Between school pickups, homework, and dance practice, getting dinner on the table every night can feel like a struggle! We get it, but we're here to tell you that you DON'T have to go through a drive-through window on those hectic nights. This shrimp and broccoli stir fry is here to save your sanity (and your wallet)!
We've all been there. It's 5:30 on one of those days, and you have no idea what you're going to make for dinner. You really want to pick up the phone and order some pizza, but you don't wanna spend the money, so you head to the kitchen, open the freezer, and pray for a moment of inspiration. (Or maybe for a frozen pizza to magically appear!)
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This shrimp and broccoli stir fry is perfect for those nights when you don't have the time, patience, or energy to spend hours in the kitchen cooking and then cleaning up the mess. Add this to your recipe faves because it's sure to become a go-to. It's quick, easy, healthy, and requires minimal clean-up. What's not to love?!
WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT A STIR FRY
What do we love about a good ole stir fry? It might be easier to list what we don't love because that list would be empty. A delicious stir fry is what shelf cooking dreams are made of. We could gush for days, but here are a few of the things we love most:
- Quick Prep & Clean-Up – One dish meals? Sign. Us. Up. Hands down, it doesn't get much easier than throwing your meats and veggies in one pan or wok. Fewer dishes = less cleanup = one happy mama. Score!
- Versatile – Let's say you decide to make Friday night stir fry night in your house. You'll NEVER get sick of it because you could literally create a different stir fry every single week. It's the perfect way to add consistency to your meal planning without running the risk of getting bored eating the same dish over and over.
- Great Way to Sneak in Veggies – If you have picky eaters, then you know the struggle. Tossing some chopped-up veggies in a wok for stir fry is a great way to disguise them. And the seasonings make them so much more flavorful!
- Perfect Way to Use Leftovers – Have eggs that are about to go bad? Leftover corn or onion? Throw it in! Seriously, you can pretty much add ANYTHING to your stir fry.
Now you're sold, right? If you haven't made stir-frying a regular part of your dinner plans, now's the time to start! We'll show you how to do it with this shrimp and broccoli stir fry. First, let's talk about substitutions!
HOW TO SWITCH UP THIS SHRIMP AND BROCCOLI STIR FRY
Remember how we said stir-frying is super versatile? Here's the proof! Check out half a dozen ways you can make this recipe your own:
- Shrimp Substitutes – If you don't have shrimp, you can use scallops, chicken, or sliced beef instead. Scallops will cook for the same amount of time, but be sure to cook the chicken or beef for longer.
- Soy Sauce Replacement – All out of soy sauce? Allergic to soy? Coconut aminos or other liquid aminos work just as well!
- Veggie Swaps – No time to chop vegetables? Frozen stir fry veggies are perfect for times like these. You can steam them in the microwave for a few minutes first to speed up the cooking time. We like to add sliced mushrooms to our stir fry dishes, too.
- Rice Vinegar Substitute – If you don't keep rice vinegar in your pantry, try apple cider vinegar in its place. Just use half as much!
- Sugar Swap – Don't panic if you're out of granulated sugar. We think brown sugar is just as delicious. Check out this post on brown sugar substitutes to learn more! (And if you use coconut aminos, you won't need any sugar because they're already naturally sweet.)
- Nut Alternatives – No cashews? Try sliced almonds or peanuts. They're just as yummy! Of course, if there's a nut allergy in your family, feel free to leave them out altogether.
You get the idea, right? You can swap ingredients in and out if you need to, so don't be deterred if your pantry or freezer are running low. Now, let's start cooking!
HOW TO STORE YOUR LEFTOVERS
We love warming up this stir fry for lunch the next day! The flavors meld so well in the refrigerator. If you're planning to eat your leftovers within a few days, just pop them into an airtight container and microwave when you're ready to serve. Plan to eat within three days, especially if you're using seafood.
If you'd prefer to freeze your leftovers, then you're in luck! This recipe freezes beautifully. Place any leftovers in a freezer-safe bag, label, and use within three months. When you're ready to serve, thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat on the stovetop according to recipe instructions.
Pro Tip: If you serve your stir fry over rice, be sure to freeze that separately. No rice? No problem! We've got a whole list of rice substitutes.
WAYS TO REPURPOSE SHRIMP AND BROCCOLI STIR FRY LEFTOVERS
If you're planning to make one batch for tonight and another for later, we applaud you. Go ahead and do it! And don't worry, your family won't mind eating the leftovers because there are so many ways to turn shrimp and broccoli stir fry into a whole dish. Here are some ways to repurpose those leftovers:
- Quiche – Whisk together some eggs and milk, pour into a pie shell, add your stir fry, mix, and bake at 350°F for around 30 minutes.
- Rice Bowl – Stir fry and rice go together like peas and carrots, and there's nothing more filling! Learn how to make your own rice bowl.
- Lo Mein – Grab some noodles and make your own lo mein! You won't be sad you did. Serve with egg drop soup and enjoy.
- Omelette – Grab your favorite cheese, some eggs, and your leftovers, and you've got an omelet in five minutes.
- Fajitas – Round up a few tortillas, put your leftover stir fry inside, and top with some cheese and sour cream. Suddenly, you've got fajitas!
- Ramen – Got some ramen in the pantry? Bling it up with this stir fry! So good!
You can repurpose any kind of stir fry like this, so don't limit yourself to shrimp and broccoli! We think a beef and broccoli rice bowl sounds mighty fine. Or how about a big bowl of ginger chicken and snow peas ramen. Mmmmm!
THE EASIEST SHRIMP AND BROCCOLI STIR FRY RECIPE
We like to use frozen peeled and deveined shrimp for recipes like this one. It just saves so much time! About 15 minutes before you're ready to start cooking, drop them in a colander under running cold water to thaw them. Keep an eye out for BOGO sales at your grocery store, or buy in bulk if you can. Frozen shrimp are great to keep in stock for quick meals!
Are you ready? We guarantee you'll be making this recipe again and again, and we know your family will love it as much as ours does! Get your wok out, and let's do this.
Easy Shrimp Stir Fry
Ingredients
Sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1½ tsp sugar
Stir Fry
- 12 oz peeled, deveined shrimp
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 small onion, sliced
- ¼ cup cashews, crushed
- water chestnuts, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Thaw shrimp if frozen, then peel and devein and keep tails intact. Rinse, then pat dry with a paper towel and set aside.
- To make the sauce, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, water, cornstarch, and sugar, then set aside.
- Add oil to large wok or skillet and bring to medium-high heat.
- Sauté garlic for 15 seconds.
- Add broccoli, carrots, and onions, along with any veggies of your choice. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Remove vegetables and set aside.
- Add the sauce to the wok or skillet and cook until it starts to bubble.
- Add shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
- Stir in the vegetables and cook until mixture is heated through.
- Sprinkle with cashews, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
This recipe is oh so easy and so delicious. Even the picky eaters get such a kick out of this crowd-pleasing main dish!
The next time you're short on time and ingredients, you'll know what to do! We can't wait for you to try this simple, quick, and flavorful meal.
Now we just have one question. What's your favorite stir fry combination? Leave us a comment and let us know!
Looking for more easy dinner ideas?
- It doesn't get much easier than these 20 slow cooker meal ideas!
- This tamale casserole is one of our all-time faves! Give it a try and let us know what you think.
- No more dry pork chops for you! Learn how to make juicy, flavorful pork chops every time.
Wok on!