Sweet and Sour Shrimp is a quick Chinese meal made all in on pot! Succulent seafood is stir-fried with bell peppers, zucchini, pineapple and then tossed in a tangy honey sauce. This dish comes together in just 20 minutes for a simple and flavorful dinner.
When you’re looking for a quick and easy Chinese inspired dinner, grabbing a wok and making a stir-fry is a tasty solution. This sweet and sour shrimp delivers protein, vegetables, and fruit all in one dish. If you’re looking for more fast and flavorful Asian recipes then try Instant Pot Beef with Broccoli , Teriyaki Beef Skewers , or Asian Grilled Flank Steak for your next weeknight dinner.
Sweet and Sour Shrimp
It may be tempting to pick up a take-out menu, but making a homemade stir-fry is a lot easier than you think. This wok-fired sweet and sour shrimp dish will satisfy all savory, sweet, and tangy cravings. Succulent shrimp paired with crisp bell peppers, tender zucchini, and tropical pineapple makes for a colorful presentation. At the end of a busy day, treat yourself to a restaurant quality home cooked meal that’s a breeze to prepare!
How do you make Sweet and Sour Shrimp?
- To make the sweet and sour sauce combine honey , rice vinegar, soy sauce, tomato paste, and pineapple juice.
- Make a cornstarch slurry.
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper.
- Cook shrimp with vegetables and sesame oil.
- Stir-fry bell pepper, zucchini, garlic, ginger, and pineapple.
- Add the sweet and sour sauce, simmer for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, 30 seconds.
- Add the shrimp, cook to warm, then garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
What size shrimp do you use?
When picking out shrimp, the best way to choose is by selecting count per pound to determine size. I like 16/20 count, which means that many pieces per pound. This gives about a two-bite shrimp that won’t quickly overcook in the hot wok . It will take less than 2 minutes to fully cook the shrimp, so keep a close eye. Overcook shrimp will curl into a tight “C” shape and the texture will be rubbery instead of tender.
What goes into a sweet and sour sauce?
It’s a tomato-base plus a sweetener and vinegar. I used my homemade sweet and sour dipping sauce recipe and converted it for the stir-fry. Most recipes contain ketchup, but I like the ability to control the amounts of each ingredient going in for a more wholesome option. A combination of tomato paste, honey, soy sauce, and pineapple juice provides the perfect flavor balance. A cornstarch slurry is added at the very end of cooking the sauce to create a luscious coating that clings to the shrimp.
Looking for more Asian shrimp recipes? Try these ones!
Shrimp Pad Thai Sticky Sesame Garlic Shrimp 15-minute Garlic Shrimp Stir-Fry
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Ingredients1x2x3x
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- ▢ ½ cup honey
- ▢ ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- ▢ 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ▢ 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ▢ 3 tablespoons pineapple juice
- ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ▢ 2 tablespoons water
Shrimp Stir-Fry
- ▢ 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
- ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- ▢ ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ▢ 1 cup diced red bell pepper, ¾-inch pieces
- ▢ 1 cup sliced zucchini, ¼-inch slices
- ▢ 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ▢ 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- ▢ 1 cup pineapple chunks
- ▢ 1 tablespoon sliced green onion
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Whisk together ½ cup honey , ⅓ cup rice vinegar , 1 tablespoon soy sauce , 3 tablespoons tomato paste , and 3 tablespoons pineapple juice in a medium bowl. Whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a separate small bowl.
Shrimp Stir-Fry
- Dry the 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp with paper towels. Combine shrimp with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl.
- Heat a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add HALF of the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and the ½ teaspoon sesame oil .
- Once the oil is hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and do not move for 1 minute. Stir and cook for another 30 seconds until the shrimp is opaque and pink. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a clean plate.
- Add the remaining vegetable oil to the pan and heat. Once the oil is hot, add the 1 cup diced red bell pepper, and 1 cup sliced zucchini, . Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add in the 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 1 teaspoon minced ginger , stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add in the 1 cup pineapple chunks and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
- Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the vegetables and pineapple, stir, and cook until simmering, 2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce and stir constantly until the sauce is thickened, 30 seconds.
- Add the cooked shrimp back to the pan, stir to combine, and cook until shrimp are warmed through, 2 minutes.
- Serve sweet and sour shrimp garnished with 1 tablespoon sliced green onion and ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds .
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Ingredients
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Shrimp Stir-Fry
- 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper, ¾-inch pieces
- 1 cup sliced zucchini, ¼-inch slices
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 tablespoon sliced green onion
- ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Whisk together ½ cup honey , ⅓ cup rice vinegar , 1 tablespoon soy sauce , 3 tablespoons tomato paste , and 3 tablespoons pineapple juice in a medium bowl. Whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a separate small bowl.
Shrimp Stir-Fry
- Dry the 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp with paper towels. Combine shrimp with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl.
- Heat a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add HALF of the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and the ½ teaspoon sesame oil .
- Once the oil is hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and do not move for 1 minute. Stir and cook for another 30 seconds until the shrimp is opaque and pink. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a clean plate.
- Add the remaining vegetable oil to the pan and heat. Once the oil is hot, add the 1 cup diced red bell pepper, and 1 cup sliced zucchini, . Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add in the 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 1 teaspoon minced ginger , stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add in the 1 cup pineapple chunks and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
- Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the vegetables and pineapple, stir, and cook until simmering, 2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce and stir constantly until the sauce is thickened, 30 seconds.
- Add the cooked shrimp back to the pan, stir to combine, and cook until shrimp are warmed through, 2 minutes.
- Serve sweet and sour shrimp garnished with 1 tablespoon sliced green onion and ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds .
Video
Nutrition
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