Juicy, springy shrimp in a sauce packed with fresh ginger strips is my idea of good eating. But there’s spicy, and then there’s Thai SPICY. Sometimes I like to savor the slow burn – and leave the chilis out. And that’s why I make this ginger shrimp stir fry at home all the time. It’s spicy without being volcanic.
When I lived in Bangkok, I’d go to this food stall right downstairs from my share apartment. They specialized in smoky hot wok fried ginger shrimp with a side of jasmine rice – and I couldn’t get enough. They were kind enough to temper the spice levels for me and go easy on the Thai chilis, but it always smacked with saltiness from fish sauce and the fragrant heat of ginger and garlic. I’d squeeze a lime wedge over the steaming plate and be in heaven for the next 10 minutes.
And that experience was the catalyst for my ginger shrimp stir fry. I always make sure to keep the shrimp squeaky and tender by cooking over high heat for a short time. While the fresh ginger strips are spicy, it’s more of a glowing burn than a full on assault. So I always make this dish for guests that love Thai flavors but who may be sensitive to chilis. And, much like my Thai basil chicken, I always serve this shrimp stir fry with sliced Thai chilis in fish sauce on the side for those who truly wanna feel the fire.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Scroll to the bottom of this page for the full recipe steps and measurements.
- Shrimp: Both fresh and frozen work. No matter which I use, I always make sure to properly thaw, peel and devein the shrimp first.
- Cooking Oil: Any neutral cooking oil is fine. I gravitate towards vegetable, avocado or grapeseed oil.
- Garlic, Ginger and Onions: These are my aromatics. I finely chop the garlic and onions – but for the fresh ginger, I prefer to slice it into long thin strips (about the size and length of a match). Great for both fragrance and texture.
- Fish Sauce, Soy Sauce, Sugar and Water: Fish sauce and soy sauce are both fairly salty. Sugar balances some of that saltines out. But I use a bit of water to further tame the salt beast. The added moisture also creates a sauce I can spoon over my rice. I love saucy stir fries!
- White Pepper: White pepper is woody, earthy, sharp and a bit hotter than black pepper.
- Green Onions: I chop some of the green onions finely – and keep a few longer stalks (about 2 inches long) to throw into the wok whole.
- Lime Wedges: These are optional for serving, but recommended. A squeeze of fresh lime cuts through some of the saltiness and delivers a bright tang.
Variations
Make it spicier. My husband loves adding sliced Thai chilis to this stir fry. Other options include a dusting of Korean gochugaru flakes – or cracked Cambodian peppercorns. For those that are truly spice junkies, I’d recommend a spoonful of my crazy hot chili garlic sauce.
Change the protein. Feel free to use seitan, chicken, fried tofu or soy strips instead of the shrimp. I’ve tried this recipe with all of the above – and it works!
Make it gluten free. Simply swap out the soy sauce – and use tamari or liquid aminos instead.
How To Make It
- Cook the aromatics in oil until fragrant and starting to soften.
- Cook the shrimp and add sauce. Sear the shrimp quickly, than add the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and water. See the recipe card below for timing guidelines.
- Season and serve. Add the white pepper and green onions and toss well. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
Cook this stir fry over high heat. Cooking over high heat allows me to cook things very quickly while still retaining textural integrity. The shrimp stays bouncy and juicy, but cooks through. In fact, I always make sure my pan is properly hot before I even add the cooking oil.
Use fresh ginger. I understand the draw of cheating and just using the powdered ginger from the spice rack. But using fresh ginger pays huge dividends in terms of both flavor and texture. I might still make this recipe if I opened the fridge and realized I didn’t have an onion. But if I was out of ginger, I’d head to the store to grab some. Or I’d make spicy garlic shrimp instead (where the ginger is more optional). In this recipe, it’s fresh ginger or bust.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in a covered storage container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Be sure to store any leftover rice in a separate container.
Reheat gently in the microwave until hot. Or reheat in a pan on the stovetop. Add a dash of fish sauce and a squeeze of fresh lime juice to the hot leftovers.
I do not recommend freezing leftover shrimp.
What I Serve With Ginger Shrimp Stir Fry
When it comes to stir fries, I almost always default to rice. A bowl of jasmine rice or Northern Thai sticky rice is the traditional play here. But steamed Japanese rice or even brown rice would also do the trick. And when I’m making a Thai feast for dinner, here are some of my favorites:
- Thai Fried Rice
- Pad Woon Sen
- Pad Kee Mao – Drunken Noodles
- Satay With Thai Peanut Sauce
- Thai Green Curry
Frequently Asked Questions
This is one of those recipes I default to when I’m cooking dinner for someone who may love Thai flavors, but is sensitive to spice. The only spicy ingredient is the ginger, but that’s more of a shimmering heat than a full on assault of spice. I’d consider this recipe a 3 out of 10 in terms of heat.
Was the pan hot enough? I know it seems counterintuitive to blame a lukewarm pan for overcooked shrimp. But if the pan isn’t hot, it takes longer to cook the shrimp. They end up essentially boiling in the sauce for too long.
I use the water to cut the saltiness of the soy sauce and fish sauce. The added benefit is that it creates a proper sauce. This is a wet stir fry! Perfect for spooning over rice. For a drier stir fry, use half the water and back off a bit on the sugar, fish sauce and soy sauce.
I’d definitely recommend using fish sauce for this recipe. But for people on plant based diets, there is vegan fish sauce.
Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
Ginger Shrimp Stir Fry
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stir fry
- Cuisine: Thai
Description
My ginger shrimp stir fry smacks with authentic Thai flavors but isn’t crazy spicy. Use fresh ginger for the perfect slow burn.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (i.e. grapeseed or vegetable oil, etc.)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup ginger, cut into thin strips
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 5 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the aromatics. In a large wok or deep skillet over high heat, add the vegetable oil, garlic, ginger and onions, and cook for 3 minutes, until the onions have softened.
- Cook shrimp and add sauce. Add the shrimp, cook for 30 seconds and add water, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Season and serve. Add the ground white pepper and green onions, toss and cook for 1 minute. Serve with lime wedges and a bowl of rice.
Notes
Keep the leftovers in a storage container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 371
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 2124mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1.4g
- Protein: 48.8g
- Cholesterol: 364.9mg
This is a delicious recipe for shrimp. We cook lots of shrimp in my house. I am always on the lookout for a new way to have it.