Easy Hunan Shrimp

Quick and easy Hunan Shrimp recipe is the ultimate take out fake out. Spicy shrimp with veggies are stir fried in a magical sauce for a dinner that’s ready in about 10 minutes.

Once school starts, things start to get hectic around here and dinnertime can easily fall apart. Take out is, certainly, the easy way out but sometimes making dinner at home can be just as quick.

Stir frying is a genius way to get dinner on the table in a hurry and this Hunan Shrimp recipe is faster than delivery.

HUNAN SHRIMP

Hunan Shrimp is a dish that’s commonly found on American Chinese menus. The flavor is very similar to this Shrimp Mei Fun I shared before and is super popular.

Hunan cuisine, also known as Xiang cuisine, is one of the Eight Great Traditions of Chinese cuisine and is well known for its hot and spicy flavors, bright aroma and vibrant colors. 

Tender shrimp are cooked in a spicy sauce made of chili bean paste, garlic, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Served with green beans and green onions, you can really add any additional vegetables you have on hand.

INGREDIENTS

To make Hunan Shrimp you will need the following ingredients.

Shrimp – You can use fresh or frozen (thawed) shrimp for this recipe. I like to buy it already peeled and deveined to save some prep time.

Cornstarch – Cornstarch is used to get a crispy coating on your shrimp. It also helps the sauce stick to the shrimp giving each bite a spicy burst of flavor.

Green Beans – I like to use fresh green beans for this recipe. Frozen will work, too, but they won’t get the charred, blistered skin you get from fresh beans. They also stay somewhat crisp once cooked. You can also use snow peas, broccoli and edamame, if you prefer.

Green Onions – They’re kinda like a staple in stir fry recipes around here, you can leave them out if you wish.

Chili Paste – We use chili paste, also known as Doubanjiang, in a lot of our take out inspired recipes. It’s a great way to add some spice and it’s pretty easy to find at your local grocery store.

Oyster Sauce – Oyster sauce is a rich sauce made from boiled oysters and seasonings. It doesn’t taste fishy at all and adds a nice depth of flavor to your sauce.

Soy Sauce – Soy sauce adds a great salty note with a deep, rich flavor. You can also use Tamari for a gluten free option.

Rice Wine Vinegar – Adds a great tangy flavor to the sauce with a subtle sweetness. If you can’t find Rice Vinegar, you can substitute it with Apple Cider Vinegar.

Other ingredients you will need are chicken stock, garlic and sesame seeds.

HOW TO MAKE HUNAN SHRIMP

Because you’re stir-frying your recipe, the cooking process moves along quickly. So, be sure to have your ingredients prepped and ready to go so you don’t overcook anything.

Make the sauce by whisking the chili paste, oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chicken stock and garlic together.

Toss the shrimp in the cornstarch to coat.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.

Cook the shrimp by stir-frying for 2-3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan.

Cook the green beans, adding more oil to the pan if needed. Stir in the green onions.

Return the shrimp to the pan.

Stir in the sauce cooking for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice.

That’s it! How easy is that???

If you’re not feeling like shrimp tonight, you can easily replace the shrimp with chicken for an easy Hunan Chicken recipe.

MORE TAKE OUT RECIPES

If you love this Hunan Shrimp, you should also try this easy Mongolian Beef recipe. It’s slightly spicy but a total favorite with my whole family….even the little guy who doesn’t like spicy food.

Or try this easy Beef and Rice Noodle Stir Fry….ultra easy comfort food. And we also LOVE this super simple Szechuan Chicken!

If you want to add a spicy side…these easy Dan Dan Noodles are our favorite!