Thai Beef Pad Kra Pao

Thai Beef Pad Kra Pao is a beloved street food and home-style dish from Thailand, featuring stir-fried minced beef with holy basil, chilies, garlic, and savory sauces. It's typically served over jasmine rice and often crowned with a crispy fried egg, making it a quick, flavorful, and satisfying meal.

🍳 View the full Thai Beef Pad Kra Pao recipe →

🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

This dish is a balanced, protein-rich meal with moderate carbs from the rice and healthy fats from the cooking oil and egg. A typical serving provides around 500-700 calories, offering iron from the beef, vitamin C from the chilies, and antioxidants from the holy basil.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	550 kcal
Protein	35 g
Carbs	45 g
Fat	25 g
Fiber	3 g
Sugar	5 g
Sodium	1200 mg
Potassium	650 mg
Iron	5.5 mg
Zinc	8 mg
Vitamin B6	0.8 mg
Vitamin B12	3.5 mcg
Niacin (B3)	10 mg
Phosphorus	350 mg
Selenium	40 mcg

Per 1 typical serving (350 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

Culturally, Pad Kra Pao is considered Thailand's ultimate comfort food, often eaten for any meal of the day. Nutritionally, the holy basil (kra pao) is a key herb not just for flavor but also for its traditional use in aiding digestion and reducing inflammation.