This shrimp stir fry recipe is made with loads of shrimp and vegetables pan seared with a spicy sauce made with gochujang, hot paprika, sesame oil, soy sauce and more. A spicy food lover's dream! And very easy to make.
We're cooking up a fiery shrimp stir fry recipe in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends. Care to join me?
A good stir fry dish is perfect for the spicy food lover, easy to customize with different spices and sauces, perfectly adjustable to your own personal tastes and heat levels.
You can very easily make them as spicy as you'd like by increasing or decreasing the amounts of chili powder and sauces, particularly the gochujang, which can vary in heat and flavor from source to source.
I, of course, love mine extra spicy, so I'll usually include a bit more of it, along with hot paprika, with its vibrant red color and blooming heat. I also include jalapenos and serranos, though you can very easily add in hotter peppers. Habanero peppers are great here for extra heat, though you might go with ghost peppers, you crazy chilihead, you.
Or hey, why not Carolina Reapers? That'll REALLY make it extra spicy.
No matter how you adjust it, this shrimp stir fry is super easy to make and on the table in less than half an hour. I love that. Great spicy food in a flash! Even for a slow cook like me.
Let's talk about how we make spicy shrimp stir fry, shall we?
Spicy Shrimp Stir Fry Ingredients
- Sesame Oil. For cooking the shrimp and vegetables. You can use olive oil or vegetable oil instead.
- Shrimp. Any size shrimp will work for this recipe, peeled and deveined.
- Salt and Pepper. For the shrimp.
- Vegetables. I am using snap peas, broccoli, jalapeno peppers and serrano peppers. You can use hotter peppers if you'd like, or use bell peppers for a milder version.
For the Spicy Stir Fry Sauce
- Gochujang.
- Hot Paprika. Or a mix of cayenne and sweet paprika. You can use other spicier chili powders as well.
- Sesame Oil.
- Soy Sauce.
- Rice Wine Vinegar.
- Honey. Or use brown sugar as a good substitute.
- Garlic Powder.
- Ginger.
- Chicken Broth.
- Corn Starch. Mixed with cold water to form a slurry, to thicken the sauce.
For Serving
- Cooked rice or noodles.
For Garnish (if Desired)
- Sesame seeds, spicy red pepper flakes, fresh chopped parsley, extra sliced peppers.
How to Make Spicy Shrimp Stir Fry - the Recipe Method
Stir Fry the Shrimp. Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and cook them 2-3 minutes per side, until they are cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Stir Fry the Vegetables. Add more oil if needed and add the snap peas, broccoli and peppers. Cook them 8-9 minutes to soften, stirring often.
Spicy Stir Fry Sauce. Make the stir fry sauce by whisking together the gochujang, hot paprika, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, garlic powder, ginger and chicken stock in a bowl.
Mix and Simmer. Pour the sauce into the pan with the vegetables. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
Thicken the Stir Fry Sauce. Add the corn starch slurry and stir until the sauce has thickened. It should thicken very quickly.
Heat the Shrimp. Add the cooked shrimp back to the pan and heat them through, about 2 minutes.
Serve the Shrimp Stir Fry. Serve with cooked rice (white rice or brown rice) or noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds, spicy red pepper flakes, fresh chopped parsley and extra sliced peppers.
Boom! Done! Your spicy shrimp stir fry is ready to go! Looks wonderful, doesn't it? Huge on flavor and nice and spicy. And bonus for how easy it is to make! Ready on the table in under 30 minutes.
I love an easy spicy recipe!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Heat Factor. This can get quite hot and spicy with hotter peppers and spicy gochujang, which can vary from mild to hot. If you're looking for a milder version of this shrimp stir fry, look for the milder brands.
- Other Vegetables. I've used broccoli, snap peas and peppers in my shrimp stir fry, but you can use others. Some favorites include carrots, leeks, bok choy, snow peas, green onions, so many others!
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my spicy shrimp stir fry recipe. Extra spicy for me! Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you.
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Spicy Shrimp Stir Fry in an airtight container in the fridge may allow you to store the leftovers for up to 3 days. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate it promptly.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Teriyaki Shrimp Stir Fry
- Drunken Noodles
- Spicy Chicken Fried Rice
- Beef Stir Fry
- Pork Stir Fry
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Chili-Garlic Shrimp with Thai Lime Rice
- Spicy Ramen Noodles
- Miso Ramen
- Yakisoba Noodles
- Easy Stir Fry Sauce
Try These Other Spicy Shrimp Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Spicy Shrimp Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil or use olive oil, + more if needed
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 ounces sugar snap peas
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2-3 jalapeno peppers or use hotter peppers to your preference – I used 2 jalapenos and 1 serrano pepper
FOR THE SPICY SAUCE
- 1.5 tablespoon gochujang
- 1.5 tablespoons hot paprika or use 1/2 tablespoon cayenne + 1/2 tablespoon sweet paprika – you can use other spicier chili powders as well
- 4 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- FOR SERVING: Cooked rice or noodles
- FOR GARNISH if desired: Sesame seeds, spicy red pepper flakes, fresh chopped parsley, extra sliced peppers .
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium high heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook them 2-3 minutes per side, until they are cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Add more oil if needed and add the snap peas, broccoli and peppers. Cook them 8-9 minutes to soften, stirring often.
- Make the sauce by whisking together the gochujang, hot paprika, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, garlic powder, ginger and chicken stock in a bowl.
- Pour the sauce into the pan with the vegetables. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add the corn starch slurry and stir. It should thicken quickly.
- Add the shrimp back to the pan and heat them through, about 2 minutes.
- Serve with cooked rice or noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds, spicy red pepper flakes, fresh chopped parsley and extra sliced peppers.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Stephen Shaffer says
Great recipe that I used as a creative base for a shrimp stir fry! I subbed 2 Tbsp of "Fly by Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp" (flavored chili oil) for 2 of 4 Tbsp of sesame oil, omitted the paprika, used 2 Tbsp of gochujang, 1 Tbsp of sambal oelek, 1 Tbsp Mike's Hot Honey and used chili oil for the stir fry of the shrimp and veges, that were broccoli, carrot and scallions. Also threw in yakisoba noodles. Good heat for my wife and I and the thicker ingredients in the sauce did not require corn starch to thicken. Heat from all over Asia!
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds wonderful to me!
Pam says
Absolutely delicious, loved the flavors and heat. This is a keeper! Used snow peas, red peppers, shredded carrots, cabbage, zucchini, shiitake and baby Bella mushrooms.
Mike Hultquist says
I love the additions, Pam! Awesome!
Sharon says
Wonderful flavor. My husband made last night and prep time more like 45 min to peel shrimp and prep veggies but well worth it. We will have this again
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Sharon! I always have a hard time estimate prep time, as I'm super slow in the kitchen. I appreciate the comments.
Abby says
So amazing! I made this tonight and it was so delicious and not difficult to make, definitely recommend
James says
Great recipe. First time stir frying. Love how encouraged making it your own. Added some ghost pepper sauce to kick it up. Will definitely be using more of your recipes.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, James! Glad you enjoyed it! Nice touch with the ghost peppers.
Jane Alexander says
Hey Mike,
Would this shrimp recipe work with chicken?
I make your sausage/chicken/okra Gumbo last week and it was perfect! My roux was really dark and yummy.
I've also made your recipe for Peruvian Chicken WOW delicious. I had a dish made by a Peruvian woman several years ago...it was chicken with a yellow gravy which I loved. I've searched for recipes that I thought may be similar to her recipe but to no avail...Any recipe ideas? I love this food...Thanks Janie
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Jane. Yes, chicken is perfect for this. Chop it into bite sized pieces and cook through. Very good. The Peruvian dish probably used aji amarillo to make the gravy. It's a common ingredient in Peru.