This shrimp stir fry recipe is easy, fast, and tasty as can be. I sauté juicy shrimp with broccoli, but just about any veggie goes. The flavors are garlicky, sweet-sour, and delicious over rice.
Don’t you just love having dinner ready in under 30 minutes? Try my General Tso’s shrimp and broccoli and bang bang shrimp. Or, for another easy dinner idea, check out this Chinese chicken and broccoli.
Hey! I see you there, wondering what to make for dinner. Drooling over these pictures of the BEST shrimp stir fry. I have news for you: you can make it in under 30 minutes. Even better, it’s the easiest meal you’ll make this week!
I can’t think of a last-minute dinner that’s better than a fresh, flavor-packed stir-fry made at home. Recipes like shrimp stir fry, chicken stir fry, and pepper steak stir fry carried me through college, and I still love them now. This easy shrimp stir fry recipe is possibly my favorite of them all. It’s juicy, crunchy, sweet-savory, and a little spicy. Just add rice and dig in!
What Makes This the Best Shrimp Stir Fry Recipe
- Great for all skill levels. Stir fries are perfect whether you’re a whiz in the kitchen or just starting out, and this shrimp stir fry recipe is no different. It’s quick, easy, and delicious without any fancy ingredients.
- Loaded with flavor. A simple, sweet-savory stir-fry sauce made from soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey is all it takes to transform shrimp and broccoli into the most delicious Chinese-style meal.
- Super juicy shrimp. I use an easy marinating technique that involves coating the shrimp in cornstarch before frying. Chinese restaurants use it all the time, and it’s the secret to cooking ultra-tender shrimp, chicken, and beef.
Ingredients You’ll Need
If you’re as stir-fry-obsessed as I am, you likely have what you need to make this shrimp stir fry already in the fridge and pantry. And even if you’re not stocked yet, the ingredients are very easy to find.
Check out my notes here, and scroll down to the printable recipe card for a full ingredients list with recipe details.
- Shrimp – Peeled and deveined (leave the tails on or off). You can use fresh or frozen shrimp. If you’re using frozen, make sure to thaw and drain the shrimp first.
- Cornstarch – Marinating the shrimp in cornstarch before stir-frying is a Chinese cooking technique called “velveting”. It helps lock in moisture and keeps the shrimp tender during cooking.
- Salt and Black Pepper – I recommend going easy on the salt when seasoning your shrimp since you’ll also add soy sauce to the stir-fry later on.
- Oil – Choose a good-quality vegetable oil with a high smoke point for frying. Canola oil, peanut oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil are all good options.
- Garlic – I use 3 freshly minced cloves. Feel free to adapt the amount of garlic to taste.
- Broccoli – Really, this can be just about any stir-frying vegetable, see below.
- Soy Sauce – I opt for low-sodium soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (which also has less sodium).
- Rice Vinegar – If you don’t have rice vinegar, wine vinegar and distilled white vinegar will also work.
- Honey – You can also use maple syrup or brown sugar.
- Crushed Pepper Flakes – Optional, but great if you like your stir fry with a bit of kick! Feel free to spice it up with sriracha, fresh chilies, or hot sauce, too.
- Rice – For serving. You can prepare basmati, jasmine, wild rice, or any long-grain rice you prefer. Cauliflower rice is a good choice if you’re keeping things low-carb. Another option is to serve this shrimp stir-fry over noodles! I share more serving suggestions later in the post.
What Kind of Vegetables Can I Use in Stir-Fry?
I love the bright pop of green and tender crunch of broccoli florets in this shrimp stir fry, but that doesn’t mean you can’t swap in your favorite veggies! In addition to broccoli, good vegetables for stir-frying include onions, carrots, mushrooms, watercress, snap peas, and bell peppers, or you can use a frozen vegetable medley. To keep this recipe under 30 minutes, stick to quick-cooking veggies.
How to Make Shrimp Stir Fry
This stir-fry recipe is super snappy (perfect for weeknights!). It takes 20 minutes and one pan to make it on the stovetop. Here’s what you’ll do:
- Cook the rice. If you’re serving with rice, get it simmering according to the package directions first. You can also make a quick batch of rice in the Instant Pot.
- Coat the shrimp. Meanwhile, toss the shrimp with cornstarch and let it rest in the bowl for 5 minutes. Close to the end of marinating, get some oil preheating in a large skillet.
- Stir-fry. You’ll sauté the shrimp first, then move the cooked shrimp to a bowl. Stir garlic into the pan, and finally, add the broccoli and let it cook for a minute.
- Put it all together. Add the shrimp back to the pan and stir in soy sauce, vinegar, and honey. Let that simmer until the shrimp and broccoli are completely cooked through.
- Serve. Last but not least, stir in crushed red pepper flakes as the pan comes off the heat, serve the shrimp stir fry over rice, and enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Get everything ready to go. Chop the veggies, peel and devein the shrimp, and cook your rice or noodles before you start. Stir-fries come together quickly, so it helps to have everything on hand and ready for the pan.
- Use a large skillet or a wok. Make sure the pan is big enough for the ingredients to fit comfortably. This ensures even frying.
- Avoid overcooked shrimp. Shrimp are finished cooking when they turn opaque in color and curl into a “C” shape. Do your best not to overcook the shrimp, otherwise it gets a bit rubbery.
- Don’t burn the garlic. Garlic cooks fast in the hot pan, so stir often and take care that it doesn’t burn. Usually, 30 seconds to a minute is enough for garlic to become fragrant.
- Don’t forget to stir! I mean, it’s in the name, but stirring is key to well-cooked shrimp and veggie stir-fry. Use a heat-proof spoon and stir often.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store the shrimp and broccoli separately from the rice in airtight containers. Leftovers last in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. To reheat, warm your shrimp stir fry in the microwave or a skillet on the stovetop. If needed, add a bit of water to help loosen up the sauce again. I like to make a fresh batch of rice to serve with it.
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Prepare the rice. Cook the rice according to the package directions.
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Toss the shrimp with cornstarch. In the meantime, combine the shrimp and cornstarch in a bowl. Mix to combine and let stand for 5 minutes.
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Stir fry the shrimp. Heat a wok or a skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the heated wok and add the shrimp. Season them with salt and pepper and cook for a minute on each side. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
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Cook the veggies. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and stir in the garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the broccoli and continue to cook for about a minute.
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Put it all together. Add the shrimp back to the pan along with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. Bring the sauce to a boil. Continue to cook for 1 minute or until the shrimp are opaque and broccoli is tender.
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Season and serve. Remove from heat, stir in crushed red pepper, if using, and serve the shrimp stir fry over the prepared rice.
Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 256mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 284IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
