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Skip the takeout and make this shrimp and snap pea stir fry at home. It’ll take less time than delivery, it’ll be healthier, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something. #winning!

Cooking Notes

Frozen food has a bad reputation, but the truth is, frozen shrimp is king! They get flash frozen at sea or when they come to the docks, so that means that they’re preserved at the height of their freshness. That makes them the perfect protein to keep in the freezer. You can defrost them three different ways: the night before in the fridge; in the package they came in a big bowl of cold tap water for about 30-40 minutes; or out of their package, floating in running cold tap water for 15-20 minutes. Make sure whichever way you go, to pat them dry before cooking. Dry shrimp sear better.

Ingredient Notes

The main flavors in this sweet and spicy dish come from soy sauce, sambal oelek, rice vinegar, tomato paste, and sugar. You can find sambal oelek in the Asian aisle at the grocery store – it comes in a clear bottle with a green lid on top and is a chunky chili garlic paste. It tastes fresh and flavorful and you can use it as a cooking ingredient or as a condiment. If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can sub regular white vinegar, but rice vinegar is pretty easy to find and it has a lovely lightly sweet flavor to it. As for the tomato paste, pick up the tomato paste that comes in a tube and keep it in your fridge – it’s the best little umami booster.

What do you need?

A simple non-stick frying pan is your friend. If you have a wok, use it! Also, make sure you make some rice when you get home so it’s fluffy and ready for you when you’re done stir frying.

15 Minute Spicy Shrimp and Snap Peas Stir Fry

A sweet and spicy shrimp stirfry that comes together in less time than it takes to get delivery

Serves 2

4.67 from 3 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1-2 tbsp sambal oelek adjust to your spice tolerance
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 cloves garlic crushed/minced
• 1 cup snap peas
• 2 green onions cut into 1 inch lengths

Instructions

• In a small bowl, mix together the shrimp, soy sauce, and cornstarch. In another small bowl, mix together the sambal oelek, rice vinegar, tomato paste, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water.
  
• In a frying pan, heat up the oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmery, add the shrimp and cook, until pink and cooked through, flipping once.
  
• Stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
  
• Add the snap peas and green onions and cook, 1-2 minutes, or until tender crisp and bright green.
  
• Add the sauce and cook, stirring, until everything is coated and glossy. Enjoy immediately, on fluffy white rice.