10 Easy Thai Recipes You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

Chicken fried rice, noodles, curries, and more.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Published August 14, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Thai fried rice on a platter at a table setting with a serving of fried rice on a plate, a small plate with Thai basil, a glass of water, and a table napkin

Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

I love the bold, fresh, salty sweet, and umami-forward flavors of Thai cooking, and it’s one of my favorite cuisines to order out. But recently I realized that if I keep just a few pantry ingredients on hand, like a jar of curry paste, some fish sauce, sriracha, rice noodles, and coconut milk—and maybe some fresh basil—I can throw together my own Thai meals in less than the time that it takes to order takeout.

With this in mind, I've pulled together some of my favorite Thai and Thai-inspired recipes that take 30 minutes or less. From fried rice to chewy noodle dishes and fragrant soups and curries, these recipes are quick, easy, delicious, and a great reason for stocking your pantry with some basic ingredients.

  • Easy Pad See Ew

    close-up: pad see ew on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "Typically, pad see ew is made with Chinese broccoli (also known as gai lan), a leafy green vegetable with broad leaves and sturdy stems. If you can't find it, you can use equal parts broccoli or broccolini in its place."—Alexandra Domrongchai, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Beef Krapow

    close up of a bowl of Beef Krapow bowl with a fried egg

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "This recipe calls for Thai basil, which has a minty floral aroma that is very distinctively delicious and iconic to this dish. If you cannot find it at your local Asian supermarket, feel free to use sweet basil since it is more readily available."—Frank Tiu, Recipe Developer

  • Tom Yum Soup

    A bowl of tom yum soup

    Simply Recipes / Aaron Hutcherson

    "This recipe includes lime zest instead of makrut lime leaves and ginger instead of galangal to make it easier to shop. The protein of choice in this recipe is shrimp, but you can use whatever type of seafood you want."—Aaron Hutcherson, Recipe Developer

  • Kai Jeow (Thai Omelet)

    Plate of Kai Jeow (Thai Omelet) with Cucumber Slices, Romaine Leaves, Rice, and a Small Bowl of Sriracha on a Circular Wooden Serving Board and Surrounded by a Table Setting with a Glass of Water, a Table Napkin, a Small Bowl of Slice Scallions and Thai Chili, a Small Bowl of Fish Sauce, and Another Plate of Kai Jeow

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "The must have ingredient in this recipe is fish sauce. Without it, the omelet will not have the burst of umami that this dish is known for. When you purchase fish sauce, look at the ingredients. To ensure that you have great-tasting fish sauce, the ingredient list should only include fish and salt. My favorite brands include Red Boat and Golden Boy."—Lany Phlong, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 10 below

  • Basil Chicken Coconut Curry

    Basil Chicken Coconut Curry

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "We use chicken thigh meat because of the deeper flavor, but you can use chicken breast meat if you prefer."—Elise Bauer, Founder. To complete the curry in 30 minutes, simmer it for only 10 minutes instead of 20.

  • 10-Minute “Pad Kra Pao”

    Plated lettuce cups filled with seasoned ground beef and garnishes

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "You can use other ground meats for this recipe—ground dark meat turkey, chicken, or lean ground pork works well. I’ve made this recipe with roughly chopped shrimp as well, and you can also go meatless with the recipe, substituting crumbled extra firm tofu for the meat. You’ll need to add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to the pan to keep the leaner meats or tofu moving in the pan."—Ivy Manning, Recipe Developer

  • Thai Green Curry

    Thai Green Curry

    Simply Recipes / Elizabeth Stark

    "To keep the time under 30 minutes, substitute 2 heaping tablespoons of store-bought green curry paste for the homemade paste in this recipe."—Elizabeth Stark, Recipe Developer

  • Thai Iced Tea (Cha Yen)

    Glass of Thai Iced Tea (No Milk Added), and in the Background More Glasses of Thai Ice Tea (With Milk Added)

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "If you decide to brew Thai tea by adding your own spices, I recommend using Ceylon tea, which you can find at many Asian specialty stores or on Amazon. I love the natural golden hue that Ceylon tea offers when brewed. If you do not have Ceylon tea, you can use English breakfast or Darjeeling tea."—Lany Phlong, Recipe Developer. To keep the time under 30 minutes, cool the pitcher of brewed tea in a small bowl of ice water.

    Continue to 9 of 10 below

  • Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

    How to Make a Thai Noodle Salad

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Gavin

    "When selecting noodles for the salad, dried rice noodles are my top pick. I used the wider pad Thai style for this recipe. However, thinner rice noodles work great too."—Jessica Gavin, Recipe Developer

  • Thai-Style Chicken Fried Rice

    Thai fried rice on a platter at a table setting with a serving of fried rice on a plate, a small plate with Thai basil, a glass of water, and a table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    "When you need a quick dinner and you need it fast, it’s hard to beat fried rice. A full meal made in a single pan, it’s easy to customize based on what you have on hand. The only must is day-old cold rice."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

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