Garlic Shrimp Stir-Fry

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4.8 from 18 votes

Garlic Shrimp Stir-Fry — Made with juicy shrimp, crisp-tender veggies, and a homemade stir-fry sauce, this stir-fry is QUICK and EASY! It’s ready in just 25 minutes and tastes so much better than takeout! Serve the stir-fry with noodles or rice for a complete meal.

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 300 kcal

Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Stir Fry Sauce

6 cloves garlic peeled and very finely minced
⅓ cup soy sauce lite
⅓ cup water
3 tablespoons light brown sugar packed; or to taste
1 ½ tablespoons sesame oil toasted
1 tablespoon chili sauce or more to taste for more spiciness* (See Notes)
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Stir Fry

3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil peanut, vegetable or olive oil, generic cooking oil
1 red bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced vertically, fresh
1 ½ cups broccoli do not use frozen, raw, florets
1 cup snow peas fresh
1 baby bok choy sliced vertically into quarters, small
2 pounds Shrimp peeled and deveined** (See Notes, large, raw, with tails on
sesame seeds green onions, cilantro, etc.; optional for garnishing

Instructions

Cup of Yum

Stir Fry Sauce - To a small bowl or 2 cup glass measuring cup, add the minced garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, sesame oil, chili sauce, cornstarch, and whisk well to combine; set aside.
Stir Fry - To a large, high-sided skillet or wok, add the oil (Tip - I love peanut oil, but not everyone does. It has a very distinct flavor so make sure you know your audience if using it), bell peppers, broccoli, snow peas, bok choy, and saute over medium to medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the veggies are becoming tender.
Keep the veggies in the skillet, add the shrimp, and cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until shrimp are just cooked. Tips - Take care not to overcook the shrimp. They cook faster than you think, and the smaller they are, the faster they cook. I used U15-20 count shrimp and they only need about 4 minutes total. If your shrimp are smaller, 90 seconds per side may be enough to cook them through. Also, the shrimp simmer in the sauce in the next step for an additional 5 minutes or so, so don't overcook them now. Shrimp are done when they go from gray/translucent to pink-white/opaque, and will curl slightly in on themselves.
Slowly and evenly pour the stir fry sauce over the contents of the skillet, and simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring nearly constantly. Tip - The sauce will thicken as time passes from the cornstarch in the sauce. It will seem looser in the skillet on the stove than it will be in reality after you take the skillet off the heat.
Optionally garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, etc. if desired. Serve alongside rice (white, brown, fried, cauliflower) or with noodles (such as Sweet and Sour or Thai Curry). Recipe is best served warm and fresh. Leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing the dish. I let leftovers come up to room temp on my countertop for 30 minutes before eating them rather than microwaving or reheating in a skillet.

Notes

*There are two types of commonly found chili garlic sauce.
One is a more translucent sauce that’s got hints of orange and pink in it, and it’s often labeled as a “sweet chili sauce”. If you have a Trader Joe’s in your area, I use their Sweet Chili Sauce. The Thai Kitchen brand also makes a Sweet Chili Sauce which is easy to find in most grocery stores. Overall, this type of chili sauce is milder than the next type I discuss.
There’s also chili garlic sauce. It’s a much deeper, ruddier, and reddish color with visible chunks of chili pepper seeds. The most common and recognizable brand is Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce (buy it at your local grocer or big box retailer, link for packaging recognition) with a telltale grass green lid on the jar. Tablespoon for tablespoon, chili garlic sauce is spicier and bolder in flavor than the previously mentioned sauce.
Use whichever sauce you like. For kids or spice-weary folks, I suggest the first. For those who like bold garlic flavor with heat, the second.
The Huy Fong brand is also famous for their sriracha, which is different and not exactly what this recipe calls for, although would work in a pinch.
**Shrimp - When shrimp is the star of the show in any recipe, I always like to use fresh shrimp. Simply put, fresh is better and go with this option if you can. I use peeled and deveined shrimp, with the tails still on and intact for visual effect, that I purchase from the seafood counter at my local grocery store.
However, based on availability or your budget, you may use frozen shrimp. They are cheaper and available in nearly every grocery freezer case.
However, make sure you know are aware if they are uncooked frozen shrimp OR cooked frozen shrimp.
Important Frozen Shrimp Tips - If using the former, thaw them and proceed with the recipe like you would if using fresh shrimp. If using the later (shrimp that have already been cooked, then frozen), I suggest not adding them until the very end of the recipe, after you add the sauce. You just want to warm them through and not actually cook them (again, since they’ve already been cooked once and then frozen).

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 300kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 25g (50%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 12g (71%) Cholesterol 191mg (64%) Sodium 1692mg (71%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 8g (16%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 300

% Daily Value*

Serving	1serving
Calories	300kcal	15%
Carbohydrates	18g	6%
Protein	25g	50%
Fat	15g	23%
Saturated Fat	2g	10%
Polyunsaturated Fat	12g	71%
Cholesterol	191mg	64%
Sodium	1692mg	71%
Fiber	3g	12%
Sugar	8g	16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.