Sweet and sour shrimp is a delicious weeknight dinner packed full of veggies, proteins, and more. Serve it up with a side of rice and enjoy a tasty meal any night of the week.
This sweet n sour shrimp is a healthy spin on a classic Chinese food favorite. In this one meal, we have a saucy sweet and sour glazed shrimp, cooked vegetables like broccoli and bell peppers along with some fresh pineapple. All tosed together in a homemade sweet and sour sauce that tastes better than anything you can get from a bottle or package.
Why this Recipe Works
- Great for any time of day. This can be eaten as a lunch or dinner main meal; it will give you a healthy and delicious full stomach that will give you energy for hours.
- It comes together fast. Shrimp never take too long to cook and the rest of this dish comes together pretty fast as well. From start to finish you can have this sweet and sour shrimp stir fry on your plates in about 30 minutes.
- Multiple serving options. You can serve this sweet and sour shrimp recipe with a side of white rice, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice for a simple low-carb option.
Ingredients you’ll need for Sweet and Sour Shrimp:
- Shrimp
- Oil
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- White onion
- Red bell pepper
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh ginger
- Fresh pineapple
For the sweet and sour sauce, you will need:
- Tomato paste concentrate
- Rice vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Cornflour
- Water
For garnish, you may want:
- Sesame seeds
- Spring onion
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
Equipment Needed
- Big pan
- 1 knife
- Cutting board
- 1 small bowl
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Measuring spoons and cups
How to Make Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Wash and prep your vegetables in advance and keep them off to the side so that they are ready to use when needed.
Slice your red bell pepper into thin strips.
Cut the broccoli head into small trees.
Slice your onion into thin strips as well.
Now peel and cut the carrots into thin strips.
Peel and cut the pineapple into small cube-shaped pieces.
Peel your garlic and ginger and grate them into smaller pieces.
Now prepare the shrimp. If they weren’t cleaned before you got them, make sure to devein them and take off the heads.
Add the grated garlic and ginger to the pan with your cooking oil and cook over low heat until golden in color and fragrant.
Add in the onion, carrot, and red bell pepper sticks.
Stir together until well mixed.
Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
While your toughest veggies are still cooking, prepare the sauce.
Combine the cornflour and cold water in a small bowl and mix well with a whisk to combine. Set aside.
In a saucepan, combine the cornflour slurry with tomato concentrate, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar. Combine until dissolved.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil while you continue to stir. The sauce will get darker and thickened.
Once it boils, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to reserve it for later.
Add the broccoli and cook until it reaches a bright green color.
In your pan of vegetables, add the pineapple chunks and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
Add in the cleaned shrimp and stir everything together well.
Pour in the sauce and mix until everything is combined and well coated. Cook for another 5 minutes or so.
Serve with some spring onions that are sliced thin and sesame seeds as garnish. Enjoy.
FAQs
How long is sweet and sour shrimp and broccoli good for?
It can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container and will last for up to 3 days, but I doubt that there will be any leftovers.
What is sweet and sour shrimp made of?
This dish is almost always made with a base of shrimp and veggies like bell peppers and onions. Sometimes you add in pineapple for added sweetness too. Then there is a sauce made with soy sauce, honey, and vinegar (amongst other items) that gives a subtle sweet and sour flavor to the dish.
What to serve with healthy sweet and sour shrimp
This good sweet and sour shrimp goes very well with a side of either white or brown rice. You can also make some quinoa to go with it or go for a nice side of egg noodles too.
Here are some more Chinese inspired meals that you will enjoy:
- Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken
- Homemade Shrimp Lo Mein Recipe
- Chicken Chow Mein
- Thai Cashew Chicken Salad
- Egg Roll Noodle Bowl
- Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry over Peanut Butter Noodles
Sweet and Sour Shrimp
A very tasty and healthy interpretation of the classic sweet and sour shrimp, a perfect main meal for weeknight dinner, full of veggies, proteins, and bursting with flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp (cleaned and raw)
- 2 teaspoons neutral-tasting oil
- 2/3 small carrots
- 1 head of broccoli (or half if it is very big)
- 1 white onion
- ½ red bell pepper
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 piece fresh ginger (half a thumb)
- ½ cup fresh pineapple
For the sweet and sour sauce:
- ¼ cup tomato paste concentrate
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- 2 tablespoons water
For garnish:
- Sesame seeds
- Spring onion
Instructions
- Start by prepping the vegetables and reserve separately:
- Cut half the red bell pepper into thin strips.
- Cut the broccoli head in small “threes”.
- Cut the onion into thin strips.
- Peel and cut the carrots into thin strips
- Peel and cut the pineapple into small cubes
- Peel the garlic cloves and the ginger and grate temp
- Prep your shrimp in case they are not clean, make sure to de-vein them and take out the heads.
- In a pan add the grated garlic and ginger and the neutral-tasting oil and cook them on low until golden and fragrant.
- Add the onion, carrot, and red pepper sticks and stir to mix with the fried garlic and ginger.
- Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.
- While the toughest veggies are cooking let’s prepare the sauce:
- In a small bowl add the cornflour and the water (cold) and mix well with a whisk or a fork. Reserve.
- In a saucepan add the cornflour slurry, tomato concentrate, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar. Combine and dissolve the tomato concentrate and sugar.
- Bring to a gentle boil while you keep stirring. You’ll notice it starts to get thick and dark.
- Once it boils, take it out of the heat and reserve.
- Back to the pan, add the broccoli “threes” and once they reach a bright green color (around one minute in) add the pineapple chunks. Cook for 5 more minutes.
- Add the cleaned shrimp and stir everything together.
- Pour the sauce and mix well until everything combines, cook for 5 more minutes or so.
- Serve with thinly sliced spring onion and sesame seeds as a garnish.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 285Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 239mgSodium 1276mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 6gSugar 9gProtein 31g
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