This easy Sweet and Sour Shrimp is a restaurant-quality, gluten-free Chinese-style dish that comes together in about 20 minutes. It’s better than takeout—no wok required—and perfect for busy weeknights.
Make this flavorful shrimp any night of the week. It’s a simple one-dish dinner that’s preservative-free and full of bright sweet-and-tangy flavor. Serve with a light soup or a simple side salad for a complete meal.
Stir Fry Ingredients
Use these ingredients as-is or customize with extra vegetables like bok choy, bamboo shoots, or broccoli florets.
- Shrimp – peeled and deveined
- Red bell pepper – chopped
- Green bell pepper – chopped
- Water chestnuts (optional) – chopped or sliced
- Sesame oil
- Green onions – for garnish (optional)
- Sesame seeds – for garnish (optional)
- Salt and black pepper – to taste
- Prepared rice (Basmati recommended, or Jasmine, white, or brown rice)
Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients
- Rice vinegar
- Soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for gluten-free)
- Maple syrup
- Light brown sugar
- Ketchup
- Pineapple juice (optional—see notes)
- Red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
Ingredients for thickening the sauce (optional)
- Water
- Cornstarch
How to make restaurant-quality Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Overview — see the recipe section below for exact measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Warm the sauce in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add sesame oil, and sauté the vegetables for 3–4 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and cook 3–4 minutes more, until they turn pink.
- Pour the warm sauce into the skillet, combine, and cook until the sauce thickens. For a thicker sauce, stir in a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) a little at a time.
- Serve the shrimp and sauce over rice and garnish with chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and pineapple if desired.
Make ahead
You can make the sweet and sour sauce in advance and keep it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat the sauce, add shrimp, and finish the dish when ready to serve.
Storage and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop; the sauce may thicken after refrigeration—add a splash of water while reheating if needed.
Finish the dish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds for color and crunch. A small fruit garnish like chopped canned pineapple also complements the sauce nicely.
Related recipes
- Wonton Soup
- Chinese Sticky Ribs
- Harissa Shrimp with Black Rice
- Crunchy Asian Salad
- Creamy Coconut Shrimp
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating — I’d love to hear how it turned out!
Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Restaurant-quality, gluten-free Chinese-style dish that’s ready in 20 minutes. Quick, simple, and fresher than typical takeout.
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American, Asian, Chinese
Prep Time: 5 minutes • Cook Time: 15 minutes • Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Author: Anecia Hero
Ingredients
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2/3 cup canned pineapple juice (optional)
Slurry (optional)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
Stir Fry
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 cups prepared rice (Basmati, Jasmine, white, or brown)
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 can chopped or sliced water chestnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- Chopped green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel, rinse, and devein the shrimp; set aside.
- Chop the vegetables and prepare the rice according to package directions.
- Make the sauce: combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and set aside.
- Heat 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add bell peppers and water chestnuts; sauté for about 3 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and cook about 3 minutes, until they begin to turn pink.
- Pour the warmed sauce into the skillet and combine. If you prefer a thicker sauce, whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry and add half of it to the pan; cook until the sauce thickens. Add more slurry if needed. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Plate the prepared rice, spoon the shrimp and sauce over the top, and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
- Use canned pineapple juice rather than fresh pineapple juice. Fresh pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which can prevent the sauce from thickening when cornstarch is added.
- Vegetable variations: bamboo shoots, bok choy, mushrooms, or bean sprouts all work well in this dish.
- Prepared rice tip: one cup of dry rice yields about 2½–3 cups cooked rice; plan accordingly when cooking for a crowd.
Nutrition Estimate
Serving: 1 cup • Calories: 465 kcal • Carbohydrates: 89 g • Protein: 20 g • Fat: 3 g • Fiber: 5 g • Sugar: 41 g • Sodium: 1020 mg