A quick and easy shrimp and asparagus stir fry featuring juicy shrimp and crisp asparagus brought together with a traditional Chinese white sauce and fragrant aromatics. It is perfect for dinner during a busy week.
Simple stir fries that pair a protein with vegetables are my favorite type of meal for dinner, because you can cook it quickly in one pan. Served with steamed rice, it will be a nutritionally balanced meal that is super satisfying. For example, beef and Chinese broccoli, pork and cabbage, beef and celery, and chicken and broccoli. These are fast and simple dishes that you can easily whip up during a busy week.
Today I want to share this shrimp and asparagus stir fry, now that asparagus is in season. To bring out the flavor of shrimp and asparagus, this recipe uses ginger and a hearty white sauce to create a refreshing yet comforting dish.
Ingredients
When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:
Sliced asparagus and carrot
Marinated shrimp
Mixed sauce
Sliced ginger
I added a small amount of carrot to lend a bit of color to the dish. You can totally skip it as well.
For asparagus, you can cut it differently based on the size of the asparagus you get.
If you have thicker stemmed asparagus, you can slice it at a 45 degree angle and keep the pieces short. If the asparagus is thin and long, you can cut it without tilting your knife.
How to make shrimp and asparagus stir fry
Making shrimp and asparagus is super simple:
Sear the shrimp in a hot pan
Remove the shrimp when they are just cooked through
Gently saute the ginger
Cook the carrot
Cook the asparagus
Add the sauce and add back the cooked shrimp
NOTE:
Depending on the thickness of the asparagus you use, the cooking time can vary quite a bit. The best way to test the doneness is to taste the asparagus every minute or so, and cook it until al dente. It will continue to cook a bit more after you add the sauce.
How to serve shrimp and asparagus
Like I mentioned above, you can serve shrimp and asparagus with steamed rice as a meal.
If you prefer a multi-course dinner, here are some other easy dishes you can cook and serve with it:
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Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry
A quick and easy shrimp and asparagus stir fry featuring juicy shrimp and crisp asparagus brought together with a traditional Chinese white sauce and fragrant aromatics. It is perfect for dinner during a busy week.To make the dish gluten-free, use dry sherry to replace Shaoxing wine.
Author: Maggie Zhu
Course: MainCuisine: ChineseKeyword: homestyle
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutesCook Time: 8 minutes minutesTotal Time: 23 minutes minutes
IngredientsMarinating1 lb (450 g) shrimp , peeled and deveined1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine1/4 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon grated ginger1 teaspoon cornstarchSauce1/2 cup chicken broth2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine1/2 teaspoon sugar1/2 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons cornstarchStir fry2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)1 thumb ginger , sliced1 small carrot , sliced1 small batch (1 lb / 450 g) asparagus , tough ends removed and cut to bite size pieces
InstructionsAdd the shrimp and the rest of the marinating ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Mix well and allow to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the shrimp and spread it out into a single layer without overlapping. Cook until the bottom turns golden, 1 minute or so. Flip to cook the other side until just cooked, 1 minute or so. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate.Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and ginger. Stir a few times to release fragrance. Add the carrot. Cook and stir for 2 minutes until just softened.Add the asparagus. Cook until just starting to soften, 1 minute or so.Stir the sauce again to fully dissolve the cornstarch and pour it into the pan. Add back the cooked shrimp. Stir a few times until it thickens.Return the shrimp to the pan and stir to coat everything well. Transfer everything to a big plate and serve hot as a main dish.
NutritionServing: 1serving, Calories: 247kcal, Carbohydrates: 15.2g, Protein: 27.3g, Fat: 8.9g, Saturated Fat: 1.8g, Cholesterol: 224mg, Sodium: 491mg, Potassium: 495mg, Fiber: 2.8g, Sugar: 6.8g, Calcium: 130mg, Iron: 3mg
