When I was a kid, we would almost never order take-out. My dad cooked dinner every night of the week. Occasionally we’d order pizza on a Friday or Saturday night, but other than that, as a family of 8 back then, we’d eat homemade meals most nights. But there were a few times when somehow my brothers manipulated my parents into Asian take-out. Usually, this was when both parents were too distracted to think about cooking. My brothers loved Chinese or Thai take-out and would often order plates of fried rice or beef and noodles. We loved these random days of Asian takeout! Of course, living in a ski town now, our options are a little slimmer. But this is why I’ve come to love making takeout-style dishes at home! I’ve made a lot of Thai basil beef dishes, but never one with rice noodles. Around this time last year, I made one of my favorite recipes, my garlic butter chicken pad Thai. Basically, these are beef pad Thai noodles, just minus the egg, and made with a few special additions that make these saucy Thai noodles so yummy!
The Details
Step 1: soak the rice noodles The noodles should be thicker-cut rice noodles, or use a box of Pad Thai noodles. Pretty much all grocery stores should carry one or the other. Soak the noodles just as the box states. But I like to drain them for around 6 minutes to ensure they don’t get soggy while cooking. A soggy noodle is the worst! Step 2: make the sauce It’s a pretty simple mix of tamari, Thai chili sauce, fish sauce (don’t skip), rice vinegar, black pepper, and chilies. And if your grocery store carries it, I love to add lemongrass or lemongrass paste too. Step 3: cook the beef + peppers And now we can cook! Cook the beef and peppers together. Use thinly sliced flank steak here, and give it a good sear. Next, add the butter, toss in a shallot, chopped garlic, and pickled ginger. Cook until the garlic turns golden. Then, toss everything up with the noodles and the sauce. Simmer just a few minutes to thicken the sauce until it coats the beef and noodles. At this point, you should remove the noodles from the heat to ensure the noodles do not get overcooked. Add lots of fresh Thai basil and or cilantro, then plenty of green onions! Step 4: the garlicky sesame seeds Ok, last thing, toast a clove of garlic with sesame seeds until the mix is crunchy. Serve each bowl of noodles topped with Thai basil, cilantro, roasted peanuts, and the garlic crunch. All together it’s so delicious! And I really appreciate all the color – best kind of recipe! These noodles are best served right away, but the leftovers are great for lunch the following day too. I like to add a touch of soy sauce and butter when enjoying the leftovers. It just brings them back to life a bit more. Sesame Ginger Orange Chicken Salad 20 Minute Korean Beef Sesame Noodles 20 Minute Red Curry Basil Garlic Oil Noodles Red’s Favorite Spicy Tuna Poke Bowls Skillet Chicken Adobo with Coconut Rice 30 Minute Pineapple Chicken with Coconut Rice Weeknight Sesame Teriyaki Chicken with Ginger Rice 30 Minute Garlic Butter Chicken Pad Thai Lastly, if you make this 30 Minute Thai Basil Beef Noodles, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
