Kung Pao Shrimp Recipe
This Kung Pao Shrimp recipe is made with a homemade sauce and stir-fried with fresh vegetables. This dish can be made as mild or as spicy as you like by adjusting the amount of chili peppers used. Serve Kung Pao Shrimp over steamed rice for a complete meal.
Kung Pao Shrimp is a popular Chinese dish made with shrimp, roasted peanuts, and a savory sauce. While traditional Kung Pao Shrimp does have peanuts, you can omit them if you have a peanut allergy, are trying to avoid them, or simply can’t find them in your pantry.
Let’s take a look at how to make this delicious stir-fry recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into cubes
- 1 cup zucchini, sliced and quartered
- 2 dried red pepper chili (chopped)
- Sesame seeds, to garnish
- Green onions, to garnish
Sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix shrimp, salt, pepper, and cornstarch together.
- In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, brown sugar, and hoisin sauce.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Stir-fry shrimp for 2-3 minutes until cooked. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set it aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet and add onion, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, zucchini and red pepper chili. Stir all together and cook until vegetables are fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Add the shrimp back to the skillet and stir.
- Pour the sauce over the shrimp and vegetables and stir. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Turn off the heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
If you love shrimp recipes with big flavor, be sure to try my Kung Pao Chicken for another spicy stir-fry favorite, Garlic Shrimp for a quick, buttery seafood dish, and Cajun Shrimp for a bold Southern twist that’s ready in minutes.
Kung Pao Shrimp
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, mix shrimp, salt, pepper, and cornstarch together.
- In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, brown sugar, and hoisin sauce and set aside.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Stir fry shrimp for 2-3 minutes until cooked. Remove shrimp from the pan and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet and add onion, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, zucchini and red pepper chili. Stir all together and cook until the vegetables are fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Add shrimp back to the skillet and stir.
- Pour the sauce over the shrimp and vegetables and stir all together. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Turn off the heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
- Serve with rice.
Nutrition
Video
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Variations and Add-Ins
Add extra veggies like bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, or water chestnuts for more flavor and crunch – even pineapple for a touch of sweetness. For a vegetarian twist, swap the shrimp for your favorite meatless protein.
What to Serve With It
Serve over rice or noodles, or enjoy as an appetizer with crusty bread.
How to Store and Reheat
Let leftovers cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
FAQs
No. Typically, soy sauce and hoisin sauce contain gluten. For a gluten-free version of this recipe, use tamari in place of soy sauce, and make sure your hoisin sauce is gluten-free.
Shrimp cook quickly – just 2-3 minutes once they hit the pan. The shrimp will turn pink and opaque (you won’t be able to see through) when cooked through. Do not overcook the shrimp, or they will become tough and rubbery.
Last Bite
Did you make this Kung Pao Shrimp? Leave a comment below and let me know how spicy you made it! Don’t forget to pin or share this recipe so you can enjoy this quick, flavorful dish whenever a takeout craving strikes.
