Shrimp Stir Fry

This 15-minute Shrimp Stir Fry is bound to be a family favorite. Loaded with shrimp, onions, broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, red bell peppers, and carrots all smothered in a soy and honey-based stir fry sauce.

Quick and easy to prepare you can feel good about feeding your family this shrimp and vegetable stir fry recipe. Best of all you can get it on the table in less than 20 minutes.

If you are looking for more options, check out all our stir-fry recipes. A few of our favorites are Easy Salmon Stir Fry, Pineapple Chicken Stir Fry, and this Moo Shu Vegetable Stir Fry.

Why Stir Fries Are One Of My Favorite Meals

Here are just a few reasons why stir fries are a favorite at our house.

• Easy: This shrimp stir fry is easy and cooks up quickly so you can get it on the table in about 20 minutes.
• Versatile: You can change up the protein, modify the vegetables and switch up the sauce.
• Good for you: Shrimp stir fry is loaded with protein and vegetable goodness you can feel satisfied with serving your family.

Key Ingredients and Easy Swaps

Here is a list of the main ingredients and some alternatives.

• Shrimp: Juicy, succulent shrimp make a great protein option in this stir fry but you could also use chicken, beef, tofu, or even fish. If you choose shrimp use medium or large-sized, fresh or frozen both work. Always defrost shrimp before cooking it so that it cooks evenly and doesn't get rubbery.
• Coconut oil: This high-heat oil works well with a stir fry but any other high-heat oil works.
• Vegetables: We used onions, broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, red bell peppers, and carrots but any combination of fresh or frozen vegetables works well.
• Stir fry sauce: This classic stir fry sauce contains the usual suspects; low sodium soy sauce, broth, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger mixed with cornstarch so it gets nice and thick. A few substitutions include tamari for the soy sauce, maple syrup for the honey, powdered garlic, and ginger for the fresh garlic and ginger.
• Garnish: Top the stir fry with green onions or scallions, sesame seeds, or cashews.
• Shortcut: Use a bag of frozen mixed veggies and store-bought stir-fry sauce.

How To Make This Easy Shrimp Stir Fry

To make this speedy stir fry in 4 steps follow these instructions.

1. Prepare the stir-fry sauce

Combine soy sauce, broth, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger in a bowl along with the cornstarch. Mix well and taste to determine if it needs any adjustments. Here are some favorite ways to customize the stir-fry sauce.

• Make it spicy: 1-3 tsp sambal olek
• Make it sweet: Double (or triple) the honey
• Sweet and spicy: Double the honey and add 1-3 tsp sambal olek or Sriracha
• Thicker: Double the cornstarch
• More savory: 1-2 tbsp oyster sauce

2. Cook the shrimp

Always make sure the shrimp is fully defrosted. The best option is to let them naturally defrost in the fridge overnight. For a quick option, add the bag of frozen shrimp to a bowl of cold water. Make sure it is fully submerged and let it sit for 30-45 minutes until the shrimp is fully defrosted. Dry with a paper towel.

Place the shrimp into hot oil in a wok or skillet. Season accordingly and cook until just cooked through and browned. Remove and set aside.

3. Time for the veggies

Add a little more oil to the skillet and cook the onion, broccoli, sugar snap peas, red bell pepper, and carrot until they are tender and crisp. Stir fry vegetables shouldn't be soggy or mushy. Cook them so they still have some texture and crunch.

4. Combine the shrimp with the veggies:

Add the shrimp and the sauce back to the pan and cook until the sauce thickens. This should only take 1-2 minutes. Make sure not to cook too long or the shrimp will get rubbery.

Switch Things Up! Recipe Ideas

The options for changing things up in this shrimp stir fry are endless but here are a few.

• Swap the protein: Instead of shrimp, you can use chicken, beef, salmon, tofu, scallops, or a combination of these. Just be mindful of the cooking time as each of these will cook at a different pace.
• Switch up veggies: There really aren’t any vegetables that won’t work in a stir fry. You can try celery, cauliflower, snow peas, bok choy, cabbage, or spinach. Don’t hesitate to use a bag of frozen vegetables either.
• Change up the sauce: Looking for a sweeter sauce? Add more honey or use pineapple juice instead of the broth. Spicier sauce? Add some sriracha or chili paste. Want a thicker sauce? Add in peanut or almond butter.
• Add fruit: Stir fries aren’t just about veggies. Throw in some diced pineapple or mango.

How To Serve Shrimp Stir Fry

There are so many different ways to serve shrimp stir fry but here are a few of our favorites.

• Grains: This stir fried shrimp and veggies goes well with white rice, brown rice, wild rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa. Try this Healthy Fried Rice, this Coconut Cauliflower Rice, this Instant Pot Brown Rice, or this Quinoa Fried Rice to serve your stir fry.
• Noodles: Choose from soba, rice, buckwheat, shirataki, udon, or glass noodles to sit under your shrimp stir fry. If you are looking for a low-carb noodle option, use zucchini noodles. For even more veggie goodness use carrot or sweet potato noodles.
• As a wrap: For a really low-carb and lightened-up option you can fill a lettuce leaf with a serving of this shrimp stir fry like this Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wrap only you’d substitute the shrimp stir fry for the ground beef.
• Garnishes: These little add-ins and add-ons really do enhance the flavor so don’t skimp if you have the ingredients on hand. Top the stir-fry with green onions, scallions, toasted peanuts, cashews, or sesame seeds. You can also throw in some chopped cilantro or Thai basil.

Leftovers and Storage

Stir fries are great for meal prep and many people enjoy them both warmed up or even cold. Here's how to store leftovers.

• Fridge: Leftover shrimp stir fry will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Freezer: Store leftover shrimp stir fry in the freezer for up to 4 months.
• Thaw: Thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat: Reheat the shrimp stir fry in a pot on the stove over medium heat until warmed through or placed in the microwave.

Tips for the Best Stir Fry

Stir fries are one of the quick and easiest meals around, but they can be tricky. Many people complain that when stir-frying they end up with overcooked or rubbery proteins.

Follow these tips for a perfect stir fry every time.

• Make sure the oil is hot: It is best to cook the shrimp and vegetables in hot oil. The objective is for them to cook quickly and not absorb too much oil.
• Cut the vegetables the same size: If all your stir fry ingredients are the same size they will cook up at the same pace. There’s nothing worse than soggy vegetables in a stir-fry.
• Cook everything in a single layer: All the vegetables and the shrimp need to sit directly on the pan to cook up properly so it is best not to stack or layer them.
• Cook the protein and vegetables separately: This is the biggest mistake people make when stir-frying. Always cook the protein separately so you can ensure it is cooked properly. Then set it aside and add it back to the stir fry with the sauce.
• Do not overcook: Watch the shrimp and vegetables closely and as they are just cooked, take them off the heat.