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.
Table of contents
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
Time needed: 20 minutes.
- Prepare the Sauce
Combine water, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey (or brown sugar), crushed red pepper, and sesame oil in a medium bowl. Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
- Cook the Shrimp
Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat to medium-high heat. Add shrimp, ginger, and garlic and stir frequently. (Make sure you don’t have frozen shrimp. It should be thawed.) Cook until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Add Vegetables and Sauce
Stir in broccoli and carrots with the cooked shrimp. Pour the stir-fry sauce in. Stir and cook until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Garnish with optional sesame seed and/or green onion and enjoy!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound shrimp , peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoons ginger , minced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 cup broccoli
- 2 carrots , thinly sliced
Instructions
- Add the water, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey, crushed red pepper and sesame oil together in a small bowl and whisk.
- Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the shrimp, ginger and garlic, cooking on each side for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the broccoli and carrots and the sauce, stir and cover for 3 minutes until the broccoli and carrots are tender and the sauce is thickened.
Nutrition
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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:
- To peel raw shrimp, tear away at the shell above the first segment of the shell (the tail segment).
- Take a paring knife and make a shallow cut along the spine of the shrimp (the back of it).
- Using the paring knife or a fork, gently remove the black strip of intestines.
- 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
Yes! This recipe is perfect for it. You can easily substitute the shrimp with chicken, tofu, or even beef strips.
Absolutely! Substitute the shrimp with extra vegetables like tofu, mushrooms, or even just a variety of colorful bell peppers to create a delicious vegetarian stir-fry.
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
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
I made this recipe 3 times. My parents loved it. Thank you.
Excellent. Served over Jasmine rice.
This was NOT a good recipe. I would not make it again. The sauce wasn’t flavorful, it tasted watery. If you are going to make it, boil it down a TON. Honestly, I would not make this at all, there are better recipes out there.
good and easy . i served it over cauliflower rice . made it healthy by cutting carbs
Good easy recipe. I just added some black pepper and more pepper flakes to spice it up a bit. I also added some ramen noodles. This is a good recipe for anyone to customize to their liking. Thanks for the recipe Sabrina.
So easy and fast cooking , great choice , I am a shrimp freak! Happy that I didn’t have to buy nothing at the store. Thank you.
This recipe was not too bad but I would rather not have a tomato base in the sauce. It really threw me off. I would’ve added more broccoli than a cup also.
I’m working on another recipe for a tomato-less stir fry too! Try the Hunan Chicken recipe on this site with shrimp instead for an easy non-tomato based one you may enjoy.
Wow, this was really good! I added more soy sauce and some sriracha and just used the veggies I had on hand. It was so flavorful and yummy! My guests loved it as well.
I’m glad to know it was a hit with everyone, Mary. Thanks for the 5 star rating.
This recipe was really tempting! However, I found it a little ‘blah’. Also, I only used half the sauce, which was plenty. As I never cook shrimps longer than about 1.5 minutes, I added them last and cooked them with the veggies for the last 1.5 minutes. Perfect.
When I make this again, I will reduce the water to 3/4 cup, add Sriracha sauce, and a splash of fish sauce.
I served the dish over Rice Stick Vermicelli, which takes no cooking and only 5-6 minutes to soak in hot water.
Very bland! Added lots chili sauce & soy to give it some taste.
Really easy tasty and healthy.
why is the sodium content so high in the shrimp stir fry recipe?
I would recommend a low sodium soy sauce to help reduce the sodium content. Enjoy!
Some how I have never used broccoli and carrots together in a stir fry with shrimp. Thin slice or jillian “older” carrots that need to be used up?
Sure 🙂
Can I use flour as a substitute for the corn starch?
Sure
So friggin good!!
Can I substitute the broccoli with zucchini? I mean I know I can lol but will it taste okay?
Yes, absolutely, just be sure to slice it thin enough (about 1/4″) so that it cooks quickly enough. Any thicker and it’ll still be raw in the middle by the time the stir fry is done.
The recipe was everything it said it would be: quick and delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Barbara.
Can I use frozen cooked shrimp in this recipe? It’s all I can get right now? Thanks.
Yes, just thaw them under cold running water in a colander in the sink before using.
I have made it and added mushrooms instead of carrots! Now my dilemma is what Dino eat it with either rice or rice spguetti
Sounds like a good problem to have, haha!
I made this recipe last night and though the flavor was good I would not recommend it. I am unsure why you cook the shrimp first and the vegetables second. The vegetables were under cooked and the shrimp over cooked.
You could cook it the other way if you’d like. 🙂
Hey Sabrina, What should i use to substitute ketchup? It’s a no go for my family and there are several recipes you have that call for it.
You can always substitue with tomato sauce mixed with a bit of sugar and vinegar.
Is the ketchup an important part of this recipe? We want to omit it (and the tomato sauce/vinegar substitution) but if it is necessary, we will try it.
I know your meal is long gone now. I would say you could go ahead with the swap. The ketchup is in there for ease.
m s
This looks incredibly delicious!
Thanks, Erin!
I love quick and easy recipes like this! My shrimp loving boys would go crazy for this recipe!
Enjoy!
Great recipe! I love shrimp for weeknights too! Even if I forget to thaw some, it’s still takes less time than take out.
Definitely!
I love stir-fry so I am always happy when I find a delicious recipe with shrimp in it!
It’s the best!
Easy is my middle name! Okay, that sounds terrible. What I mean is that I love easy recipes like this!
Haha, no judgement here!!