Pad See Ew Calories: How many calories are in Pad See Ew?

March 9, 2026

Pad See Ew is one of the most popular Thai noodle dishes, known for its wide rice noodles, dark soy sauce, and slightly smoky stir-fried flavor. When people search for “Pad See Ew calories: how many calories are in Pad See Ew?”, the answer isn’t always simple. The calories in Pad See Ew can vary significantly depending on the protein used, the amount of oil, and whether the dish is homemade or served at a restaurant. Understanding these factors helps explain why one plate can range from around 400 to over 700 calories.

What Is Pad See Ew?

Pad See Ew is a classic Thai stir-fried noodle dish made with wide rice noodles, egg, Chinese broccoli (gai lan), and a dark soy–based sauce. The noodles are cooked in a very hot wok, which creates a slightly caramelized and smoky flavor that defines the dish.

Unlike many other Thai noodle dishes, Pad See Ew is mild rather than spicy, focusing on a balanced combination of sweet, savory, and umami flavors. Common protein options include chicken, shrimp, beef, tofu, or egg, and the calorie content can vary depending on the protein choice and cooking method.

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Baseline Nutrition: Standard Chicken Pad See Ew

The baseline is one serving of chicken Pad See Ew made at home with a moderate amount of oil — 1.5 tablespoons, which is what most recipes recommend for adequate wok char without excessive greasiness. Serving size: approximately 340g cooked weight, the realistic dinner portion for one person.

Per serving (340g, chicken thigh, 1.5 tbsp oil, homemade):

510Calories
29gProtein
62gCarbs
14gFat
3gFiber
1,150mgSodium

Three things stand out about this profile. First: the protein is solid at 29g for 510 calories — not exceptional but competitive with other restaurant noodle dishes. Second: carbohydrates at 62g are high, almost entirely from the wide rice noodles (sen yai) which are a dense, low-fiber starch with a moderate-to-high glycemic index. Third: sodium at 1,150mg per homemade serving is significant — approximately 50% of the daily recommended limit in a single meal — and this is actually lower than Pad Kee Mao's sodium because Pad See Ew uses fewer soy-based sauces in its formula. Restaurant and delivery versions push sodium well above 1,200mg due to more sauce.

🔢 Where the 510 calories come from at a macro level: The wide rice noodles (approximately 145g dry equivalent) account for roughly 225 calories — 44% of the total. The chicken thigh (110g raw) contributes approximately 165 calories — 32%. The cooking oil (1.5 tbsp) adds approximately 90 calories — 18%. The sauce — dark soy, oyster sauce, light soy, palm sugar — contributes approximately 45 calories — 9%. The egg (1 large) adds 70 calories but also partially offsets protein needs, so it's 14% of calories but functionally important. Chinese broccoli, garlic, and white pepper together: under 15 calories — nutritionally almost neutral in calorie terms.

Calories by Protein Type

Shrimp

390–460cal / serving (homemade, standard oil)

Protein: 26–30gFat: 10–13gCarbs: 60–65g

The lowest-calorie common version. Shrimp contains less than 1g fat per 100g and 24g protein per 100g cooked — it's the best protein-to-calorie trade-off of any Pad See Ew protein. The natural sweetness of shrimp pairs particularly well with Pad See Ew's dark soy-sweet sauce profile. Cook shrimp last — add in the final 60–90 seconds after the noodles are already coated in sauce, as it overcooks and toughens faster than any other protein under wok heat.

Chicken Breast

440–490cal / serving (homemade, standard oil)

Protein: 32–36gFat: 10–13gCarbs: 60–65g

Higher protein than thigh (32–36g vs 27–30g) at 40–60 fewer calories. The tradeoff: breast toughens faster than thigh under wok heat. To use it well in Pad See Ew, slice very thin (2–3mm against the grain), marinate in 1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tsp soy sauce for at least 10 minutes (the cornstarch forms a protective coating), and cook on maximum heat for no more than 90 seconds total before removing from the wok.

Chicken Thigh

490–540cal / serving (homemade, standard oil)

Protein: 27–31gFat: 13–17gCarbs: 60–65g

The standard and most forgiving protein choice — thigh's higher fat content keeps it juicy even with the aggressive heat of wok cooking, and its flavour melds naturally with dark soy caramelization. The moderate fat premium over breast (~50 extra calories) buys meaningful texture and taste improvement. Used in the baseline figures throughout this guide.

Beef (Flank / Sirloin)

540–630cal / serving (homemade, standard oil)

Protein: 28–33gFat: 20–27gCarbs: 60–65g

The highest-calorie version due to beef's significantly higher fat content. Flank steak runs approximately 155–165 cal per 100g cooked. Importantly, beef and dark soy sauce produce one of the best flavour interactions in Thai cooking — the beef fat caramelizes with the dark soy in a way that's more complex and deeply savoury than chicken produces. Many regular Pad See Ew eaters consider beef the best version despite (or because of) its richness. Marinate with a pinch of baking soda to tenderize the fibres — essential for flank cut.

Tofu (Extra-Firm)

440–510cal / serving (homemade, standard oil)

Protein: 17–21gFat: 13–17gCarbs: 63–68g

Moderate calories with the lowest protein of any common version. The mandatory pre-frying step (cube and pan-fry tofu in oil until golden before adding to the wok) adds approximately 30–50 calories from absorbed oil but is not skippable — unfried tofu in a Pad See Ew wok produces soft, sauce-sodden cubes with no textural contrast. For vegan versions: replace fish sauce with soy sauce, and use mushroom oyster sauce. Dark soy sauce is already vegan.

No Additional Protein (Egg Only)

360–420cal / serving (homemade, standard oil)

Protein: 12–16gFat: 11–15gCarbs: 62–67g

The egg-only version (pad see ew khai, ผัดซีอิ๊วไข่) is the simplest and lowest-calorie common variant — a single egg scrambled in, no additional protein. Common at Thai street stalls as a budget option. Protein is low at 12–16g, making it unsuitable as a standalone high-protein meal without a side dish. The overall flavour is lighter; the noodles and the dark soy caramelization are more prominent without the protein competing for attention.

How many calories are in Pad See Ew

Calorie range by protein — visual comparison (homemade, standard oil):

Egg only: ~390 cal
Shrimp: ~425 cal
Chicken Breast: ~465 cal
Tofu: ~475 cal
Chicken Thigh: ~515 cal
Beef (flank): ~585 cal

Homemade vs. Restaurant vs. Takeout

Homemade (careful)

420–480

cal / serving · chicken thigh, minimal oil

Using 1 tsp oil in a well-seasoned carbon steel wok or good non-stick pan. Macros are fully controllable. The biggest sacrifice at this oil level: reduced wok char — the dark soy caramelization that defines the dish is less pronounced without sufficient oil to carry heat to the noodle surface. Still very good; just less charred than the restaurant version. Sodium is the variable most worth managing — low-sodium soy sauce cuts it by 35% with no perceptible flavour change.

Restaurant (sit-down)

560–700

cal / plate · typical North American

North American Thai restaurant servings of Pad See Ew are typically 400–500g cooked weight — 30–45% larger than a Thai street portion. Oil usage runs 2–3 tbsp to achieve proper noodle char on the wok surface. Some restaurants add more palm sugar to the sauce for Western palate appeal, adding 20–40 extra calories. Sodium typically reaches 1,400–1,700mg per plate. The quality difference between a well-executed restaurant version and a careful home version is real — restaurants have the heat; home cooks have the oil control.

Delivery / Takeout

520–660

cal / container · variable

Delivery Pad See Ew arrives with extra sauce to compensate for the noodles' continued absorption during the delivery window — wide rice noodles absorb sauce aggressively once removed from heat. The extra sauce means more dark soy, more oyster sauce, and more sodium (often exceeding 1,600mg per container). The dish's texture degrades more than most Thai noodles in delivery — the wok char softens completely and the wide noodles clump. Pad See Ew is one of the Thai dishes that suffers most from the delivery format.

⚠️ The North American restaurant portion gap: A Thai street stall in Bangkok serves Pad See Ew in portions of 250–320g cooked weight. A typical Canadian Thai restaurant serves 400–500g. This size difference alone — same recipe, same oil ratio — represents approximately 150–200 additional calories per meal before accounting for the restaurant's higher oil use. Most nutrition databases list figures based on Thai portion sizes. If you looked up "Pad See Ew calories" and found 450 cal, you likely consumed 600+ calories at a Canadian restaurant.

Component-by-Component Calorie Breakdown

For a standard chicken thigh Pad See Ew, homemade, 1 serving (340g cooked), standard oil:

Wide rice noodles (sen yai)

~145g dry equivalent; nearly half the dish's total calories come from here
~225 cal
44%

Chicken thigh (boneless, skinless)

~110g raw; thigh's fat content is where most of this calorie count lives
~155 cal
30%

Egg (1 large)

70 cal per large egg; standard in all versions of the dish
~70 cal
14%

Cooking oil (1.5 tbsp neutral oil)

The most variable element — restaurants use 2–4x this amount
~90 cal
18%

Sauce (dark soy + oyster sauce + light soy + palm sugar)

Oyster sauce ~15 cal/tbsp; dark soy ~10 cal/tbsp; sauces add sodium but minimal calories
~45 cal
9%

Chinese broccoli (gai lan), garlic, white pepper

High in vitamins C and K; negligible caloric contribution
~15 cal
3%

💡 The practical implication of this breakdown: The noodles (44%) and protein (30%) together account for 74% of total calories and are effectively fixed — you can't meaningfully reduce them without changing the dish's character. The oil (18%) is the only major lever you control as a home cook. The sauce components are barely worth adjusting for calorie reduction (only 9% of total), though reducing sauce quantity has a significant effect on sodium. The egg is a fixed component — it's structurally part of the dish.

Does the Dark Soy Sauce Add Many Calories?

This is one of the most frequently misunderstood aspects of Pad See Ew's nutrition — people see the intensely dark colour of the dish and assume the sauce is a major calorie source. It isn't.

Dark soy sauce: the high-impact, low-calorie ingredient

Dark soy sauce contains approximately 8–12 calories per tablespoon — almost identical to regular soy sauce. Despite its thick, syrupy texture and deep sweetness, the caloric density is low because it's still mostly water and fermented protein solids. A typical Pad See Ew recipe uses 1–1.5 tablespoons of dark soy sauce per serving, contributing 8–18 calories total. The sauce's impact is almost entirely in colour, flavour, and sodium — not in calories. Oyster sauce runs slightly higher at 15–18 cal/tbsp, and a Pad See Ew recipe uses 1.5–2 tbsp per serving, contributing 22–36 calories. The complete sauce (dark soy + oyster + light soy + palm sugar) totals approximately 40–50 calories per serving — under 10% of the dish's total. The visual intensity of dark soy sauce is not proportional to its caloric contribution.

What the sauce does contribute significantly?

Sodium. One tablespoon of dark soy sauce contains approximately 500–600mg sodium. One tablespoon of oyster sauce contains approximately 490mg sodium. One tablespoon of light soy sauce contains approximately 900mg sodium. The combined sauce in Pad See Ew — across all three ingredients — contributes approximately 900–1,100mg of the dish's total sodium before any additional seasoning. This is why Pad See Ew's sodium is high despite its relatively modest sauce calorie count.

Full Macro Table: All Versions Side-by-Side

Version (1 serving)	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Sodium
Homemade — egg only, min oil	350–390	12g	62g	9g	950mg
Homemade — shrimp, standard oil	400–440	28g	62g	11g	1,100mg
Homemade — chicken breast, standard oil	440–490	34g	62g	11g	1,100mg
Homemade — tofu (pre-fried), standard oil	450–510	18g	65g	14g	1,050mg
Homemade — chicken thigh, standard oil	490–540	29g	62g	15g	1,150mg
Homemade — beef (flank), standard oil	540–620	31g	62g	23g	1,150mg
Restaurant — shrimp (NA portion)	510–610	28g	75g	17g	1,450mg
Restaurant — chicken thigh (NA portion)	570–680	30g	76g	22g	1,500mg
Restaurant — beef (NA portion)	620–740	31g	76g	30g	1,500mg
Delivery/takeout — chicken (extra sauce)	550–660	27g	78g	19g	1,650mg

Pad See Ew vs. Pad Thai vs. Pad Kee Mao — Calories Compared

The three major Thai stir-fried noodle dishes have more similar calorie counts than most people expect — but their nutritional compositions differ in ways that matter depending on your dietary priorities.

Nutrition metric	Pad See Ew	Pad Thai	Pad Kee Mao
Calories (restaurant, chicken)	570–680	500–620	580–700
Calories (homemade, chicken thigh, std oil)	490–540	440–500	490–540
Primary calorie source	Noodles + oil (relatively even split)	Noodles + sugar (tamarind + palm sugar + peanuts)	Noodles + oil (more oil used than PSE)
Fat (homemade, chicken)	13–17g	11–16g	13–17g
Sugar from sauce	Medium — dark soy + small palm sugar	High — tamarind + palm sugar + peanuts	Low — minimal sugar by design
Sodium (homemade)	1,050–1,200mg ← lowest of the three	1,100–1,400mg	1,200–1,400mg ← highest
Protein (chicken version)	27–31g	22–28g	28–32g
Fiber	2–3g	1–2g	3–4g (more vegetables)
Spice	None — zero spice built in	None by default (table condiments)	High — built into the dish
Peanut calories	None — peanuts not in the dish	+80–110 cal from garnish	None

💡 Where Pad See Ew sits nutritionally: It has the lowest sodium of the three, no peanut calories, and a moderate sugar level — making it arguably the most nutritionally "clean" of the Thai noodle trio if you're watching both sodium and added sugar. Pad Thai's peanuts add healthy fat and protein but also 80–110 calories. Pad Kee Mao's higher oil use elevates fat calories slightly.

Diet Compatibility

Keto / Low-Carb

Wide rice noodles deliver 55–65g net carbs per serving — a full or more than a full day's budget on strict keto. Shirataki noodles are the practical substitute, but the textural character of the dish changes completely. A "keto Pad See Ew" is really a keto dark soy stir-fry — the dark soy sauce itself is low-carb, the sauce is the same, but the dish becomes something different without the wide chewy noodles. Worth eating on its own terms, not as a PSE substitute.

Calorie-Restricted

Very manageable — more so than Pad Kee Mao or beef-heavy dishes. The three most effective adjustments: switch to shrimp (saves ~90 cal vs thigh), reduce oil to 1 tsp (saves ~75 cal), and cut noodle portion by 25% while doubling Chinese broccoli (saves ~55 cal). These three changes together produce a Pad See Ew at approximately 370–400 calories that retains the full dark soy caramelized character. The dish is forgiving of these modifications.

High-Protein

Chicken breast or shrimp Pad See Ew at standard noodle quantity delivers 28–36g protein at 440–490 calories — approximately 6–8g protein per 100 calories, which is genuinely good for a noodle dish. Increasing protein portion to 150g and keeping noodles constant pushes this to 38–44g protein with minimal calorie increase. This makes PSE one of the higher-protein Thai noodle options when protein-optimized.

Low-Sodium

Standard Pad See Ew at 1,050–1,500mg sodium per serving is not a low-sodium dish, but it's the lowest-sodium of the three major Thai noodle dishes. Practical reductions: use low-sodium soy sauce for both dark and light soy (saves 250–350mg), halve the oyster sauce and compensate with a tiny extra palm sugar (saves ~250mg), and skip additional fish sauce. These changes bring a homemade version under 700mg sodium — genuinely low-sodium territory — without sacrificing the characteristic dark soy flavour profile.

Gluten-Free

Easier to make gluten-free than many Thai dishes. Rice noodles are inherently GF. Substitutions needed: certified GF tamari for soy sauce (both dark and light — check that dark soy is also GF, as some brands use wheat in fermentation), and mushroom-based oyster sauce which is widely available GF. Fish sauce is typically GF but verify the brand. A gluten-free Pad See Ew at the same calorie level and nearly the same flavour is achievable with these swaps.

Vegan / Plant-Based

Tofu Pad See Ew with proper substitutions is one of the more satisfying vegan Thai noodle dishes because the dark soy sauce's flavour is so complete on its own that it doesn't obviously miss the animal protein. Replace fish sauce with soy sauce or a drop of seaweed paste for umami depth. Use mushroom oyster sauce. Dark soy is inherently vegan. Pre-fry tofu separately until golden before adding to the wok — this step is essential for texture. Calories are 440–510 per serving; protein is lower at 17–21g.

6 Ways to Reduce Calories Without Losing the Caramelized Flavour

Use a carbon steel wok (or well-seasoned cast iron) to reduce oil dependency

The reason restaurants use 2–3 tbsp of oil isn't preference — it's technique. High-volume wok cooking requires oil to prevent sticking and distribute heat across the noodle surface. At home, a well-seasoned carbon steel wok develops a non-stick patina that allows you to achieve similar results with 1 tsp of oil instead of 1.5 tbsp — saving approximately 75 calories per serving. This is the single highest-calorie-per-effort saving available without changing ingredients. Non-stick coatings can't be used at the temperatures needed for real wok char. Cast iron retains heat well but is heavy; carbon steel is the professional choice.

Choose shrimp over chicken thigh as your default protein

Switching from chicken thigh to shrimp saves approximately 70–100 calories per serving at the same oil quantity — shrimp has less than 1g fat per 100g versus 7–9g for thigh. The flavour trade-off is real but not a compromise: shrimp's natural sweetness pairs particularly well with Pad See Ew's dark soy profile, and many people prefer the shrimp version for taste reasons independently of calorie considerations. Use large prawns (21–25 count per pound), peel and devein, and add in the final 60–90 seconds of wok time after the noodles are already coated.

Reduce noodle quantity by 25% and replace volume with Chinese broccoli

Dropping from 145g to 110g dry noodle equivalent saves approximately 55–60 calories and 11g carbohydrates. Double or triple the Chinese broccoli to maintain serving volume and satiety — gai lan (or broccolini / broccoli rabe) is nearly calorie-free by comparison (25 cal per 100g vs 350 cal per 100g dry rice noodle). The dish remains filling because the volume is maintained by vegetable bulk. The flavour character is unchanged — the dark soy caramelization still coats the noodles present, just in a smaller quantity relative to the vegetable component.

Don't skip the dark soy — it's low-calorie and high-impact

Counterintuitive but important: dark soy sauce is one of the lowest-calorie elements of the dish (8–12 cal per tbsp) and the highest-impact flavour element. Reducing dark soy to save calories achieves almost nothing in calorie terms (removing 1 tbsp saves approximately 10 cal) while dramatically reducing flavour and the caramelized quality that makes the dish worth eating. The one sauce component worth moderating for sodium reasons is oyster sauce — it contributes the most calories of the sauce ingredients at 15–18 cal/tbsp. Halving it saves 15–20 calories and approximately 250mg sodium, which is a meaningful sodium saving for a trivial calorie one.

Cook at home rather than ordering delivery

The structural calorie gap between homemade and restaurant Pad See Ew is approximately 80–160 calories per serving, driven by portion size and oil quantity. Delivery adds further calorie creep via extra sauce. A homemade chicken thigh Pad See Ew with careful oil is almost always 100–180 calories lighter than the equivalent restaurant order before any other adjustments. For people who eat Pad See Ew regularly, cooking at home once or twice a week instead of ordering accumulates to a meaningful calorie difference over time. Pad See Ew is also one of the faster Thai dishes to make at home — under 20 active minutes once the mise en place is ready.

Use prik nam som (chili vinegar) at the table instead of extra sauce

Many people add extra fish sauce or soy sauce at the table to boost the flavour of Pad See Ew — which adds sodium and a small number of calories. Prik nam som (bird's eye chilies soaked in rice vinegar) adds brightness, complexity, and heat with essentially zero calories — rice vinegar is 3 cal per tablespoon and the chili slices themselves are negligible. The acidity of the chili vinegar also cuts through the dark soy sweetness and makes the overall dish taste more complex than additional sauce does. It's the authentic table condiment for Pad See Ew in Thailand and is easy to make at home: slice 4 bird's eye chilies, cover with 4 tbsp white rice vinegar, add ½ tsp sugar, and rest 15 minutes minimum.

Frequently Asked Questions: Pad See Ew Calories

How many calories are in Pad See Ew?

A homemade serving of chicken Pad See Ew with standard oil (1.5 tbsp) contains approximately 490–540 calories. A North American restaurant portion is typically larger and oilier — 560–700 calories is the realistic range. The key variables are oil quantity (the biggest single driver), protein choice (shrimp is lowest at ~420 cal, beef is highest at ~580 cal), and portion size. Delivery versions trend towards the higher end due to extra sauce added to prevent the noodles from becoming dry during transit.

Is Pad See Ew high in calories?

It's a moderate-calorie dish by restaurant standards — comparable to most Thai noodle dishes and not unusually high for a complete meal. A 500–600 calorie restaurant serving that includes protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables is nutritionally reasonable. The more significant nutritional concern is sodium (1,000–1,500mg per serving), which represents 43–65% of the daily recommended limit. For people managing sodium, this is the metric worth watching more closely than the calorie count. Pad See Ew is actually the lowest-sodium of the three major Thai noodle dishes.

How does Pad See Ew compare to Pad Thai in calories?

Pad See Ew runs slightly higher in total calories than Pad Thai — approximately 40–80 more calories per equivalent serving, primarily from the oil required for wok char development. Pad Thai has more sugar from tamarind and palm sugar, plus peanuts that add 80–110 calories as a garnish. Pad See Ew has lower sodium than Pad Thai and no peanut calorie load. The glycemic impact of both is similar since both are primarily wide or thin rice noodle-based dishes. Neither is healthier in a clear-cut way — the differences are compositional rather than total.

How many carbs are in Pad See Ew?

A standard serving contains approximately 60–68g carbohydrates, with 55–60g coming from the wide rice noodles and 5–8g from the sauce (palm sugar and oyster sauce). This is broadly similar to a large serving of plain white rice. The carbohydrates are primarily rice starch — moderate-to-high glycemic index — meaning blood glucose rises faster than it would from equivalent calories of whole grain or legume-based foods. For people managing blood sugar, reducing noodle quantity and increasing the vegetable component is the most effective adjustment.

Is Pad See Ew healthier than Pad Kee Mao?

By most metrics, yes — marginally. Pad See Ew has slightly lower sodium (1,050–1,200mg homemade vs 1,200–1,400mg for Pad Kee Mao), uses less oil on average (Pad Kee Mao's char requires more), and has fewer sauce components. Both dishes share the same noodle base and comparable protein options. Pad Kee Mao has marginally more fiber due to a larger vegetable component (Chinese broccoli, baby corn, bell pepper, tomato vs Pad See Ew's gai lan only). The differences are small enough that "healthier" is a marginal characterization — the more meaningful factor is how each is cooked and portioned.

Does the dark soy sauce add a lot of calories?

No — this is one of the most counterintuitive facts about Pad See Ew's nutrition. Despite giving the dish its deep dark color and distinctive sweet-savory profile, dark soy sauce contains only approximately 8–12 calories per tablespoon. A typical Pad See Ew uses 1–1.5 tbsp dark soy per serving, contributing 8–18 calories total — under 4% of the dish's calories. The visual intensity of dark soy is not proportional to its caloric contribution. The sauce's significant contribution is to sodium, not calories.

Can Pad See Ew be made low-calorie?

Yes, meaningfully so. The three most effective adjustments — switching to shrimp, reducing oil to 1 tsp, and cutting noodle quantity by 25% while adding more Chinese broccoli — together reduce the dish from approximately 510 calories (chicken thigh, standard oil) to approximately 370–400 calories. This is a 20–25% calorie reduction that preserves the essential character of the dish: the dark soy caramelization, the wide chewy noodles (in reduced quantity), the egg. It is not a compromise version; it is a leaner version of the same dish.

Conclusion

Pad See Ew's calorie range — 390 to 700 per serving depending on context — is not a sign that the dish is nutritionally unpredictable. It's a sign that cooking method and portion size matter more than ingredients for this particular dish. The ingredients themselves are relatively consistent across versions; the variables are almost entirely in how much oil was used and how large the portion is.

For home cooks: manage the oil and the numbers become predictable. For restaurant eating: assume the upper half of the range (600+) unless you have specific information about the kitchen's approach to portion size and oil quantity. The sodium — not the calories — is the number most worth monitoring across all versions of this dish, and at 1,050–1,500mg per serving, it warrants attention for anyone eating it regularly.