Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry

Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry: High Heat, Fast Dinner, Big Flavor

A shrimp stir fry is one of the fastest real dinners that can come out of a home kitchen. Everything goes into a hot wok in stages.  The sauce thickens and coats every piece in about 90 seconds.  Dinner is on the table in under 30 minutes. The shrimp stay juicy, the vegetables keep their color and bite, and the cashews add a crunch that makes the whole dish feel substantial.

The image shows exactly the kind of result this recipe aims for: large shrimp with good color, red and yellow peppers, carrots, mushrooms, celery, and cashews all glistening in a savory, light sauce.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Under 30 minutes. Prep is most of the time, and the actual cooking happens fast at high heat.
• Every vegetable keeps its texture. Adding the slower-cooking vegetables first and the faster ones later means nothing is overcooked or mushy by the time the sauce goes in.
• The shrimp cook in under 4 minutes. They go in first, come out while the vegetables cook, and go back in at the end so they’re never in the pan long enough to toughen.
• Cashews are the finishing touch. Added at the very end, they stay crunchy and add a richness that makes the dish feel more complete.
• One wok, minimal cleanup. Everything cooks in the same pan in stages.  The whole thing is done before the rice is finished.

Let’s Talk Ingredients

Large shrimp are the right size for a stir fry. They’re substantial enough to eat alongside chunky vegetable pieces without getting lost in the dish, and they cook quickly enough that the timing works naturally with a high-heat wok. Peeled and deveined before cooking, patted completely dry, and seasoned simply with salt and pepper: that’s all the prep they need.

Red and yellow bell peppers bring sweetness and color. Cooked over high heat until the edges begin to soften but before they turn fully limp, they stay bright and slightly firm which adds visual appeal and texture to every bite. Carrots and celery are both sliced on the diagonal which increases their surface area for searing and makes them look more like restaurant-quality stir-fry pieces.

Cremini mushrooms add a savory, earthy depth that plain button mushrooms don’t have. Sliced and cooked at high heat, they release their moisture quickly and caramelize around the edges.  This adds a deeper flavor note to the overall dish.

The sauce is built on soy and oyster sauce for saltiness and umami, rice vinegar for brightness, sesame oil for its toasted aroma, and a small amount of brown sugar to balance. Cornstarch slurry thickens it quickly once it hits the hot pan turning a thin liquid into a glossy coating that clings to every piece of shrimp and vegetable.

Cashews go in last. They don’t need cooking.  Adding them too early means they absorb moisture from the sauce and lose the crunch that makes them worth including.

Step-by-Step Cooking Tips

Drying the shrimp before they go into the wok is the most impactful prep step. Any moisture on the surface of the shrimp creates steam on contact with the hot wok which prevents browning and leaves the shrimp looking pale and steamed rather than seared with color. A firm pat with paper towels on both sides takes ten seconds.

The wok needs to be genuinely hot before the oil goes in. At the right temperature, the shrimp sear on contact and turn pink on the bottom within a minute. The visual cue is a shrimp that curls into a C shape.  That’s how you know they’re perfectly cooked. An O shape means it’s overcooked. Pull them out the moment they hit that C and they’ll finish perfectly when they go back into the sauce at the end.

Cooking the vegetables in stages is the technique that keeps everything from turning to mush. Carrots and celery are the slowest vegetables in this recipe and go in first. Peppers and mushrooms go in next. Garlic and ginger go in last for just 30 seconds – just enough to release their aroma without burning. Everything stays at high heat throughout which means every ingredient develops some color and caramelization rather than steaming in its own moisture.

The sauce should be whisked immediately before adding it to the wok since the cornstarch settles quickly. Once it hits the hot pan, it thickens within seconds. Tossing everything constantly during this stage ensures even coating before it sets.

Equipment

• Large wok for the high, sustained heat that sears the shrimp and caramelizes the vegetables
• Cutting board for prepping the shrimp and slicing all vegetables before cooking starts
• Chef’s knife for thin, even diagonal cuts and consistent vegetable sizing
• Small bowl for mixing and whisking the sauce before it goes into the wok
• Tongs for quick, confident tossing at high heat without breaking the shrimp
• Measuring spoons for accurate sauce proportions

Serving Suggestions

Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry is a complete dinner with the right accompaniment alongside.

• Steamed jasmine rice is the most natural base and soaks up the sauce from the bottom of the wok beautifully.
• Rice noodles tossed with a small amount of sesame oil work well for a slightly different texture.
• A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar and sesame seeds adds a cool contrast alongside the warm, saucy stir fry.
• For a lighter option, spoon the stir fry over shredded cabbage for a warm salad-style serving.
• Serve with extra chili garlic sauce on the side for anyone who wants more heat.

Macros Per Serving

Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry is high in lean protein from the shrimp, moderate in fat from the cashews and oil, and low in carbohydrates from the vegetables, making it a well-balanced and naturally light dinner option.

• Calories: ~340 (without rice)
• Protein: ~36g
• Fat: ~16g
• Carbs: ~16g

Values will vary depending on specific ingredients and portion size.

Other Recipes to Try

Vegetable Stir Fry With a Quick Tasty Sauce A vegetable-forward stir fry with broccoli, snap peas, carrots, and peppers in a savory sauce that’s a great meatless option on the same night of the week.

Beef Fajitas in a Cast Iron Skillet A high-heat cast iron dinner with seasoned beef and charred peppers that uses the same fast, sear-first technique as this stir fry.

Garlic Butter Shrimp Tender shrimp in a rich garlic butter sauce that comes together in under 20 minutes for another fast and flavorful shrimp dinner.

Keto Stuffed Pepper Recipe A hearty, low-carb stuffed pepper from Keto Recipe Collection packed with seasoned ground beef, mozzarella, and Italian flavors.

Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry is the kind of weeknight dinner that makes a strong case for keeping the wok out. The shrimp are fast, the vegetables are colorful, and the cashews add something extra that makes the whole dish worth repeating.

Try the recipe and share how it turned out. Vegetable swaps, heat level adjustments, and serving ideas are always welcome in the comments.

Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry

Large shrimp stir-fried at high heat with red and yellow bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, celery, and cashews in a savory sauce, served sizzling from the wok in under 20 minutes.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 27 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4 Servings

Equipment

• Wok used to stir-fry the shrimp and vegetables over high heat
• Cutting board used to prep all vegetables and devein the shrimp
• Chef's knife used to slice vegetables into even stir-fry pieces
• Small bowl used to mix the stir-fry sauce before cooking
• Tongs used to toss the shrimp and vegetables quickly at high heat
• Measuring spoons used to portion sauce ingredients accurately

Ingredients

  

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Stir-Fry Sauce

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce 45 ml
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 15 ml
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 15 ml
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil 5 ml
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar 4 g
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch 3 g, mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
• ½ teaspoon chili garlic sauce 2.5 g

Stir-Fry

• 1½ pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined (680 g)
• ½ teaspoon salt 3 g
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper 0.5 g
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil divided (30 ml)
• 1 large red bell pepper sliced into strips
• 1 large yellow bell pepper sliced into strips
• 2 medium carrots sliced thin on the diagonal (about 1 cup / 130 g)
• 1 cup cremini mushrooms sliced (85 g)
• 2 stalks celery sliced on the diagonal (about ¾ cup / 80 g)
• ½ cup roasted cashews 65 g
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated (2 g)
• 2 green onions sliced, for garnish

Instructions

 

• Whisk together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
• Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the wok over high heat until very hot, then add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat.
• Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Remove to a plate.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the carrots and celery first and cook for 2 minutes, tossing, until they begin to soften.
• Add the bell peppers and mushrooms and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing frequently, until the peppers are slightly tender but still have color and bite.
• Push the vegetables to the edges of the wok, add the garlic and ginger to the center, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Return the shrimp to the wok and pour the sauce over everything, tossing constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats all the ingredients.
• Add the cashews and toss once more to combine.
• Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with sliced green onion, and serve immediately over steamed rice or noodles.

Notes

• Pat the shrimp completely dry before cooking. Surface moisture prevents searing and causes steaming, which affects both texture and color.
• Shrimp cook very quickly. They are done as soon as they turn pink and curl into a C shape. An O shape means overcooked.
• Cashews add crunch and a rich, buttery flavor. Add them at the very end so they don't soften in the sauce.
• Swap cashews for peanuts for a slightly more assertive nut flavor.
• Add a dried red chili or two with the garlic for a spicier version.
• Work in batches if the wok is crowded. Overcrowding drops the temperature and causes steaming rather than stir-frying.
• Macros estimate (per serving, based on 4 servings, without rice): Calories ~340 | Protein ~36g | Fat ~16g | Carbs ~16g

Keyword shrimp, stir fry recipe

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