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    Home » 30-Minute Meals

    Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp

    July 6, 2016 • Updated: May 9, 2022 • by Renée • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    In Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Pan-fried Shrimp, the natural sweetness and robust texture of spiralized sweet potato noodles perfectly complements the flavors and textures of traditional Pad Thai. | The Good Hearted Woman

    In Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Pan-fried Shrimp, the natural sweetness and robust texture of spiralized sweet potato noodles perfectly complements the flavors and textures of traditional Pad Thai.

    Large wok with spiralized sweet potato noodles, vegetables, and shrimp. Granished with cilantro and peanuts.
    Jump to:
    • The Best Way to Spiralize
    • What Goes into this Recipe
    • FAQs & Expert Tips
    • Related Recipes
    • Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp

    Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp is a pleasure for your senses, hitting all the taste points – sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami; plus it's gluten-free (just use gluten free soy sauce or tamari), dairy-free, and naturally high in fiber. Bottom line though – it tastes amazing! 

    The Best Way to Spiralize

    In case you’ve been living in a cave for the last few years, spiral vegetable cutters, or “spiralizers,” are kitchen gadgets that cut fruits and vegetables into long noodles and ribbons, which then can be then be used in place of pasta, and as additions in salads, side dishes, etc. However, it took me some time to embrace this spiralizer movement.

    My reticence came from experience. All of the hand-held and counter-top spiralizers I'd tested/used simply didn't deliver: they cracked under the strain of hard, dense vegetables; they hurt my hand and wrist to operate; and some models are a huge pain when it comes to clean up.

    Then KitchenAid®  came to my rescue - with a carefully engineered, well-thought Spiralizer Attachment. (Please note: this is not a sponsored post. I just really love my spiralizer!)

    Oh my gosh, I love those KitchenAid® people! They know how to do things right!! The KitchenAid Spiralizer lets your stand mixer motor do all the work. Once you figure out how to use the attachment, it’s a breeze. (I found the included instructions a little sub-par)

    Clean-up is super easy too. Waste is minimal, and what is made creates these cool little cores that can be sliced or used for garnishing.

    For Lefties Only: Unlike almost every counter-top spiralizer out there, this one works equally well for lefties and non-lefties alike! (See, that's me looking out for you.)

    What Goes into this Recipe

    Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Pan-fried Shrimp - is a deliciously tasty dish that blends the natural sweetness and robust texture of spiralized sweet potato noodles with the traditional flavors and textures of Pad Thai.

    Spiralized Sweet Potatoes. sliced red peppers, onions, and limes.

    FAQs & Expert Tips

    What the heck is a Spider?

    A "spider" is a type of skimmer used in Asian and Dutch cooking. It is a wide shallow wire-mesh basket with a long handle, used for removing hot food from a liquid or skimming foam off when making broths.

    The name is derived from the wire pattern, which looks like a spider's web. I use mine all the time.

    Why is there no tamarind paste in this pad thai recipe? 

    Pad Thai usually relies on tamarind paste for its unique flavor profile, but I think that the combination of lime and brown sugar accomplishes this well in this dish, without requiring that you search out and buy difficult-to-find ingredients.

    That said, if you have tamarind paste available to you, you can definitely use it here - simply reduce the brown sugar in the  sauce by 1 tablespoon and use only half the lime juice.

    Dissolve 1 tablespoon tamarind paste in ¼-cup warm water before adding it to the sauce. Do not add additional water.

    Spiralized Sweet Potato Pad Thai, cooked, in large wok.

    Related Recipes

    • Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp (Kahuku Truck-style)
    • Classic Rueben Sandwich
    • Crispy Quinoa Patties
    • Korean-style Pan Fried Fish (Saeng Sun Jun)

    For more recipes and cozy living tips, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all of the latest updates.

    Large wok with spiralized sweet potato noodles, vegetables, and shrimp. Granished with cilantro and peanuts.

    Sweet Potato Pad Thai with Shrimp

    In this easy-to-fix Pad Thai with shrimp, the natural sweetness and robust texture of spiralized sweet potato noodles take the place of traditional rice noodles, perfectly complementing the flavors and textures of this otherwise traditional Pad Thai.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: American, Asian Fusion
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose
    Prep Time:30 minutes
    Total Time:30 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 304kcal
    Author: Renee

    Equipment

    • 1 spiralizer
    • 1 wok or large heavy skillet
    • 1 stainless steel spider or large metal slotted spoon

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    Sauce
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 3 tablespoons Sweet Chili Sauce
    • 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
    • 2 tablespoons tamari or light soy sauce
    • ¼ cup water
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • Zest & juice from one lime
    Shrimp
    • 1 lb medium shrimp 70-80/lb, shelled and cleaned
    • 2 tablespoons peanut oil or refined coconut oil
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    Sweet Potato Noodles
    • 2 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes peeled and spiralized
    • 2 tablespoons peanut oil or refined coconut oil
    • 1 large onion peeled & sliced thinly root to end
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 whole red bell pepper sliced in thin strips
    • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
    Garnish
    • Chopped cilantro
    • Chopped peanuts
    • Sliced green onions
    • Crushed red pepper flakes

    Instructions

    Sauce

    • Combine sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. (You can also make the sauce in a small beverage blender.)

    Shrimp

    • Pour ⅓ cup sauce in a large ziploc bag.
      Add cleaned shrimp to the bag and toss around a bit to combine. Set the rest of the sauce aside.
      Allow the shrimp marinate in the sauce for 15-30 minutes.
    • Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high. When a drop of water sizzles in the pan, drop the shrimp in a few at a time.(I do this in 2 batches.)
      Let the shrimp stay where they are when they hit the hot pan so that they get a little bit browned on one side and then flip them over. This will take just a couple of minutes - don't overcook them!
      The shrimp are done when they are pinkish all the way through.
    • Immediately remove the cooked shrimp from pan with a spider or slotted spoon and set aside.

    Sweet Potato Noodles

    • In a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat, saute the sliced onion in 2 tablespoons of peanut oil until translucent; about 3 minutes.
    • Add garlic and sliced bell pepper and saute about 4 more minutes; until the red pepper begins to soften.
    • Add spiralized sweet potato noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes, gently folding up from the bottom of the pan a few times.
      Add ¼ cup water to the pan and cover immediately.
      Steam for 2 minutes.
      Check for doneness, and then cover again and cook 2 more minutes.
      Repeat until noodles are tender but not mushy. (You are not making mashed potatoes!)
    • Add remaining sauce, cooked shrimp, and chopped cilantro and toss gently to combine.

    Garnish & Serve

    • Garnish with additional cilantro, chopped peanuts, chopped green onions, and crushed red pepper flakes.
      Serve warm (although it is delicious cold too!)

    Notes

    A "spider" is a type of skimmer used in Asian and Dutch cooking. It is a wide shallow wire-mesh basket with a long handle, used for removing hot food from a liquid or skimming foam off when making broths. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 713mg | Potassium: 683mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 16132IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 1mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

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    About Renée

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenni says

      July 08, 2016 at 2:17 pm

      This dish looks just so amazing. I love the spiralized vegetables, especially when they are used like this!

      Reply
    2. Cassandra @ Powered By BLING says

      July 08, 2016 at 6:21 am

      I just saved this recipe! I've been trying to stay away from noodles with zucchini and spaghetti squash, but neither of them has the best flavor profile in Pad Thai. These sweet potatoes noodles would be perfect I think. Can't wait to make this...just need to pick up some fish sauce.

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        July 08, 2016 at 6:38 am

        Thanks, Cassandra! Be sure to check back and let us know how it turns out 🙂

        Reply
    3. Amanda @ Cookie Named Desire says

      July 07, 2016 at 8:23 am

      I love pad thai, but I never had a spiralized verion before. What a genius way to cut back on come calories!

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        July 07, 2016 at 8:26 am

        Thanks, Amanda! Not only does it cut the calories, but the sweet potatoes add a whole new level of flavor.

        Reply
    4. Marlynn @ UrbanBlissLife says

      July 06, 2016 at 2:21 pm

      This is such a beautiful dish! I love colorful meals, and I've always been hesitant to make sweet potato noodles because I worry they'll be too hard or too soft but I really want to try this dish! And, I have a handheld spiralizer that I love, but I might have to look into a Kitchenaid attachment after watching how it does all of the work for you here. So awesome!

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        July 06, 2016 at 2:37 pm

        So far, sweet potatoes are my favorite spiralized thing to cook. They are pretty easy - you just have to keep an eye on them and not let them get too far. I also LOVE spiralized cucumbers - they add a clean, light, interesting texture to salads. (P.S. No sales pitch here, just truth - the KitchenAid spiralizer is just so, so, so much easier than the handheld ones.)

        Reply

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