Sesame garlic shrimp stir fry, once marinated only need 15 minutes to cook.
You’ll love this Asian shrimp recipe with its sticky, mildly sweet ginger garlic soy marinade.
With a minimum amount of pantry ingredients and cooked over a stovetop, this sesame shrimp recipe is going to be your favorite for a quick dinner side dish.

Ingredients and flavors in sesame shrimp garlic stir-fry
To make this Asian shrimp dish, you are going to be using only 6 ingredients.
Apart from the sugar, oil, and salt which are staples in your kitchen.
Minced ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame seeds, rice vinegar, and shrimp are the main ingredients used to make this stir-fried shrimp.
Sesame shrimp also teaches you how to use all of the ingredients without waste as the marinade and liquid of the cooked shrimp go into making the Asian ginger garlic sauce.
The Asian sauce is a combination of sweet, salty, and warm earthy flavors all combined to give you a shrimp dish you’ll cook frequently.
Need I say more?

What to serve with sesame garlic shrimp stir fry.
- Serve with a simple bowl of Indian fragrant ghee rice.
- Serve with spicy penne pasta and bring down the heat.
- Serve over a bowl of vegetarian noodle
Frequently asked questions about sesame shrimp stir fry.
- Can I make the shrimp sesame ahead of time?
Yes, but make a little extra marinade.
Once the shrimp turns cold, the sauce will stick to the shrimp and there will be less liquid to help with the heating.
Add a few spoons of the extra ginger-garlic and soy marinade before gently reheating for a few seconds.
- Can I make the sesame shrimp stir fry using frozen shrimp?
Yes, you can, in fact, you’ll save time by using frozen shrimp.
You can use my guide on how to defrost/thaw shrimp the quick and correct way.
- How do I clean, devein and remove the shell for this shrimp stir fry recipe?
Here’s a guide on how to clean and devein shrimp that will help you learn the correct way of cleaning shrimp.
Storing tips for sesame garlic shrimp stir fry.
Cooked shrimp that is refrigerated is good for only 2 days.
So use within the recommended time frame. If you refrigerate it longer, the texture and taste will change. Avoid freezing cooked shrimp.
More easy shrimp stir fry recipes.
Shrimp teriyaki(a similar recipe to sesame garlic shrimp)
RECIPE AT A GLANCE
How to make sesame garlic shrimp stir fry.
For the sesame shrimp marinade
1 tablespoon of minced garlic(about 3 cloves)
1 tablespoon of minced ginger(about 1″ piece)
1 tablespoon of sugar( white or brown sugar or substitute with honey 1 tbsp)
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar(you can substitute with any type of white vinegar that doesn’t carry a strong vinegar smell)
1/4 cup of dark soy sauce
To make the sesame shrimp
500g of shrimp about(about 30 medium-sized shrimp)
1 tablespoon of oil(you can use regular vegetable oil, peanut or sesame oil as substitutes)
1/2 a cup of chopped scallions(optional)
1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
Method
Place a small pan over low fire, add the sesame seeds(1 tbsp), gently toast between 1-2 minutes until they slightly darken in color.
Frequently move the pan to avoid burning them. Set aside.

In a small bowl, add ginger(1 tbsp), garlic(1 tbsp), sugar(1 tbsp), rice vinegar(2 tbsp), dark soy sauce(1/4 cup).
Combine well until the sugar melts. Set aside.

Place the prawns in a medium-sized bowl and pour in the ginger-garlic marinade.
Mix well into the shrimp(prawns) and let it marinate for 30-45 minutes. If you live in a humid country, cover with a lid or cling film and refrigerate.

Once you’ve marinated the shrimp, remove it from the refrigerator. Drain the marinade into a smaller bowl and set it aside to use later.
How to cook sesame garlic shrimp(prawn)stir fry.
Place a pan over a low medium fire and pour in the oil(1 tbsp).
When the oil is warm, swirl the pan for the oil to spread, and add the shrimp.
Spread the shrimp around the pan and cook each side for 1 minute. This will help you keep the shrimp from turning rubbery.
You need to be careful here as the oil tends to splatter.

Once the shrimp is done, switch off the stove and move the shrimp to a bowl.
Do not throw away any remaining liquid in the pan.

To the same pan, add the leftover marinade.
Cook until the sauce is reduced.
As you cook the garlic soy sauce, you can taste and make necessary adjustments to it by adding a little more soy sauce, or sweetness.

Slow simmer until all the liquid evaporates and you are left with a thick sauce.

Add the shrimp and toss them until they are coated well.

You can slow simmer for another 1-2 minutes(not more than the recommended time) to let the marinade turn thicker and coat the shrimp.

Remove the pan from the stove. Garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds.


Sesame garlic shrimp stir fry.
Sesame garlic shrimp stir fry, once marinated only need 15 minutes to cook. You’ll love this Asian shrimp recipe with its sticky, mildly sweet ginger garlic soy marinade.
With a minimum amount of pantry ingredients and cooked over a stovetop, this sesame shrimp recipe is going to be your favorite for a quick dinner side dish.
Ingredients
- For the sesame shrimp marinade
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic(about 3 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon of minced ginger(about 1″ piece)
- 1 tablespoon of sugar( white or brown sugar or substitute with honey 1 tbsp)
- 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar(you can substitute with any type of white vinegar that doesn’t carry a strong vinegar smell)
- 1/4 cup of dark soy sauce
- To make the sesame shrimp
- 500g of shrimp about(about 30 medium-sized shrimp)
- 1 tablespoon of oil(you can use regular vegetable oil, peanut or sesame oil as substitutes)
- 1/2 a cup of chopped scallions(optional)
- 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Place a small pan over low fire, add the sesame seeds(1 tbsp), gently toast between 1-2 minutes until they slightly darken in color.
Frequently move the pan to avoid burning them. Set aside.
In a small bowl, add ginger(1 tbsp), garlic(1 tbsp), sugar(1 tbsp), rice vinegar(2 tbsp), dark soy sauce(1/4 cup).
Combine well until the sugar melts. Set aside.
Place the prawns in a medium-sized bowl and pour in the ginger-garlic marinade.
Mix well into the shrimp(prawns) and let it marinate for 30-45 minutes. If you live in a humid country, cover with a lid or cling film and refrigerate.
Once you’ve marinated the shrimp, remove it from the refrigerator. Drain the marinade into a smaller bowl and set it aside to use later.
How to cook sesame garlic shrimp(prawn)stir fry.
Place a pan over a low medium fire and pour in the oil(1 tbsp).
When the oil is warm, swirl the pan for the oil to spread, and add the shrimp.
Spread the shrimp around the pan and cook each side for 1 minute. This will help you keep the shrimp from turning rubbery.
You need to be careful here as the oil tends to splatter.
Once the shrimp is done, switch off the stove and move the shrimp to a bowl.
Do not throw away any remaining liquid in the pan.
To the same pan, add the leftover marinade. Cook until the sauce is reduced. As you cook the garlic soy sauce, you can taste and make necessary adjustments to it by adding a little more soy sauce, or sweetness.
Slow simmer until all the liquid evaporates and you are left with a thick sauce.
Add the shrimp and toss them until they are coated well.
You can slow simmer for another 1-2 minutes(not more than the recommended time) to let the marinade turn thicker and coat the shrimp.
Remove the pan from the stove. Garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
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