Easy Shrimp Stir-Fry

Shrimp Stir-fry is an easy, healthy dish with honey garlic soy sauce, seared shrimp, and veggies ready in about 20 minutes. Try it today!

Asian stir-fries are an easy, healthy weeknight Dinner you can make in just 20 minutes. It’s a simple combination of a delicious sauce, a quick cooking protein and your favorite veggies. For more easy, healthy stir-fry recipes try this my General Tso’s Chicken Stir Fry or Easy Tofu Stir Fry.

Sabrina’s Shrimp Stir-Fry Recipe

My succulent shrimp recipe is an easy base recipe for you to keep in your back pocket anytime you’d like to make a healthy, quick stir fry. This is a base recipe because you can make this exact dish with sliced chicken breast or thighs, pork loin, sliced beef, scallops or any firm fish you love. You can even make it with firm or extra firm tofu for a quick vegetarian dinner.

All you have to do is, mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside. Second, prep the shrimp and vegetables. The shrimp goes into the sauce in the pan for a couple minutes to partially cook before adding the veggies. Everything simmers for just a few minutes more, until the veggies are crisp-tender, and your dinner is ready to serve!

Ingredients

• 1 pound Shrimp: Juicy shrimp is the main protein. It can easily be substituted with chicken, tofu, or sliced beef. If you’re buying peeled and deveined shrimp it will cook in less than 5 minutes. If your shrimp is frozen, thaw it in a colander under running cold water. Pat shrimp dry before adding to skillet.
• 1 cup Water: Water is the base for the sauce. It can be substituted with vegetable or chicken broth for more flavor.
• ¼ cup Ketchup: Ketchup adds a tangy sweetness to the sauce. ¼ cup tomato sauce mixed with a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of vinegar can substitute ketchup if needed.
• 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds saltiness and umami flavor found in most Asian cuisine. Use tamari for a gluten-free option or coconut aminos for a soy-free alternative. Use low-sodium soy sauce to help lessen the sodium content.
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the sauce. You can substitute with equal parts flour if you wish.
• 2 teaspoons Honey: Honey adds sweetness. You can substitute with equal parts brown sugar too.
• ¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper: Pepper flakes add a mild heat and pepper flavor that isn’t really to spicy for most mouths.
• 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil: Sesame oil has a strong nutty flavor, so be careful because a little goes a long way. It’s worth getting a bottle to use for this and other recipes.
• 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil is used for cooking the shrimp and vegetables. Substitute with canola oil or peanut oil or even coconut oil, if desired.
• 2 teaspoons Ginger: Ginger adds a fresh, spicy-sweet flavor. Substitute with 1 teaspoon ground ginger if fresh ginger is unavailable.
• 3 cloves Garlic: Garlic provides the garlicky flavor. Substitute with 2 teaspoons of garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic cloves.
• 1 cup Broccoli: Broccoli is the vegetable and the color contrasts nicely in the dish. Substitute with cauliflower or bell peppers for variation.
• 2 Carrots: Carrots offer a slight sweetness and delectable crunch. Substitute with snow peas or sugar snap peas for a different taste and texture.

How to Make

Recipe Card

Can This Be Made Ahead?

You can certainly make parts of it ahead of time. Seafood is not tolerant of cooking and reheating so I recommend preparing all the individual parts of the recipe a day ahead but cooking it just before you eat it.

Chef’s Note: Stir-Fry Vegetable Options

I used broccoli and carrots in the dish but you can feel free to use any fresh veggies you’ve got in the kitchen. Stir-fries are an easy way to use up what mixed vegetables you’ve already got. I especially love vegetables that are canned like baby corn, chestnuts and bamboo shoots because it makes the dish even more convenient to make in a pinch. Frozen vegetables will take a little longer to cook.

• Onion – chop the onion into 1-inch cubes
• Mushrooms – sliced
• Zucchini – cut into half circles about 1/2-inch thick
• Bell Peppers – all colors work, chop into 1-inch cubes
• Baby Corn – add whole or slice in half lengthwise
• Water Chestnuts – sliced, drain before adding
• Bamboo Shoots – drain before adding
• Green Onion – diced, a perfect garnish

Nutritional Facts

How to Peel and Devein Shrimp

You can buy peeled and deveined shrimp to save time, but if you don’t, the most time consuming part of the dish will be preparing the shrimp. In case you need to peel and devein the shrimp, here’s an easy guide:

1. To peel raw shrimp, tear away at the shell above the first segment of the shell (the tail segment).
2. Take a paring knife and make a shallow cut along the spine of the shrimp (the back of it).
3. Using the paring knife or a fork, gently remove the black strip of intestines.
4. To remove tails just squeeze the shrimp out from the bottom of the tail segment.

How to Store

• Storing: Within 2 hours of cooking, store leftover shrimp stir-fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge.
• Reheating Tip: Shrimp is best served fresh, but you can reheat. To reheat, use a skillet or microwave.
• Freezing: To freeze, place cooled shrimp stir-fry in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Label with the date and store in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving Ideas

• For a complete meal, serve with cooked brown rice, steamed white rice or Fried Rice.
• Round out the meal with more dishes like you’re at a restaurant eating family style with Chinese Lemon Chicken or Panda Express Orange Chicken (Copycat).
• Serve it with Spicy Chinese Sichuan Green Beans, your favorite steamed vegetables or even cauliflower rice.

Frequent Questions

Variations

• Garlic Lovers’ Delight: Increase the amount of garlic in the recipe for a stronger garlic flavor. Use 5-6 cloves of minced garlic instead of 3 cloves, and saute it until golden brown before adding shrimp and vegetables. You can even add more if you’re really going for the garlic flavor! A teaspoon of black pepper will really do wonders here too!
• Spicy Thai Twist: Add Thai red curry paste or Thai chili sauce to the sauce mixture for a fun twist. Follow the instructions on the packaging to ensure it’s not over-seasoned. Garnish with fresh Thai basil leaves and chopped peanuts before serving on a bed of Stir-Fry Garlic Noodles.
• Citrus Zest Infusion: Add a bold flavor with fresh citrus zest. You can use kinds such as orange or lime zest to brighten it up. Replace the sesame oil with a drizzle of citrus-infused olive oil for a refreshing and even stronger citrus flavor. This would pair well with the extra garlic version listed above.

Related Recipes

More Easy Stir Fry Dishes

Chinese Chicken Recipes

General Tso’s Chicken Stir-Fry

Chinese Beef Recipes

Spicy Garlic Beef Stir-Fry

Main Course

Tofu Stir-Fry

Pasta

Pad See Ew (Thai Stir Fried Noodles)

Photos used in previous versions of this post.