Sweet and Sour Shrimp
This easy Sweet and Sour Shrimp recipe is a restaurant-quality, gluten-free Chinese dish that’s ready in 20-minutes, “better-than-takeout” and no wok required!
There’s no need to wait for the Chinese New Year to make this delicious shrimp dish! It’s ideal for busy weeknights! A “one-dish-dinner” that is preservative-free and delicious! Serve this with a side of Wonton soup and call it dinner!
Stir Fry Ingredients
These are the ingredients I use for this quick recipe, but you’re welcome to put your own spin on it. Consider adding chopped bok choy, bamboo shoots or a few broccoli florets.
- Shrimp – peeled and deveined
- Red bell pepper – chopped
- Green bell pepper – chopped
- Water chestnuts-optional; chopped or sliced
- Sesame oil-
- Green onions – for garnish (optional)
- Sesame seeds – for garnish (optional)
- Salt and black pepper – to taste
- Prepared Basmati rice is recommended, but you can use Jasmine rice or plain white or brown rice
Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients
- Rice vinegar
- Soy sauce, or tamari sauce (which is gluten-free)
- Maple syrup
- Light brown sugar
- Ketchup
- Pineapple juice – optional
- If you want to add a little “heat” to your recipe, sprinkle in some red chile pepper flakes to the sauce mixture
Ingredients for thickening sweet and sour sauce (optional)
- Water
- Cornstarch
How to make restaurant-quality Sweet and Sour Shrimp
This is an overview. For exact measurements and method, see Recipe Card below.
- Mix sauce ingredients together in a mixing bowl and set aside
- In a medium saucepan on low heat, add sweet and sour sauce; bring to boil, then turn to simmer
- Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat; add sesame oil; saute chopped vegetables for 3 -4 minutes
- Add shrimp to skillet and cook another 3-4 minutes until shrimp are pink
- Pour the warm sweet and sour sauce into the skillet and combine well; cook until sauce begins to thicken
- Plate prepared rice, add shrimp and sauce on top of rice and garnish with chopped green onions, sesame seeds and/or chopped pineapple
Make ahead
Make the easy sweet and sour sauce, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, heat the sauce on the stovetop, add in the shrimp and serve over prepared rice.
Storage and reheating
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop. The sauce may thicken upon storage and you may need to add a little water.
Serve this Chinese Sweet and Sour Shrimp recipe with a few garnishes of chopped scallions (green onions) and toasted sesame seeds! And don’t forget the fortune cookie!
Related recipes
- Wonton Soup
- Chinese Sticky Ribs
- Harissa Shrimp with Black Rice
- Crunchy Asian Salad
- Creamy Coconut Shrimp
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you!
Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Ingredients
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce ,use tamari sauce for gluten-free
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ cup light brown sugar , packed
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- ⅔ cup canned pineapple juice see recipe notes below; (optional)
Slurry Ingredients (optional)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅓ cup water
Stir Fry Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp , peeled and deveined
- 3 cups prepared rice Basmati, Jasmine, White or Brown
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 can chopped or sliced water chestnuts
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- chopped green onions for garnish
- sesame seeds for garnish
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Peel, rinse and devein shrimp; set aside1 pound shrimp
- Chop vegetables; set aside1 cup chopped red bell pepper, 1 can chopped or sliced water chestnuts, 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
- Prepare rice according to directions3 cups prepared rice
Sweet and Sour Sauce Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add all sauce ingredients, bring to boil; turn heat to simmer and set aside½ cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ cup light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons ketchup, ⅔ cup canned pineapple juice
Stir Fry Instructions
- Add sesame oil to a large, non-stick skillet on medium high heat½ teaspoon sesame oil
- Add bell peppers and water chestnuts; cook for 3 minutes1 cup chopped green bell pepper, 1 can chopped or sliced water chestnuts
- Next, add shrimp to skillet; cook 3 minutes until shrimp begin to turn pink1 pound shrimp
- Pour sauce into skillet; combine well
- If you want a thicker sauce, add cornstarch slurry into skillet. How to make a slurry: combine water and cornstarch in a measuring cup; mix together until the mixture is smooth; add 1/2 of the slurry to the sauce; cook on medium-high heat until sauce begins to thicken.If you want it even thicker, add the rest of the slurry; taste for salt and pepper2 tablespoons cornstarch, ⅓ cup water, salt and pepper
- Plate rice, then add shrimp and sauce; garnish with green onions and sesame seeds3 cups prepared rice, chopped green onions, sesame seeds, salt and pepper
Notes
- Do NOT use fresh pineapple juice; use canned. Fresh pineapple contains the enzyme Bromelain, which keeps the sauce from thickening after you’ve added the cornstarch slurry.
- Feel free to add other vegetables to the recipe:
