Spicy Thai Shrimp Noodles Recipe

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This Thai Shrimp Noodles Recipe is a blend of juicy shrimp, chewy rice noodles, and a perfect mix of Thai spices.

Ideal for weeknight dinners, it’s quick, easy, and packed with flavor. From the creamy coconut milk to the fresh zestiness of lime, every ingredient adds to its allure, making it a dish that’s hard to resist!

Ready in just 35 minutes, it’s the perfect mix of convenience and flavor. Whether you’re a seasoned Thai cuisine lover or trying it for the first time, this recipe is bound to become a new favorite.

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While you may prefer to skip to the recipe card, we suggest reading the entire blog post to avoid missing valuable tips and substitution suggestions and to ensure you have the necessary ingredients, equipment, and understanding of the steps and timings.

Thai Shrimp Noodles Recipe

Thai food is known for its use of fresh ingredients and aromatic flavorings like galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and chilies, as well as flavorings like shrimp paste, and fish sauce. Palm sugar is used to sweeten dishes, while lime and tamarind paste add sourness.

But don’t panic if this is your first foray into Thai cuisine, as we have kept the ingredient list for this noodle dish pretty simple; you should be able to get all of them quite easily in a grocery store.

In this delicious recipe, fresh veggies and shrimp are stir-fried with aromatics, including garlic, onion, red chilies, and red curry paste*. 

The crispy vegetables and tender shrimp are combined with a creamy coconut sauce, cooked rice noodles, cilantro, and freshly squeezed lime. And then finished with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, and sliced green onions.

The end result is packed with flavor and is an easy dinner to serve any night of the week!  

​What Is Red Curry Paste?

*Red curry paste is a versatile and spicy ingredient that is often used in Thai recipes. For convenience, it can be bought ready-made (check the Asian food aisle) or made from scratch. It is the spiciest of the Thai curry pastes, which also include yellow and green.

Actual ingredients in the curry paste will vary from brand to brand, but they typically include red chili peppers, garlic, salt, lemongrass, turmeric, and lime.

Of course, we use it in this Thai shrimp noodles recipe, but it can also be used to make quick and simple curries with chicken or fish, with vegetables like snap peas, baby corn and bean sprouts.

For more dishes to make when you can’t get to your favourite Thai restaurant, why not make our Fragrant Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup or Vegetarian Pad Thai Recipe?

Or try this Slow Cooker Green Thai Curry from our friends at Daisies and Pie or this Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe from The Woks of Life.

How To Make Thai Shrimp Noodles

If you want the quick printable recipe card, scroll to the bottom of this post to print it out. But for all the tips, keep reading!

Number of Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Additional Time: n/a
Total Time: 35 minutes

Step 1 – Gather Your Ingredients

The ingredients and tools in this recipe are conveniently linked to online retailers like Amazon or Amazon Fresh.

• Fresh Produce – Green Onions (Spring Onion/Scallions), Garlic, Carrots, Red Bell Pepper, Red Jalapeño Pepper, Ginger, Cilantro (Fresh Coriander), Limes.
• Protein – Raw Shrimp.
• Chilled & Dairy –
• Pantry – Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Black Pepper
• Rice Noodles – You want thick rice noodles for this recipe. They are sometimes called Pad Thai Noodles or Rice Sticks.
• Groundnut Oil – Also known as peanut oil, and used for stir-frying vegetables and shrimp in this recipe.
  • If allergies are a concern for you, or you can’t source this oil (another common ingredient used in Asian cuisine), you can use another type of neutral oil, such as canola, sunflower, or vegetable oil.
• Sesame Oil – This is used to flavor the rice noodles.
• Red Curry Paste – Try Asian grocery stores if you can’t find this in your local store.
• Full-fat Coconut Milk
• Vegetable Stock/Broth or Chicken Broth/Stock
• Black Sesame Seeds – Use regular sesame seeds instead if you can’t find black ones.
• Roasted Peanuts

The complete list of ingredients with measurements is on the recipe card at the end of this post.

Spice Level!

This spicy shrimp noodle bowl offers a moderate heat level. Red jalapeño peppers, typically hotter than green ones, can be chosen based on personal preference and what’s available locally. Adjust the pepper and curry paste quantities to tailor the spiciness to your liking.

Step 2 – Kitchen Tools

• Sharp Knife
• Chopping/Cutting Board
• Medium Saucepan
• Strainer or Colander
• Large Wok – You can use a Large Nonstick Skillet or Frying Pan.
• Cooking Utensils

The Purple Pumpkin Blog uses both cups and weighted measurements in its recipes, making American cups and kitchen food scales valuable tools for trying all the recipes. We provide US customary, imperial, and metric measurements. Still, it’s important to note that while you can combine cup measurements with weighted measures, never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.).

Prepare the rice noodles according to package directions. Do not overcook as they are cooked again with the rest of the dish. Drain, rinse in cold water, toss in the sesame oil, and set aside.

Step 4 – Cook Aromatics

Meanwhile, heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, then add one tablespoon of groundnut oil. When the oil is hot, add the white parts of the green onion and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

TIP! Be careful not to burn the garlic, as it will give a bitter taste to your finished dish.

Step 5 – Cook Shrimp

Add the shrimp to the wok and season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired. Stir fry for 2 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through and changes color. Do not overcook.

Transfer the shrimp and the onion-garlic mixture to a rimmed plate and set aside.

Step 6 – Cook Vegetables

Reheat the wok if required and add the other tablespoon of groundnut oil to it. Add the carrots, red bell pepper, and red jalapeño pepper and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the minced ginger and curry paste and continue stir-frying the mixture for another 1-2 minutes.

Step 7 – Add Liquids

Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the coconut milk and broth. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Step 8 – Add Cooked Noodles and Shrimp

Remove the wok from the heat and add the cooked rice noodles, shrimp and onion mixture, and the chopped cilantro to the skillet.

Add the fresh lime juice and stir to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.

Cover and set aside for 5 minutes or until most of the excess liquid is absorbed.

Step 9 – Garnish and Serve

To serve, transfer the shrimp noodles to individual serving bowls and top each serving with some sliced green onion, black sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges for squeezing. Enjoy!

Storing Leftovers & Freezing

• Storing Leftovers:
  • Cool (within 1-2 hours), transfer to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for 1-2 days.
  • Reheat until piping hot throughout.
• Freezing Instructions:
  • Not suitable for freezing.
• With all leftovers, ensure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.
• Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart for Cooking
• You can always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Standards Agency (UK) | Food Safety (USA).

Printable Thai Shrimp Noodles Recipe Card

Below is the printable recipe card. To save ink, any demonstration photos on the recipe card are not printed out.

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More Shrimp Recipes

Want to make more dishes with shrimp? Check out these recipes next:

• Crispy Deep Fried Chinese Five Spice Shrimp Recipe
• Garlic Parmesan Shrimp with Roasted Garlic Dip
• Lemony Prawn Risotto

Look here for more: Shrimp Recipes

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