This Easy Shrimp Stir Fry Is My Weeknight Magic Trick

This recipe has a few tricks up its sleeve for a glossy sauce made without cornstarch.

By
Megan Scott
Meg Scott
Megan Scott

Megan is a senior editor and recipe developer with 15 years of wide-ranging experience. Her obsession with food and cooking began in childhood and adolescence, with early cooking experiments that involved setting the oven on fire while trying to make croissants for the first time (they still tasted great!).

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Published September 25, 2025
Meg Scott
Shrimp Stir Fry in a wok with a wooden spoon

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

Stir fry is my go-to weeknight meal when I need to get dinner on the table quickly and I only have odds and ends in the fridge. Half a bell pepper, a handful of snow peas, and half a block of tofu? Stir fry. A carrot, a celery rib, and a chicken breast? Stir fry.

The genius of stir fry is that it trades the long, slow work of building flavor (think dishes like braised beef or Texas-style chili) for a flash in the pan of high heat combined with ingredients cut small and a sauce made with ultra-flavorful condiments. The technique gives you a complex-tasting, wholesome, all-in-one meal in under 30 minutes.

In this recipe, juicy, sweet shrimp are coated in a sweet, salty, spicy, buttery sauce. Crisp-tender snow peas and bok choy add a lovely texture, and the sauce clings appetizingly to the shrimp and vegetables. 

While stir fries do not usually contain butter, the addition of butter here thickens and enriches the sauce without the need for cornstarch or other thickeners. It also makes the sauce glossy and adds an irresistible buttery flavor that goes perfectly with the soy sauce and Sriracha.

How To Make This Shrimp Stir Fry

First, you’ll mix together the simple sauce and set it aside. Then, brown the shrimp. They won’t be cooked through at this point, but don’t worry! They’ll finish cooking later. Then, add the garlic and sauce to the pan to cook down and thicken. Stir in the veggies, then the butter, and finally the browned shrimp. The total cooking time is just 15 minutes.

Shrimp Stir Fry in bowls over rice, hot sauce and lime wedges on the side

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

Tips for Making Shrimp Stir Fry

Get the prep out of the way. Having all the ingredients chopped and measured beforehand and ready to go on the stovetop makes this quick-cooking recipe much easier and stress-free. You can leave the tails on the shrimp for a prettier presentation. 

Woks are great for stir-frying if you have a stove with a strong gas flame, but since most stoves don’t fit this description, this recipe uses a skillet, allowing the shrimp to lie flat in the pan and have more direct contact with the heat. 

Substitutions and Serving Suggestions

  • Use a different hot sauce: Use any hot sauce you prefer, or even sambal oelek. Just be mindful of the heat level and adjust the amount accordingly.
  • Other garnishes: Garnish with scallions, sesame seeds, or chopped toasted cashews or peanuts.
  • Serving options: Instead of rice, you can serve this stir fry over rice noodles or soba noodles.
overhead view of Shrimp Stir Fry in a bowl with a fork

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

More Stir Fry Recipes To Try

Shrimp Stir Fry

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Servings 4 servings

This recipe was developed by Marianne Williams.

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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

  • 2 teaspoons Sriracha, plus more for serving

  • 1 pound extra-large peeled and deveined raw shrimp (26/30 count)

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil

  • 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

  • 1 (6-ounce) package fresh snow peas

  • 4 ounces baby bok choy, quartered lengthwise (about 3 cups)

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces

  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, optional

  • 2 cups cooked white rice, for serving

  • Lime wedges, for serving, optional

Method

  1. Make the stir fry sauce:

    Stir together the soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and Sriracha in a small bowl and set aside.

  2. Brown the shrimp:

    Place the shrimp in a medium bowl. Add the salt and pepper and toss to coat. 

    Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shrimp in an even layer and cook until lightly browned on both sides but not fully cooked through, about 2 minutes total. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate and set aside. Reserve the oil in the skillet.

  3. Cook the sauce:

    Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce mixture and cook, stirring often, until reduced by about half and thickened, about 2 minutes.

  4. Cook the vegetables and shrimp:

    Add the snow peas and bok choy and cook, stirring often, until the bok choy is crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, add the butter, and cook, stirring constantly, until the butter melts. Add the shrimp and stir until coated in sauce and cooked through, about 1 minute.

  5. Garnish and serve:

    Remove from the heat and top with cilantro, if using. Serve over rice with lime wedges and more Sriracha, if desired. 

    This dish is best served immediately, but you can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat over medium heat in a skillet or heat individual servings in the microwave until warmed through.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
373 Calories
17g Fat
37g Carbs
18g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 373
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 137mg 46%
Sodium 1949mg 85%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 29mg 144%
Calcium 136mg 10%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 463mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.