Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry

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This veggie-packed Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry is so easy to make and comes together in less than 20 minutes! Have dinner ready on the table in no time thanks to this easy shrimp recipe.

There’s nothing I love more than a quick-cooking protein. Shrimp thaws so quickly (great if you’ve forgotten to defrost something the night before) and cooks up in minutes. Seriously, it’s the best.

Bowl of rice underneath garlic shrimp stir fry.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Shrimp Recipe

It’s packed with veggies that gives the dish a nice colourful affect. This is pretty much my version of eating the rainbow! The more colourful veggies you can add in there, the tastier it’ll be.
It’s a beginner friendly recipe that anyone can make. You either just toss everything in the pan and cook. 3 minutes for the veggies, 2 minutes for the shrimp, and then 1 minute for the sauce! Can’t get any easier than this.
This garlic shrimp stir fry leans towards Asian flavours using the traditional stir fry ingredients for the sauces. These are all staples in my pantry and you probably have them on hand as well.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make garlic shrimp stir fry.

soy sauce — I usually try to use low sodium soy sauce.
oyster sauce — don’t worry, while it’s made from oyster extract, it doesn’t taste like oysters!
sesame oil — I prefer toasted sesame oil, but pure sesame oil works as well.
sambal oelek chili paste — this is the one I use. See below for a photo!
brown sugar — for some sweetness.
garlic — the more, the better!
cornstarch — to thicken the sauce.
olive oil — or neutral oil of your choice. Avocado oil is a great option.
onion — you can use any onion you have on hand, from yellow to sweet to red.
bell peppers — I like using red bell peppers because they’re the sweetest. Feel free to swap for yellow or orange bell peppers.
snow peas
mushrooms — you can use whatever mushrooms you like. I use sliced baby bellas but white mushrooms work just as fine.
pepper
shrimp — tails removed and deveined are my go-to to keep prep time down.
optional: salt

How to Make Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry

Stir fry sauce mixed in a measuring cup.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, sambal oelek, oyster sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, and cornstarch. Stir to combine before setting aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add in olive oil, and then add in the sliced onions, bell peppers, snow peas, mushrooms, and a pinch of black pepper. Sauté for approximately 3 minutes. The onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms should be softened by then.

Cooked stir fry shrimp with vegetables in a pan.

Add the shrimp to the pan and continue to sauté for two minutes or until the shrimp has turned pink and opaque. Keep in mind that your shrimp should be fully thawed. If they’re still a little frozen, there will be water added to the pan as the shrimp melts and your shrimp might end up steaming.

Sauce added to vegetables and shrimp stir fry.

Overhead view of a pan of garlic shrimp stir fry with green onions and sesame seeds.

Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine for approximately 1 minute.
Option to add salt if needed before serving.

Chopstick holding up a shrimp, mushroom, and snap pea.

Tips and Notes

The salt is optional as the sauce can be on the saltier side, especially if you do not use low sodium soy sauce. The oyster sauce and soy sauce leans to the saltier side so just something to keep in mind. Give the sauce a little taste before adding the cornstarch to it and adjust with some water if needed.
I like to serve this garlic shrimp and vegetables over top of jasmine rice as it can soak up all of the sauce.
Make sure that your shrimp is fully thawed. To do so, I usually let the bag of shrimp sit in some cold water. If your shrimp has moisture on it, pat it dry.
Feel free to double the veggies to bulk the stir fry up some more.
I like to garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Make Ahead Tips

Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked shrimp in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. I don’t recommend freezing this shrimp stir fry recipe.
Reheat: reheat quickly on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions

What other vegetables can I use?

Frozen peas, frozen corn, shredded carrots, asparagus, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, and different coloured bell peppers are all great additions to this garlic shrimps stir fry!

Is this spicy?

Not really, the chili paste is well balanced out with the brown sugar and soy sauce. It’s more sweet and savoury than spicy!

What pan is that?

I use this Staub to cook my shrimp stir fry in.