Thai Basil Beef (Pad Kra Pao) Recipe for Spicy Flavor

Culinary adventures often surprise us with their hidden thai basil beef magic, revealing unexpected flavor combinations.

Aromas of garlic and chili dance across your kitchen, promising an authentic experience.

Skilled home cooks understand this dish transcends ordinary meal preparation.

Vibrant ingredients speak directly to your hunger, creating excitement about each chopping and sizzling moment.

Southeast Asian cuisine brings incredible depth through simple techniques and carefully balanced seasonings.

Regional traditions shine through every carefully crafted bite of this incredible plate.

Prepare to savor a recipe that connects you with Bangkok’s street food soul.

Why Thai Basil Beef Is Always a Hit

• Combines savory beef with aromatic Thai basil, creating an explosion of taste that transforms a simple stir-fry into a restaurant-quality dish you can make at home.
• Adjust the heat by adding more or fewer chili peppers, making it adaptable for everyone from spice lovers to those with milder taste preferences.
• Uses affordable ingredients and minimal cooking techniques to deliver a sophisticated meal that tastes like it came from a high-end Thai restaurant.

Thai Basil Beef: What You’ll Need

• Beef: Tender, flavorful meat that is the star of this classic Thai stir-fry. Choose ground beef or thinly sliced sirloin for best results.

• Oyster Sauce, Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce: Rich, savory condiments that provide deep umami flavor and beautiful color to the dish. Choose high-quality, authentic Asian brands for best taste.
• Fish Sauce: Adds authentic Thai flavor with its pungent, salty profile. Essential for traditional Thai cuisine.
• Brown Sugar: Balances the salty sauces with a subtle sweetness. Helps create a glossy, caramelized finish.
• Water: Helps blend and thin out the sauce for even coating.

• Thai Basil: Signature herb with a distinct anise-like flavor that gives the dish its characteristic taste. Fresh is always best, with bright green leaves and a strong aroma.

Cooking Thai Basil Beef Without the Fuss

Step 1: Prepare Flavor Explosion

• Oyster sauce
• Soy sauce
• Fish sauce
• Dark soy sauce
• Brown sugar
• Water

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until perfectly blended. Let the sauce sit and mingle while you cook, allowing the flavors to get to know each other.

Step 2: Heat Things Up

Grab a large wok or skillet and crank the heat to high. You want that pan scorching hot to create those amazing caramelized edges on your beef.

Step 3: Sear the Protein

Toss beef into the blazing hot pan. Listen for that satisfying sizzle! Let the meat develop a gorgeous golden-brown crust without moving it around too much. This is where the magic happens.

Step 4: Aromatics Dance

Slide in chopped garlic and chilies. They’ll start releasing their incredible fragrance, making your kitchen smell like a Bangkok street food paradise.

Step 5: Sauce Symphony

Pour your prepared sauce over the beef. Watch it bubble and coat every single piece with glossy, umami-packed goodness.

Step 6: Thai Basil Finale

Toss in fresh Thai basil leaves. They’ll wilt instantly, releasing their peppery, anise-like flavor that makes this dish legendary.

Step 7: Plate and Devour

Slide your masterpiece onto a bed of steaming jasmine rice. Each bite promises a perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and savory flavors that’ll transport you straight to Thailand.

Thai Basil Beef: Handy Kitchen Advice

• Balancing Flavors: Adjust the sauce proportions to match your taste preferences, adding more sugar for sweetness or extra fish sauce for depth.
• Achieving Crispy Texture: Use high heat and a well-seasoned wok or skillet to create that signature crispy, slightly charred beef surface.
• Choosing the Right Basil: Opt for Thai holy basil for authentic flavor, but Thai sweet basil works as a suitable alternative if holy basil isn't available.
• Managing Spice Level: Control heat by adjusting the number of chilies- remove seeds for milder taste or add more for extra spiciness.
• Quick Cooking Technique: Stir-fry beef in small batches to prevent overcrowding and ensure each piece gets perfectly crisp and caramelized.

Keeping Thai Basil Beef Tasty for Later

• Store leftover Pad Kra Pao in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, keeping the beef and rice separately to maintain texture.
• Warm beef in a skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of water to prevent dryness and restore moisture to the meat.
• Heat beef in 30-second intervals, stirring between each to distribute heat evenly and prevent overcooking.
• Sprinkle fresh Thai basil leaves on top after reheating to revive the aromatic flavors and add a vibrant touch to your leftovers.

What Goes Well with Thai Basil Beef

• Serve this spicy Thai basil beef with steamed jasmine rice to balance the bold, savory flavors and absorb the delicious sauce.
• Complement the dish's heat with a crisp Thai Singha beer or a refreshing iced green tea, which helps neutralize the spiciness.
• Add a light cucumber and tomato salad with a tangy lime dressing to provide a fresh, cool contrast to the rich, intense beef mixture.
• Include quick-pickled vegetables like daikon radish or green chili peppers to cut through the meat's richness and add a zesty, acidic dimension to the meal.

Thai Basil Beef: Answers to Your Questions

• What is the key flavor in Thai Basil Beef?

Thai holy basil provides the signature aromatic and slightly spicy taste that makes this dish uniquely delicious. The herb gives a peppery, intense flavor that distinguishes Pad Kra Pao from other stir-fry dishes.

• Is this dish spicy?

Yes, traditional Thai Basil Beef is quite spicy. The recipe typically includes Thai bird’s eye chilies, which add significant heat. You can adjust the number of chilies to control the spice level according to your personal preference.

• What type of beef works best for this recipe?

Ground beef is the most common choice for Pad Kra Pao, as it absorbs flavors quickly and cooks fast. However, you can also use thinly sliced beef sirloin or beef strips for a different texture.

• Can I substitute Thai holy basil if I can't find it?

If Thai holy basil is unavailable, you can use Thai sweet basil or regular Italian basil. While the flavor won’t be exactly the same, these alternatives will still provide a fresh, herbal note to the dish.

Ways to Reinvent Thai Basil Beef

• Vegetarian Swap: Replace beef with firm tofu or tempeh, pressing and crumbling it for a meaty texture that absorbs the rich Thai sauce perfectly.
• Gluten-Free Option: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and ensure all sauces are certified gluten-free, maintaining the authentic flavor profile while accommodating dietary needs.
• Low-Carb Adaptation: Substitute brown sugar with a low-carb sweetener like monk fruit and serve over cauliflower rice instead of traditional jasmine rice for a keto-friendly version.
• Spicy Protein Alternative: Try ground chicken or turkey as lean protein substitutes that will beautifully soak up the fragrant Thai basil sauce and provide similar quick-cooking convenience.

Thai Basil Beef (Pad Kra Pao) Recipe

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4.9 from 18 reviews

• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Spicy Thai basil beef (pad kra pao) delivers explosive flavors straight from Bangkok’s bustling street kitchens. Fragrant herbs, sizzling meat, and bold seasonings create a quick meal that whisks you through Thailand’s culinary landscape with each delicious bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Protein:

• 1 (450g) ground beef (or thinly sliced flank steak)

Vegetables and Aromatics:

• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 Thai red chilies (sliced, adjust for spice level)
• ½ small onion (sliced, optional for sweetness)
• 1 red bell pepper (sliced, optional for color & crunch)
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves (or regular basil if unavailable)

Sauces and Seasonings:

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (light or low-sodium preferred)
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (adds umami, but optional)
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (for deep color, optional)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey (balances the flavors)
• ¼ cup water or beef broth
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or sesame oil)

Serving Suggestions:

• Steamed jasmine rice
• Fried eggs (optional but traditional!)
• Extra Thai basil & red chilies (for garnish, optional)

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Instructions

1. Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and water in a small vessel, whisking thoroughly to create a harmonious flavor profile.
2. Let the sauce mixture rest while preparing other ingredients, allowing the flavors to meld and intensify.
3. Heat a wok or large skillet over high flame, ensuring the cooking surface is scorching hot for optimal searing.
4. Rapidly stir-fry minced beef in the blazing hot pan, breaking it into small, uniform crumbles to achieve a crispy exterior.
5. Push the browned beef to one side of the pan, creating space to sauté chopped garlic and chili peppers until fragrant and slightly golden.
6. Integrate the beef back into the pan with the aromatic garlic and peppers, thoroughly mixing to distribute flavors evenly.
7. Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the beef, allowing it to caramelize and coat each morsel with a glossy, savory glaze.
8. Toss in fresh Thai basil leaves, stirring quickly to prevent wilting while releasing their intense, peppery aroma.
9. Remove from heat immediately, ensuring the basil leaves are just slightly wilted but retain their vibrant green color and robust flavor.
10. Plate the sizzling Thai basil beef over steamed jasmine rice, garnishing with additional fresh basil leaves for a burst of authentic Thai cuisine.

Notes

• Customize heat levels by adjusting the number of Thai chilies, ranging from mild to extremely spicy for adventurous palates.
• Select fresh Thai basil leaves for authentic flavor, ensuring they’re vibrant green and fragrant before adding to the dish.
• Achieve restaurant-style wok hei (smoky flavor) by using high heat and quickly stir-frying ingredients to prevent overcooking the meat.
• Opt for ground chicken or turkey as lean protein alternatives that work perfectly with the same bold seasonings.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: Thai

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 450
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 800mg
• Fat: 25g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12g
• Trans Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrates: 30g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 30g
• Cholesterol: 90mg