Calories in Pad Thai
A typical restaurant pad thai is 750-900 kcal per serving. With shrimp it's ~750; with chicken ~800; tofu varies. Most restaurant servings are oversize.
Nutrition by portion size
| Portion | kcal | Carbs (g) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Fiber (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant pad thai with shrimp (~400g) | 750 | 95 | 26 | 25 | — |
| Restaurant pad thai with chicken | 800 | 92 | 32 | 28 | — |
| Pad thai with tofu | 720 | 95 | 22 | 22 | — |
| Half portion (~200g) | 380 | 47 | 14 | 13 | — |
| 100g pad thai | 190 | 24 | 7 | 6 | — |
About these numbers
Pad thai is one of the higher-calorie restaurant dishes in Asian cuisine — wide rice noodles, tamarind sauce (with sugar), eggs, peanuts, and oil/fat for cooking. The sauce and oil are the main calorie contributors. A standard restaurant portion is 700-900 kcal. For weight loss: order half portions, share with someone, or substitute with stir-fried vegetables and protein over rice.
Use the calculators
- Calorie Deficit Calculator — find how this portion fits your daily target
- Glycemic Load Calculator — compute exact GL for any serving size
- Macro Calculator — set protein, carb, fat splits for cut/maintain/bulk
- Net Carbs Calculator — useful for keto and T1D insulin dosing
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Frequently asked questions
- How many calories in pad thai?
- Restaurant pad thai: 750-900 kcal per serving depending on protein. Half portion: 380 kcal. The sauce and cooking oil are the main calorie sources.
- Is pad thai good for weight loss?
- Challenging at restaurant portions. 750-900 kcal is half a day's calorie target. Strategies: split with someone, take half home, order steamed vegetables and protein over rice instead. Or enjoy occasionally as a planned indulgence.
- Diabetes impact?
- High. The tamarind sauce contains substantial sugar (15-30g per serving). The rice noodles have GI ~61. Restaurant pad thai produces meaningful glucose spikes. For T2D, smaller portions paired with vegetables and protein-emphasized choices.
- Healthier alternative?
- Restaurant alternative: stir-fried vegetables + protein over brown rice (~500-600 kcal). At home: make pad thai with reduced oil, less sugar, more vegetables — can cut calories 30-40% while keeping flavors.
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