Sweet and spicy shrimp and snow pea stir fry is a quick and easy recipe that’s perfect for lunch or dinner. Cooked in a flavorful sauce made with honey, lemon, garlic, soy sauce, and chili flakes, it's ready in just 15 minutes!
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Why You'll Love Stir Fry Snow Peas And Shrimp:
Life has been moving at the speed of light lately — so I'm all about finding shortcuts to make life easier. Work smarter not harder, my friends! I'm a huge proponent of pantry staples made easier, especially if they're in the form of products that are also better for you. That's why I'm using ready-to-serve organic brown rice to bulk up these shrimp with snow peas!
This stir fry recipe, while not exactly authentic to any specific culture, is a delicious and quick meal inspired by Asian flavors. It's an excellent blend of sweet and spicy made with plump and tender shrimp and crispy snow peas, which create an irresistible texture.
Finish the whole thing with some sesame seeds and you’ve got yourself a fantastic lunch or dinner that leaves you satisfied without being overly full — it's the perfect under-20-minute meal! It's not the first Asian-inspired recipe I've shared. You'll also love my Rainbow Asian Chicken Salad, Shrimp Fried Rice, and Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli.
But, I'm getting ahead of myself! Here are some more reasons to love shrimp and snow pea stir fry:
- Incredibly easy to make
- Perfect for busy families
- Simple, wholesome ingredients
- Almost a one-skillet meal
- Quick cleanup
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Shrimp- I usually buy a bag of frozen raw shrimp that's been peeled and deveined. Be sure to thaw completely!
- Snow Peas- One of the things I love about snow peas is they cook up super fast. If you want to use a different veggie, be sure to adjust the cooking time based on the vegetable.
- Oil- You can use vegetable or canola oil to cook the shrimp with snow peas.
- Rice- When served with rice, shrimp and snow peas stir fry is a full meal- both brown or white rice work great.
- Sesame Seeds- As a garnish.
- Stir Fry Sauce- The sauce is made with honey and a little lemon juice for brightness. It’s also got a bit of umami goodness from the soy sauce and a punch of heat from crushed red pepper flakes. I finish it off with some garlic, and also add some cornstarch to the soy sauce thicken it!
How To Make This Prawn Stir Fry Recipe
Step 1- Make the sauce.
Combine the soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the honey, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and garlic to the bowl and whisk to mix. Set aside.
Step 2- Cook the snow peas.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. When hot, add the snow peas and stir fry for about 2 minutes.
Step 3- Add the shrimp.
Remove the snow peas from the pan and set aside. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1-2 minutes, or until they turn pink. Flip and allow to cook for about 1 more minute.
Step 4- Incorporate the sauce.
Place the snow peas back in the skillet along with the sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Serve over your brown rice with sesame seeds on top, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
While shrimp snow pea stir fry definitely works best for raw shrimp, you can substitute cooked shrimp. Make sure you thaw it completely and don't add it until the sauce is in the pan so it doesn't overcook.
There are a few options that are best for this, and both are safe. The first is to put the bag of frozen shrimp into the fridge to thaw overnight. The second is to submerge the frozen shrimp completely in cold water. Keep an eye on it and change the water every 30 minutes until thawed (this method usually works fast).
Yes! You can use arrowroot powder to thicken your shrimp and snow peas sauce, just be aware that it may not reheat as well. Arrowroot powder could affect the texture.
You don't have to, but you can if you want! Snow peas fry up well either way, so it depends on your preferences.
Tips For Making Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
- Make sure you prep all your ingredients before you start cooking as this goes fast!
- I like to mix the cornstarch right in with the sauce ingredients. It thickens the sauce as it cooks. It also gives your stir fry that velvety texture you know and love.
- Cook shrimp and snow peas over medium-high to high heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Be sure you don't overcook the shrimp. It will only take a minute or two on each side and you'll know it's cooked as it will turn pink.
- Add the sauce mixture into the pan shortly after turning the shrimp so that the flavors are injected into the seafood as it cooks.
- Switch up the garnish- you can totally add chopped peanuts, Sriracha, and or chopped scallions along with the sesame seeds. You could also toast the seeds for added nutty flavor!
- Ingredients to prep ahead- thaw the shrimp and clean the snow peas before you get started.
- Leftovers and storage- shrimp and snow pea stir fry is best served right away, but leftovers last covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave.
What To Serve With Stir Fry Shrimp Recipe
As mentioned, shrimp with snow peas is a full meal when paired with organic brown rice! You can round it out even further with:
Other Delicious Shrimp Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Shrimp And Snow Pea Stir Fry
Ingredients
Sauce:
- ¼ cup soy sauce (you can use gluten free soy sauce to maek this dish gluten free)
- 1 Tablespoon corn starch
- 3 Tablespoon honey
- 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 large clove garlic minced or pushed through a press
Stir fry:
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 1 ½ cups snow peas, cleaned
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined with tails removed and patted dry
- 2 ½ cups White or Brown Rice for serving
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the corn starch into the soy sauce until well combined.
- Add the honey, lemon juice, pepper flakes and garlic to the bowl and whisk to mix. Set aside.
- Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet (or a wok if you have one).
- Add the snow peas into the skillet and stir fry for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove the snow peas from the pan.
- Add shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes until they begin turning pink and then turn.
- Cook shrimp for another minute and add snow peas and sauce back into the pan and mix well.
- Simmer for a 2-3 more minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and serve over rice with a sprinkle of sesame seeds
Video
Notes
- Make sure you prep all your ingredients before you start cooking as this goes fast!
- I like to mix the cornstarch right in with the sauce ingredients. It thickens the sauce as it cooks. It also gives your stir fry that velvety texture you know and love.
- Cook shrimp and snow peas over medium-high to high heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Be sure you don't overcook the shrimp. It will only take a minute or two on each side and you'll know it's cooked as it will turn pink.
- Add the sauce mixture into the pan shortly after turning the shrimp so that the flavors are injected into the seafood as it cooks.
- Switch up the garnish- you can totally add chopped peanuts, Sriracha, and or chopped scallions along with the sesame seeds. You could also toast the seeds for added nutty flavor!
- Ingredients to prep ahead- thaw the shrimp and clean the snow peas before you get started.
- Leftovers and storage- shrimp and snow pea stir fry is best served right away, but leftovers last covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Patricia obrien says
Janet Lois Snowden says