Shrimp And Broccoli Stir Fry In Garlic Sauce Recipe

Sizzling Shrimp And Broccoli Stir Fry In Garlic Sauce Recipe

Shrimp and broccoli stir fry bursts with vibrant flavors that dance across your palate.

Asian-inspired cuisine brings incredible depth to this quick weeknight meal.

Crisp green florets mingle beautifully with succulent seafood in a harmonious blend.

garlic sauce upgrades ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary culinary experience that feels both comforting and exciting.

Protein-packed shrimp provides a delightful texture against tender vegetable medallions.

Minimal cooking time ensures maximum taste and nutritional benefits for health-conscious individuals.

Simple ingredients come together seamlessly, creating a restaurant-quality dish you can easily prepare at home.

Why You’ll Love Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry

  • Speed-Craft a Flavorful Feast: This stir fry delivers restaurant-quality taste in under 20 minutes, perfect for busy weeknight dinners with minimal cooking skills.
  • Texture Explosion: Crisp-tender broccoli meets succulent shrimp, creating a delightful contrast of crunchy vegetables and smooth, juicy seafood that dance together in every bite.
  • Sauce-Packed Sensation: The complex garlic sauce blends sweet, savory, and umami flavors, transforming simple ingredients into a mouth-watering dish that'll make your taste buds sing with excitement.
  • Adaptable Culinary Adventure: Customize the heat level by adding or removing chilies, swap proteins, or adjust vegetable choices to match your personal preferences and pantry supplies.

What You Need for Shrimp Stir Fry

Protein:
  • Shrimp: Fresh, peeled shrimp with tails removed for easy eating. Wild-caught or farm-raised work well.
  • Salt: Enhances shrimp's natural flavor and helps seasoning stick.
  • Black Pepper: Adds mild heat and aromatic spiciness to the shrimp.
  • Paprika: Provides subtle smoky flavor and beautiful color to the protein.
Sauce Ingredients:
  • Water: Creates liquid base for the sauce's consistency.
  • Sugar: Balances savory flavors and provides slight sweetness.
  • Oyster Sauce: Adds deep umami and rich maritime flavor to the dish.
  • Light Soy Sauce: Provides salty seasoning and brown color.
  • Dark Soy Sauce: Deepens color and adds more intense salty taste.
  • Hoisin Sauce: Contributes sweet and tangy complexity to the sauce.
  • Cornstarch: Thickens sauce and creates glossy texture.
Vegetable and Aromatics:
  • Broccoli: Crunchy green vegetable with high nutritional value. Fresh florets preferred.
  • Garlic: Aromatic ingredient that provides sharp, pungent flavor.
  • Ginger: Adds warm, spicy undertone to the stir fry.
  • Red Chilies: Optional ingredient for additional heat and spiciness.
  • Vegetable Oil: Neutral cooking oil for high-heat stir frying.

Making Shrimp and Broccoli in Garlic Sauce

Step 1: Prepare Shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Season with salt, paprika, black pepper, and a bit of vegetable oil, then mix well and let it sit to soak in the flavor.

Step 2: Create Flavor-Packed Sauce

In a bowl, combine water, sugar, oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauces, hoisin sauce, and cornstarch.

Whisk until the mixture is smooth, then set it aside.

Step 3: Chop Broccoli

Cut broccoli into bite-sized florets and peel and quarter the stems for added texture.

Optional: pickle the stems for a tangy side if you’d like.

Step 4: Prepare Aromatic Ingredients

Finely dice the garlic, mince the fresh ginger, and slice red chilies if you want a bit of heat.

Keep everything close by for quick cooking.

Step 5: Fire Up the Wok

Heat your wok on high until it starts to smoke.

Add a thin layer of vegetable oil to coat the surface.

Step 6: Cook Succulent Shrimp

Sauté the shrimp in the hot wok until they turn pink and just start to curl.

Remove them once the centers are still slightly translucent to avoid overcooking.

Step 7: Sauté Vegetable Base

In the same wok, toss in the garlic, ginger, chilies, and broccoli.

Stir-fry quickly to build aroma and color.

Step 8: Steam Broccoli

Add a small splash of water to the wok and cover it with a lid.

Steam briefly for just a minute to soften the broccoli while keeping its crunch.

Step 9: Bring Everything Together

Return the shrimp to the wok and pour in the sauce mixture.

Cook everything together until the sauce thickens and evenly coats all the ingredients.

Step 10: Serve and Enjoy

Transfer the stir-fry immediately to a serving dish.

Serve hot and enjoy with a bowl of freshly steamed rice.

Tips for Stir Fry Perfection

  • Master Shrimp Moisture: Pat shrimp completely dry before marinating to ensure perfect caramelization and prevent watery cooking.
  • Control Wok Temperature: Heat wok until smoking to create authentic restaurant-style sear and prevent soggy ingredients.
  • Balance Sauce Consistency: Whisk cornstarch mixture thoroughly to avoid lumps and achieve glossy, smooth sauce coating.
  • Protect Shrimp Texture: Remove shrimp immediately after turning pink to prevent overcooking and maintain tender, juicy results.
  • Maximize Vegetable Crunch: Steam broccoli briefly to retain bright green color and crisp texture, avoiding mushy outcomes.

Storing and Reheating Garlic Stir Fry

  • Store Leftovers
  • Refrigerate the stir fry in an airtight container within two hours of cooking. Keep the dish fresh for 3-4 days in the coolest part of your refrigerator. Separate sauce from shrimp and broccoli to prevent soggy textures.
  • Reheat Method 1 – Stovetop: Warm gently in a skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of water to restore moisture. Stir occasionally to distribute heat evenly and prevent burning.
  • Reheat Method 2 – Microwave: Place portions in a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely, and heat in 30-second intervals. Stir between intervals to ensure uniform heating and prevent rubbery shrimp.

Great Pairings for Shrimp Stir Fry

  • Pair with Crisp White Wine: Complement the garlic and shrimp flavors with a chilled sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio, cutting through the richness of the dish.
  • Rice as Perfect Base: Serve over steamed jasmine or basmati rice to soak up the delicious garlic sauce and provide a soft, complementary texture.
  • Enhance with Fresh Herbs: Sprinkle chopped green onions or cilantro on top to add brightness and a fresh, light contrast to the savory stir fry.
  • Cool Beverage Companion: Balance the warm, spicy elements with a cold Asian-style beer like Tsingtao or a crisp ginger ale to refresh the palate.

Stir Fry Variations to Try

  • Spicy Seafood Fusion: Replace shrimp with scallops and add red pepper flakes for extra heat, giving the dish a bold, zesty kick.
  • Protein Power Bowl: Substitute shrimp with chicken or tofu, keeping the garlic sauce and broccoli for a hearty, protein-packed meal.
  • Vegetarian Garden Blend: Swap shrimp for mixed vegetables like bell peppers, snap peas, and carrots, creating a colorful and nutritious stir-fry.
  • Asian-Inspired Quinoa Remix: Serve the stir-fry over quinoa instead of rice, adding a protein-rich and gluten-free base to the dish.
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Shrimp And Broccoli Stir Fry In Garlic Sauce Recipe

Shrimp And Broccoli Stir Fry In Garlic Sauce Recipe


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4.5 from 29 reviews

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x

Description

Zesty Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry brings Chinese-inspired flavors to your dinner table with minimal effort. Quick and nutritious, this garlic-infused dish offers succulent shrimp and crisp broccoli that dance together in a savory sauce for a satisfying meal you’ll crave again.


Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients:

  • 14 oz (400 grams) shrimp
  • 1 broccoli (not specified in original list, but mentioned in recipe name)

Seasonings and Spices:

  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ⅓ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

Sauces and Cooking Liquids:

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • ½ tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Additional Equipment:

  • Carbon steel wok

Instructions

  1. Thoroughly pat the raw shrimp dry using clean paper towels, ensuring minimal moisture for optimal seasoning adhesion.
  2. Create a robust marinade by combining salt, paprika, freshly ground black pepper, and vegetable oil with the shrimp, ensuring each piece is evenly coated and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Craft the complex sauce by whisking together water (240 milliliters/8 fluid ounces), granulated sugar, oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauces, hoisin sauce, and cornstarch until smooth and well-integrated.
  4. Transform fresh broccoli into bite-sized florets, carefully trimming and peeling tough stems, then quartering them for uniform cooking.
  5. Finely dice fresh garlic cloves, mince peeled ginger root, and optionally slice red chilies for additional heat and flavor complexity.
  6. Preheat a carbon steel or traditional wok over high heat until it begins to smoke, then swiftly coat with a thin layer of vegetable oil.
  7. Sear marinated shrimp quickly, cooking until they turn a vibrant pink and develop slight translucency in their center, approximately 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a holding plate.
  8. In the same searing-hot wok, immediately introduce minced garlic, ginger, and optional chilies, allowing aromatics to release their intense fragrances.
  9. Add prepared broccoli florets and stems, tossing rapidly to prevent burning and ensure even caramelization.
  10. Introduce a small splash of water and quickly cover the wok, creating a steam environment to partially cook the broccoli and maintain its bright green color and crisp texture.
  11. Reintroduce the seared shrimp to the vegetable mixture, then pour the prepared sauce over the contents, stirring continuously until the sauce transforms into a glossy, thickened coating.
  12. Transfer the aromatic stir fry immediately to serving plates, ensuring the dish remains piping hot and retains its vibrant colors and textures.

Notes

  • Marinate shrimp briefly to enhance flavor and ensure even seasoning before cooking.
  • Prep all ingredients beforehand for a swift, smooth stir-frying experience that takes less than 15 minutes.
  • Use high heat to achieve authentic wok-style caramelization and prevent vegetables from becoming soggy.
  • Create versatile sauce by adjusting sweet, salty, and spicy elements to match personal taste preferences.
  • Select fresh, crisp broccoli and plump shrimp for optimal texture and vibrant color in the final dish.
  • Optional chili addition allows customizable heat levels for different spice tolerances.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Lunch, Dinner
  • Method: Sautéing
  • Cuisine: Chinese

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2
  • Calories: 265 kcal
  • Sugar: 2 g
  • Sodium: 680 mg
  • Fat: 12 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 10 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 30 g
  • Cholesterol: 220 mg
Lucas Bennett

Lucas Bennett

Founder & Recipe Creator

Expertise

Simple Everyday Recipes, Sustainable Cooking Practices, Creative Meal Planning, Recipe Testing and Improvement

Education

Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, Wisconsin

  • Degree: Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Practical culinary training, fundamental cooking techniques, meal planning, and using fresh, local ingredients.

Lake Superior College, Duluth, Minnesota

  • Program: Certificate in Sustainable Food Systems
  • Focus: Cooking methods that promote sustainability, farm-to-table practices, and eco-friendly meal creation.

Lucas Bennett’s cooking journey started in his parents’ kitchen, where he learned to prepare tasty, no-fuss meals from scratch. His culinary passion led him to Fox Valley Technical College, where he gained practical cooking skills.
He then expanded his focus on sustainability at Lake Superior College. Today, Lucas shares easy, approachable recipes designed to make cooking enjoyable and stress-free for everyone.

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