This snack embodies all the best flavors of the familiar noodle dish: sweet, salty, sour, and spicy. Since pad thai is considered a common street food in Thailand and is eaten outside on the go, it seems appropriate to reinvent it in its American street food snack form. The popcorn, standing in for rice noodles, is dressed with similar flavors like fish sauce, chile pepper (in this case Sriracha), lime, and peanuts but adds a new textural dimension of crunch. It’s easy enough to pop some corn kernels, old-fashioned style (without the wizardry of a microwave), on the stovetop and then conjure up a quick caramel, deepened further by the salty fish sauce and transformed from the oven into a sticky, complex cluster of flavor. So welcome caramel corn’s clever Thai cousin into your snacking rotation, it’s sure to stay a while.
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Pad Thai Popcorn
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Pad Thai Popcorn transforms the classic Thai street food into a crunchy American snack, featuring sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors with a caramel twist.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unpopped corn kernels
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chopped peanuts
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) light corn syrup
- 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) fish sauce or oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Sriracha
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
- Heat 1 tsp of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the corn kernels and cover with a lid. Once the first kernel pops, shake the pot frequently until all the kernels have popped, then remove from heat.
- In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and 1/4 cup light corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes without stirring.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp Sriracha, and 1 tbsp lime juice. Add 1/4 tsp baking soda and stir until the mixture is foamy.
- Pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn and peanuts in a large bowl. Stir well to coat evenly.
- Spread the coated popcorn and peanuts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the popcorn is dry and crispy.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Let cool completely before serving.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, increase the amount of Sriracha.
- Store in an airtight container to keep the popcorn crunchy.
- Substitute fish sauce with soy sauce for a vegetarian version.
- Ensure the caramel is evenly distributed for the best flavor in every bite.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American, Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 0
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does fish sauce do in the caramel coating?
The article describes the fish sauce as deepening the caramel flavor beyond a standard sweet coating, adding the salty, umami quality that evokes pad thai’s characteristic taste. The recipe calls for 1½ tbsp of fish sauce stirred into the hot caramel along with Sriracha and lime juice. 
Why does the recipe add baking soda to the caramel?
The ¼ tsp of baking soda goes in at the end of the caramel step and causes the mixture to foam up. This aeration makes the coating lighter and helps it crisp up into clusters during the 45-minute bake at 250°F (120°C).
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes — the notes say to substitute the fish sauce with soy sauce for a vegetarian version, which preserves the salty, savory depth without the fish-derived ingredient.
Why bake the coated popcorn at low heat for 45 minutes instead of just serving it coated?
Baking at 250°F (120°C) for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, dries out the caramel coating so the popcorn becomes dry and crispy rather than sticky and soft. Skipping this step would leave you with clumped, chewy popcorn.
No salt?