Quick Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry

By Genevieve Ko

Updated April 15, 2024

  • Two blue bowls filled with rice, shrimp and asparagus sit against a pink background.
    Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(1,378)
Comments
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Savory and a little sweet, this light dinner tastes like spring but can be made any time of year — and any night of the week if you keep a stash of shrimp in your freezer. By quickly thawing them under running water, then dry-brining them with salt for a minute, you end up with juicier, snappier shrimp that taste incredibly fresh. Asparagus spears also cook fast until they’re as crisp-tender as the shrimp. By slicing them at a sharp angle, you reduce any stringiness in the stalks. For a spicy stir-fry, use the chile and keep the seeds in. For a little less heat, remove the seeds after slicing. Stirring a final pat of butter into the sauce, which is sweetened with onion and salty with soy, binds together all of the ingredients with a touch of richness. Serve over rice to sop up that sauce or over tender, leafy greens for a warm salad.

Featured in: How to Make Frozen Shrimp Even Faster (and More Delicious)

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 4 servings

  • 1 pound peeled and deveined frozen shrimp (16-to-20-count; see Tip)

  • Salt

  • Canola or grapeseed oil

  • 1 sweet onion, diced

  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1 small red hot chile, thinly sliced (seeds removed for a milder heat)

  • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut at a sharp angle into 2-inch pieces

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • ½ tablespoon butter

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 to 4 servings)

11 grams carbs; 186 milligrams cholesterol; 528 calories; 27 grams monosaturated fat; 12 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 44 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 739 milligrams sodium; 26 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Rinse the shrimp in a colander under running cold water until no longer rock hard, 3 to 4 minutes. Very generously sprinkle with salt and toss in the colander. Let stand for 1 minute, then rinse well. Pat dry with paper towels.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom, then add the onion, garlic and chile. Sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring, until the onion starts to turn translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until curled more tightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the asparagus, soy sauce and sugar, and cook, stirring, until the asparagus are just tender, 1 to 3 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Turn off the heat, add the butter and stir until melted. Serve immediately.

Tip

  • If using shell-on shrimp, start with 1¼ pounds. If you can’t find a 16-to-20-count package of shrimp, go with smaller ones, such as a 21-to-30-count. (Shrimp are labeled by number of shrimp per pound, such as 16-20 or 21-30.) If using smaller shrimp, reduce the cooking time slightly.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,378 user ratings
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Comments

Jess

Wouldn’t cooking the shrimp for the 4-5 minutes called for in the recipe result in tough, overcooked shrimp? Any reason not to cook them for a minute or two, remove them, cook the veggies, and then recombine everything for the last steps?

Jean

Start cooking the asparagus before the shrimp; otherwise you'll have pink hockey pucks.

Michael

Joyce, probably not a food safety issue but a conserving resource issue. Running tap water for minutes on end is a waste of a non renewable resource, especially here in the West. Frozen shrimp in a bowl of water for an hour has always worked for me. Cheers!

Weslie

I followed other suggestions and cooked the asparagus first. I had no red chili pepper, so I used a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes. It turned out great.As the asparagus season disappears, I will look to broccoli as a good substitute.

Kim

Never defrost shrimp under water......let them naturally defrost or it affects the texture and taste.....

Lynne

I’m writing from the land of avocados-consider cubing & freezing any ripe ones you can’t eat fresh for future smoothies. I was sad to learn some pea protein powders may contain heavy metals from the soil & with supplements, it is impossible to know which brands are safe. IMO the taste of whey protein powder is icky & yogurt tastes good, so I love this recipe. Ali is the best!

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