Best Shrimp & Cashew Stir-Fry with Vegetables
Submitted by starlett
Shrimp and cashew stir-fry tosses tender shrimp with toasted cashews, mushrooms, spinach and snow peas in a soy-garlic glaze. A 30-minute Chinese-American dinner over brown rice.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minThis is a fast Chinese-American stir-fry that hits every texture in a single pan: snappy shrimp, crunchy cashews, silky mushrooms, tender spinach and crisp snow peas. The wok-style technique cooks everything in stages so each component keeps its character.
Toasting the cashews first in the hot oil is the move that transforms this dish. Don’t skip it. The 2 to 3 minutes of pan-toasting deepens their flavor dramatically and infuses the cooking oil with nutty aroma that flavors everything else added later.
Onion and celery go in second to build the aromatic base. The 3-minute cook until translucent develops flavor without overcooking the vegetables. Adding shrimp too early would dry it out while the vegetables soften.
The mushrooms need their own moment to brown before garlic and shrimp arrive. Browning develops the umami depth that distinguishes a great stir-fry from a wet vegetable saute. Crowd the pan with all the vegetables at once and they steam instead.
Shrimp cooks in just 2 to 3 minutes. The moment they curl into a C-shape and turn opaque pink, they’re done. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery fast at high heat.
The cornstarch-soy-stock slurry goes in last to glaze everything together. Have it pre-mixed and within arm’s reach. Once it hits the hot pan it thickens in seconds, and a quick toss coats every piece in glossy sauce.
Spinach and snow peas wilt and brighten in 30 seconds with the residual heat after the sauce thickens. Add them too early and the spinach disappears entirely.
Chef Tips
- Use peanut oil for the authentic stir-fry flavor and high smoke point. Vegetable oil works but lacks character.
- Have every ingredient prepped before turning on the heat. Stir-frying is fast and there’s no time to chop mid-cook.
- Cook over the highest heat your stove can produce. Stir-fry needs serious heat.
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version.
Variations
- Add 1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger with the garlic for brighter flavor.
- Finish with 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil drizzled over the plated dish.
- Substitute chicken thighs or firm tofu for shrimp for protein variety.
Ingredients
Directions
Shell and devein the shrimp, set aside. Stir cashwews in heated oil in a large frying pan until they give off a nutlike aroma and begin to brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
To same oil add onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they become brown. Mix in garlic and shrimp, stirring until shrim turn pink.
Mix cornstarch smoothly with soy sauce and chicken stock. To shrimp mixture add the spinach and peas sit 30 seconds. Mix in constarch mixture, stirring just until thicken. Taste, add salt, if needed.
Sprinkle with reserved cashews. Serve shrimp over brown rice.
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