How do you order food that isn't spicy in Thailand?
Say mai phet (ไม่เผ็ด) — not spicy. For stir-fry dishes and noodles this usually works. For curry-based dishes, the heat is cooked into the paste and harder to remove. Dishes like pad see ew, khao man gai, and massaman curry are naturally mild and require no special request.
Thai cuisine has a wide range of spice levels, and not all dishes are equally modifiable. The key distinction is whether the heat source is added during cooking (whole or sliced chilies, chili oil, chili flakes added to a stir-fry) or cooked into a paste base (green curry paste, red curry paste, som tum sauce). The first type is easy to omit. The second type is baked into the flavor structure of the dish.
When you say mai phet (ไม่เผ็ด) at a Thai restaurant, a good kitchen will understand and comply. At street stalls and casual restaurants, the cook will typically leave out fresh chilies or reduce the chili oil. At restaurants serving pre-made curries from a large pot, the heat level of that pot cannot be changed once it is cooked. Knowing which category a dish falls into saves you from an unpleasant surprise.
Thai phrases for ordering mild food
| Thai | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ไม่เผ็ด | Mai phet | Not spicy |
| เผ็ดนิดหน่อย | Phet nit noi | A little spicy |
| ไม่ใส่พริก | Mai sai phrik | No chili please |
| เผ็ดมาก | Phet mak | Very spicy (for reference) |
Thai dishes: naturally mild vs. difficult to modify
| Thai | Dish | Spice level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ผัดซีอิ๊ว | Pad see ew | Naturally mild | Stir-fried wide noodles in soy sauce; no chili in base |
| ข้าวมันไก่ | Khao man gai | Naturally mild | Poached chicken over rice; dipping sauce can have some heat — ask for it on the side |
| แกงมัสมั่น | Massaman curry | Mildly spiced, not hot | Richer, sweeter curry with roasted spices; lowest heat of Thai curries |
| แกงกะหรี่ | Yellow curry | Mild | Turmeric-based, coconut milk, mild flavor; gentler than red or green |
| ผัดไทย | Pad thai | Mild base, chili on side | Tamarind and fish sauce base; chili flakes served separately — do not add |
| ต้มข่าไก่ | Tom kha gai | Mild to medium | Coconut milk soup with galangal; mildly spicy; ask mai phet to reduce heat |
| ข้าวผัดสับปะรด | Pineapple fried rice | Mild | Sweet and savory; typically mild |
| สะเต๊ะ | Satay | Mild | Grilled skewers; peanut sauce has mild sweetness; cucumber relish is mild |
| ผัดวุ้นเส้น | Pad woon sen | Mild | Stir-fried glass noodles; mild soy-based seasoning |
| แกงเขียวหวาน | Green curry | Hot — difficult to modify | Green chili paste base; heat is cooked in and cannot easily be removed |
| ส้มตำ | Som tum (green papaya salad) | Hot — can request mild | Made to order; ask mai phet but expect some residual heat |
| ลาบ | Larb (minced meat salad) | Hot — difficult to modify | Toasted chili powder and dried chilies are integral; cannot be fully removed |
| ผัดกะเพรา | Pad kra pao (holy basil stir-fry) | Hot — can request mild | Made to order; fresh chilies can be omitted; ask mai sai phrik |
Practical notes
- Mai phet works best for made-to-order dishes. Stir-fries, noodle dishes, and fried rice are cooked fresh each time, and the cook can easily adjust the chilies. Pre-cooked curries in a pot cannot be de-spiced after cooking.
- Western vs. local spice expectations. At a tourist-oriented restaurant, mai phet will typically result in a genuinely mild dish. At a local street stall serving Thai-speaking customers, mild may still be spicier than expected. If in doubt, add "nit noi" (a little) to signal you want real moderation.
- Table condiments are under your control. Most Thai tables have four condiments: sugar (น้ำตาล), fish sauce (น้ำปลา), chili in vinegar (พริกน้ำส้ม), and dried chili flakes (พริกป่น). None of these are spicy until you add them.
- Pad see ew and khao man gai are reliable safe choices. Both are widely available, well-understood by all Thai cooks, and genuinely mild. They are good options if you are very sensitive to spice.
- ChefBear filters dishes by your dietary preferences — scan a Thai menu and tell it you prefer mild food to see which dishes fit. This is not medical advice; confirm with restaurant staff before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say not spicy in Thai?
The Thai phrase for not spicy is mai phet (ไม่เผ็ด). Mai means no or not, and phet means spicy. Add krap (men) or kha (women) as a polite ending. For a little spicy, say phet nit noi (เผ็ดนิดหน่อย). These phrases are widely understood at Thai restaurants.
Which Thai dishes are naturally mild?
Pad see ew, khao man gai, massaman curry, yellow curry, pad thai (chili on side), pineapple fried rice, satay, and pad woon sen are all naturally mild or easy to order without spice. Tom kha gai (coconut galangal soup) is mild to medium — ask mai phet to reduce heat further.
Can Thai green curry be made non-spicy?
Green curry is made with green curry paste built on green chilies, which cannot be separated from the finished dish. At most restaurants it is not possible to make green curry genuinely non-spicy. Massaman curry or yellow curry are more reliably mild alternatives.
Does mai phet always work in Thailand?
Mai phet works well for stir-fry and noodle dishes where chilies are added during cooking. For curry dishes, the result depends on how the curry is made. At tourist-focused restaurants, the response to mai phet is generally reliable. At local stalls, results may vary.
Is pad thai spicy?
Pad thai is not inherently spicy. The base is tamarind, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Chili flakes are served on the side and you add them yourself. It is one of the safest choices if you want to avoid spice.
Related guides
- Can you eat Thai food with a peanut allergy?
- What should I order at a Thai restaurant the first time?
- How do you read a Thai menu?
- Thai menu translator app guide