Sweet and Sour Shrimp is a quick stir-fried Chinese meal tossed with golden-crispy shrimp, crunchy bell peppers, and juicy pineapple coated with a delicious sweet and sour sauce which has a deep rich flavour. This delicious Chinese dish is one of the easiest homemade shrimp recipes, and it is best to serve with white rice or noodles.
The sweet taste of this dish comes from the juicy pineapple chunks and the honey in the sauce, while the sour taste comes from the cider vinegar and soy sauce. It combines both these flavours and balances them in such a fresh and refreshing way.
Why this recipe works?
This recipe for sweet and sour shrimp can be made in less than 30 minutes. This dish is a healthier version of your favourite restaurants sweet and sour shrimp. It’s healthy, quick and flavourful for your weeknight meal. Also, this recipe has multiple steps, which are broken down to make it easier to follow. The crispy shrimp and juicy pineapple are what makes this dish wholesome and tasteful.
What's in this Sweet and Sour Shrimp?
- Cooking oil: You may use sunflower oil, vegetable oil or olive oil.
- Sesame oil: The oil is derived from sesame seeds and has an amazing nutty flavour. Use sesame oil or toasted sesame oil for the best flavour.
- Jumbo shrimps: The hero of the dish, yummy crispy shrimps. You may use shrimp of any size.
- Pineapple chunks: Use sweet pineapple for this dish. When combined with hot peppers and the sauce, it has the right balance.
- Bell pepper: Use red and green bell peppers, giving the dish some crunch and lovely colours.
- Garlic: Make sure you use finely minced garlic for the best flavour.
- Sesame seeds: Used for garnishing this sweet and sour shrimp dish with these tiny seeds that are loaded with minerals, calcium, iron and fibre.
- Fresh ginger: Use finely minced ginger, giving an excellent flavour.
Seasoning: Salt and pepper.
For the sauce:
- Honey: This is a great & healthy substitute for sugar, giving the right sweetness for the dish with a balance for the spice.
- Tomato paste: Used in the sauce to combine all the ingredients and make it flavourful.
- Cider vinegar: Use cider vinegar to enhance the flavour of the dish.
- Soy sauce: Use good quality soy sauce as it is the main ingredient in any Chinese dish. It gives a rich and sweet taste to the dish.
- Ketchup: You may use homemade sauce or store-bought ones. The store-bought ketchup is sufficient enough.
- Seasonings: Use garlic powder and onion powder for seasoning to achieve the right taste.
- Corn starch/cornflour: Helps create a thick, velvety texture after stir-fry and for extra-added flavour in every bite.
- Honey: This is a great & healthy substitute for sugar, giving the right sweetness for the dish with a balance for the spice.
- Tomato paste: Used in the sauce to combine all the ingredients and make it flavourful.
- Cider vinegar: Use cider vinegar to enhance the flavour of the dish.
- Soy sauce: Use good quality soy sauce as it is the main ingredient in any Chinese dish. It gives a rich and sweet taste to the dish.
- Ketchup: You may use homemade sauce or store-bought ones. The store-bought ketchup is sufficient enough.
- Seasonings: Use garlic powder and onion powder for seasoning to achieve the right taste.
- Corn starch/cornflour: Helps create a thick, velvety texture after stir-fry and for extra-added flavour in every bite.
How to make this Sweet and Sour Shrimp?
Making the sauce:
In a bowl, whisk cider vinegar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce and tomato paste.
In a small cup, whisk corn-starch and water well.
Cooking the shrimps:
Pat the shrimps dry with a clean kitchen towel, then season with salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper.
Heat the cooking oil and sesame oil on a wok, or large skillet, then add the shrimps in a single layer and cook for 1 minute, then flip on the other side and cook for another minute. Transfer the shrimps to a plate or bowl and set them aside.
Now, add the bell pepper slices into the wok and stir fry for 1 minute, then add garlic and ginger and keep cooking for another minute.
Pour in the sauce mixture and the corn starch mixture, constantly stir until the sauce thicken.
Next, add the cooked shrimps and the pineapple chunks, mix well with the sauce then turn off the heat.
Garnish with sesame seeds and serve warm.
Top Tips:
- You can use any shrimp size you have. Using peeled shrimps is easier to serve. Only be aware that shrimp takes very little time to cook. So, whatever you use, make sure you don’t overcook it.
- For a spicier version, you may add more pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. You can also make this recipe kid-friendly by adding lesser spices.
- Also, it is best to keep the pan hot before cooking as the flavours will be more amplified.
- Use jumbo shrimp if you’re serving this dish as the main course.
- If you want to add more shrimp, you can add extra sauce accordingly.
- Make sure you don’t overcook the shrimp as the texture can become rubbery and will curl into a tight ‘C’ shape. Shrimp takes the least time to cook, whatever may be the size of it.
- It is always best to use fresh pineapple over canned pineapple as they tend to be more sweet, juicy and flavourful.
recipe variations:
- You may make sweet and sour chicken using the same recipe. Just that it may take a longer time to cook so, adjust your cooking time accordingly.
- You can add as many veggies as you desire based on your preference, such as broccoli, bok choy, or peas. However, if you are using carrots or cauliflowers, they require a longer time to cook.
- You can use sweet and sour homemade tomato sauce instead of store-bought ketchup.
- Instead of honey, you can also use maple syrup as a substitute.
- For garnishing, you can add toasted sesame seeds. All you have to do is toast them in a dry frying pan until they turn brown. You may also add green onions or chopped parsley for garnishing.
Serving suggestions
There are endless options for serving sweet and sour shrimp. The most popular dish to serve it with is white/brown rice. It is appetizing just by the look of it. Here are a few options that you can serve this dish with:
- Easy Baba Ganoush recipe
- Spicy roasted cauliflower
- Garlic parmesan baked potatoes
- Homemade coleslaw salad
- Lemon garlic potato salad
Recipe FAQs
What can I top this Sweet and Sour Shrimp with?
It can be topped with various fruits or vegetables, such as pineapple, green peppers, broccoli, or carrots.
Can I freeze sweet and sour shrimp?
Leftover sweet and sour shrimp will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. However, if you like to freeze it, it will last for 3-4months when stored in an airtight container.
Should we use fresh shrimp or frozen shrimp?
It depends on the availability of the shrimp where you stay. It is better if you can get fresh shrimp instead of frozen. But both would do as shrimp freezes very well.
Should I use shrimp head-on or head-off?
This recipe uses shrimp head off. You may also use shrimp head-on based on your preference. Either way, the dish will taste great.
Can I use chicken instead of shrimp?
Yes, you can use chicken instead of shrimp. You may use chicken breast cut up into chunks.
Can I Store the Sweet and Sour Sauce?
Yes, you can. Make the sauce and store it in an airtight container. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Ingredients
- 500 g shrimp , peeled
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 2 red bell pepper , chopped
- 6 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh ginger , minced
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
The sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp Ketchup
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk cider vinegar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, and tomato paste.
- In a small cup, whisk cornstarch and water well.
- Pat the shrimps dry with a kitchen towel, then season with salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.
- Heat the cooking oil and sesame oil on a wok, or large skillet, then add the shrimps in a single layer, cook for 1 minute, then flip on the other side and cook for another minute. Transfer the shrimps to a plate and set them aside.
- Now, add the bell pepper slices into the wok and stir fry for 1 minute, then add garlic and ginger and keep cooking for another minute.
- Pour in the sauce mixture and the cornstarch mixture, constantly stir until the sauce thicken.
- Next, add the cooked shrimps and the pineapple chunks, mix well with the sauce then turn off the heat.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and serve warm.
Notes
- You may make sweet and sour chicken using the same recipe. Just that it may take a longer time to cook so, adjust your cooking time accordingly.
- You can add as many veggies as you desire based on your preference, such as broccoli, bok choy, or peas. However, if you are using carrots or cauliflowers, they require a longer time to cook.
- You can use sweet and sour homemade tomato sauce instead of store-bought ketchup.
- Instead of honey, you can also use maple syrup as a substitute.
- For garnishing, you can add toasted sesame seeds. All you have to do is toast them in a dry frying pan until they turn brown. You may also add green onions or chopped parsley for garnishing.
Nutrition
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Delicious and yummy shrimp recipe; I have never cook shrimp this way before and the dish turned out so good. The sweet and sour sauce was amazing too. All my family loved it.