A recipe is more than just a list of ingredients and steps — it’s a story, a memory, and a way to connect with the world. These Quick Korean Pad Thai Noodles celebrate that idea by blending two beloved food traditions into one crave-worthy dish.
Pad Thai has long been a cornerstone of Thai street food culture — quick to prepare, balanced in flavor, and designed to nourish busy eaters on the go. By introducing gochujang, the spicy, fermented chili paste at the heart of many Korean dishes, this recipe becomes a new expression of comfort food, one that feels both familiar and excitingly different.
Making this dish at home means you get to control the heat, balance the sweet and sour just the way you like, and pile in as many fresh vegetables as you want. You can choose your protein — chicken, shrimp, tofu — or keep it simple and veggie-forward. Either way, you’ll end up with a plate of chewy rice noodles coated in a glossy, spicy-sweet sauce that feels just as satisfying as any takeout, but fresher, healthier, and completely your own.
Cooking a dish like this can be grounding and joyful — the sound of noodles sizzling in the wok, the fragrance of garlic and gochujang filling the kitchen, and the reward of sitting down to a homemade meal that you created from start to finish. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, your family, or friends, this recipe brings a little taste of two food cultures into one shared moment at the table.
✅ Quick Tips:
You can toss the cooked noodles, veggies, and sauce directly in the Thermomix: return sauce to the bowl, add noodles and veggies, then mix 20 sec / reverse / speed 2 — just enough to coat without breaking the noodles.
Quick Korean Pad Thai Noodles
Description
Quick Korean Pad Thai Noodles bring together two iconic Asian food cultures in one irresistible bowl. Inspired by Thailand’s famous street-food noodle dish, this recipe swaps in the sweet heat of Korean gochujang to give the classic tamarind-based sauce a smoky, spicy twist. The result? Chewy rice noodles stir-fried with colorful vegetables, a punchy umami-sweet sauce, and crunchy peanuts — ready in just 20 minutes. It’s comfort food with a global soul, perfect for busy weeknights or a fun way to spice up your noodle routine.
Ingredients
Noodles & Veggies
Sauce
Protein (optional)
Toppings
Instructions
Soak noodles
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Place 200 g rice noodles in a large heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and soak until just tender (≈ 8–10 min). Drain and set aside.
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Chop vegetables
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Add onion, carrot, bell pepper, cabbage, garlic, and white parts of spring onion to Thermomix bowl.
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Chop 4 sec / speed 5 (check size; chop 1 sec more if needed). Scrape down sides. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
Make the sauce
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Without washing the bowl, add gochujang, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and water.
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Mix 5 sec / speed 4 until smooth. Set sauce aside.
Cook protein (if using)
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Heat a large non-stick pan or wok with 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken/shrimp/tofu until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
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(If you prefer, you can steam protein in the Varoma — add 500 ml water to the Thermomix bowl, arrange protein in Varoma dish and tray, steam 15 min / Varoma / speed 2 until cooked.)
Stir-fry veggies & combine
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In the same pan used for protein, stir-fry chopped veggies for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened.
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Add drained noodles, cooked protein, and sauce. Toss everything together for 1–2 minutes until noodles are coated and sauce thickens slightly.
Serve
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Divide between bowls. Garnish with crushed peanuts, green tops of spring onion, coriander, and lime wedges. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Servings 2
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 754.84kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 21.2g33%
- Saturated Fat 2.86g15%
- Cholesterol 48mg16%
- Sodium 2084.41mg87%
- Potassium 937.31mg27%
- Total Carbohydrate 112.61g38%
- Dietary Fiber 7.84g32%
- Sugars 14.15g
- Protein 29.81g60%
- Vitamin A 5569.96 IU
- Vitamin C 76.9 mg
- Calcium 184.85 mg
- Iron 3.94 mg
- Vitamin E 2.33 mg
- Vitamin K 73.81 mcg
- Thiamin 0.31 mg
- Riboflavin 0.26 mg
- Niacin 12.69 mg
- Vitamin B6 1.07 mg
- Folate 100.08 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.19 mcg
- Pantothenic Acid 1.78 mg
- Phosphorus 503.06 mg
- Magnesium 130.71 mg
- Zinc 2.61 mg
- Selenium 45.13 mcg
- Copper 0.64 mg
- Manganese 1.45 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Make it vegetarian: swap fish sauce for extra soy sauce or a dash of miso paste.
Make it extra spicy: add a teaspoon of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) or a drizzle of chili oil.
Add egg: push veggies aside, scramble 1–2 eggs before adding noodles.
