Sweet and Sour Shrimp With Broccoli
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This healthier version of the Chinese restaurant-style sweet and sour shrimp is one of the easiest (and tastiest) weeknight suppers you can make.
A healthier version of the Chinese restaurant-style dish that is typically battered and deep-fried, this sweet and sour shrimp with broccoli is one of the easiest (and tastiest) suppers you can make. Start a pot of rice before you begin prepping and 30 minutes later, your dinner is done. I always stock up on the 2-lb bags of frozen shrimp when they are on sale at my supermarket; that makes this recipe a convenient and affordable meal, too.
What you’ll need to make sweet and sour shrimp
Before we get to the recipe, a note on buying shrimp: The “fresh” shrimp you see in the seafood case at the supermarket is typically thawed frozen shrimp, and you never know how long it’s been sitting there.
Almost all shrimp are cleaned and flash frozen shortly after being caught, so for the freshest shrimp, you’re better off buying it frozen and defrosting it yourself. For this recipe, I buy shrimp labeled “shell split and deveined.” Come dinnertime, all I have to do is run the shrimp under cold water to quickly defrost and then peel.
How to make sweet and sour shrimp
Begin with the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, chili sauce, cornstarch, and rice vinegar. Whisk until completely smooth, then whisk in the chicken broth. Set aside.
Prep the scallions, garlic, and ginger.
Set a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the light green scallions, ginger, and garlic.
Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 2 minutes. Do not brown.
Add the shrimp.
Cook, stirring frequently, until mostly pink and curled, but not cooked through, about 2 minutes.
Add the sauce and broccoli to the pan.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened and the shrimp and broccoli are cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Sprinkle the dark green scallions over top.
Serve with rice and enjoy.
You may also like
- Ginger, Garlic & Chili Shrimp
- Vietnamese Caramel Shrimp
- Shrimp Pad Thai
- Thai-Style Ginger & Sweet Red Chili Shrimp
Sweet and Sour Shrimp with Broccoli
This healthier version of the Chinese restaurant-style sweet and sour shrimp is one of the easiest (and tastiest) weeknight suppers you can make.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce, such as Sambal Oelek (available in Asian aisle of most supermarkets)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 bunch scallions, finely sliced, light and dark green parts divided
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger (see note)
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 pounds extra-large (26/30) or jumbo (21/25) shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
- 2½ cups broccoli florets
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, chile sauce, cornstarch and rice vinegar. Whisk until completely smooth, then whisk in the chicken broth. Set aside.
- Set a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the light green scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 2 minutes. Do not brown. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until mostly pink and curled, but not cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add the sauce and broccoli to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened and the shrimp and broccoli are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the dark green scallions over top and serve with rice.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 347
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Sodium: 2152 mg
- Cholesterol: 286 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Does this make enough sauce to add rice or noodles? Or do I need to double the sauce?
Hi Anjli – this recipe makes a ton of sauce so you should be fine to serve with rice or noodles. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn! Question for you… Do you cook the broccoli prior to putting it with the shrimp for about 3 minutes? It seems like the broccoli wouldn’t be able to soften in that amount of time?
Thanks,
Julie
I don’t, Julie – just be sure the florets are small and they will be perfectly tender-crisp.
Hi Jenn! Can the shrimp be substituted for chicken?
Sure!
Thanks Jen, I made this absolutely delicious recipe last night and my husband and I loved it. As always you have the best recipes. Delicious yet simple to make and full of flavor. It is now going to be part of our recipe rotations. I have so many of your recipes I rotate that I am over a month before I start from the beginning again!
Jenn,
Thanks for another wonderful recipe! The sauce is delicious! I didn’t have the scallions but I did have a leek in the fridge and that seemed to work well as a substitution. My wife and I both liked this alot!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit! I made the recipe as written and it was quick and easy. My husband liked it so much he’s taking the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Thanks, Jenn, for another great dinner recipe!
Attention Gluten Free readers:
Please note that regular soy sauce is almost never gluten free. Fermentation involves wheat or barley, and either has gluten.
Not to worry: simply substitute Tamari. If you’re gluten intolerant, the small amount of gluten in regular soy sauce may be no big deal, but celiacs should make this recipe with Tamari.
It sounds great, by the way!
Can this recipe be done with chicken?
Yep!
Hi Jen! Have you ever made this with chicken or with another fish (not shellfish)? Would you adjust anything if shrimp is substituted?
I haven’t, Randi, but I think it would work without any adjustments.
Thanks Jenn! I’ll let you know what I use and how it comes out!
Will this taste good with chicken?
Sure, Frances – chicken will work.