15-Minute Shrimp & Veggie Stir-Fry
A quick, weeknight-friendly recipe for shrimp stir-fry with bell peppers and snow peas.
Serves4
Prep7 minutes to 9 minutes
Cook3 minutes to 6 minutes
Shrimp ranks high among my favorite ingredients that help get dinner on the table quickly. It cooks in a matter of minutes and is just as versatile as ubiquitous chicken breasts. Here’s proof: Toss shrimp and a couple of colorful vegetables into a hot skillet or wok, dress them in a spicy ginger-sesame sauce, and you’ve got a winning meal in no more than 15 minutes (that’s from start to finish, including any chopping). Yes, dinner can be that easy.
A Simple Formula for Shrimp Stir-Fry
You’ll often see stir-fries packed with a ton of ingredients, but my favorites are those that keep it simple, like this one. Pick two quick-cooking vegetables to pair with shrimp and mix up a simple but flavorful sauce using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Rice is a good idea here, too, since that sauce will need soaking up. Or, in the name of haste, try rice noodles, which are even faster to prepare.
15-Minute Shrimp & Veggie Stir-Fry
A quick, weeknight-friendly recipe for shrimp stir-fry with bell peppers and snow peas.
Prep time 7 minutes to 9 minutes
Cook time 3 minutes to 6 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup
water
- 3 tablespoons
tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon
grated or minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon
sambal oelek or Asian chile-garlic sauce
- 2 teaspoons
toasted sesame oil
For the stir-fry and serving:
- 2
medium bell peppers
- 8 ounces
snow peas (about 2 cups)
- 1 pound
raw peeled and deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen
Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons
canola or vegetable oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon
toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Cooked white or brown rice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Make the sauce:
Stir 1/4 cup water, 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce, 1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger, 1 tablespoon sambal oelek or Asian chile-garlic sauce, and 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil together in a small bowl and set aside.
Make the stir-fry:
Cut 2 medium bell peppers into 1/2-inch wide strips. Trim 8 ounces snow peas. Pat 1 pound raw and peeled shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with kosher salt.
Heat a flat-bottomed wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water vaporizes immediately on contact. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil, add the shrimp, and spread into a single layer. Cook undisturbed until browned on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate or bowl -- the shrimp will not be cooked through at this point.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil in the pan, add the bell peppers and snow peas, season with salt, and stir-fry until softened and tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan, add the sauce, and stir-fry until the shrimp are just cooked through and the sauce reduces and coats everything in the pan, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds and serve over rice, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The stir-fry sauce can be made a few days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.