Pad kra pao is the most loved dish in Thailand. I lived there for four years, and I ate it all the time.
This is the authentic version I learned there. Ground meat stir-fried with garlic, chili, and fresh basil in a balanced salty-sweet sauce.
On top goes a fried egg with crispy edges and a runny yolk. With fragrant jasmine rice on the side, it’s a full meal.
It’s spicy, fast, and full of real Thai flavor. The whole thing cooks in about 10 minutes.
My tip: add the basil at the very end and turn off the heat right away. That keeps the leaves fresh and fragrant.
Pad kra pao is Thai stir-fried ground meat with garlic, red chilies, and Thai basil in a sauce of light and dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Fry the eggs until crispy, stir-fry the garlic-chili paste and meat on high heat, add the sauce, then the basil. Serve over jasmine rice with the fried egg on top. Cooking takes about 10 minutes.
Pad Kra Pao (Thai Basil Stir-Fry with Crispy Fried Egg)
Ingredients
Method
- In a small bowl, mix the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and palm sugar.
- Taste and adjust as needed. The sauce should be salty-sweet with a gentle tang.
- Pound the garlic and chilies together into a coarse paste (or chop them very finely).
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil in a wok or skillet over high heat.
- Fry the eggs one at a time, until the edges are crispy and the yolk is still soft. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, fry the garlic-chili paste for about 20 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the meat and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, until it changes color. If the meat looks dry, add a little oil.
- Pour in the sauce and cook another 1–2 minutes, until the meat soaks up all the flavors.
- Add the basil leaves, stir lightly, and turn off the heat right away so the leaves stay fresh and fragrant.
- Serve immediately over jasmine rice, with the fried egg on top.
Notes
- Use high heat for the eggs. That’s how you get the crispy, lacy edges Thai fried eggs are known for.
- Have everything ready before you start. Once the pan is hot, it all goes very fast.
- Add the basil last, off the heat, so it stays bright and fragrant.
- Ground beef → ground chicken or ground pork (the most common versions in Thailand).
- Fish sauce → rice vinegar.
- Palm sugar → brown sugar.
- Thai basil → regular (Italian) basil. The flavor is milder.
Frequently asked questions
Kra pao is the Thai name for holy basil, the herb this dish is named after. Thai basil or regular basil are common substitutes outside Thailand.
Yes. Regular basil works if you can’t find Thai basil. The flavor is a bit sweeter and less peppery.
It’s meant to be spicy. Use 2 chilies for medium heat and up to 4 if you like it hot.
The original recipe suggests rice vinegar if you don’t have fish sauce. The flavor will be less salty and savory, so taste the sauce and adjust.
The stir-fry is best fresh, and the egg should be fried right before serving. Leftover meat keeps in the fridge for a day or two.
