Sweet and Sour Shrimp With Broccoli
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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
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- 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.
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Another wonderful recipe Jennifer. This dish comes together quickly and tastes great! Thank you for sharing! My wife and I both loved this dish!
Can you please confirm that the rice vinegar is unseasoned? Thanks!
Yes that’s correct, Kate. 🙂
The flavors were spot on and another winner at our house!
Very good recipe. The only change was to cut the ginger to one tablespoon and I microwaved the broccoli for one minute. I will make this again
Another winner, thanks so much! Making it a second time and wondering if I can make the sauce a day in advance? Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed this. I haven’t made the sauce ahead, but I think it would work (just store it in the fridge).
Jenn, You really hit the nail on the head with this recipe!! The flavors are sooo delicious! The bite of the ginger and garlic. Yummm… I added a little extra chili sauce. We like the heat. DH ate it so fast, he was sweating! Said he wanted to lick the plate! lol! So what better to do on a rainy day in Baltimore then to have a Once Upon A Chef cook off? I then fixed your pan seared turkey burgers. A favorite in our home. Oh! And I started with Pasta e Fagioli. A delicious tummy warmer on a bad weather day. This blog is a true gift!
BTW, I love your cookbook! Aside from the fabulous recipes and nice thick pages, I love your writing. I feel like you and I are in your kitchen having a conversation. A true labor of love. XOXO
xoxo ❤️
Jenn, this is a really good recipe! The sauce has a great balance – it is not too sweet or too vinegary. Some sauces taste like they are missing something. This one does not lack for anything. I did add some sauteed mushrooms and red pepper strips. I also partially precooked the broccoli in the microwave to save time and preserve the color. I served it with Jasmine rice and we thoroughly enjoyed every bite! Thank you for another great recipe!
I made this recipe exactly as directed the first time. I did not like the taste of the ketchup and I thought the shrimp was cooked too early in the process and became very overcooked.
My adaptations…
Use 3 T tomato paste instead of ketchup (I keep a tube of tomato paste in my fridge). Use all other sauce ingredients listed.
Melt a Tablespoon of butter or oil in skillet and cook shrimp in a single layer turning with tongs until it turns pink no more than 2 minutes a side. Don’t over-cook. Remove shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
Add broccoli, ginger, scallions (I use one thinly sliced small yellow onion), garlic to skillet and cook over med high heat until broccoli is almost done… NOW pour in the sauce…continue cooking and stirring until sauce thickens. NOW add the shrimp to sauce and broccoli in the skillet and heat until shrimp has re-warmed but not overcooked.
Now it is FIVE STARS!
I made this last night for guests, followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious. I had everything prepped so cooking was quick and easy. Everyone raved about it. Thank you for another amazing, easy recipe.
I have chilli garlic sauce in my fridge. Can I substitute that for Sambal Oelek? Or will that change the flavour too much?
Yes, Lorrie, the chili garlic sauce should work here. Hope you enjoy! 🙂