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Thai food is beloved worldwide for its complex balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors. The cuisine makes use of fresh herbs and spices to create dishes that are fragrant, colorful, and packed with intense taste. From fiery curries to cooling noodle soups, Thai food offers an exciting culinary adventure for all the senses.

While many fantastic restaurants are serving authentic Thai dishes, it’s also easy to cook delicious Thai food at home. Home cooks can whip up restaurant-worthy meals with a well-stocked pantry of Thai staples like fish sauce, coconut milk, lemongrass, and chilies. The key is finding high-quality ingredients and understanding how to blend the four flavors – sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. Once you get the balance right, you’ll be hooked on the vibrant, addictive taste of Thai cuisine.

So, here are ten must-try Thai dishes perfect for cooking at home. From classics like pad thai and tom yum soup to lesser-known curries and salads, these recipes will give you a taste of authentic Thai flavors. Best of all, most of the ingredients can be found at major grocery stores or easily purchased online. 

1. Thai Yellow Curry

A staple in Thai restaurants worldwide, yellow curry features a sauce made from coconut milk, curry powder, and aromatics like lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Chicken or beef are commonly paired with potatoes and onions in this curry, whereas turmeric and cumin give it the signature golden hue. If you’re looking for a faster method to make this dish without compromising flavor, learn how to make Thai yellow curry in an instant pot. This method reduces the cooking time and retains the authentic taste. 

You can serve the Thai yellow curry with steamed jasmine rice.

2. Tom Yum Soup

This hot and sour Thai soup is an explosion of tangy, spicy, and aromatic flavors. It typically contains shrimp, mushrooms, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce and chilies. 

The broth gets its trademark sourness from lime juice and tom yum paste. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy the addictive sour, salty, and spicy flavors. Tom yum is usually served as an appetizer but also makes a light, refreshing meal.

3. Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)

Crunchy green papaya salad is a Thai street food dish that brilliantly balances the four flavors. Unripe papaya is julienned and combined with tomatoes, long beans, peanuts, chilies, garlic, fish sauce, tamarind, and palm sugar. 

You can use a mortar and pestle to pound the ingredients to release more flavor. The salad is often topped with grilled shrimp or chicken.

4. Pad Thai

The national dish of Thailand, Pad Thai, features stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind pulp, garlic, shallots, dried shrimp, peanuts, and bean sprouts. The dish is often made with chicken, shrimp, or tofu. 

Pad Thai is served with a wedge of lime and can be customized to your taste with chili flakes or sugar. Once you learn how to make restaurant-quality Pad Thai at home, you’ll never stop making it.

5. Massaman Curry

This rich, coconut milk-based curry is a dreamy combination of tender meat, potatoes, onions, peanuts, and spices. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin give it a gentle warmth rather than a lot of heat. Chicken and beef are classic protein choice in Massaman curry, but it also pairs well with tofu or vegetables. 

The complex flavors of Massaman curry develop beautifully when cooked over low heat and slowly. 

6. Tom Kha Gai

This comforting coconut milk soup is infused with the flavors of lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Chicken is the preferred protein choice, but shrimp and tofu also work well. The broth gets its signature spice from chilies and white pepper. 

Tom kha gai is not as sour as Tom yum soup, as it has creamy, savory coconut milk. The flavors mingle and build beautifully the longer it simmers. 

7. Som Tam with Gai Yang

This meal pairs two popular Thai street foods – green papaya salad and grilled chicken. The som tam provides a crunchy, tangy counterpoint to the savory, char-grilled chicken. Known as gai yang, the chicken is marinated in fish sauce, garlic, coriander, and black pepper before being grilled. 

The combination of the spicy, sour salad and juicy grilled meat is hard to beat. You can also swap out the chicken for grilled shrimp, pork, or beef.

8. Khao Soi

Hailing from Northern Thailand, this curry noodle soup combines coconut milk with regional spices like turmeric, coriander, and ginger. Egg noodles are topped with crispy fried noodles, red onion, lime, and pickled mustard greens. 

While chicken is the most popular protein, khao soi is also made with beef or tofu. The broth is mildly spicy and rich from the coconut milk. It’s a comforting, nourishing meal for any season.

9. Mango Sticky Rice

The perfect Thai dessert, mango sticky rice combines fresh, ripe mango with sweetened sticky rice and creamy coconut milk. The sticky rice is steamed until tender and mixed with coconut milk, sugar, and a pinch of salt. 

Slices of sweet mango contrast beautifully with the coconut-y rice. Top with toasted sesame seeds or coconut flakes. Enjoy this refreshing dessert after a spicy Thai meal.

10. Thai Iced Tea

No Thai meal is complete without a glass of Thai iced tea made with strongly brewed black tea, milk, and sugar. The tea is mixed with crushed tamarind to lend a hint of sourness. Condensed milk adds sweetness and gives the drink its signature orange hue. 

Thai iced tea can be enjoyed individually as a cooling refreshment or with dessert. Keep a batch in your fridge on hot days for an instant pick-me-up.

Conclusion

With its artful blend of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors, each of these Thai dishes delivers a burst of aromatic tastes and textures. You can easily recreate authentic Thai food at home by stocking a few key ingredients and mastering basic cooking techniques. Start by sampling some of the classic dishes highlighted here to introduce your family to the vibrant flavors.