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Once you make this easy, one pan Thai basil pork recipe, you’ll want to add it to the weekly dinner rotation! It’s ready in just 20 minutes and pairs well with coconut jasmine rice, sticky rice or rice noodles. Add a fried egg on top for extra protein!
Classic Thai cuisine is a favorite in our house. We just love the fragrant, spicy, umami packed flavors in dishes like this fresh Thai shrimp salad, tangy tom yum noodles, and this rich red duck curry!
We often make Thai basil stir fry (or pork pad kra pao or pad krapow) as it’s easy to pull together served with white rice for an restaurant quality meal. It’s usually made with ground pork, but you can also use ground beef or chicken in a pinch.
Using fast cooking ground pork is what makes this dish so quick and easy to prepare. And the spicy and flavorful stir fry sauce includes ingredients you probably already have on hand in your fridge and pantry!
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Why this Thai basil pork stir-fry works
- This Thai pork and basil stir-fry is easy to prepare and can be ready in just 20 minutes - perfect for busy nights, and definitely better than takeout!
- If you don’t have ground pork, you can easily substitute any ground meat like ground beef, chicken or turkey.
- The stir-fry sauce comes together quickly and is super flavorful. You can control the spice level by adjusting the amount of Thai chilies used!
- Leftovers store well, so this ground pork stir fry is great for meal prep. Pack it in individually sized containers in the fridge or freezer and reheat for easy meals!
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What is pad kra pao pork?
This authentic pad kra pao recipe (also known as holy basil stir-fry) is a popular and spicy Thai dish that’s typically made with ground pork. In addition to the spicy and flavorful stir fry sauce (often made with soy sauce and oyster sauce), this Thai street food dish is traditionally made with a generous amount of Thai holy basil, which has a spicy, peppery flavor and tastes a little like cloves. It is often served with a bowl of rice on the side.
Since holy basil isn’t always readily available where I live, I used Thai basil or Thai sweet basil in this recipe, which is more commonly used in Thai food in the United States. It can be found at an Asian grocery store.
Ingredients
The following are a few key ingredients for this authentic recipe for Thai basil pork. For the complete list of ingredients, please see the full recipe card below.
You’ll need ground pork (minced pork) for this recipe. I used lean ground pork, but you can also use ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken in a pinch.
We use long beans, cut into 4-inch pieces. Long beans look like green beans, except they’re longer and not as sweet. They’re also called Chinese long beans, asparagus beans or yardlong beans. If you can’t find long beans, you can substitute green beans.
A spicy flavor is added to this dish by including 2-4 minced Thai chilies. Also check out these substitutes for Thai chilies. Adjust the number of chilies based on your spice preference.
Lastly, for the distinct flavor, fresh Thai basil leaves is stirred into the stir fry at the end of cooking, just like in Thai restaurants!
**If you’d like to learn more about Thai ingredients, you can read this post on essential ingredients for Thai cooking.
What is Thai basil?
Thai basil is one of the many varieties of basil. It’s similar to holy basil in that it’s typically used in Thai cuisine, and looks similar to sweet basil, which is the most common variety of basil.
The green leaves on Thai basil, however, are sturdier than the leaves on sweet basil, and the stems are purple. It also has a distinct licorice or anise flavor.
Step by step recipe instructions
Step 5: Remove from heat and stir in the basil until it starts to wilt. Serve with instant pot jasmine rice or steamed coconut jasmine rice. You can even serve it with a sunny side egg on top!
Expert tips to make this Thai basil stir-fry
- If you’re able to find holy basil leaves, feel free to use it in place of Thai basil.
- Be sure to wait until the end to stir in the basil. If it's cooked for too long, it can lose some of its flavor.
- If you don’t have ground pork, you can substitute with lean ground beef, ground chicken or even ground turkey.
- To make sure you have enough room to cook the pork and long beans, use a large skillet or wok.
- For extra spice, add more Thai chilies or crushed red pepper flakes.
- When mincing the chilies, you may want to wear gloves to protect your hands as the seeds can be hot.
Common questions
Absolutely! While this stir fry only takes 20 minutes to prepare, you can definitely make it in advance. Just follow the recipe until it’s time to add the basil. Store the stir fry in the fridge, and when it’s time to eat, reheat it in a skillet and stir in the basil before serving.
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge where they will last for 3-4 days.
Yes, just portion it out into individually-sized freezer-safe containers and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You can reheat this Thai basil stir fry in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop until just warmed through. Be careful not to heat it for too long as the pork may dry out.
More favorite Thai recipes
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Recipe
Thai Basil Pork Stir-Fry (Pad Kra Pao Pork)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 cup long beans cut in 4 inch pieces
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2-4 Thai chilies minced
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- ¼ teaspoon MSG optional
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 2 cups fresh Thai basil leaves torn
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the garlic and shallots for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the long beans and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add the ground pork and cook until pink is almost gone, breaking it up in small pieces as it cooks, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the coconut sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chilies, stock and MSG and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the pork is browned and caramelized.
- Stir in the basil and remove from heat. Serve with jasmine rice.
Expert Tips:
- If you’re able to find holy basil leaves, feel free to use it in place of Thai basil.
- Be sure to wait until the end to stir in the basil. If it's cooked for too long, it can lose some of its flavor.
- If you don’t have ground pork, you can substitute with lean ground beef, ground chicken or even ground turkey.
- To make sure you have enough room to cook the pork and long beans, use a large skillet or wok.
- For extra spice, add more Thai chilies or crushed red pepper flakes.
- When mincing the chilies, you may want to wear gloves to protect your hands as the seeds can be hot.
Nutrition
Mary says
This was soooo good! I loved how easy it was, and it was just like eating in a Thai restaurant. Will definitely be making this again!
Danielle says
I'm so glad you liked it!
Harry says
Why did you Mention pumpkin this as nothing to do With the menu I am a little confused but pad Cropow is amazing to eat I leave the chilli out I just can not eat that but to me it’s still amazing dish to eat
Danielle says
Hi Harry! The pumpkin curry is just a suggestion for another Thai recipe that readers might like. I agree, this dish is such a yummy one!