Food World Cuisines Southeast Asian Cuisines Thai Cuisine 21 Thai Dishes Fit for a Songkran Celebration Whether you're ringing in the Thai New Year or just craving the flavors of Thailand at home, these are the recipes to turn to. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 9, 2024 Close Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Songkran is Thailand's lively three-day New Year festival, celebrated annually beginning on April 13 per the Buddhist calendar, when the sun moves from Pisces to Aries. It's an opportunity to wash off the troubles of the previous year — done literally and joyously in the streets of Thailand with massive water fights — and to share meals with family. In honor of the holiday, we've put together a collection of vibrant, massively flavorful Thai dishes that are fit for a celebration or simply a tasty meal at home. Whether you're craving your favorite Thai curry (maybe Panang?); the fresh, spicy crunch of papaya salad; or coconut-y mango sticky rice, these are your go-to Thai recipes. 01 of 21 Pad Krapow (Basil Stir-Fry) Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee Holy basil gives this simple, delicious Thai stir-fry its signature flavor. While the other components of Pad Krapow are flexible; the basil is essential. If you can’t find holy basil, use Italian basil; it's much closer in flavor than Thai basil for this specific dish. Get the Recipe 02 of 21 Som Tam (Thai-Style Green Papaya Salad) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Lightly pounding and tossing shreds of green papaya in the bowl of the mortar allows it to absorb the sweet, salty, sour, spicy paste while preserving the salad’s crisp crunch. Get the Recipe 03 of 21 Panang Curry Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley This rich Thai coconut milk curry gets its distinctive flavor from the chile paste made with a robust blend of red chile, lime, galangal, garlic, shallots, cumin, and kapi (shrimp paste). Get the Recipe 04 of 21 Pla Pad Cha (Thai Fried Fish with Spicy Chile Sauce) Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely White peppercorns and brined green peppercorns add pungency to crisp, tender snapper fillets in this quick recipe from Watcharapong Tanabat, a chef at Ging Grai in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Get the Recipe 05 of 21 Pad See Ew Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Gabe Greco This stir-fry of deeply caramelized skirt steak with noodles and Chinese broccoli is a Thai classic for good reason. Get the Recipe 06 of 21 Lap Mu (Northeastern Thai Pork Salad) Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman This northeastern Thai pork salad is at first sour then salty, with acidity from lime, salinity and umami from the fish sauce, and nutty depth from the toasted rice powder. It comes together in just under half an hour — serve it with wedges of green cabbage, green beans, and rice, if desired. Get the Recipe 07 of 21 Nam Khao Tod (Crispy Rice Salad) Aubrie Pick In this Night + Market dish by Kris Yenbamroong, spicy fresh ginger brings brightness and a pleasant crunch to this salad. Cooked and cooled rice is seasoned with curry paste and dusted with a generous coating of rice flour, then fried until über-crunchy. Get the Recipe 08 of 21 Grilled Chicken Wings with Jaew Aubrie Pick Low and slow grilling keeps these wings juicy and gives the skin time to render and char. Jaew, a sweet and sour chile sauce, delivers a heat-packed punch. Get the Recipe 09 of 21 Crab Fried Rice Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Spicy and fragrant crab fried rice is studded with chunks of delicate, sweet crabmeat throughout. It's served with prik nam pla (Thai dipping sauce), a popular spicy, salty, and sweet condiment that reinforces the fried rice’s umami flavors. Get the Recipe 10 of 21 Khao Mun Gai (Thai Chicken and Rice) Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Gabe Greco Khao Mun Gai features tender poached chicken served with a fragrant chicken broth and ginger rice, accompanied by a flavorful dipping sauce. The dish is famed for its simplicity, and is an easy yet comforting dish any home cook can tackle. Get the Recipe 11 of 21 Gang Gai Khao Mun (Thai Chicken Curry) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Sweet, sticky coconut rice colored and flavored with green herbs pairs with this creamy Thai chicken curry from chef Nok Suntaranon. The foundation of the curry is a vibrant from-scratch curry paste — the same one used at Kalaya in Philadelphia (one of F&W's Best New Restaurants in 2020). Get the Recipe 12 of 21 Thai Red Curry Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Dried chiles lend earthiness and heat to this red curry, while the coconut milk, eggplant, chicken, and basil round out the flavors. Get the Recipe 13 of 21 Krapow Khai Yat Sai (Thai Stuffed Spicy Basil-Chicken Omelet) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero / Prop Styling by Christine Keely In this eye-catching omelet from Jazz Singsanong, owner of Jitlada in Los Angeles, a thin blanket of folded egg is cut open to reveal a filling of ground chicken and Thai basil that’s been lightly caramelized and flavored with oyster sauce. Get the Recipe 14 of 21 Tofu Pad Thai Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Chef and writer Lara Lee's meatless pad Thai stars hearty, savory fresh oyster and shiitake mushrooms, which suffuse the dish with earthy flavor and combine beautifully with chewy noodles; golden-fried tofu; fresh, crisp bean sprouts; lightly spicy long red chiles; and crunchy peanuts. Get the Recipe 15 of 21 Yellow Curry Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley This Thai curry balances earthy turmeric with tangy tamarind paste and a gentle heat level that makes it especially cozy. Finish it with a squeeze of lime juice to wake up the flavors. Get the Recipe 16 of 21 Green Curry Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Garlic, lemongrass, makrut lime, coconut milk, and Thai basil balance the kick of heat in this popular Thai curry, made with chicken, zucchini, and bell peppers. Get the Recipe 17 of 21 Thai Cucumber Salad Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Amelia Rampe This easy and refreshing cucumber salad has been enjoyed in Thailand for centuries, getting its punch of flavor from ginger, vinegar, and chile. Get the Recipe 18 of 21 Sweet Sticky Rice with Mangoes and Sesame Seeds © Cedric Angeles Mango sticky rice has been a popular dessert in Thailand for centuries. This is a simple recipe, but it depends on getting the right ingredients. Make sure your rice is labeled "glutinous rice" or "sweet rice," so it will produce the right texture. Use full-fat unsweetened coconut milk and seek out ripe, sweet mangoes. Get the Recipe 19 of 21 Thai Shrimp and Coconut Soup with Lemongrass © Seth Smoot Top Chef winner Harold Dieterle's recipe for Thai coconut soup is flavored with chiles, ginger, and lemongrass, and garnished with plenty of shrimp. Get the Recipe 20 of 21 Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce © Jonny Valiant The combination of charred, lemongrass-scented chicken satay and rich, spicy peanut sauce is hard to beat. Get the Recipe 21 of 21 Drunken Noodles © Con Poulos This fast (and almost vegetarian) Thai rice noodle dish is dressed with a deliciously savory, spicy sauce and tossed with crispy tofu. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit