Go Back
+ servings
Kung pao shrimp in a skillet with a serving spoon
5 from 21 votes

Kung Pao Shrimp

Kung pao shrimp is made with juicy shrimp and crisp peppers stir-fried to perfection in a sweet and spicy sauce topped with crunchy peanuts.
Author Diana
Servings 4 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (450 g) raw shrimp I used 31-40 count per pound size, thawed if frozen, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce I used gluten-free
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar or honey
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or 1 teaspoon sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

For the stir fry:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 red bell pepper diced into ½” pieces
  • 4 medium cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
  • 3 large green onions cut into ½ inch pieces

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine shrimp with soy sauce and cornstarch and let it sit and marinate for 10 minutes as you prep the rest of the ingredients.
  • In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients (soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, and cornstarch) whisk and set aside.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium high heat, add shrimp and cook until it’s pink and no longer gray (1-2 minutes per side). Remove onto a bowl, and set aside.
  • To the same pan, add vegetable oil, bell pepper, garlic and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes. You want the pepper to soften a little bit but stay crunchy.
  • Add the sauce, stir and cook until it starts to thicken, add the shrimp and cook for 30 seconds then remove from heat. Stir in the peanuts and green onions and serve over rice.

Video

Notes

  • Fresh Ginger Substitute: You can substitute the fresh ginger with ¼ teaspoon of dried ground ginger if that’s what you have on hand.
  • A very cool tip is freezing the ginger root (I always do this!). It’s so easy to use a Microplane or the small holes on your box grater to grate the ginger as you need it. Frozen ginger doesn’t get stringy the way fresh ginger does, plus freezing it makes it last so much longer. 
  • If you want to add dried chiles which is more traditional, you can add ¾ cup small dried red chiles (20 grams in total). They are found in Chinese supermarkets, but I left them out as they’re not accessible to everyone. You can also sub with chiles de árbol.
  • Prep everything before you begin to cook. Stir-frying moves quickly, so having all your ingredients ready in advance is key!
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
    To reheat on the stove: I usually reheat my stir fries in a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil to the pan and when it gets hot, add the leftovers and heat for 2–3 minutes. Make sure you continue to stir the leftovers as they’re warming up. 
    To reheat in the microwave: You could also microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-second intervals until warmed through.

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 183mg | Sodium: 1151mg | Potassium: 592mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1193IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 2mg