This Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry is not only super healthy; it is so easy to make and packed with so much flavor! Best of all, it’s ready in less than 20 minutes!
(This post first appeared on The Gingered Whisk as a guest post)
Shrimp is one of my absolute favorite foods to stir-fry. They cook in no time at all, and taste fantastic by themselves yet can take on just about any sauce you pair it with. Add asparagus to the mix and you have yourself a very healthy and oh so flavorful dish.
The shrimp are perfectly cooked and the asparagus is very slightly charred to give it so much depth of flavor. I absolutely love the textures of this dish as well - the shrimp are so succulent while the asparagus is crunchy. Enjoy over steamed white or brown rice for a complete meal!
The key to any good stir-fry is having all of your ingredients ready before you fire up the wok.
Prepare the sauce by combining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon sesame oil and a dash of pepper. Mix it well.
Aside from the sauce, you will need 8 - 10 large shrimp (peeled and deveined, tail on if desired, ½ pound of asparagus (ends trimmed and stalk cut into bite-sized pieces), ½ a thumb of thinly sliced ginger and ½ a small onion (sliced).
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. As soon as the wok starts to smoke a little, add the shrimp. Allow one side of the shrimp to cook for about 30 seconds before stir-frying. When the shrimp is half-way cooked, stir in half of the prepared sauce. Continue to stir-fry until the shrimp is cooked, then remove them from the wok. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp!
Add a touch more oil if needed, then toss the asparagus into the wok. The asparagus will take a bit longer to cook; about 3 - 4 minutes. When stir-frying the asparagus, you don’t have to keep the spatula moving constantly. Give it some time between each stir to allow the heat of the wok to char the asparagus very slightly.
As soon as the asparagus is cooked, add the ginger and the onion. Continue to stir-fry until the onions start to turn translucent and slightly soft. Add the remaining sauce.
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Return the shrimp to the wok and give everything a final good stir to combine all of the ingredients.
Enjoy with a bowl of steamed white or brown rice.
Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry
Ingredients
- ½ lb shrimp peeled and deveined, tail-on
- ½ lb asparagus ends trimmed, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- ½ thumb ginger
- ½ onion small, sliced
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 dash pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce by combining soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. As soon as the wok starts to smoke a little, add the shrimp. Allow one side of the shrimp to cook for about 30 seconds before stir-frying.
- When shrimp is half-way cooked, stir in half of the sauce. Stir-fry till shrimp is cooked, then remove from the wok.
- Add a splash of cooking oil into the wok if needed, then toss in the asparagus. Stir-fry for 3 - 4 minutes, allowing the asparagus to char slightly.
- As soon as the asparagus is cooked, add the ginger and onion. When onion starts to turn translucent, add the remaining sauce.
- Return the shrimp to the wok; give everything a good stir to combine all ingredients.
- Enjoy over steamed rice.
Nutrition
Guide says
This recipe is super simple to make even though I don't have a wok like you.
I use an electric heat source, and bring a pan to high heat before splashing oil and then quick stir-fry shrimp(I like it a little burnt but not too cooked from inside)
Then, add asparagus, sauces, and serve over rice.
I will try your sauce recipe; it looks yum 🙂
Thanks for sharing this!
Char says
Thanks, Guide! 🙂 I hope you give the sauce a try. Cheers!