What type of noodle is used in Pad Thai?

Flat rice noodles are used in Pad Thai. The noodles are typically medium-width rice noodles, often called sen lek in Thai, rather than wheat-based noodles or thin rice vermicelli.

Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle dish in which the softened rice noodles absorb a sauce commonly built from tamarind, fish sauce, sugar, and sometimes lime. Eggs, tofu, shrimp, bean sprouts, and Chinese chives are frequent additions, though recipes vary by region, restaurant, and dietary preference.

The noodles reflect Pad Thai’s Chinese influence: noodle cookery reached Thailand through Chinese communities and trade, while the modern dish developed its distinctly Thai sweet-sour-salty flavor profile in the 20th century. During World War II-era shortages, the Thai government also promoted noodles as a way to reduce rice consumption.

A common mix-up is confusing Pad Thai noodles with rice vermicelli. Vermicelli is much thinner; Pad Thai’s broader, flatter strands are better suited to stir-frying and holding the sauce. Egg noodles belong to other Thai noodle dishes, including several Chinese-influenced soups.