fried.
3. High Heat Cooking: A key to authentic Pad See Ew is cooking on high heat. This allows the noodles to char slightly, adding a smoky “wok hei” flavor. If you’re using a standard stove, cook in batches to maintain high heat levels.
4. Don’t Crowd the Pan: To achieve the perfect char and avoid steaming your ingredients, cook in batches if necessary. This ensures each ingredient cooks properly and adds to the dish’s overall texture and flavor.
5. The Right Wok Toss: Toss your ingredients in a swift, flipping motion to mix everything well without breaking the noodles or squashing the beef! I love this flat wooden spoon for just this purpose!
6. Serve Immediately: For the best experience, serve your Pad See Ew hot off the stove. The textures and flavors are at their peak right after cooking. As much as we love the leftovers for lunch the next day it really isn’t the same!

Preparing the noodles!

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a Pad See Ew with beef that might just make you skip the takeout menu next time around!

Why Use Dark and Regular Soy Sauce?

Using both dark and regular (light) soy sauce in dishes like Beef Pad See Ew provides a balance of flavor and color.

Dark soy sauce offers a deeper, slightly sweeter taste and enriches the dish with a caramel-like hue, enhancing the overall presentation.

Regular soy sauce, on the other hand, is saltier and lighter in color, contributing to the dish’s savory profile without overpowering it. The combination ensures a rich, complex flavor that’s both umami-rich, perfectly balances, and visually appealing.

What is Black Soy Sauce?

Black soy sauce, distinct from regular and dark soy sauce, is a thicker, darker, and sweeter variety of soy sauce. Sometimes labeled as sweet soy sauce It’s often used in Asian cuisine to add color, sweetness, and depth to dishes like our Quick and Easy Thai Pad See Ew with Beef!

This type of soy sauce is made from a fermented mixture of soybeans, flour, water, and sugar, which is then aged for a longer period. The sugar caramelizes during this process, giving black soy sauce its characteristic molasses-like flavor and syrupy consistency.

It’s commonly used in marinades, glazes, and as a finishing sauce in various stir-fries and noodle dishes to impart a rich, dark color and a unique sweet-savory taste.

What Does Oyster Sauce Taste Like?

Oyster sauce offers a unique blend of savory, sweet, and umami flavors.

Its base, derived from oyster extracts or oyster essence, provides a deeply savory and slightly briny taste, which is balanced by the addition of sugar and sometimes soy sauce, contributing to its slight sweetness and complexity.

While its taste is robust and concentrated, it’s not overly fishy but rather adds a rich almost meaty depth to dishes without overpowering them.

What Can I Use Instead of Oyster Sauce?

To substitute oyster sauce in a recipe, you have several decent options, each offering a unique flavor profile that can closely mimic or complement the original taste:

1.Soy Sauce with Sugar: Combine soy sauce with a little brown sugar or honey. Start with a ratio of 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to 1 teaspoon of sugar, adjusting to taste. This mixture lacks the oyster sauce’s complexity but provides a simple savory-sweet balance.

2. Hoisin Sauce: A good substitute due to its similar sweet and tangy flavor profile. However, hoisin is thicker and sweeter, so you might want to dilute it with water and adjust the sweetness with a bit of vinegar.

3. Fish Sauce and Sugar: Fish sauce provides the umami depth similar to oyster sauce. Mix with a touch of sugar to balance the saltiness. Use sparingly as fish sauce is more pungent.

What can I use Instead of Chinese Broccoli?

In Pad See Ew, a popular Thai stir-fry noodle dish traditionally made with Asian broccoli (often Chinese broccoli or Gai Lan), finding a substitute that maintains the dish’s crunchy texture and slightly bitter flavor can enhance the overall balance of the meal. Here are some excellent substitutes for Asian broccoli:

1. Broccolini: Closer to baby broccoli, broccolini is a hybrid between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It’s tender, with a slightly sweeter taste, making it an excellent substitute that doesn’t veer too far from the original flavor profile.
2. Bok Choy: Bok Choy, especially baby bok choy, is a good substitute, offering a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a crunchy texture. It’s a versatile vegetable that works well in stir-fries. Use it in larger chunks to ensure it doesn’t overcook too quickly.
3. Swiss Chard: Swiss chard can also work as a substitute for Asian broccoli. Its leaves have a similar bitter note, though slightly softer in texture. The colorful stems add a beautiful contrast to dishes, so it’s worth incorporating both the leaves and stems into the dish.
4. Collard Greens: Collard greens are another sturdy green that can withstand stir-frying. Their flavor is more pronounced and earthy, which can add a different dimension to Pad See Ew. Thinly slice the leaves and stems to ensure they cook evenly.

When substituting, consider the cooking time and how it might affect the overall texture of the dish. Some greens, like kale and collard greens, may require a bit more cooking time to soften compared to Asian broccoli, while others like broccolini and baby bok choy might cook more quickly. Adjust accordingly to achieve the desired texture and flavor balance in your Quick and Easy Thai Pad See Ew with Beef!

How is Pad See Ew different from Drunken Noodles?

Pad See Ew and Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) are both beloved Thai stir-fry dishes with distinct flavors and ingredients that set them apart:

Noodle Type: At first glance the most obvious different is the noodles used! Pad See Ew is made with wide, flat rice noodles, while Drunken Noodles typically use a similar noodle but might be a bit wider and sometimes chewier. This helps it stand up to the spicier sauce.

Flavor Profile: Pad See Ew is known for its sweet and savory profile. Mainly using soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sometimes a bit of sugar. Drunken Noodles, on the other hand, packs a spicy punch! incorporating basil, chili, and sometimes even a splash of rice wine or whiskey, which is rumored to be the cure for a hangover, hence the name “Drunken Noodles.”

Key Ingredients: Both dishes include protein (like chicken, beef, or tofu) and vegetables. But Drunken Noodles typically features a mix of colorful bell peppers, onions, and Thai basil, which contribute to its spicy and aromatic flavor. Pad See Ew focuses more on a darker sauce and might include Chinese broccoli or cabbage.

Spice Level: Generally, Drunken Noodles are spicier than Pad See Ew, making them a favorite for those who love heat. Pad See Ew is more on the mild side. With the focus on a balance between the sweet and salty from the sauces used.

Both dishes are staples in Thai cuisine with their unique flavors, offering something for both spice enthusiasts and those who prefer milder, sweeter dishes.

Pad See Ew vs Pad Thai

Pad See Ew and Pad Thai are both popular Thai noodle dishes, each with its unique flavors and characteristics. The most obvious visual difference is the types of noodles used. Pad See Ew uses broad, flat rice noodles that are stir-fried to get a slightly charred flavor. Meanwhile Pad Thai uses thinner rice noodles compared to Pad See Ew.

Pad See Ew is generally sweeter and less complex in flavor, focusing more on the smoky, caramelized soy sauce. In contrast,Pad Thai, is more , sour, and savory, enhanced by the freshness lime and crunch of peanuts.

Pad See Ew typically has a sweeter taste due to the use of dark soy sauce, which also gives it a darker color. Pad Thai on the other has a more complex tangy flavor profile due to ingredients like tamarind paste, fish sauce, and sometimes a bit of sugar.

Is Pad See We Gluten Free?

Pad See Ew, traditionally made with flat rice noodles, dark soy sauce, meat, and Chinese broccoli, is not inherently gluten-free mainly due to the soy sauce used, which typically contains wheat. To make Pad See Ew gluten-free, you would need to use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.

Additionally, ensuring that all other ingredients, like oyster sauce if used, are labeled gluten-free is crucial, as they can sometimes contain gluten. Always check the labels or consult with the restaurant about their specific ingredients if you’re ordering take out!

Is Pad See Ew Healthy?

Pad See Ew can be considered a moderately healthy dish, depending on how it’s prepared.

While it provides a good mix of carbohydrates from the noodles and protein from the meat or tofu, it can be high in calories due to the oil and sauces used for frying and flavoring.

The sauces, especially soy sauce and oyster sauce, can make Pad See Ew quite high in sodium, which might be a concern for those monitoring their salt intake.