What Does Thai Food Taste Like?

In this article, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about Thai food.We’ll tell you about the tastes and textures as well as some of the most popular dishes in the U.S., plus some recipes you’re going to want to try.

Save

Let’s get started…

What Does Thai Food Taste Like? 

There are so many different types of Thai dishes that you could spend quite a long time trying to get a feel for all the diversity.But to make things simpler, we’ll tell you what some of the primary flavors are in Thai cooking.

Thai cuisine is known for being fresh-tasting, spicy, tart and sweet.Not all Thai dishes will have these flavors together, but they’re often combined to create a well-rounded, pleasing experience.

Some of the most prominent flavors in Thai food include Thai basil, lime, coconut milk, cilantro, lemongrass, ginger and garlic.Peanuts and cashews are commonly added to many dishes as well.

Related Article: What Does Thai Basil Taste Like?

Thai Food Textures 

Thai food may be creamy, chewy, crunchy and soupy.Rice, rice noodles and confections made from rice are big components of the Thai diet, so cooked, chewy and sticky rice textures are typical features. 

Crunch is another important texture in Thai cooking, as in the crunch of fresh vegetables and nuts.Salads, soups and curries are some of the staples of Thai cuisine, which may include crisp vegetables, creamy liquids and soft cooked eggs and meats (which are clearly not vegan, but tofu often replaces these in restaurants).

Read Also: What Does Thyme Taste Like?

What Does Thai Food Consist Of? 

Pad Thai is arguably one of the most well-known Thai dishes in the U.S.It’s a dish made with rice noodles, veggies, bean sprouts and cilantro (and sometimes tofu, meat or seafood) and a tangy-sweet sauce with tamarind, lime, sugar and fish sauce.

As you can see, pad Thai is not typically vegan, but making it vegan at a restaurant can be as easy as asking for tofu and no fish sauce or egg.

Other popular Thai foods include coconut milk curries, clear, brothy soups, stir-fried vegetables, fried rices and green papaya salads.This is by no means an exhaustive list of Thai foods—just some of the more recognizable ones in the U.S. 

Recommended Article: What Does Tofu Taste Like?

Is Thai Food Spicy? 

Thai food is indeed known for its heat among other flavors as chili peppers are a big part of the cuisine.But that doesn’t mean you can’t turn it down in your own cooking or ask for milder spice when you’re eating out.

If you don’t ask for milder spice, chances are pretty good that something you order off a Thai menu is going to be spicy.However, the heat level is often listed.If not, you can always ask.

Further Reading: What Does Tofurkey Taste Like?

Thai Food Recipe Tips 

So many Thai recipes are easily made vegan.To show you how it’s done, we’ve linked a couple of videos with step-by-step instructions.

In this video, the chef introduces us to a vegan version of a dish that’s very close to pad Thai.This recipe for pad mee korat hails from northeast Thailand. 

Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe (skip the eggs she mentions):

• Rice noodles
• Vegan tao jiew (fermented soybean paste) or miso
• Tamarind
• Chili flakes
• Shiitake mushrooms
• Bean sprouts
• Garlic chives or green onions
• Tofu
• Garlic
• Shallots
• Palm sugar (or any sugar)

This is a recipe for Thai green curry, vegan-style.Green curries are often milder than red curries, but you can adjust the spice level to your taste.

Here are all the ingredients:

• Tofu
• Coconut milk
• Green curry paste
• Cooking oil
• Bell pepper
• Carrot
• Broccoli
• Scallions
• Sugar
• Lemon juice
• Roasted cashews
• Fresh basil

Press tofu first to remove excess moisture. This can help make the tofu more flavor-rich and improve the texture. Take a look at our top picks for the best tofu press options if you’re looking to buy one.

Wrap Up 

Thai foods have bold, fresh flavors and balance spicy, sweet, tangy and savory tastes.Many dishes are not vegan, even if they don’t appear to contain meat, seafood or eggs.This is because fish sauce is a common ingredient in Thai cooking.You can ask to have it (and eggs) left out of your pad Thai at a restaurant, or you can make an incredibly delicious vegan pad Thai at home.It’ll become part of your comfort food routine.

Related Article: What Does Turkish Coffee Taste Like?

Joey Bruno

Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!