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.
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.