Garlic Shrimp Stir-Fry Recipe with Colorful Vegetables

This Shrimp Stir Fry recipe combines juicy shrimp, crisp asparagus, and vibrant red bell pepper in a savory sauce for a quick, healthy weeknight dinner. It’s simple to prepare and ready in about 20 minutes.

Easy Shrimp Stir Fry Recipe

A stir fry is one of the fastest ways to get a flavorful, vegetable-packed meal on the table. This version highlights large shrimp, tender-crisp asparagus, and sweet red bell pepper tossed in a glossy sauce made from soy, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and a touch of ginger. Because the shrimp cook in just a couple of minutes, the entire dish comes together in under 20 minutes—perfect for busy evenings. Serve over rice or noodles for a complete meal.

Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Stir Fry

• Fast and fuss-free: Most of the cooking happens quickly over high heat, so this recipe is ideal when time is limited.
• Great texture: The asparagus and bell pepper stay crunchy when cooked briefly, giving contrast to the tender shrimp.
• Customizable: Swap or add vegetables, adjust the sweetness or heat, or use tamari for a gluten-free option.

What You’ll Need

Beyond shrimp, asparagus, and red pepper, the sauce relies on a few pantry staples. Scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.

• Water – to make the cornstarch slurry.
• Cornstarch – thickens the sauce and gives it a glossy finish.
• Soy sauce or tamari – provides savory umami; choose low-sodium if desired.
• Rice vinegar – balances the sauce with light acidity.
• Brown sugar – adds a touch of sweetness.
• Fresh ginger and/or garlic – bright aromatic flavor.
• Sriracha or red pepper flakes – optional, for heat.
• Sesame or vegetable oil – for cooking.
• Peeled large shrimp – pat them dry so they sear nicely.
• Asparagus – trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces; snow peas work well too.
• Red bell pepper – cut into bite-size pieces for color and crunch.
• Cooked rice or noodles – to serve.
• Toasted sesame seeds – optional garnish.

How to Make Shrimp Stir Fry

This stir fry uses high heat and short cooking times to keep the shrimp tender and the vegetables crisp. The full recipe with measurements and step-by-step instructions appears below.

• Make the sauce: Whisk water with cornstarch until smooth, then add soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, and sriracha if using.
• Cook the shrimp: Heat oil in a large skillet or wok until shimmering. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook about 2 minutes until mostly pink (they’ll finish cooking with the vegetables).
• Add the veggies: Stir in asparagus and bell pepper and cook briefly until bright and slightly tender, about 1 minute.
• Finish with sauce: Pour in the sauce, stir to coat, and cook 30–60 seconds until glossy and slightly thickened. Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Tips & Variations

• Don’t overcook the shrimp: Shrimp become rubbery when overcooked. Remove them from the pan when mostly pink; they’ll finish cooking as you toss everything together.
• Try different vegetables: Snap peas, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, baby corn, or bok choy all work in stir fries—adjust cook times for denser vegetables.
• Control the heat: Add more or less sriracha, or swap with crushed red pepper to suit your spice preference.
• Make it gluten-free: Use tamari in place of soy sauce and verify other sauces or condiments are gluten-free.

Serving Suggestions

This shrimp stir fry is traditionally served over white rice, but you can easily substitute brown rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or your favorite noodles. A quick side of steamed vegetables or a simple green salad complements the meal. Finish with a squeeze of lime for brightness and extra toasted sesame seeds for texture.

Proper Storage

• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep rice separate if possible to preserve texture.
• Reheat: Warm quickly in a skillet over medium-high heat until heated through, or reheat briefly in the microwave.

More Easy Shrimp Recipes

• Cilantro Lime Shrimp
• Spicy Shrimp Francese
• Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp
• Mexican Shrimp Cobb Salad
• 30-Minute Shrimp, Peas, and Rice

Recipe: Shrimp Stir Fry

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 10 mins | Total: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger or garlic (or both)
• 2 teaspoons sriracha (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil or vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 pounds peeled large shrimp, patted dry
• 8 ounces asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (or snow peas)
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups cooked rice, for serving
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Whisk the water and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, minced ginger (and garlic if using), and sriracha if desired. Set the sauce aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp in a single layer if possible and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until they are mostly pink.
3. Add the asparagus and red bell pepper and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the vegetables are bright and just starting to soften.
4. Pour the prepared sauce into the pan, stir to coat everything evenly, and cook 30–60 seconds until the sauce becomes glossy and begins to thicken.
5. Serve immediately over cooked rice and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if using.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 307
• Protein: 25 g
• Carbohydrates: 39 g
• Fat: 5.5 g
• Fiber: 2.4 g
• Cholesterol: 178 mg
• Sodium: 1450 mg
• Sugar: 6 g