Sweet, sour, spicy, and salty. With so many flavors, the default wine pairing for Thai food always seems to be off-dry Riesling. But what if you’re not into sweet wines, or just tired of buying Riesling? Try Godello. This wine pairing with pad thai is rich in flavor and crisp in texture. Read on for the full details, recipe, and tips.

The Wine

I’ll admit it: I’m biased. Godello is one of my favorite white wine varietals. It has the weight of a Chardonnay, but with sharper minerality and acidity. In fact, Godello is often compared to Chablis, but with more zest. Its piercing-yet-round profile is what makes it such an amazing wine pairing with pad thai.

There is no standard for producing Godello, so its aromatics can vary aromatic. In our experience, some of the richest Godello comes from the Valdeorras region. Its lush stone fruit and tropical aromatics are perfect with the tamarind and palm sugar in pad thai. Crunchy bean sprouts and chives meet their match against Godello’s refreshing acidity and piercing minerality. And finally, Godello has a hint of salinity, just like the shrimp and fish sauce.

Here are affiliate links to my favorite bottles:

If You Cannot Find Godello…

Despite its deliciousness, Godello is not a mass-produced varietal. If you cannot find it, look for white wines from Spain with a “Ribeiro” or “Valdeorras” Designation of Origin. Most quality Godello comes from either of these regions, located in the northern part of Galicia, Spain. Often, white wines from these regions are blends of indigenous Spanish varietals including Godello, Treixadura, Torrontés, Palomino, Loureira, Lado and Caíño blanco. As such, they are often labeled “blanco” (white) instead of a varietal. You may need to research the Ribeiro Blanco to determine the varietals it contains. If Godello is not present, the wine will still be food-friendly, but may be lighter in body and less flavorful with pad thai.

Many choose to pair pad thai with Riesling. Personally, I find Riesling is too delicate for the bold flavors of pad thai. Its floral aromatics get lost in the myriad of ingredients, from fresh chives to pungent fish sauce. Pad thai is rich in flavor, overpowering Riesling’s light body. If you can’t find a Godello or Ribeiro Blanco, a great backup is Gewurtzraminer. This medium-bodied white wine has enough weight to maintain its own structure against the pad thai, while its stone fruit, lychee, and pineapple notes meld with the ingredients.

Making Pad Thai: Before You Start

As someone of Thai descent, I grew up eating pad thai both in America and on the streets of Bangkok. Ever since, I have been on a quest to recreate the same flavors at home. I won’t lie, I won’t call pad thai an “easy” recipe. The problem lies in the inconsistency of ingredients. Even if you are following a recipe to the tee, it may turn out differently if you are using another brand of tamarind paste or noodles. So, in this article, I’ll try as best as possible to help you adjust for the differences in ingredients. Here’s what I have learned along the way.

The Noodles

The most tricky thing about pad thai: making the noodles. The way you soak and stir fry them makes a big impact on the final dish. Here’s what you need to know about pad thai noodles before you begin:

Check the noodle package weight before starting. This recipe is for 7 ounces of noodles. I have seen pad thai noodles in packs of anywhere from 8 to 16 ounces. So, you will need about one third to half of a typical pack of noodles.
Check the noodle length before you cook! Some brands have long noodles that are hard to stir-fry. These should be cut in half. Other brands have shorter noodles (8-10”) that do not need to be cut.
Soak the noodles until al dente, but not soft. Most packages will say to soak the noodles for an hour, but you may need slightly more or less time based on the temperature of your water and the thickness of the noodle. Instead of looking at the clock, judge the noodles themselves. They should be pliable and bend easily, but not break. The color should turn from translucent to opaque white.
If you want to double the recipe, stir fry the noodles in two separate batches. Too many noodles will crowd the pan and be hard to stir-fry.
Keep a cup of water near you when cooking. If you find that the noodles are drying out in the pan, add a splash until the right consistency is achieved.

The Tamarind Paste

Tamarind is a tree legume with dark brown pulp. It gives pad thai its distinct acidity that is fruity, but not too sour. When shopping for tamarind paste, make sure to buy the paste that is dark brown in color. It is available in blocks or jars, and often sourced from Thailand. Avoid black tamarind paste. This is meant for Indian curries and stews, and is too sour for pad thai noodles. If all you can find is black tamarind paste, the quantity will need to be decreased and diluted with water.

This pungent sauce is key to many Thai dishes

Prepping Pad Thai in Advance

To save time, you can prep many of the pad thai ingredients a few days in advance.

Soak noodles, drain and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Make the sauce and store in the refrigerator.
Dice the tofu cubes and store in water in an airtight container, in the refrigerator.

Authentic Pad Thai

Ingredients

The Sauce

3 tbsp tamarind paste (see note)
¼ cup water
¼ cup palm sugar, grated (or brown sugar)
2 tbsp fish sauce

The Noodles

½ lb shrimp
1 shallot, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz firm tofu, cubed
7 oz pad thai noodles
2 eggs
½ cup garlic chives, sliced into 2” pieces
2 handfuls of bean sprouts
½ cup chopped roasted peanuts (an uneven consistency is great, some bits can be smaller)
1 lime, sliced into wedges

Instructions

Prep the Ingredients

Soak 7 oz of noodles (approximately half a pack) in lukewarm water until they are opaque and “al dente” in texture. This takes approximately one hour, depending on the noodle brand and exact water temperature.

Prep the Sauce

Add tamarind paste, water, palm sugar, and fish sauce to a bowl.
Microwave 30-40 seconds, until sugar is dissolved. The sauce just needs to be warm enough for the sugar to melt when you stir it. You can also make the sauce on the stovetop, but I find the microwave to be easier and yields the same result.

Cooking

Heat up 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a wok or frying pan on medium-high heat.
Stir fry the shrimp until it is just cooked through. Remove from pan.
Add a bit more oil, and then stir fry the shallots and garlic until fragrant.
Add tofu and stir-fry for 2 minutes, until it is warmed. Remove from pan.
Add a bit more oil, then add the noodles and sauce. Keep turning the noodles to prevent them from sticking. If the sauce is absorbed but the noodles still seem dry, splash in a small amount of water.
Once the noodles have attained a soft yet stretchy texture, push them to one side of the pan. Add some oil to the other side, and crack in two eggs. Scramble them, then toss the noodles back in to mix.
Add the bean sprouts, chives, tofu, and shrimp. Toss everything to combine.

Serving

Transfer noodles to a plate. Serve with ground peanuts, the remaining bean sprouts, and lime wedges. These garnishes can be placed directly on top of the noodles, or to the side.
Pair with a Godello or Ribeiro Blanco wine, and enjoy!

Notes

Note: If you are using tamarind paste from pulp, you will need to dissolve a 1.5 oz block (3 tbsp) in ½ cup boiling water first, then push it through a strainer to remove the solids.

Enjoyed this wine pairing with pad thai? Check out our many other food and wine pairings with Asian cuisine here.