Shrimp and Snow Peas

Shrimp is one of my favorite things to cook and eat not only because it’s delicious, but also because it takes so little time to prepare. My shrimp and snow peas can be on your table in just 30 minutes – faster than Chinese delivery can arrive at your door!

Ingredients

While you can use frozen shrimp, you’ll find that this dish of shrimp and snow peas tastes even more spectacular if you can get them fresh. They need to be peeled and deveined, which you can do yourself, or save time and buy them already primed to go.

Fresh snow peas are one of the best vegetables in my opinion. They’re crisp and just a little sweet. To get the best texture, you need to remove the strings from both sides. To do so, simply snip off the tough end on one side and peel – the string will come right off.

When you’re ready to cook, your table should have the ingredients below.

NOTE: I added some frozen peas for fun but you can skip it as well.

Cooking process

Cooking shrimp and snow peas is super easy. The only thing to note is to not overcook the shrimp and snow peas, so the shrimp remain juicy and the snow peas crisp.

1. Cook until the shrimp are just curled and remove them from the pan
2. Saute the ginger
3. Quickly cook the snow peas
4. Pour in the sauce
5. Add back the shrimp and mix together

TIP: If you’re using a carbon steel or cast iron pan, you can easily brown the snow peas while maintaining their crisp texture. All you need to do is not stir them but let them sear in the hot pan.

To make a full meal

One thing I recommend, before you get started with this recipe, start your white rice cooking. The rice is perfect with the savory, slightly sweet brown sauce, shrimp, and snow peas. It seeps in and creates a rather addictive taste. There likely won’t be any leftovers remaining from this truly tasty dish. 

The bright colors, aromatic flavors, and contrast of textures from juicy to crispy are sure to make this Shrimp and Snow Peas a new favorite dish in your weekly meal plan. The whole thing, rice included, takes just 30 minutes to make. Even on a busy night, this will be on your table faster than you could run to pick up takeout or have it delivered. With less oil and the use of aromatic ginger, you have a healthy and refreshing meal waiting for you any time! 

Chinese takeout night recipes

• Hot and Sour Soup
• How to Make Chinese Egg Rolls
• Soy Sauce Fried Rice
• Real-Deal Beef Chow Fun
• Sichuan Dry Fried Green Beans

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Shrimp and Snow Peas

By Maggie Zhu

4.93 from 14 votes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 to 3 servings

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Juicy and tender shrimp with crispy snow peas in a refreshing and healthy gingery sauce. It’s a comforting Chinese takeout dish you can whip up quickly any night of the week! {Gluten-Free Adaptable}

To make the dish gluten-free, use dry sherry to replace Shaoxing wine. Use tamari instead of soy sauce. And use Chee Hou Sauce to replace oyster sauce.

Ingredients 

• 1 lb (450 g) shrimp , peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup frozen peas (Optional)

Marinade:

• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (*Footnote 1)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper (or black pepper)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Stir Fry:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 8 oz (225 g) snow peas , cleaned and strings removed
• 2 ” (5 cm) ginger , julienned

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Instructions

• Combine the shrimp and the marinade ingredients in a medium-size bowl. Mix well with your hands and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Stir to mix well.
• In a large carbon steel skillet (or non-stick pan) heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the shrimp and spread it into a single layer. Cook undisturbed until the bottom is cooked, 1 minute or so. Flip to cook the other side. Stir a few times until the shrimp are not translucent any more and are fully curled. Transfer them to a large plate.
• Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil and the ginger. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
• Spread out the snow peas in the pan into a single layer with minimal overlapping. Let cook for 30 seconds without touching, until the bottom browns slightly. Flip to cook the other side for 30 seconds or so, until the snow peas begin to soften.
• Add the cooked shrimp back into the skillet. Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely and pour it into the pan. Add the frozen peas (if using). Stir and cook until the sauce is fully thickened. Transfer everything to a serving plate.
• Serve hot over rice.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Notes

1. The recipe yields a saltiness level that works perfectly when paired with steamed rice. If you wish to serve the dish without rice, skip the salt. Also, check your Shaoxing wine. If it contains salt, you should omit the 1/4 teaspoon of added salt from the marinade.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 261kcal, Carbohydrates: 16.4g, Protein: 27.9g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1.8g, Cholesterol: 223mg, Sodium: 830mg, Potassium: 416mg, Fiber: 3.2g, Sugar: 6.4g, Calcium: 138mg, Iron: 2mg

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More delicious shrimp recipes

• Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimp
• Chinese Chili Garlic Shrimp
• Salt and Pepper Shrimp
• Crispy Baked Coconut Shrimp
• Cheesy Shrimp Baked Spring Rolls

Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.