Thailand prides itself on some of the freshest, most colorful, and delicious foods around. You’ll see everything from fruits and sweets to savory rice dishes served all day long. Street food is a must, so if you make it over there, be sure to hit up the markets! When cooking at home, most of these recipes are super easy to recreate. You might think rice and curry for breakfast is a little odd, but I’ll bet the Thai people feel the same about our egg muffins and sausage casseroles! If you don’t try new things, you’re really missing out. I’ve compiled a list of 20 super tasty Thai breakfast recipes here, and I highly recommend giving a few a try. You never know, you might find your new obsession!
1. Thai Congee (Rice Porridge)
Congee is a savory rice pudding made with fermented rice starch that’s often served by street vendors. It’s typically made to be savory, including a super healthy veggie stock and often some kind of meat – usually pork. It gets the texture by boiling down the rice until it breaks apart into a more mushy consistency. However, if you like it with more bite, you can cut down on the cooking time. You’ll need to make the stock and the congee separately, but then you can keep them in the fridge and pour a bowl when you need it. This is wonderful for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
2. Khao Tom Gung (Thai Rice Soup Recipe)
Shrimp for breakfast might seem a little odd, but this soup is perfect for a chilly morning or when you’re not feeling your best. Between the ginger, radish, and garlic, it’s sure to get you warmed through. The rice and shrimp are wonderfully filling, keeping you satisfied all the way until lunchtime. Just keep in mind that shrimp cook very quickly. I like to give them a quick fry and then stir them through the pot once it’s off the heat. By the time you get your bowl and spoon, they’re perfectly pink.
3. Thai Pancake – Thai Roti
Roti is a popular pan-fried bread that you’ll see all over Thailand and India. Where India typically serves this with savory dishes, in Thailand, you’ll see it served as a sweet snack. Much like a crepe, the most popular option is to fold the roti up with whipped cream and fresh fruit. But you’ll also see it with condensed milk for added creaminess. I had mine mostly with banana and mango, but you can pretty much add anything you want – even Nutella!
4. Coconut Pancakes
I think I had a version of these every day while I was in Phuket. They’re just so light and fluffy with a wonderful tropical flavor. Not only are they made with coconut milk, but they also have shredded coconut inside for great texture. I like mine with lots of bananas and fresh fruit.
5. Moo Yang (Thai-Style Grilled Pork Skewers)
My favorite thing in Thailand was the markets. They were bursting with fun, fresh, and unusual foods, and I couldn’t resist a single thing! These kinds of skewers are fantastic when you want some variety. Just buy a couple and move onto the next flavor. These are sweet, salty, and slightly tangy, made with coconut cream, fish sauce, and cilantro. The key is to cut your pork quite thin and let it marinate for at least half an hour so the meat will infuse with all that wonderful flavor.
6. Easy Thai Fruit Salad
I don’t know what I like more here: the tropical fruit blend or the heavenly sauce you’ll be pouring over the top. Ideally, you want a good mix of pineapple, mango, and maybe papaya. Pick up anything tropical you maybe don’t buy too often, like dragon fruit. As for the sauce? You’ll need coconut milk and lime juice for a creamy yet zesty finish.
7. Gai Yang ไก่ย่าง (Authentic Thai Grilled Chicken Recipe)
When served with green papaya salad and hot sticky rice, this chicken is just out of this world. It has a very simple marinade of palm sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and lemongrass. It also has a delicious sauce to serve on the side that’s full of chili and tamarind for a beautiful, sweet, and spicy finish. This is best cooked on the grill, and you’ll need to know how to spatchcock a chicken for the best results. Be sure to skewer it from one end to the other and keep an eye on it. You’ll also need to baste it with the leftover marinade, so it doesn’t dry out.
8. Thai Iced Coffee
I know I’m not the only one with an iced coffee addiction, and I can’t lie: I always worry that I’ll crave it while I’m away. It’s not a staple everywhere, you know! I was so happy to see iced coffee all over the place on my trip to Thailand. In fact, I may have had even more than usual just because it’s so delicious! Not only does this have the unique taste of cardamom, but you’ll also add almond to the mix! I like it with heavy cream for a silky texture, but you can also get it with condensed milk if you like it extra sweet and indulgent.
9. Pa Thong Ko (Thai Donuts)
Anytime I can have donuts for breakfast without being judged, I’m there! These are so light and fluffy that you’ll need more than just a couple. I love that they’re no-fuss donuts, meaning you won’t need to worry too much about how they get shaped. They do need to proof for a couple of hours, so they’re more like a mid-morning snack. Just serve hot with some caramel or chocolate sauce and a glass of that iced coffee!
10. Thai-Spiced Rice Bowls
One thing I particularly love about Thai food is the use of peanut butter in savory dishes. This curry peanut soup is one of my favorites. This is a fantastic vegan dish, or you can always throw in some shredded chicken if you have it. I love a little spice with mine, so I always add a bunch of chopped chilies to the top. But it’s so flavorful; you won’t need too much heat.
11. Thai Toast With Peanut Butter, Sriracha, and Cilantro
Here’s another weird and wonderful savory dish with peanut butter. Feel free to leave the cilantro out, but the sriracha is the heart of this! That combination of creamy, nutty peanut butter with crunchy toast and pops of spice will really wake you up in the morning. If that’s a little too much for you, maybe try using some sweet chili sauce instead. Serve warm with chopped peanuts for added crunch and drizzle of honey.
12. Thai Fried Bananas
If you’re a banana lover (like me), you’ll know that fried bananas are the dream. They’re extra sweet, soft, and perfect with anything from a scoop of ice cream to a slice of cake. These bananas are coated in a batter, making them crispy and golden. Just be sure to coat them fully so the banana can’t seep out. Serve them with whipped coconut cream and toasted coconut.
13. Thai Mango Salad with Peanut Dressing
I’m going to recommend you make double the amount of peanut dressing. It is so good; you’ll want it on everything! I’m not kidding. It’s sweet, salty, tangy, and beautifully smooth. I like it on salad, or even just as a dipping sauce. As for the salad, I love adding fruit to mine for great pops of color.
14. Vegan Thai Rice Salad
This is one helluva salad. It’s bright, bursting with flavor, and will fill you up all day long – you won’t miss the meat, I swear! You’ll need a rainbow of veggies, including red onion, cucumber, green onions, and yellow and red peppers. The recipe calls for brown rice, but you could easily swap that out for what you have on hand, or why not try quinoa? The savory dressing here is lovely, but I prefer that peanut dressing from above!
15. Kai Jeow (Thai Omelette)
The basic recipe for this is eggs, fish sauce, and green onions. It’s simple, clean, filling, and perfect over rice. However, I’ve had it with ground pork and shrimp, chunks of cooked chicken, and even lobster. You can modify it however you like. The big difference between this and a regular omelet is that you’ll cook it in hot oil. That’s how it gets that stunning crunchy edge. I like to add cheese to mine, which will crisp up over the heat for added crunch.
16. Khao Niao Mamuang (Thai Mango Sticky Rice)
You can keep your overnight oats. I’ll be living off this sticky mango rice for the foreseeable future, thanks. You’ll cook your rice in coconut milk, so you know it’ll be creamy and delicious. Add mango to the mix, and it’s just on a whole other level. You’ll notice that this recipe calls for pandan leaves, which are super common in a lot of Thai dishes. They add a lovely grassy-vanilla flavor and also a touch of coconut. You can buy them online or in Asian supermarkets, or they do make extract paste too. Of course, you can leave them out, and this will still be great.
17. Authentic Sangkaya Recipe (Thai Custard)
This steamed pudding is a heavenly mix of egg, sugar, and coconut cream. You can serve it hot or cold, and often with sticky rice. It’s almost like a flan met a Japanese cheesecake. It’s creamy, but it’s also fluffy and kind of spongy. Since coconut milk is the key to its flavor, you want it to be full-fat and of good quality. You’ll also want to cook your rice in coconut milk too for added taste. If you don’t have a steamer, you can make this in your slow cooker! It will need around 3 hours, but do check on it, so it doesn’t become tough.
18. Thai Tea Overnight Oats Recipe
I have to admit; this was new to me. I’d never thought about making overnight oats with tea before, which is crazy because I LOVE tea! Thai tea is a blend of Thai tea seasoning mix, condensed milk, and black tea. You can easily find this mix in Asian grocery stores or online. I especially like the mix of oats and chia seeds in this. It gives the whole thing a chewier texture and makes it more exciting.
19. Thai Noodle Salad with the BEST EVER Peanut Sauce
This salad is colorful, crunchy, tasty, and loaded with goodness. I like my salads with a texture, and if you use veggies like cabbage, bell pepper, carrots, and radishes, you can easily make this ahead and keep it crisp for a good few days. Try it with fried tofu or some of that yummy chicken you cooked already from above.
20. Easy Thai Tea Recipe
As much as I love my morning coffee, I did get used to having this first thing when I was on vacation. I find this similar to chai, but a little less spicy. There’s more vanilla and orange than cinnamon and nutmeg. Unlike your black tea, which will go bitter if you steep it too long, this needs a good half an hour to get all those flavors out. It’s best served on ice with lots of half and half for a creamier texture.
21. Thai Dim Sum
I know that we are used to dim sum for lunch or dinner, but you’ll see it served for breakfast all over southern Thailand. This includes pork and shrimp dumpling with lots of yummy peanut dipping sauce. Making dumplings at home is super fun, and since you can buy frozen dumpling wrappers in most Asian supermarkets, it’s easier than ever! This recipe works well with pork, chicken, or even ground shrimp. I often make a couple of different batches, swapping out ingredients here and there and then freezing down the excess. There’s nothing like a batch of homemade dumplings on a late Friday night! Click on a star to rate it!
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