Thai Stir Fry Meal Prep
Prawns seared hot and fast, pulled early since they finish cooking again once tossed back through the wok at the end, a small detail that keeps them from turning rubbery.
The noodles get cooked under packet time too, for the same reason, they finish in the hot sauce and vegetables rather than going mushy from being fully cooked twice.
Bean sprouts and basil go in right at the very end, just enough to warm through without losing their crunch and aroma.
Thai Stir Fry Meal Prep
THAI STIR FRY · PRAWN · MEAL PREP · EASY
Fast, fresh, and genuinely balanced
Pulling the prawns early and cooking the noodles under time both come down to the same trick, everything finishes together at the end instead of any one part overcooking.
Adding the bean sprouts, spring onion and basil in the last 30 seconds keeps them crisp and fragrant rather than wilted into the rest of the dish.
The whole thing comes together in 20 minutes, and holds up well in the fridge or freezer for the rest of the week.
Thai Stir Fry Meal Prep
Ingredients
Prawns
- 700 g Raw Prawns Peeled & Deveined
- 3 g Cornflour Cornstarch
- Salt
- Ground White Pepper
Noodles
- 450 g Thick Egg Noodles
- 30 ml Peanut Oil Divided
Vegetables
- 3 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 1 Red Chilli Sliced
- 1 Carrot Sliced
- 1 Brown (Yellow) Onion Sliced
- 150 g Green Cabbage Shredded
- 150 g Green Beans Trimmed
- 100 g Bean Sprouts
- 3 Spring Onions Thinly Sliced
- ½ bunch Thai or Regular Basil
Sauce
- 60 g Oyster Sauce
- 30 ml Light Soy Sauce
- 15 ml Dark Soy Sauce
- 10 ml Fish Sauce
- 8 g Granulated Sugar or Palm Sugar
- ½ Lime, Juiced
Method
Prepare the prawns
- Pat prawns dry with a paper towel. Toss with cornflour, salt, and white pepper. Set aside.
Cook the noodles
- Cook noodles for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions.
Mix the sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together oyster sauce, light soy, dark soy, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice.
Sear the prawns
- Heat a wok or large pan over high heat until just smoking. Add a splash of neutral oil, then stir-fry prawns for 90 seconds–2 minutes until just pink and lightly charred. Remove and set aside.
Stir fry aromatics
- In the same wok, add garlic and chilli, frying for 20–30 seconds until fragrant.
Add vegetables
- Toss in carrot, onion, green beans, and cabbage. Stir fry 2–3 minutes until bright and just tender.
Combine
- Add the cooked noodles and sauce. Toss vigorously over high heat until noodles are glossy and coated. Return prawns to the wok along with bean sprouts, spring onions, and Thai basil. Toss through for 30 seconds to finish.
Serve
- Divide into containers or serve immediately with lime wedges and optional peanuts.
Can I use chicken instead of prawns?⌄
Yes, thinly sliced chicken thigh works well here. Just make sure it reaches 74°C (165°F) before pulling it from the pan, since it needs longer than the prawns.
Why cook the noodles under packet time?⌄
They keep cooking once tossed through the hot sauce and vegetables. Fully cooking them upfront risks them turning mushy by the time everything's combined.
No dark soy sauce, can I skip it?⌄
You can, using extra light soy instead. You'll lose a bit of the deep colour dark soy brings, but the flavour balance will still work.
Will the vegetables go soft when I reheat this?⌄
The bean sprouts and cabbage will soften more than they were fresh. That's expected with this kind of stir-fry and doesn't mean anything's gone wrong.
