Transport yourself to the streets of Bangkok in less time than it takes to order a takeaway! Thai basil pork (or pad kra pao) is a popular and wonderfully comforting, fragrant and spicy Thai street food dish. It’s a restaurant quality meal that’s virtually impossible to mess up, and it’s on the table in just 15 minutes!

What’s pad kra pao?

Pad kra pao moo (moo = pork) – also known as pad ga prao, pad ka pow, or even phat kaphrao! – is a classic Thai minced pork and basil stir-fry. A Thai reader once told me that in Thai pad kra pao is ผัดกะเพรา which simply means stir fried basil!

It’s a really common day-to-day dish in Thailand (virtually a national dish!) that you might find at a street food stall or food market.

It’s actually a pretty popular breakfast dish for Thais!

A key ingredient in pad kra pao is a herb called holy basil. This can be hard to get hold of, but don’t worry – you can just use regular basil instead.

A Thai basil stir-fry is usually made with ground pork, but try making it with ground chicken or beef instead. They work just as well!

It’s usually eaten with rice, and often topped with a fried egg (sunny-side up!), which is the way I love to make it!

Well, to be precise there’s an egg for me, and no egg for Mr. Scrummy, who hates eggs on top of anything! 😉

Why you’ll love it

✔ It contains just a few simple ingredients, but it’s intensely aromatic – packed with delicious ‘umami’ (savory) flavors. Every Thai has their own version of this, but I’ve chosen to keep my basil pork recipe as simple as possible without compromising on the flavor.

✔ It’s VERY quick and easy to make in barely 15 minutes (I allow a little time for fishing the various Asian sauces out of the pantry!). So perfect for throwing together on a busy weeknight!

✔ It’s a balanced, comforting and satisfying all-in-one meal. As well as the minced pork, there are nutritious green beans and a delicious protein-packed egg on top. Apart from a generous pile of rice, no need for any side dishes!

About the ingredients

Here’s what you need (just a few ingredients):

For the stir-fry sauce

As well as the basil and chilis, the main (intensely delicious!) flavor in pad ka prao comes from the mixture of soy sauces, fish sauce and oyster sauce, the basil, and the chilis, of course. Here’s what you need to know:

Fish sauce: You might think this smells (and tastes?) disgusting, but trust me when I say you shouldn’t skip it in this dish. It doesn’t taste like fish (promise). It tastes bold, salty and very savory and just adds to the yummy complexity of flavor.

Soy sauce: Any that you already have in the pantry is fine.

Kecap manis (sweet soy sauce): If you can’t find any of this in the supermarket, try a local Asian supermarket. Or you can substitute with more soy sauce plus honey, maple syrup or brown sugar in a ratio of 1 part soy sauce to 2 parts sweetener.

Oyster sauce: You should be able to find this easily at your local store. However, hoysin sauce or even teriyaki sauce make good substitutes!

+ water!

Other ingredients

Lean ground/minced pork: To serve 2 people, you might be surprised that you only need around 200 grams/3.5 ounces of ground meat. Of course you can double the ingredients to serve more people (4 or 5). Also feel free to use ground chicken or beef instead if you prefer. Thai basil chicken and beef are just as good!

It’s even possible to make this with small chopped pieces of pork or chicken thigh or breast!

Basil: For a truly authentic version of this pork and basil stir-fry, you’d use a herb called holy basil. But this is often difficult to find outside of Thailand. Perhaps surprisingly, ordinary Mediterranean basil tastes a little like holy basil, with its subtle hints of pepper, citrus, aniseed and mint.

You may have seen ‘Thai basil‘ in the supermarket as well. This is not the same thing as holy basil or regular basil. You can still use it in this dish if you like, although the flavor profile will be a little different.

Garlic: Crush or chop finely. Use garlic paste instead if you like (1 teaspoon = 1 clove).

Red chilis: I think 3 small chilis (most of seeds scraped out and chopped finely) add just the right of amount of heat to this stir-fry.

Green beans: Not all versions of Thai basil stir fry contain green beans! I never skip them in mine. The little bit of contrasting green color and crunch is really nice.

Rice: For quickness, I usually use one of those microwavable packets. I love coconut flavor or plain jasmine rice. But there are no rules – just use your favorite rice!

How to make it

The step-by-step guide below should help you make the recipe perfectly first time. Scroll down to the end for the full recipe including ingredient amounts.

Step 1: Stir-fry the green beans in a little oil in a medium frying pan or stir-fry pan/wok on a medium-high heat. This will just take a few minutes.

At this point I usually pop a frying pan onto the heat for the eggs, too. If you can get someone else to prepare the eggs for you, even better!

Step 2: Add the chili and garlic.

Step 3: Add the pork and break up with a wooden spoon (or even a potato masher!). Stir-fry until fully cooked. This will only take a few minutes (you don’t want to dry out the meat).

I usually just push the beans to the side while I break up the meat.

Step 4: Add the sauce and let it bubble and soak into the meat for a minute or two.

Step 5: Stir in the basil just until wilted, then serve immediately over rice.

How to serve it

This classic Thai street food dish makes such a great easy midweek meal. Toss it together after the kids have gone to bed. Or go easy on the spice and double the ingredients to make it for the whole family to enjoy.

You might not be brave enough to eat it for breakfast like the Thais, but I think it could make a fabulous weekend brunch with a difference, especially if you have guests.

It’s no effort at all to make this ridiculously easy and delicious Thai basil pork look good.

Serve it simply, over a generous pile of plain white rice. Jasmine rice is nice, or you could experiment with a mildly flavoured rice such as coconut or chili and lime. I won’t tell if you grab one of those supermarket packets that you throw in the microwave at the last minute!

Serve with a little more chopped chili on the side if there’s anyone who enjoys a bit more heat! Lime segments for squeezing over can work well, too, although they aren’t essential.

Fried egg on the top or not? It’s up to you! For me, a crisp, runny egg makes the dish comforting, and balances out the spicy, strong aromatic flavours of the minced pork perfectly.

It turns a really great dish into a truly excellent one. 🙂

More things to know (recipe FAQ)

More 15-minute meals

• 15-minute Shanghai chicken (Mmmm!)
• 15-minute halloumi burgers
• 15-minute creamy pesto chicken with mushrooms and parmesan
• Easy panko chicken with mustard and parmesan

More easy Asian meals (better than a takeaway!)

• Perfect Thai chicken and butternut squash curry (On the table in 40 minutes and makes a TON. We ALWAYS have some of this in our freezer!)
• Easy chicken katsu curry with a super simple curry sauce
• Perfect Mee Goreng (spicy Indonesian noodles) I believe I’ve perfected this recipe!
• chicken satay with rice (delicious!) or spicy Thai peanut chicken (incredibly easy, and perfect for easy entertaining)
• 20-Minute Thai green fish curry (creamy, aromatic, absolutely delicious!)
• Or take a look at all my Asian recipes!