Best Thai recipes

Sweet, salty, sour and spicy, Thai food hits all the right notes and then some. There are fragrant soups and Thai curries to savour, and noodles swimming in broth or stir-fried with a touch of heat. You’ll recognise some classics such as chicken green curry and papaya salad, but have a crack at other less-familiar (but equally delicious) choices like stir-fried angle gourd or sour orange curries. You won’t regret it.

Here are our best Thai recipes.

Stir-fried beef and gai lan with rice noodles

Stir-fried beef and gai lan with rice noodles

Chicken stir-fried with holy basil and chilli

Chicken stir-fried with holy basil and chilli

Fast pad Thai

Fast pad Thai

Snapper curry with green beans and coriander

Snapper curry with green beans and coriander

Green curry of chicken — Photo: Kara Rosenlund

Palisa Anderson’s gaeng keow wan gai (Thai green chicken curry)

Palisa Anderson’s gaeng keow wan gai (Thai green chicken curry)

Sunda’s Thai-style chicken larb

Sunda’s Thai-style chicken larb

A whole steamed snapper on a black plate, garnished with sliced limes, crushed chillies and coriander sprigs. — Photo: Elise Hassey

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson’s bpla neung manow (steamed fish with spicy chilli and lime dressing)

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson’s bpla neung manow (steamed fish with spicy chilli and lime dressing)

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson’s kor mhu yaang with nahm jim jaew (grilled pork neck with smoked chilli sauce)

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson’s kor mhu yaang with nahm jim jaew (grilled pork neck with smoked chilli sauce)

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderon’s choo chee pumpkin

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderon’s choo chee pumpkin

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson’s padt pedt gai (stir-fried spicy chicken wings and bamboo shoots)

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson’s padt pedt gai (stir-fried spicy chicken wings and bamboo shoots)

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson’s padt cha bpla (stir-fried fish with holy basil, wild ginger and green peppercorns)

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson’s padt cha bpla (stir-fried fish with holy basil, wild ginger and green peppercorns)

How to make larb gai

Larb gai

Martin Boetz’s khao soi

Martin Boetz’s khao soi

Chiang Mai chicken curry

Chiang Mai chicken curry

Khao pad naem

Khao pad naem

Pineapple and dried prawns with kanom jin noodles (Kanom jin sao nahm)

Pineapple and dried prawns with kanom jin noodles (Kanom jin sao nahm)

Beef and potato Massaman curry

Beef and potato Massaman curry

Grilled chicken wings with nahm jim

Grilled chicken wings with nahm jim

Crisp barramundi fillets with roasted chilli, mint and coriander

Crisp barramundi fillets with roasted chilli, mint and coriander

Stir-fry of young angled gourd and tendrils

Stir-fry of young angled gourd and tendrils

Seared beef and green papaya salad

Seared beef and green papaya salad

Hor mok

Hor mok

Sour orange fish curry (gaeng som)

Sour orange fish curry (gaeng som)

Grilled eggplant salad with prawns

Grilled eggplant salad with prawns

David Thompson’s stir-fried Siamese watercress

David Thompson’s stir-fried Siamese watercress

Kanom jeen nahm yaa gai (noodles with fish curry and shredded chicken)

Kanom jeen nahm yaa gai (noodles with fish curry and shredded chicken)

Red duck curry

Red duck curry

Betel leaves with accoutrements (mieng kham)

Betel leaves with accoutrements (mieng kham)

Crab, coconut and kaffir lime on betel leaves

Crab, coconut and kaffir lime on betel leaves

Muu yang with nahm jim jaew (barbecued pork with chilli dipping sauce)

Muu yang with nahm jim jaew (barbecued pork with chilli dipping sauce)

Pork neck, snake bean and peppercorn curry

Pork neck, snake bean and peppercorn curry

Fragrant chicken and coconut soup (Tom kha gai)

Fragrant chicken and coconut soup (Tom kha gai)

Ma hor (Galloping horses)

Ma hor (Galloping horses)

Mussel, clam and chilli jam salad

Mussel, clam and chilli jam salad

Stir-fried minced beef with chillies and holy basil (Neua pat bai grapao)

Stir-fried minced beef with chillies and holy basil (Neua pat bai grapao)

Crisp snapper and snake bean salad with Thai basil, soy and ginger

Chicken and prawn salad with caramelised coconut and lime

Chicken and prawn salad with caramelised coconut and lime

Red curry of beef with green peppercorns, wild ginger and holy basil

Red curry of beef with green peppercorns, wild ginger and holy basil

Charred rice noodles and chicken with thickened “gravy” (Raat nar gai)

Charred rice noodles and chicken with thickened “gravy” (Raat nar gai)

Pork pad kra pao with fried egg

Pork pad kra pao with fried egg

David Thompson’s prawns baked with vermicelli

David Thompson’s prawns baked with vermicelli

Larb ped (minced duck salad)

Larb ped (minced duck salad)

David Thompson’s green papaya salad

David Thompson’s green papaya salad

Pad Thai

Pad Thai

Prawn and pineapple tom yum with rice noodles

Prawn and pineapple tom yum with rice noodles

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson’s bua loy (warm coconut cream pudding with taro dumplings)

Amy Chanta and Palisa Anderson’s bua loy (warm coconut cream pudding with taro dumplings)

David Thompson’s grilled sticky rice with banana paste

David Thompson’s grilled sticky rice with banana paste

Coconut jellies with banana and coconut sugar caramel

Coconut jellies with banana and coconut sugar caramel

Pandan, tapioca and young coconut pudding

Pandan, tapioca and young coconut pudding

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.