What to eat in Thailand: 10 delicious Thai dishes to try absolutely

It is difficult to know what to eat in Thailand when you don't know Thai cuisine, here are 10 delicious dishes not to be missed.

All the dishes on this list can be easily found in most regions, they are very popular dishes.

A trip to Thailand, is also an opportunity to discover a delicious and very healthy cuisine, provided you don't over you don't abuse fried dishes.

The way for many to lose weight without depriving themselves, because the food is healthier, less refined and often mixed with aromatic and medicinal plants.

1. Thai fried rice, khao pat (ข้าวผัด)

It's stir-fried rice with vegetables and meat of your choice (see here), generally served with a small bowl of fish sauce and half a lemon for seasoning.

See the recipe for Thai Fried Rice.

2. Thai-style stir-fried noodles, Pad Thai (ผัดไทย)

Pad Thai is stir-fried noodles with bean sprouts, tofu, crushed peanuts, eggs and generally shrimp.

See the Pad Thai recipe.

3. Chicken with ginger sauce: Khao man Kai (ข้าวมันไก่)

Khao man kai is rice cooked in chicken broth and served with pieces of white chicken.

The dish is accompanied by a delicious ginger sauce and a bowl of broth.

4. Basil stir-fry: Pat krapao (ผัดกระเพรา)

Basil stir-fry is meat (pork, chicken…) or tofu, stir-fried in oyster sauce and with a good handful of sacred basil leaves.

It's a delicious, hearty dish that gives you energy.

It's generally spicy, but you can ask for it not to be spicy: "may paette".

See the basil stir-fry recipe

5. Stir-fried noodles with soy sauce, pat see you: ผัด຋ีอิ๊ว

Pad See You is wide rice noodles stir-fried with soy sauce. Generally, it's served with chicken.

A light dish that Thais like to sprinkle with a spoonful of powdered sugar, giving them a sweet taste of French crepes.

See the recipe for stir-fried rice noodles with soy sauce: Pad See you

6. Spicy papaya salad: Som Tam (ส้มตำ)

Warning, this dish is reserved for thrill-seekers, it's a dish that is eaten very spicy!

It's a green papaya salad cut into thin strips and pounded with, among other things: fish sauce, mini tomatoes, lemon, peanuts, and very hot small peppers.

This salad exists in several versions (see here) it can also be made with grapefruit, noni or mango, and it can be accompanied by fermented crabs or fish.

See the Som Tam recipe

7. Red curry, Kaeng phed (แกงเผ็ด)

A dish also reserved for chili lovers, I've seen travelers, red-faced and with tears in their eyes, tell me “it's too good, but it's too strong ».

Kaeng phed means spicy curry, it's often prepared with chicken or pork.

See the recipe for red Curry chicken

8. Mango Sticky Rice, Khao niao ma mouang (ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง)

Mango sticky rice with coconut milk is a delicious Thai dish or dessert.

See the recipe for mango sticky rice

9. Coconut Chicken Soup with Lemongrass, Tom Kha Kai (ต้มข่าไก่)

It's a delicious Thai soup with a very lemony flavor, with galangal root and kaffir lime leaves well cooked in coconut milk.

See the Tom Kha Kai recipe

10. Spicy Shrimp and Lemongrass Soup: Tom Yam Kung (ต้มยำกุ้ง)

Tom Yam Kung (or Koung) is a spicy soup with incredible flavors, made with aromatic plants such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal root…

See the Tom Yam Kung recipe

What to Eat in Thailand, Go Further

To see all our recipes:
Category: Thai cuisine

To recognize and know how to order Thai dishes:

Recognizing Thai dishes and ordering them in Thai at a restaurant

Desserts: 8 Thai desserts consumed during the New Year