Easy Pad Kra Pao: 20-Min Thai Beef
A classic Thai stir-fry featuring savory ground beef, vibrant holy basil, and a pungent, spicy sauce, perfect for a quick weeknight meal. It's a popular street food dish known for its aromatic flavors and simple preparation.
Ingredients
- 500 g ground beef lean
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 3-5 Thai bird's eye chilies sliced (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 cup holy basil leaves packed (or Thai basil)
- cooked jasmine rice for serving
- fried egg optional for serving
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add minced garlic and sliced chilies. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef. Break it up with a spoon and stir-fry until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat if necessary.
- While the beef cooks, in a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and sugar to create the sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the cooked beef and stir to combine well. Cook for 1-2 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Add the holy basil leaves and stir-fry quickly until the leaves wilt, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Do not overcook the basil.
- Remove from heat immediately. Serve hot over steamed jasmine rice, optionally topped with a fried egg.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, use crumbled firm tofu or plant-based ground meat. Adjust the amount of chilies to your preferred spice level. A fried egg with a runny yolk is a traditional and highly recommended topping. If holy basil is unavailable, Thai basil or even Italian basil can be used as a substitute, though the flavor profile will differ slightly.