Kung Pao Shrimp is an easy Chinese take out style shrimp recipe. Shrimps are tossed in vegetables like bell peppers and onion and simmered in delicious sweet, spicy and savory kung pao sauce. Roasted peanuts are added while stir frying the vegetables for extra crunch. This Chinese shrimp recipe gets ready in under 30 minutes from start to finish.
If you are looking for dinner under 30 minutes, this easy kung pao shrimp recipe is a must try. Just serve it with rice or noodles so as to soak up the extra delicious homemade kung pao sauce. This Chinese shrimp recipe is just like PF Chang’s kung pao shrimp recipe.
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What is kung pao shrimp?
Kung pao shrimp is a delicious better than Chinese take-out recipe in which juicy shrimps are tossed in vegetables like green and red bell pepper and onions and tossed in a thick kung pao sauce. Roasted peanuts are added which gives it a crunchy taste. If you don’t have peanuts, you can add cashewnuts.
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What goes in the making of kung pao shrimp?
- Shrimp: Use fresh, juicy shrimps to make this recipe. Shrimps should be peeled and deveined, tails should be removed.
- Vegetables: Vegetables like red bell pepper, green bell pepper and onion are added in this recipe.
- Spices: Spices like garlic and dry red chilies are added while stir frying.
- Peanuts: Roasted peanuts are added for the extra crunch. Cashewnuts can be added if peanuts are not available or if you are allergic to peanuts.
Kung pao sauce ingredients:
Soy sauce, sriracha sauce or hot chilli sauce, black pepper powder, sesame oil, vinegar – I used apple cider vinegar (You can use rice vinegar if apple cider is not available), sugar, cornstarch, and water.
How to make kung pao shrimp?
- Heat a skillet and add oil.
- After oil gets heated, add chopped bell peppers and sauté till it turns tender.
- Add chopped onion and sauté for some time.
- Mix chopped garlic and dry red chillies and sauté till raw aroma of garlic goes away.
- Then add roasted peanuts and mix well.
- Add the shrimps and sauté for 4 minutes.
- While the shrimps are getting cooked, prepare the kung pao sauce.
- Take a mixing bowl and add the sauce ingredients – soy sauce, sriracha sauce, black pepper powder, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, and water.
- Pour the sauce in the pan and cover the shrimps and vegetables in the sauce.
- Simmer till the sauce thickens.
How to serve this easy shrimp recipe?
Serve this Chinese shrimp recipe over a bed of fried rice or Lo Mein or Hakka noodles along with honey chili potatoes as a side dish.
Kung Pao Shrimp
Ingredients
For stir fry:
- 15 to 20 shrimps peeled and deveined
- ½ red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ green bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small sized onion cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoon peanuts roasted
- 2 dry red chillies
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced (used 6 garlic pods)
For sauce:
- 4 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon vinegar I used apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 4 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Heat a skillet and add oil.
- After oil gets heated, add chopped bell peppers and sauté till it turns tender.
- Add chopped onion and sauté for some time.
- Mix chopped garlic and dry red chillies and sauté till raw aroma of garlic goes away.
- Add roasted peanuts and mix well.
- Add the shrimps and sauté for 4 minutes.
- While the shrimps are getting cooked, prepare the kung pao sauce.
- Take a mixing bowl and add the sauce ingredients – soy sauce, sriracha sauce, black pepper powder, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, and water.
- Pour the sauce in the pan and cover the shrimps and vegetables in the sauce.
- Simmer till the sauce thickens.
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What if you did not have red chilies or you can’t eat peanut’s ..what about if I add extra vegetables.
Hi Denise,
Add paprika if you don’t have red chilies. If you cannot eat peanuts, simply don’t add those. You can add extra vegetables as per your choice. I have not tried it, so maybe a little experiment would work 🙂 But if you add vegetables add it after adding bell pepper.