Toss in some shrimp for shrimp pad thai. Key Ingredients for the Best Pad Thai: There are a few vital ingredients for making an excellent—not just good—pad thai: Tamarind: Mainstream Pad Thai in the U.S. is often a super sweet, red-hued concoction involving lots of ketchup. Plant Based Pad Thai Let’s not get it twisted, that take out would probably deliciously satisfy us, but eating out of takeout boxes doesn’t do much beyond that when we’re trying to eat healthier. The jumping point for all other fun variations. This easy Pad Thai plant-based recipe will satisfy your cravings and leave you feeling much better about your healthy decision. Home Base Pad Thai – A great starter recipe just begging for variations–chicken, shrimp… make it your own! The starting place. Traditionally, the tangy sweetness of pad thai comes from sugar and … I call this home base pad thai because it’s the safe house. Add some bean sprouts for veggie pad thai.