How to Make Lad Na | Thai Noodles with Gravy

Lad Na is a slurpy, savory noodle dish, and one of the most underrated Thai comfort foods. Wide rice noodles get lightly stir-fried, then topped with a glossy, umami-rich gravy loaded with tender meat and crisp Chinese broccoli. With this recipe, you can bring true Thai street-food flavor right into your kitchen!

What is Lad Na?

Lad Na is all about three things: tender stir-fried noodles, juicy marinated protein, and a savory gravy that clings to every bite.

The sauce is made from pork broth, yellow bean sauce, mushroom soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, garlic, and Chinese broccoli. It’s thickened with cornstarch to give it that classic silky texture Thai food lovers crave.

Fun fact: In Thailand, Lad Na stalls are often run by cooks who specialize in only this dish. Their woks are practically seasoned with decades of Lad Na gravy! Now you get to bring that same magic into your home kitchen.

And if you’re looking for even more noodle nights, check out my Chicken Pad See Ew, the smoky-sweet cousin of Lad Na; Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) for a spicy kick; or my Pad Thai vs Pad See Ew guide if you’re curious how these dishes differ in flavor, technique, and tradition.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Authentic flavor: I teach Lad Na in my Thai cooking classes, and this is the same version my Thai Hubby loves!
• Cozy & comforting: Silky gravy over tender noodles? It’s Thai comfort food at its best!
• Flexible: Use pork, chicken, Thai fried tofu, or whatever protein you love.

Lad Na Ingredients You’ll Need

Pork Marinade

• 3 center cut pork loins, thinly sliced – Tender protein that soaks up the savory marinade beautifully.
• 2–3 tbsp oyster sauce – Adds rich umami and helps season the pork before it hits the wok.

Noodles

• 3–4 servings wide, fresh rice noodles or fresh egg noodles – Wide noodles are classic; they soak up the glossy gravy so well.
• 2 tbsp Thai black soy sauce or oyster sauce – Gives the noodles a touch of color and a hint of sweetness and depth.

Broth & Gravy

• 2 tbsp cooking oil – Helps the garlic bloom and keeps everything from sticking.
• 6 garlic cloves, minced – Essential Thai aroma that flavors the entire gravy.
• 4 cups pork broth (or chicken) – The savory base that makes the gravy rich and comforting.
• 1 bunch fresh Chinese broccoli, coarsely chopped – The classic Lad Na veggie; crisp stems and leafy greens.
• 3 tbsp cornstarch – Thickens the broth into that silky Lad Na gravy.
• 1/2 cup water – Mixes with cornstarch to create a smooth slurry.
• 1/4 cup, or more to taste, Thai yellow bean sauce – The Thai miso backbone of Lad Na’s signature flavor.
• 2 tbsp Thai mushroom soy sauce – Adds deep umami and a touch of natural sweetness.
• 1 tbsp, or more to taste, oyster sauce – Rounds out the gravy with richness.
• 1 tbsp, or more to taste, sugar – Balances the saltier sauces and brings harmony to the dish.
• Thai Sriracha (optional) – A spicy, slightly sweet drizzle if you want Sukhothai-style heat.
• Prik Nam Som (Thai Chili Vinegar) – The traditional tangy topping that brightens every bite.

How to Make Lad Na

STEP 1: MARINATE THE PORK

Mix 3 center cut pork loins, thinly sliced with 2–3 tbsp oyster sauce in a bowl, and marinate for at least 20 minutes, or overnight if you want deeper flavor.

STEP 2: SOAK THE NOODLES

Soak 3–4 servings wide, fresh rice noodles (or fresh egg noodles) for 30 minutes in cold water so they soften before stir-frying.

STEP 3: STIR-FRY THE NOODLES

Warm up a wok or pan and add 2 tbsp cooking oil. Add the softened noodles and 2 tbsp Thai black soy sauce (or oyster sauce) and stir-fry until soft and lightly caramelized. Set aside.

STEP 4: START THE GRAVY

Add a little more oil (from the 2 tbsp cooking oil if you reserved some or a splash extra) to the wok. Add 6 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant.

STEP 5: ADD THE PORK

Add the marinated pork and stir-fry until halfway cooked, then pour in 4 cups pork broth (or chicken broth) and bring to a gentle boil.

STEP 6: ADD VEGGIES & SEASONINGS

Add 1 bunch fresh Chinese broccoli, 1/4 cup yellow bean sauce (or more to taste), 2 tbsp Thai mushroom soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce (or more to taste), and 1 tbsp sugar (or more to taste). Cook until the Chinese broccoli is crisp-tender.

STEP 7: THICKEN THE GRAVY

In a separate bowl, mix 3 tbsp cornstarch with 1/2 cup water to make a slurry. Stir it into the gravy while it gently simmers, until it reaches your perfect silky thickness.

STEP 8: ASSEMBLE

Add a serving of noodles to a plate, then ladle the glossy Lad Na gravy over the top. Serve with Thai Sriracha for Sukhothai-style heat or Prik Nam Som for a traditional tangy touch.

Additions and Substitutions

• Fresh Rice Noodles or Fresh Egg Noodles Substitute: Dried rice noodles or dried egg noodles.
• 1 tbsp. thai dark soy sauce substitute: 1/2 tbsp soy sauce + 1/2 tbsp molasses or brown sugar
• Chinese broccoli substitute: regular broccoli, kale, turnip greens
• Thai yellow bean sauce substitute: 1/2 tbsp miso + a pinch of brown sugar
• Thai mushroom soy sauce: 1 tbsp light Thai soy sauce or regular Kikoman soy sauce
• Thai oyster sauce substitute: 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce + 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• Thai Sriracha: 1/2 tbsp ketchup + 1/2 tbsp Red Rooster Sriracha (If you want it really spicy, add more sriracha than ketchup, if you want it less spicy, add more ketchup)

Tips for the Best Lad Na

• Prep everything first: Lad Na cooks fast, so have your sauces and veggies ready.
• Use high heat: Gives the noodles a slight smoky depth like Thai street vendors.
• Thicken slowly: Add the cornstarch slurry bit by bit until silky.
• Taste as you go: Adjust with mushroom soy sauce, sugar, or bean sauce.

Behind the Lad Na Recipe

Thai Hubby and I both zoomed back in time the other day. 

Our first bite of Lad Na, aka wide Thai rice noodles with thick gravy, tender pork and crisp, vibrant Chinese broccoli was our Delorean that took us there.

Thai Hubby arrived at a side street in his home town of Sukhothai, Thailand. 

He watched a Thai street food vendor, an older woman wearing a faded red apron and a big smile, put wide dark brown tinted rice noodles into a faded blue plastic bowl. 

Then she dipped a large metal ladle into a huge metal pot the size of a barrel and scooped out a luscious, gooey gravy of pork and Chinese broccoli to pour over the soft rice noodles.

Thai Hubby took the steaming bowl to a metal dark blue table with chipped paint and sat on a rickety plastic bright red stool.

He picked up from the table a bottle of Thai Sriracha (which people from Sukhothai always put on their Lad Na) and zig zagged it on top, sprinkled on some sugar, and a dash of vinegar. 

He smiled big as he scooped a perfect bite of noodles, gravy, pork and broccoli onto a big metal spoon ready to devour it.

But I went back in time to the bustling market across the street from the tutoring school, where I taught back when my Thai Hubby was just a hot Thai guy that I was dating.

My Thai co-worker and I were standing in front of the Lad Na vendor in the back of the loud market, busy with the lunchtime rush. 

I was mystified as I watched the serious, older gentleman efficiently put the dark rice noodles in a clear plastic bag and confidently, and like doing a magic trick, tie a red rubber band across the top so that the bag was now full of air like a balloon.

He did the same magic trick with the tiny bags of vinegar and peppers. Then he put all the balloon bags of Lad Na in a plastic grocery bag. 

We carried our bag of lunch treasures across the busy street, dashing across like we were playing tag with the motorcycles, taxis, buses, tuk tuks and cars, and somehow made it safely across, to our office building, and up the elevator to the third floor to our tutoring school.

I grabbed some plastic white bowls from the kitchen, emptied our bags of Lad Na goodness into them, tore open some Thai chili pepper flakes to sprinkle on top, and smiled as I scooped a perfect bite onto a big metal spoon, ready to devour it.

I’m glad that I figured out how to make Lad Na that could bring us back in time, because the first time I attempted to make it, instead of smiling after my first bite, I cried out of frustration.

We hadn’t eaten it since Thailand, which was years ago. So I was super stressed the first time I made it, trying so hard to make it taste like I remembered.

But instead of flashing back to Thailand, I ended up with a gooey like glue broth with tough, tiny slices of pork that didn’t taste anything like the Lad Na of our Thailand days.

But this time I took it slow, adjusted what I messed up on, and the smiles came.

Lesson learned: If you mess up making a Thai dish, it’s like what I tell my kids, it’s ok to make a mistake, see how you can fix it and do things differently next time. 

Those failed attempts will make your spot on Lad Na taste all the better and bring those nostalgic, happy tears to your eyes.

Lad Na Frequently Asked Questions

Want More Cozy Thai Dishes?

• Beef Pad See Ew – Sweet, savory, and a close cousin to Lad Na.
• Chicken Pad Thai– one of the most requested dishes at my Thai cooking class, for good reason!
• Vegetarian Thai Fried Rice – Veggie-packed and weeknight easy.
• Tom Yum Soup Noodles – Warm, bright, and perfect on busy, cold nights.

And if you want to learn how to make Lad Na in person, come join one of my Thai cooking classes in Boone, NC!

Love learning Thai kitchen tips like this? Sign up for my Thai-Foodie Substack newsletter and get my free Substitution Hacks Guide download, your cheat sheet for swapping Thai ingredients no matter where you live!

If you make it, I want to see! Take a pic and tag me on Instagram @thaifoodie!

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