Sweet and Sour Shrimp Stir-Fry Recipe: Quick & Easy 20-Minute Meal
Craving a quick and easy dinner? This stir-fry recipe is your answer! It features a homemade version of a Chinese-American favorite: sweet and sour shrimp. We’re stir-frying it with crisp sugar snap peas and tossing it all together with delicate rice noodles. Feel free to personalize this dish by adding more of your favorite vegetables or swapping the noodles for rice or even zucchini noodles for a lighter option.
What’s even better? I’m sharing all my top tips and tricks to help you adapt this restaurant-inspired recipe using whatever ingredients you already have in your refrigerator and pantry. This makes it incredibly convenient for those busy weeknights when you need a satisfying meal on the table fast. Ready in just 20 minutes, this sweet and sour shrimp stir-fry is sure to become a new family favorite!
In today’s world, finding time to prepare a delicious and nutritious meal can be challenging. We’re surrounded by options for quick 30-minute meals – savory, sweet, and everything in between. These recipes promise a home-cooked dinner faster than you can watch an episode of your favorite show! However, even 30 minutes can feel like too much when you’re juggling multiple responsibilities. That’s where this incredible sweet and sour shrimp stir-fry comes in! Now, you can transform simple, raw ingredients into a complete and flavorful meal in just 20 minutes or less.
I’m a huge stir-fry enthusiast, and for good reason. Stir-fry recipes are more than just a set of instructions; they’re flexible guidelines that encourage your own creativity in the kitchen. They offer a basic framework but leave plenty of room for personal customization. Don’t like shrimp? No problem! Simply extend the cooking time slightly and substitute with cubed chicken breast for a delicious, seafood-free alternative. Want to load up on veggies? Add your favorites, such as vibrant bell peppers, crunchy broccoli florets, or tender carrots. This recipe is incredibly adaptable, fast to prepare, and packed with amazing flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Sweet and Sour Shrimp
- It’s packed with perfectly cooked, juicy shrimp that melt in your mouth.
- It features a delightfully sticky and flavorful sweet and sour sauce that coats every ingredient.
- It’s loaded with crisp and tender sugar snap peas, adding a satisfying crunch.
- It’s perfect for busy weeknights when you need a quick and easy meal on the table.
- It’s easily customizable with your favorite vegetables or protein, making it suitable for everyone.
- It’s versatile enough to be served with rice, noodles, or simply extra vegetables for a lighter dish.
- It’s ready in just 20 minutes, making it the ultimate quick and satisfying stir-fry recipe.
Key Ingredient Notes
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- Thai Sweet Chili Sauce: This sauce forms the base of our tangy and sweet flavor profile. It provides the perfect balance of heat and sweetness, creating a wonderfully complex flavor.
- Pineapple Juice: Pineapple juice brings the essential sweet element to our stir-fry sauce. Opt for 100% pure pineapple juice for the most vibrant and authentic flavor. If you don’t have pineapple juice on hand, orange juice can be used as a substitute.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds a salty and umami-rich depth to the sauce, enhancing the other flavors. Using low sodium soy sauce, just like when making spicy garlic sauce, prevents the dish from becoming overly salty.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: Rice wine vinegar provides the necessary sour element to balance the sweetness of the other ingredients. It adds a subtle tang that brightens the sauce.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is used as a thickening agent, creating a luscious and glossy sauce that clings beautifully to the shrimp and noodles.
For the Stir-Fry:
- Shrimp: This recipe calls for medium-sized shrimp. You can use either fresh or frozen shrimp, but choosing frozen shrimp that are already peeled and deveined can save you valuable prep time in the kitchen. If using frozen shrimp, ensure they are fully thawed and thoroughly drained before cooking. Using fresh shrimp? See my recipe for glazed honey garlic shrimp for helpful tips and tricks on deveining shrimp.
- Garlic: Garlic adds a punch of aromatic flavor to the stir-fry. Freshly minced garlic is always best for its intense flavor, but jarred minced garlic can be used as a convenient alternative.
- Sugar Snap Peas: Sugar snap peas are blanched to maintain their crisp texture and vibrant green color. If snap peas aren’t your favorite, feel free to substitute with other vegetables, such as bell peppers, broccoli, or sliced carrots.
- Rice Noodles: Rice noodles provide a perfect, slurp-worthy base for the stir-fry, absorbing the flavorful sauce beautifully. Feel free to use any type of noodles you have in your pantry, or even try serving the dish with steamed coconut rice for a delicious twist.
See the recipe card below for complete information on ingredients and exact quantities.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Before you even turn on the stove, ensure all of your ingredients are prepped and ready to go. Stir-frying is a quick process, so having everything prepared beforehand will ensure a smooth and successful cooking experience. For the complete recipe with detailed instructions, please see the recipe card located below.
- Prepare the Sweet and Sour Sauce and Cook the Rice Noodles: Whisk together the sweet chili sauce, pineapple juice, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl until well combined. Set the sauce aside. Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions until tender, then drain well.
- Blanch the Sugar Snap Peas: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the sugar snap peas to the boiling water for approximately 20 seconds to blanch them. Immediately remove them from the boiling water and rinse them thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process. This blanching step helps to maintain the peas’ vibrant color and crisp texture.
- Cook the Shrimp and Garlic: Heat olive oil in a wok or large, tall-sided saute pan over medium heat. Add the peeled and deveined shrimp and minced garlic to the hot oil. Stir continuously until the shrimp turn pink and are mostly cooked through, approximately 2 minutes. At this stage, add the blanched sugar snap peas to the wok.
- Add the Sauce: Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce into the wok with the shrimp, garlic, and sugar snap peas. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a syrupy consistency, about 2 minutes.
- Combine with Noodles and Serve: Add the cooked rice noodles to the wok. Toss all of the ingredients together to ensure the noodles are thoroughly coated in the luscious sweet and sour sauce. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy!
I personally enjoy serving this sweet and sour shrimp stir-fry with crispy cream cheese wontons or flavorful avocado egg rolls. These appetizers are always a crowd-pleaser and pair perfectly with any Chinese-American-inspired meal.
Expert Tips & Tricks for Success
- Don’t Overcook the Shrimp: Shrimp cooks incredibly fast, typically taking only 2-3 minutes per side. Overcooked shrimp will turn rubbery and lose its delicious texture. Keep a close eye on the shrimp while cooking. When in doubt, slightly undercook them before adding the sweet and sour sauce, as they will continue to cook as the sauce thickens.
- Noodle Substitutions: You can usually find udon or rice noodles in the Asian or international foods section of most grocery stores. If you are unable to find these specific noodles or prefer to use what you have available, feel free to swap in other types of noodles from your pantry. Spaghetti, linguine, or even lo mein noodles can all work as excellent substitutes.
- Utilize Leftover Pineapple Juice: Extend the restaurant-inspired meal theme throughout the week by using any leftover pineapple juice to make other delicious dishes. Consider trying sticky pineapple chicken or baked sweet and sour meatballs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Can I use frozen snap peas instead of fresh?
- Absolutely! Frozen snap peas can be a convenient and equally delicious alternative to fresh snap peas. Just make sure to thaw and drain them well before adding them to the stir-fry. It’s important to note that there is typically no need to blanch frozen snap peas, as they are usually blanched prior to freezing.
- Can I add other vegetables to the stir-fry?
- Definitely! Feel free to add your favorite vegetables to customize the stir-fry to your liking. Popular additions include vibrant bell peppers, tender broccoli florets, or crisp carrots.
- How should I store any leftovers?
- Store any leftover sweet and sour shrimp stir-fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When reheating, use a skillet over medium heat until the leftovers are warmed through.
More Delicious Homemade Takeout Recipes To Try
Ready for even more ways to skip the takeout menus and create your favorite dishes at home? Don’t miss out on my favorite collection of quick and easy homemade takeout recipes:
- Easy Pineapple Shrimp
- 30-Minute Beef Lo Mein
- Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice
- 30-Minute Mongolian Beef
- Crispy Pork Egg Rolls
- Easy Chicken Pad Thai
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20-Minute Sweet and Sour Shrimp Stir-Fry
Kelly Senyei
10 minutes
10 minutes
20 minutes
4 servings
Ingredients
For the sauce:
-
2/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce -
1/3 cup pineapple juice -
2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce -
1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar -
2 teaspoons cornstarch
For the stir-fry:
-
1 Tablespoon olive oil -
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined -
1 Tablespoon minced garlic