Easy Shrimp Stir-Fry

Easy shrimp stir-fry recipe ready in 30 minutes or less! Tender pieces of succulent shrimp, crunchy snow peas, and red bell peppers tossed in a sweet and savory orange sauce with a hint of spiciness.

This stir-fry shrimp recipe is an easy weeknight dinner! The tool of choice is a wok, cooking each ingredient quickly and adding surface flavor to the shrimp while retaining the crunchy textures of each vegetable. Using a wok requires very little oil, just enough to coat the pan’s surface, so the ingredients don’t stick, making the meal low in fat.

Every good wok-fired dish needs a delicious stir-fry sauce. I’ve created a naturally sweetened and t, tangye sauce with a little heat kick. Its lighter consistency perfectly coats the shrimp, so each bite gets a bright citrus flavor. Grab your wok. It’s time to turn up the heat!

Make the stir-fry sauce

The sauce combines freshly squeezed orange juice, vegetable broth, soy sauce, red pepper chili flakes, and cornstarch. To make the sauce gluten-free, substitute coconut aminos for soy sauce. Apple cider vinegar is my secret ingredient to instantly boost the orange notes while balancing the sweet and savory flavors.

I always keep different types of vinegar handy in my pantry because there are many versatile uses. Raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar naturally adds acidity to recipes, providing brightness and a new dimension of taste to any dish.

Prepare the shrimp

Use fresh or frozen shrimp that has already been peeled and deveined. I use an extra jumbo 16/20 count size. This size gives a nice two-bite portion and ensures the shrimp don’t cook too quickly and shrink into tiny pieces. Dry the pieces with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.

Cook the shrimp

Stir-frying is a simple technique. If you don’t have a wok, a 12-inch saute pan works well. Ensure the pan and oils are nice and hot, then carefully add the shrimp in a single layer for fast and even cooking. Briefly sear the surface for about a minute on each side.

You want the colors to go from a grey-translucent appearance to one that’s pink and opaque. Beware, shrimp can turn rubbery when overcooked! Make sure it slightly curls into a “C” shape and not a tight “O.” To halt the cooking process, transfer the shrimp to a plate when cooking the vegetables.

Stir-fry the vegetables

Pieces of red bell pepper and snow peas add a crunchy texture to the dish. Add them to the pan, and cool for about a minute without moving to lightly brown the vegetables. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds to cook to other sides.

Minced ginger and garlic are briefly sauteed, and add intense notes and aroma. Add the shrimp back to the pan to heat with the orange sauce.

Cook the sauce

Once the orange sauce ingredients are whisked together, they are added to the shrimp mixture to warm. The last step of cooking stir-fry is to thicken the sauce mixture in the wok. A cornstarch slurry is added to the hot pan, adding volume to the sauce in under a minute!

The sauce becomes a golden orange glaze, delicately coating everything in the pan. I like to garnish the dish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and cilantro seeds. I often serve this shrimp stir-fry with steamed white or brown rice or my shrimp fried rice recipe. For a low-carb option, try sauteed cauliflower rice.

More shrimp recipes

• Spicy Garlic Shrimp Skillet
• Thai-Spiced Shrimp with Vegetable Noodles
• Cauliflower Grits with Spicy Shrimp

Easy Shrimp Stir-Fry

Easy shrimp stir-fry recipe ready in 30 minutes or less! Tender pieces of succulent shrimp, crunchy snow peas, and red bell peppers tossed in a sweet and savory orange sauce with a hint of spiciness!

Pin Print SaveSaved! Review

4.83 from 39 votes

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time6 minutes mins

Total Time21 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Course Entree

Cuisine Chinese

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ ½ cup orange juice
• ▢ ⅓ cup vegetable broth
• ▢ ¼ cup soy sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water
• ▢ 1 pound shrimp, 16/20 count, peeled and deveined
• ▢ kosher salt, as needed for seasoning
• ▢ black pepper, as needed for seasoning
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• ▢ 1 cup red bell pepper, ½" dice
• ▢ 2 cups snow peas
• ▢ 1 tablespoon green onion, thinly sliced
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
• ▢ ¼ cup cilantro leaves

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• Make Stir-Fry Sauce – In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together orange juice, vegetable broth, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and red chili flakes. Set aside.
• Make Cornstarch Slurry – In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Set aside.
• Season the Shrimp – Pat dry the shrimp between two paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
• Saute the Shrimp – Heat a wok or 12-inch saute pan over high heat. Add vegetable oil and sesame oil and heat until just smoking. Add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer and cook for 1 minute. Flip and cook until no longer translucent, about 1 minute. Transfer to a clean plate.
• Add the Vegetables – Add bell pepper and snow peas to the wok in a single layer, and allow them to cook for 1 minute without moving. Stir the vegetables and cook until lightly browned and crisp, about 30 seconds.
• Add Shrimp and Sauce – Add garlic and ginger to the pan, and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp back in and stir to combine. Add the stir-fry sauce to the pan, stirring to warm, about 2 minutes.

  Whisk in the cornstarch slurry mixture, then add it to the center of the wok. Stirring continuously until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.
• To Serve – Season with salt and pepper as desired. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro.

Equipment

• Wok

Notes

• Make it Whole30: Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce; use arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch; use extra-virgin olive oil, ghee, or coconut oil instead of vegetable oil; and use sea salt instead of kosher salt.
• Make it Gluten-Free: Use coconut aminos or tamari instead of soy sauce.
• Make it Paleo: Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch.
• Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating: Cover and microwave on high setting in 15-second increments until hot. 

Nutrition Facts

Serves: 4 servings

Calories 230kcal (12%)Carbohydrates 15g (5%)Protein 26g (52%)Fat 7g (11%)Saturated Fat 1g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 170mg (57%)Sodium 810mg (34%)Potassium 142mg (4%)Fiber 2g (8%)Sugar 4g (4%)Vitamin A 2650IU (53%)Vitamin C 133.7mg (162%)Calcium 130mg (13%)Iron 3.6mg (20%)

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.