Kung Pao Shrimp
A quick stir-fry of shrimp in a savory-sweet, slightly spicy Kung Pao sauce with bell pepper, peanuts, and green onions.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ?1 pound 450 graw shrimpI used 31-40 count per pound size, thawed if frozen, peeled and deveined
- ?1 tablespoonsoy sauceI used gluten-free
- ?2 teaspoonscornstarch
- ?1 tablespoonvegetable oil
- ?3 tablespoonssoy sauceor coconut aminos
- ?1 teaspoonsesame oil
- ?2 teaspoonsgranulated sugaror honey
- ?1/2 teaspooncrushed red pepper flakesor 1 teaspoon sriracha
- ?1 teaspooncornstarch
- ?2 tablespoonsvegetable oil
- ?1 red bell pepperdiced into 1/2” pieces
- ?4 medium clovesgarlicminced
- ?1 tablespoongrated ginger
- ?1/2 cupunsalted roasted peanuts
- ?3 largegreen onionscut into 1/2 inch pieces
Instructions
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine 1 pound shrimp, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch; toss to coat and let sit to marinate for 10 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or coconut aminos), 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar (or honey), ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or 1 teaspoon sriracha), and 1 teaspoon cornstarch until smooth; set the sauce aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 1–2 minutes per side, until pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the same pan. Add 1 diced red bell pepper and cook 2–3 minutes, until the pepper softens slightly but remains crisp. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon grated ginger and cook about 30–45 seconds more, until fragrant.
- Pour the prepared sauce into the pan, stir, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 30–60 seconds.
- Return the cooked shrimp to the pan, toss to coat in the sauce, and cook about 30 seconds more until heated through and the sauce clings to the shrimp.
- Remove the pan from heat, stir in ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts and 3 large green onions (cut into ½-inch pieces). Serve immediately.
Equipment
- Skillet12-inch size
Notes
Fresh Ginger Substitute:You can substitute the fresh ginger with ¼ teaspoon of dried ground ginger if that’s what you have on hand.
A very cool tip is freezing the ginger root(I always do this!). It’s so easy to use a Microplane or the small holes on your box grater to grate the ginger as you need it. Frozen ginger doesn’t get stringy the way fresh ginger does, plus freezing it makes it last so much longer.
If you want to add dried chileswhich is more traditional, you can add ¾ cup small dried red chiles (20 grams in total). They are found in Chinese supermarkets, but I left them out as they’re not accessible to everyone. You can also sub with chiles de árbol.
Prep everything before you begin to cook.Stir-frying moves quickly, so having all your ingredients ready in advance is key!
Storeany leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.To reheat on the stove:I usually reheat my stir fries in a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan and when it gets hot, add the leftovers and heat for 2–3 minutes. Make sure you continue to stir the leftovers as they’re warming up.To reheat in the microwave:You could also microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-second intervals until warmed through.
A very cool tip is freezing the ginger root(I always do this!). It’s so easy to use a Microplane or the small holes on your box grater to grate the ginger as you need it. Frozen ginger doesn’t get stringy the way fresh ginger does, plus freezing it makes it last so much longer.
If you want to add dried chileswhich is more traditional, you can add ¾ cup small dried red chiles (20 grams in total). They are found in Chinese supermarkets, but I left them out as they’re not accessible to everyone. You can also sub with chiles de árbol.
Prep everything before you begin to cook.Stir-frying moves quickly, so having all your ingredients ready in advance is key!
Storeany leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.To reheat on the stove:I usually reheat my stir fries in a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan and when it gets hot, add the leftovers and heat for 2–3 minutes. Make sure you continue to stir the leftovers as they’re warming up.To reheat in the microwave:You could also microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-second intervals until warmed through.