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Low angle shot of Szechuan shrimp on a plate with steamed rice and broccoli.
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4.88 from 32 votes

Spicy Szechuan Shrimp

This spicy, garlicky shrimp is quick and easy to make but full of flavor. It uses both spicy bean paste and chili oil with fermented black beans, both of which can be found in Chinese or Asian markets or the international foods aisle of many supermarkets.
Course Main Dish Recipes
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword sichuan recipe, sichuan shrimp, szechuan recipe, szechuan shrimp
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 415kcal
Author Robin Donovan

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine divided
  • 3 teaspoons cornstarch divided
  • ½ cup plus 1 teaspoon water divided
  • 1 ½ tablespoons doubanjiang spicy bean paste
  • 1 ½ tablespoons chili oil with fermented black beans
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons cooking oil divided
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns or Szechuan pepper-salt
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, toss together the shrimp with 2 tablespoons of the Shaoxing wine and 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch.
  • In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of the water, chili oil with black beans, doubanjiang, soy sauce, Szechuan peppercorns or pepper-salt, and the remaining tablespoon of wine.
  • In a separate small bowl, combine the remaining teaspoon of cornstarch with the remaining teaspoon of water.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until just opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the skillet.
  • Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
  • Add the sauce mixture to the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, for a minute or two, then return the shrimp to the skillet along with any accumulated juices.
  • Bring the sauce back to a boil and then add the cornstarch-water mixture. Cook, stirring, for another minute or two until the shrimp is heated through and the sauce thickens.
  • Serve hot, garnished with scallions.

Notes

Please see the blog post at https://allwaysdelicious.com/szechuan-shrimp/ for advice on substitutions for the harder-to-find ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 359mg | Sodium: 2112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g