Shrimp Stir-Fry

Name: Shrimp Stir-Fry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce ((or a gluten-free alternative)); 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1 tablespoon fresh garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root (minced); 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 tablespoon avocado oil; 2 pounds large shrimp (peeled and deveined (31-40 per pound)); 16 ounces frozen stir-fry veggies; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

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This easy shrimp stir-fry is ready in about 20 minutes. It's the ultimate weeknight dinner - quick, easy to make, and delicious.

I like serving this saucy dish over cauliflower rice. The leftovers are excellent, too!

Shrimp stir-fry served on a platter with chopsticks.

Shrimp are versatile and delicious. I love making recipes such as grilled shrimp and baked shrimp. I also enjoy stir-fry recipes such as pork stir-fry and steak stir-fry. They are quick and easy, especially when using a frozen vegetable mix.

When combining these two into a shrimp stir-fry, what's not to like? It's one of the recipes I make regularly for my family. It's ready fast, and it's delightfully flavorful. We all enjoy it - even The Picky Eater.

Jump to:

Ingredients
Selecting Your Shrimp Size
Variations
Shrimp Stir-Fry Instructions
Expert Tip
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Storing Leftovers
More Shrimp Recipes
Recipe Card

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

For the sauce: Reduced-sodium soy sauce, cornstarch, minced garlic, minced ginger, and red pepper flakes.
Cooking oil: I like to use avocado oil. It has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor, making it suitable for stir-fry recipes.
Shrimp: Raw shrimp, peeled and deveined.
Vegetables: It's easiest to use frozen stir-fry veggies. There's no need to defrost them first. I add them frozen to the skillet.
To finish the dish: Sesame oil and sesame seeds. The seeds are just for garnish. The oil adds wonderful flavor, so please don't skip it.

The ingredients needed for shrimp stir-fry.

Selecting Your Shrimp Size

Medium shrimp (51-60 pieces per pound) work well in stir-fry recipes because they are bite-size. But if all you have is large shrimp (31-40 pieces per pound), that's fine, too, and that's the size I used when photographing this recipe.

The tails can be on or off - this is up to you. Tail-on shrimp are more aesthetically pleasing, but tail-off shrimp are easier to eat, especially in a stir-fry.

A two-photo collage showing the difference between medium and large shrimp.

Variations

The best way to vary this recipe is to use different vegetables. You can use about one pound of any sturdy vegetable, fresh or frozen.

In addition to the veggies used here, other options include green beans, sliced bell peppers, and snow peas. I tried each of these options, and they're all excellent.

Shrimp Stir-Fry Instructions

Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:

Prepare the sauce. Whisk the soy sauce, cornstarch, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
Cook the shrimp and vegetables in the oil over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes. The idea is to cook them until the veggies are tender-crisp and the shrimp are fully cooked. How long this takes will depend on the size of the shrimp and whether the veggies are fresh or frozen. (Photos 1-3).
Add the sauce and cook just until it thickens, for about 1 more minute. (Photos 4-5).
Off heat, drizzle the dish with sesame oil, sprinkle it with sesame seeds, and serve. (Photo 6).

A six-photo collage showing the steps for making a shrimp stir-fry.

Expert Tip

While you want the shrimp fully cooked, you don't want them overcooked, or they'll be tough and gummy.

So, during the first stage of cooking them with the vegetables, cook them just until they are opaque, then proceed with the rest of the recipe. They will cook some more after you add the sauce.

Recipe FAQs

How do you ensure the shrimp stir-fry is not mushy?

Cook it over medium-high heat, and don't overcook it. You want the vegetables tender-crisp and the shrimp cooked but not overcooked.

Which oil is best for stir-frying?

Avocado oil is an excellent choice. It has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor. Refined coconut oil is also good.

I would not use extra-virgin olive oil or unrefined sesame oil. Both have a low smoke point, making them unsuitable for high-heat cooking. Note that we use sesame oil in this recipe to finish the dish, not as cooking oil.

How do you prevent a stir-fry from being bland?

Don't skimp on the soy sauce. Other ingredients that add flavor to this dish are garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve this stir-fry as is or on cauliflower rice. It's also good on shirataki noodles, zucchini noodles, hearts of palm pasta, or sauteed spinach.

Sometimes, I spoon it on a bed of raw baby spinach leaves. The hot stir-fry wilts the spinach just enough to cook it perfectly.

Storing Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.