Balanced Pad Thai with vegetables and roasted salmon (when you want takeout vibes, but lighter)

I usually make this when I’m craving something like pad thai but don’t want that heavy, overly sweet version. This one is a bit calmer — still full of flavor, but you don’t feel like you need a nap after.

Also, adding salmon instead of the usual chicken or shrimp makes it feel a bit more like a proper meal, not just noodles.

Related recipes: Easy Thai Shrimp Soup at Home
Broccoli Grape Salad with Balanced Sweet and Savory Flavor
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Feta and Honey Dressing

Ingredients

• 200 g rice noodles
• 2 salmon fillets, skinless
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1½ tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 40 g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• A small handful of fresh cilantro

How to make it

1. Start with the noodles. Cover them with hot water and let them soak until pliable — they should bend easily but still feel slightly firm. If they get too soft at this stage, they’ll fall apart later in the pan.
2. At the same time, heat the oven and roast the salmon with half of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook just until it flakes — usually around 10–12 minutes. Don’t overdo it, because it will warm up again later. Once done, set it aside and break it into large pieces.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a wide pan or wok. Add the garlic and stir briefly, just until you smell it — it burns fast, so don’t walk away here.
4. Add the bell pepper, carrot, and spring onions. Stir-fry over fairly high heat so they soften slightly but keep their crunch. If they start releasing too much liquid, the heat is too low.
5. Push everything to one side of the pan and crack in the eggs. Let them set for a few seconds, then scramble gently. It’s fine if they stay in soft pieces rather than fully mixed in.
6. Add the drained noodles along with the soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. Toss everything together — at first it might look uneven, but after a minute or two the noodles will loosen and take on the sauce.
7. Taste at this point. You’re looking for a balance: salty, slightly sweet, a bit tangy. If it leans too sweet, a squeeze more lime helps; if it feels flat, a tiny splash of fish sauce usually fixes it.
8. Right at the end, gently fold in the salmon so it stays in chunks and doesn’t break apart completely.
9. Finish with peanuts and fresh cilantro.
10. (I once added the salmon too early and kept stirring — it basically disappeared into the noodles. Still good, just not what I wanted. Adding it at the end keeps those nice pieces intact.)

More ideas: Hearty Mushroom Salad with Warm Pan-Fried Oyster Mushrooms
Quinoa Tabbouleh with Bright Herbs and Lemon Flavor

Written by Agnes
Hi, I’m Agnes — the creator of Quick Easy Home Recipes. I share simple, everyday recipes that actually work in real life.
No overcomplicating, no unnecessary steps — just good food made with basic ingredients. My goal is to make cooking easier, quicker, and more enjoyable.
If you enjoy simple recipes like this, you’ll feel right at home here.

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