The Best Thai Basil Beef (Pad Gra Prow)

Scrumptious Thai basil beef ready in under 20 minutes! Tender beef cooked with chili, garlic, and fragrant Thai basil makes this dish incredibly delicious and satisfying. Customize the heat level to your preference.

“Fabulous dish. Super easy and delicious. I doubled the green beans cuz I love stir fried green beans. A winner.”

Brushjl

If you’re unsure what to order at a Thai restaurant, I always recommend Pad Gra Prow, or Thai basil beef. It’s a stir-fried dish featuring tender beef and aromatic Thai basil, perfect for satisfying your beef cravings.

This Thai basil beef recipe is quick and easy to make at home with just a few ingredients, bringing the authentic flavor of Thai cuisine. Even beginners can achieve delicious results. If you don’t have Thai basil, you can use sweet basil without any problem!

In Thailand, basil beef stir-fry is a popular lunch item at street-side restaurants and food courts. Some call it Pad Krapow or Pad Kra Pao. I’ve seen pre-made versions in big trays, with people scooping it over rice at street food courts when I was traveling in Thailand.

One of the great things about this thai beef recipe is that it is so versatile. Not a beef lover? Don’t worry, you can make with chicken or shrimp. If you prefer vegetarian diet, tofu and mushroom combo is a great alternative (in that case, use vegetarian fish sauce).

Not all Thai food is spicy. You can adjust the heat level to your taste. This Thai beef with basil recipe is incredibly flavorful and delicious. Once you try it, you’ll be hooked and make it again and again.

What you’ll need

Thai basil

For an authentic Thai-style basil beef, use Thai basil for its distinct aroma and fragrance. Thai basil has purple stems and a licorice-anise flavor.

If you don’t have an Asian market nearby, you can substitute it with regular sweet basil and some cilantro. It won’t have the exact same aromatic flavor, but it will still be delicious.

I’ve posted several Asian recipes using Thai basil for its unique taste. If you have some on hand, try my Thai Basil Fried Rice, Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji), and Thai Red Curry Chicken.

Beef and vegetables

I used thinly sliced beef sirloin, but you can use any cut you prefer, or even ground beef. For the vegetables, long beans, also known as snake beans, are commonly used. If long beans are not available, try green beans or red bell pepper instead.

Other aromatics and sauce

Thai red chili is ideal for this dish, but if you prefer a milder flavor, use finger chili. Removing the seeds can also reduce the heat.

The sauce typically includes Asian condiments like fish sauce, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. I add a hint of dark soy sauce for color, but it’s optional.

How to make Thai basil beef (Pad Gra Prow)

Crush the garlic and chili in a mortar and pestle until roughly chopped, or finely chop them with a knife. Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Pounding the beef makes it tender and more enjoyable. While optional, it can be helpful. Use a meat mallet or another heavy object to tenderize the beef, then slice it into your desired sizes.

Stir-fry the chili and garlic mixture in hot oil for 30 seconds, then add the beef and stir-fry until browned. Transfer the beef to a plate and set it aside.

Now, quickly stir-fry the onion, then add the long beans and continue to stir-fry until they are tender and crisp. Return the beef to the pan, add the sauce mixture, and stir to coat everything evenly.

Lastly, add the Thai basil leaves and give everything a quick stir to heat through. Done! Easy, right?

Serve Pad Gra Prow over rice immediately and enjoy while it’s still hot. Additionally, you can also add a fried egg on top for extra flavor, but that’s optional.

Helpful Tips for making the best Thai basil beef

1. This versatile Thai basil beef stir-fry can be quite spicy due to the use of small Thai chilies (also known as bird’s eye chili peppers). Adjust the amount of chili to suit your heat tolerance, or use milder red chilies like red finger chilies with the seeds removed.
2. Thai basil beef is an aromatic, savory, and garlicky dish, which means it uses a lot of garlic! A mortar and pestle works great for smashing the garlic and chili together, but you can also chop them with a knife.
3. If you can’t find Asian long beans, try using French green beans instead.
4. To make the dish even heartier, add sweet red pepper. It will make your meal more colorful and wholesome.

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