20-Minute Sweet and Sour Shrimp Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This sweet and sour shrimp is the ideal 20-minute dinner for those seeking a quick shrimp dinner that’s full of flavor and easy to prepare.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Thai

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: sweet and sour shrimp

Servings: people

Calories: 115kcal

Peel the shrimp if they aren’t already. Grate the ginger and slice the chilies.
600 grams uncooked, peeled shrimp
In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sliced chilies, grated ginger, fish sauce, and sugar. Let it simmer over low heat, allowing it to reduce as you complete the next steps. This will form a sweet chili-ginger glaze.
2 tablespoons grated ginger, 4 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoons fish sauce, 1-2 whole chilis
Wash the mint and cilantro, then pick the leaves from the stems. There’s no need to chop the herbs—just dry them and set aside.
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup fresh mint
Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat, add a little oil, and stir-fry the shrimp with a pinch of salt. Keep stirring until the shrimp turned pink.
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Arrange the cooked shrimp on a large serving plate, pour the sweet chili glaze over them, and generously sprinkle with fresh mint and cilantro leaves. Serve with basmati rice.

Shrimp cook quickly, usually just a few minutes. Overcooking makes them tough and rubbery, so as soon as they turn pink, they’re ready to be removed from the heat.

Adjust the spiciness by seeding the chilies or using fewer chilies if cooking for kids or those sensitive to heat. The seeds contain most of the heat.

For the most authentic and flavorful result, use fresh ginger and fresh herbs (mint and cilantro). Substituting with dried ingredients will alter the flavor significantly.

Let the vinegar, ginger, and chili glaze simmer on low heat while preparing the shrimp. This allows the glaze to thicken and develop a balanced sweet and tangy flavor.

Fish sauce adds a distinct, essential umami taste. If you need a substitute, soy sauce or tamari can work, but the dish will have a slightly different flavor.