This 20-minute Hunan shrimp recipe is a spicy and flavorful Chinese dish featuring succulent shrimp stir-fried with vibrant vegetables in a delicious sauce.
What is Hunan Shrimp Anyway?
Hunan Shrimp is a Chinese seafood dish that originates from the Hunan province, known for its vibrant and bold flavours. Here’s why I love it:
- Hunan Shrimp features succulent shrimp lightly stir-fried to juicy perfection.
- Hunan sauce is so yummy! It’s a spicy blend of chilli paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, and honey that adds a perfect balance of heat, tang, and sweetness.
- Lots of veggies: Green beans and green onions add bulk to this hot and spicy Chinese takeout favorite.
I love Hunan sauce as a spicier alternative to my go-to Easy 3-Ingredient Stir Fry Sauce Recipe or Ground Beef Stir Fry.
What is Hunan Shrimp Made of?
To make delicious Hunan Shrimp, you’ll need to get your hands on some fresh ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need.
Hunan Shrimp Ingredients
- Chicken Broth
- Chinese Chili Bean Paste: Chinese chili bean paste (a.k.a. Doubanjiang) is made from fermented soybeans, chili peppers, salt, and spices. It has a complex, salty, and spicy flavor that’s perfect for stir-fried dishes and marinades.This paste adds heat and tons of flavor to the sauce. More on this ingredient and substitutions below.
- Soy Sauce: Use tamari instead for a gluten free option.
- Rice Vinegar
- Oyster Sauce
- Honey: We need this to balance out the spice and add a touch of sweetness to our sauce. You could substitute brown sugar if you like.
- Large Shrimp
- Cornstarch: Used to coat the shrimp, creating a crispy texture and helping the sauce stick to the shrimp.
- Vegetable Oil (like avocado or canola oil)
- Garlic
- Green Onions (Scallions)
- Green Beans
- Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)
You could also include some grated ginger, sliced red bell peppers, zucchini or broccoli. Swap in thin slices of beef to make hunan beef, or chicken to make hunan chicken.
How to Make Hunan Shrimp: An Easy Guide
Ready to make this delicious and spicy hunan shrimp at home? Follow these easy step-by-step directions:
- Whisk the Sauce – Begin by whisking together all the ingredients for the spicy Hunan sauce in a small bowl. This will create a tangy, flavorful coating for the shrimp.
- Coat the Shrimp – Coat the shrimp with cornstarch and salt to give help them stay moist and juicy inside. It also gives them a nice, more browned exterior when cooked, and the residual starch thickens the sauce.
- Cook the Shrimp – Heat up oil in a skillet or wok and cook the shrimp in a single layer. Make sure to flip them over to cook evenly. The result should be a perfectly golden crust on your shrimp.
- Stir Fry the Vegetables – Add green beans and green onions to the same skillet or wok and stir fry on high heat until blistering. Adding garlic in this step will add flavor and aromatic quality to the finished dish.
- Add in the Sauce and Shrimp – Add the shrimp back to the skillet with the vegetables and pour the spicy Hunan sauce over everything. Cook for a few minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. This guarantees that the Shrimp will be coated evenly with the sauce and that it will have just enough thickness to really bring out the flavor.
- Garnish – Once the dish has finished cooking, sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top for an added kick of heat that pumps up the flavor.
Looking for an Authentic Doubanjiang Substitute? I’ve got you.
There are two near-perfect replacements for the complex salty umami flavor of doubanjiang, which can be tricky to find.
- Miso and Sriracha. The miso paste provides the umami flavor that’s similar to doubanjiang, while Sriracha adds the spicy and tangy components without adding other flavors present in different chili sauces.
- Gochujang – Gochujang offers the spicy, slightly funky flavor of doubanjiang but with more sweetness. Use it up in Gochujang Chicken Recipe or Korean Sticky Wings. While both are red and pasty, gochujang is sweeter, while doubanjiang is saltier and earthier. Both add great depth to dishes.
Related: Best Gochujang Substitute
How to Serve Hunan Style Shrimp
Congratulations, you’ve just whipped up a batch of ridiculously delicious Hunan Shrimp! Here are some ways to make it a meal:
- The Classic on Rice – Scoop a generous amount of Spicy Hunan Shrimp over a bed of steaming white rice for a classic, filling meal that’s bursting with flavor. Try my mother-in-law’s instagram-viral method of cooking rice.
- Lettuce Wraps – Wrap the shrimp with fresh lettuce leaves, a sprinkle of chopped peanuts, and a squeeze of lime juice for a low-carb, refreshing twist that’s perfect for summer (similar to shredded chicken lettuce wraps or pork mince lettuce wraps).
- Stir Fry Noodles – serve the spicy shrimp with a side of chow mein noodles or Chili Oil Ramen for a delicious meal that’s guaranteed to satisfy.
- Asian-Fusion Spicy Shrimp Tacos – Stuff the spicy shrimp in flour tortillas or crunchy taco shells with some shredded cabbage and a drizzle of Kewpie mayo for a fun and filling meal that everyone will love.
- Shrimp and Salad – Serve the shrimp with a side of mixed greens, chopped cucumber and carrots, topped with Creamy Asian Dressing for a light, refreshing, and satisfying meal.
FAQs
Hunan Shrimp combines tender shrimp with a spicy, tangy, and sweet sauce. Its customizable heat and balanced flavors make it unforgettable—give it a try!
Hunan sauce is made of chili paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, honey, garlic, and cornstarch for thickening.
The difference between Szechuan and Hunan food is that Hunan features spicy, sour dishes with fresh ingredients, garlic, and shallots. Szechuan is known for its numbing spice from peppercorns and a savory-sweet profile with chili oil and fermented bean paste.
Hunan cuisine is spicier, while Szechuan offers complex, numbing flavors that balance the heat. Both bring bold, fiery excitement to the table!
Hunan Shrimp is spicier and tangy-sweet, often with green beans and onions. Szechuan Shrimp has a bold, numbing flavor, often with bell peppers, carrots, and a richer sauce.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- Storage – If you have leftovers of your spicy Hunan Shrimp, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat – To reheat your spicy shrimp, place it in a skillet, pan or wok and warm it up over medium heat. Add a splash of water or chicken broth to help loosen up the sauce and bring back that fresh, spicy flavor.
Other Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love
If you loved this Hunan Shrimp recipe, you’ll also love my
- Boom Boom Shrimp
- Jamaican Curry Shrimp
- Shrimp Korma
- Healthy Shrimp Dinner Recipes (you don’t want to miss!)
Other Asian Recipes You’ll Love
If you love quick, easy Asian takeout-inspired recipes, you must also try:
Hunan Shrimp Recipe (Spicy, Quick + Easy!)
Video
Ingredients
For spicy hunan sauce:
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ tbsp chili paste
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp honey
For shrimp:
- 1 lb large shrimp
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 3 green onions sliced
- ⅓ lb green beans trimmed and cut into 2” pieces
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
- Toss shrimp pieces with cornstarch and salt to evenly coat. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering hot.
- Add shrimp in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until golden on the bottom. Flip and cook another minute (don’t worry about cooking it through yet). Transfer shrimp to a plate.
- Add green beans and green onions to same skillet and stir fry on high heat until blistering, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook a minute more.
- Add shrimp back to the skillet along with the sauce mixture, stirring to coat. Let it come to a simmer and cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes more.
- Taste and add red pepper flakes if you like it spicier
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
more veggies needed. I substituted green beans with broccoli, snow peas, baby corn, sliced mushrooms, red peppers and carrots. I also added sesame oil and hoisin sauce, as wells as more honey, chicken bouillon and water. I scooped it over jasmine rice.It was better than Chinese carry out
Oh, la la! This Hunan shrimp recipe is a flavor explosion! Spicy shrimp, vibrant veggies, and a tantalizing sauce in just 20 minutes? Count me in!
The perfect recipe for spicy food lovers! I love the heat and love the balance of sweetness from the honey. Definitely making this again!
This was absolutely fantastic! We loved it.
Oh yum! This shrimp looks absolutely fantastic. You had me at vibrant vegetables in a delicious sauce. So easy too.
Love that I can skip take out and make my own delicious food at home! This recipe was fantastic and easy to make. I really enjoyed it!
This dish looks so tasty! I love shrimp and spices.