Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry

Shrimp and Broccoli is coated in a sweet, salty, spicy, garlicky sauce and is delicious served with plain white rice. Made in one skillet with basic pantry ingredients, this Chinese shrimp and broccoli is an easy dinner on the table under 20 minutes.

Course Shrimp

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword chinese shrimp and broccoli, shrimp and broccoli, shrimp and broccoli recipe, Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry, shrimp broccoli

Prep Time 9

Cook Time 14

Total Time 23

Servings Servings

Calories 407kcal

Author Maria Doss

Ingredients

Sauce

½ cup water
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Other ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
4 cups broccoli florets cut to small-medium size
1 pound raw shrimp peeled, deveined and patted dry
4 garlic cloves chopped

Instructions

Make SauceAdd all sauce ingredients into a bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved completely.
Make Shrimp and Broccoli
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, place broccoli in a single layer and cook (stirring occasionally), until crisp and slightly tender (about 4 minutes). Transfer broccoli to a large bowl.
(For softer cooked broccoli – As soon as you transfer cooked broccoli into the bowl, cover the bowl with a lid. The residual heat helps in steaming the broccoli and cooking them further)
Heat 1 tablespoon oil Into the same skillet over high heat. Place shrimp in a single layer (do not over crowd the pan - cook in 2 batches if your pan is not big enough to hold them in a single layer). Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turn over and cook for another minute or until cooked through but still tender. Transfer shrimp along with broccoli.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil into the same skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until begins to get golden. Add sauce (stir sauce a couple of times before adding into the skillet to loosen up the settled cornstarch), let the sauce come to a boil and begin to thicken slightly.
Add shrimp and broccoli and stir well for a few seconds before removing from heat.

Notes

Stir sauce ingredients until sugar is dissolved.

Stir sauce a couple of times before adding into the skillet to loosen up the settled cornstarch.

Do not over cook shrimp – Cook shrimp in one or two batches (depending on the size of the pan that you are using) without crowding. Over crowding the will make shrimp leave moisture and make them rubbery.

Cut broccoli into small bite size pieces so they cook faster and evenly.

Cook broccoli to your liking – Some prefer crunchy broccoli while younger children might like them softer. Cook broccoli over medium, stirring occasionally, until crisp yet tender.

Shrimp with tails or not? Shrimp with tails does add more flavor and gives a prettier finish to the dish.

How to thaw frozen shrimp – Place shrimp in a large bowl and fill the bowl with cold or room temperature water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until thawed (the time will depend on the quantity of shrimp). Drain shrimp and pat dry with paper towels.

To meal prep – Divide cooked white rice into meal prep containers and spoon shrimp and broccoli on top along with some of the sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave before eating.

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