This post may contain affiliate links.
This Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry is my favorite kind of weeknight dinner, fast, fresh, and so much better than takeout, with juicy shrimp and crisp veggies in a glossy sweet-savory sauce. It comes together in about 30 minutes, right alongside our green bean stir fry in the busy-night rotation.
Stir fry moves quickly, so prep everything first and dinner will be on the table before you know it.
Shrimp Stir Fry Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 30 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 3 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 514kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, savory, and garlicky with a glossy honey glaze
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our bourbon chicken
Quick Answer
Simmer a sauce of honey, soy sauce, garlic, and lime, then set it aside. Sear zucchini in a hot wok and remove it, then cook the shrimp until pink. Add the veggies back with broccoli, toss in the sauce and a cornstarch slurry, and simmer until everything is coated in a glossy glaze for an easy, better-than-takeout Shrimp Stir Fry.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- It is faster than takeout. Everything cooks in minutes, so you get a fresh, hot dinner on the table in about 30 minutes.
- Searing builds flavor. Cooking the zucchini and shrimp in batches in a hot pan gives them color and flavor instead of steaming them.
- The sauce does the work. Honey, soy sauce, garlic, and lime simmer into a sweet-savory glaze that makes the whole dish crave-worthy.
- Cornstarch makes it glossy. A quick slurry thickens the sauce so it clings beautifully to the shrimp and veggies.
- It is endlessly flexible. Swap in whatever veggies you have on hand and serve it over rice or noodles for an easy meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is ready in about 30 minutes, perfect for the same busy nights we make our easy sesame chicken.
- Juicy shrimp and crisp veggies in a glossy honey garlic sauce taste just like your favorite takeout.
- It is easy to customize with whatever vegetables you have in the fridge.
Key Ingredients
A handful of simple ingredients come together fast for this Shrimp Stir Fry. Here is what each one brings.
- Shrimp: Quick-cooking and naturally sweet, shrimp turn juicy and tender in just minutes. Fresh or thawed frozen both work great.
- Honey and Soy Sauce: This sweet-and-savory duo is the heart of the glossy sauce, balancing rich, salty, and sweet in every bite.
- Broccoli and Zucchini: Crisp-tender veggies add color, crunch, and freshness, much like the produce we load into our
- creamy lemon shrimp
- .
- Garlic and Lime: Fresh garlic simmers into the sauce while a squeeze of lime brightens everything right at the end.
- Cornstarch: A quick slurry thickens the sauce into that glossy, restaurant-style glaze that clings to every piece.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This Shrimp Stir Fry is easy to make your own. Here are a few ways to switch it up.
- Swap in bell peppers, snap peas, carrots, or mushrooms for the broccoli and zucchini.
- Serve it over rice noodles for a dish that eats a lot like our
- chicken pad thai
- .
- Add a drizzle of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat, like our copycat Kung Pao chicken.
- Use chicken, beef, or tofu in place of the shrimp for an easy protein swap.
How to Make Shrimp Stir Fry
- In a small saucepan over medium low heat, warm the olive oil and cook the sliced garlic until fragrant but not browned. Add the honey, soy sauce, a squeeze of lime, and black pepper, then simmer for about 5 minutes, watching closely so it does not boil over. Set aside.
- Cut the zucchini into bite-sized pieces. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium high heat and sear the zucchini on all sides until about halfway cooked, then remove and set aside.
- Add the butter and a little more oil to the hot pan, mixing them so the butter does not burn. Add the shrimp in an even layer and cook, without moving them too much, until they begin to turn pink and opaque.
- Return the zucchini to the pan and add the blanched broccoli. Toss everything together for a few minutes until the shrimp are cooked through, then stir in about half of the sauce and the cornstarch slurry. Simmer until a glossy glaze coats everything, garnish with lime, and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Prep everything first. Stir fry moves fast, so have your sauce, veggies, and shrimp ready before the pan gets hot.
- Use a hot pan. A wok or large skillet over medium high heat gives you a good sear instead of steaming.
- Do not overcrowd. Cook the zucchini and shrimp in batches so everything browns nicely.
- Watch the shrimp. They cook in just a few minutes; pull them as soon as they turn pink and opaque so they stay tender.
- Mix the slurry well. Stir the cornstarch into cold water until smooth so the sauce thickens without lumps.
- Finish with lime. A fresh squeeze right before serving brightens up all the sweet, savory flavors.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Serve this Shrimp Stir Fry over steamed white rice, brown rice, or noodles to soak up all that glossy sauce, with our green bean stir fry on the side for an easy Asian-inspired spread.
For a bigger feast, pair it with our Asian glazed air fryer salmon or a batch of our easy sesame chicken so everyone can fill their plate.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water so the shrimp stay tender and the sauce loosens back up.
Shrimp Stir Fry FAQs
Yes. Frozen shrimp work great. Thaw them in the fridge overnight or in a bowl of cold water, then pat them very dry before cooking so they sear instead of steam.
Broccoli and zucchini are used here, but bell peppers, snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, baby corn, and snow peas all work beautifully. Use a mix of whatever crisp veggies you have on hand.
Shrimp cook very quickly, so the key is not to overcook them. Pull them off the heat as soon as they turn pink and opaque and curl into a loose C shape, then add them back at the end just to warm through.
It is delicious over steamed rice, fried rice, or noodles. You can also serve it on its own as a lighter low carb meal, or alongside egg rolls, dumplings, or a simple cucumber salad.
Stir fry is best fresh, but you can prep ahead by mixing the sauce, cutting the veggies, and thawing and drying the shrimp. Then the actual cooking takes just a few minutes when you are ready to eat.
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water, or microwave in short bursts, just until warmed through so the shrimp stay tender.
Craving more takeout at home? Try our chicken pad thai for another fast, flavor-packed dinner.
Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1 Cup Honey any kind will do. I use the cheap stuff!
- 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbl Olive Oil
- 3 Cloves Garlic sliced thinly
- 1 squeeze Fresh Lime Juice
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
For the stir-fry:
- 12 oz Shrimp I used frozen but if you have fresh will be even better!
- 1 1/2 Cup Broccoli Florets blanched
- 1 ea Zucchini medium size
- 2-3 Tbl Vegetable Oil
- 1 Tbl Butter
- 1-2 Tbl Cornstarch Slurry mix a few spoonfuls of cornstarch with cold water and mix until cornstarch is dissolved
- Cut Lime for garnish
Instructions
- Making stir-fry is an extremely fast process, so make sure you have all your ingredients ready and prepped. Make the sauce ahead of time by adding the oil to a sauce pan over medium low heat and cook the garlic until translucent but not brown. Add the remaining ingredients and let simmer for around 5 minutes. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THIS. It WILL boil over. If it starts looking like it might boil over, just take the pot off the pan and let the bubbles dissipate. If you have too, lower the heat as well. Set this too the side after the 5 minutes.
- Cut the zucchini into 1 inch pieces. Make sure your shrimp are fully peeled and cleaned. Dry them on some paper towels.
- Get a medium sized wok or frying pan on medium high heat. Make sure the pan is nice and hot. Add about a tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan and carefully place the zucchini in the oil. Let it get seared on all sides until cooked about half way through. Take out of the pan and set aside.
- Add the butter and about 1/2 Tbl of oil to the pan. Mixing oil with the butter will allow the butter not to burn. Add the shrimp to the pan, do not move too much to allow the shrimp to sear.
- When shrimp is half way cooked add the zucchini back to the pan as well as the blanched broccoli. Toss together in the pan for a few minutes until the shrimp and zucchini are cooked through and the broccoli is re-heated.
- Add 1/2 of the sauce let simmer together for just a minute or two and add the cornstarch slurry until there is a medium thick glaze over everything.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
Zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, snap peas, anything you like!
What would be a good substitute for the broccoli?
You aren’t a nobody! You are the reason why I made this blog. I am so happy to hear that you love this recipe so much! You have made my night, thanks again!!
Hi!
So I know I’m a nobody who doesn’t have a blog or anything to add to your some page but I just wanted to say thank you for this recipe! I have cooked it well over 15 times now for my family for friends visiting and guests and it to has always been such a success and so delicious! So, from a young married pinterest fan, thank you over and over again! (:
Ooooh yum, that sounds like some yummy additions! I always make a lot of sauce… my Husband could bathe in it! lol
Absolutely fantastic. I added a little red pepper flakes and lemon zest and fresh green onion folded in. There is a lot of sauce but it’s it’s so yummy. Great recipe!!
Ask and you shall receive, the post has been updated.
Clearly printable recipes would be appreciated. I am an ink saver whenever possible
I can definitely see where you can get frustrated when first learning to cook. I’m not sure if this is a beginner recipe since there are so many steps. So what I suggest is to always read a recipe all the way through first to make sure you know what to expect before starting. Also, since you have to blanch the broccoli off ahead of time and make the sauce, you can do this hours in advance so you’re not rushing and everything will come together much faster. I hope this helps, don’t give up!
I tried to make this the other night. When I was reading the instructions, I didn’t see the part where you cook the shrimp or the broccoli. I’m just starting to learn how to cook. I had a breakdown. It took me an hour and a half and I couldn’t even bring myself to eat it because I had messed it up so badly.