Pad Kra Pao or Thai Basil Beef is a simple to make stir fry made with lean ground beef, fragrant Thai basil, and spicy peppers. It’s a popular Thai restaurant dish, but with this easy recipe you’ll be able to recreate it at home any time you like!
This easy ground beef stir fry with Thai basil is a simple, inexpensive, and delicious way to experience Thai cuisine at home!
Pad Kra Pao (or Pad Krapow) is a very popular street food offering in Thailand, and is known for its tender ground meat (pork, beef, chicken, or tofu) that is stir fried with holy basil, garlic, and chilies in a savory sauce. It’s typically served over rice, and often with a fried egg on top.
Just like Pad Thai, Thai Basil Chicken, and Mango Sticky Rice, Pad Kra Pao is one of those tasty Thai dishes that you can find in almost any Thai food restaurant. If you’ve never ordered it before, now is the perfect time to try this amazing Thai Beef Stir Fry.
Why You’ll Love This Thai Beef Recipe
- One Pan – You can cook this stir fry recipe in a Wok if you like, but I find it easier to make in a large skillet. The whole dish is cooked in this one pan, so clean up will be super easy tonight.
- Traditional Flavors – Ground meat stir fry with Thai basil is a very popular dish in Thailand. While it might be made most often with ground pork, it’s just as tasty made with ground beef, too!
- 30 Minute Meal – Take your time to prep and chop all of the ingredients before you start cooking. Once you start adding things to the pan, you’ll have dinner ready in just 20 minutes.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this Thai ground beef stir fry:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Ground Beef: For flavor, I prefer to use lean ground beef in this recipe. You can also use ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey. If you do decide to use leaner meat for this dish, you’ll want to cook it in a bit of oil to keep it from sticking to the pan.
- Thai Basil: For this recipe, it’s important to use Thai basil rather than Italian basil. While they are similar, they are not the same. You can identify Thai basil by its purple leaves. In Thailand, this dish is typically made with holy basil, but that isn’t so easy to find outside of the country.
- Red Chili Peppers: These little red peppers add a punch of heat to this recipe. If you prefer the dish to be milder, reduce the amount. Look for Thai Chilis, or another spicy type such as serrano.
- Red Bell Peppers: These add color and warmth. Be sure to dice them small so that they cook quickly in the pan.
- Green Onions: Slice the white part of the spring onions for the stir fry, and use the green tops as a garnish.
- Brown Sugar: Sugar helps to balance the salty and spicy flavors in the recipe. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Garlic: There are 5 whole cloves of garlic in this recipe! Mince the garlic finely.
- Seasonings: This Thai dish is seasoned with some classic Asian seasonings, including toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, and soy sauce. A chicken bouillon cube also adds a salty, savory flavor. You should be able to find all of these ingredients at your local supermarket. In place of fish sauce, oyster sauce is also a delicious substitute.
- Toppings: Once the stir fry is finished, serve it in bowls over rice topped with crushed peanuts, sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and fresh lime wedges.
How To Make Pad Kra Pao with Ground Beef
- Cook the Meat: Heat your skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the ground beef with brown sugar and black pepper. Once the beef starts to brown, drain any excess liquid.
- Add Veggies: Add the bell pepper, green onion, garlic, and minced Thai chili peppers to the pan with the meat. Saute until the beef has browned nicely and the vegetables are tender.
- Then Season and Simmer: Now add water, a bouillon cube, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil to the pan with the meat mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Wilt the Thai Basil: Finally, stir in the sliced Thai basil until it’s wilted.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve your Thai beef stir fry over white or jasmine rice with some lime wedges, crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, chopped green onion, and extra basil and red chilis if you like.
Tip!
Stir fries like this one come together very quickly once you start adding ingredients to the pan. Be sure that you’ve chopped and measured everything before you begin so you aren’t pausing to do so once the flame is on!
Thai Beef and Basil Stir Fry Recipe Tips
- Adjust the spice level with the Thai chilies. Use two if you like it spicy, or just one for a milder dish. For a kid-friendly, very mild option, you can skip the chilies altogether. Serve with Thai red chili sauce or sriracha on the side.
- Servings: This recipe makes 3-4 servings, depending on how hungry you are! If you’re cooking for a larger group, consider doubling the recipe and using a slightly larger skillet.
- Try it with an egg: It’s very common in Thailand to serve this dish with a crispy fried egg with a runny yolk on top!
Storing Tips
Keep any stir-fry leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
This recipe is wonderful for meal-prepping lunches. Swap the rice for cauliflower rice to keep it lower in calories and carbs.
What To Serve With Thai Beef Stir Fry
With rice, this meal is ready to go and will make a fantastic and filling dinner.
But, if you’d like to add some additional dishes to the table, try some of my other Asian-inspired sides.
My Instant Pot Fried Rice is better than takeout and simple to make at home.
You’ll also love making homemade Cream Cheese Rangoons, Chinese Scallion Pancakes, and Japanese Spicy Kani Salad.
Recipe FAQs
Is Pad Kra Pao made with pork or beef?
Technically, when made with beef, this dish is often referred to as “pad gra pao” or “pad graprao”. However, “pad kra pao” or “pad krapow” can be used to describe any stir fry dish with Thai basil.
What does Pad Kra Pao Taste Like?
This classic Thai stir fry tastes amazing! It’s meaty, savory, and spicy, with plenty of umami notes as well.
Can I make a vegetarian version of this recipe?
Sure! Replace the beef with a vegan ground meat product, or try it with sauteed mushrooms or firm tofu instead.
How do I make stir fry in a skillet?
I almost never cook with a wok. This Thai beef stir fry is simple to make in a large skillet instead.
This rich, spicy, umami Thai Beef Stir Fry is going to be a hit on your dinner table, and you’ll save tons of money on takeout! Make sure to pin the recipe to save it for later, too.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Thai Beef Stir Fry (Pad Kra Pao)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) ground beef 80/20
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar light or dark
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 red bell pepper minced
- 3 large green onions white parts, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 Thai red chili peppers
- 1 ⅓ cups (320 ml) water
- 1 ½ tablespoons (22 ml) fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 ¼ cups fresh Thai basil leaves sliced
For serving:
- sesame seeds
- lime wedges
- crushed peanuts
- green onion tops
- Thai basil
- Thai chili peppers
Instructions
- In a 12-inch (30 cm) pan over medium-high heat, begin cooking the ground beef with the brown sugar and black pepper. Once the beef begins to brown, drain some of the liquid from the pan if there is an excess.
- Add the minced bell pepper, green onion whites, minced garlic, and minced Thai chili peppers. Saute with the beef until the beef has browned nicely and the vegetables have cooked through.
- Add the water, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chicken bouillon cube. Mix well, and let simmer for 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced down by half.
- Add the sliced Thai basil, cook until wilted, then serve over rice with fresh lime wedges, crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, chopped green onion tops, and additional Thai basil and Thai red chilis as desired.
Notes:
- Adjust the spice level with the Thai chilies. Use two (or more) if you like it spicy, or just one or half of one for a milder dish.
- Servings: This recipe makes 3-4 servings, depending on how hungry you are! If you’re cooking for a larger group, consider doubling the recipe and using a slightly larger skillet.
- Try it with an egg: It’s very common in Thailand to serve this dish with a crispy fried egg on top!
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Leave a Review!