I made a Shrimp Teriyaki that turns zucchini, shrimp and water chestnuts into a sticky, bright weeknight dish you won’t believe came from your own pan.
I’m obsessed with this Stir Fry Shrimp and Zucchini because it tastes like takeout but doesn’t wreck my weeknight energy. Shrimp Teriyaki clings to every piece of zucchini and crunchy water chestnuts, and the garlic-ginger punch keeps me coming back for bites between bites.
I love how bright, salty-sweet sauce actually means you don’t need heavy sides. But the best part is the speed.
Dinner that feels indulgent and somehow responsible. I’ll eat it straight from the pan, no shame, with green onions and a little bite.
Pure, loud flavor. That’s my kind of meal.
Every single week. No joke.
Ingredients
- Large shrimp: juicy protein, cooks fast, it’s what makes the dish feel like a meal.
- Zucchini: light crunch and freshness, basically the veggie backbone you’ll actually eat.
- Water chestnuts: crisp pops amid tender bites, simple textural joy.
- Garlic: punchy aroma that wakes everything up, you’ll smell it first.
- Ginger: bright, slightly spicy zip that keeps it tasting lively.
- Soy sauce: salty umami glue, keeps flavors grounded and satisfying.
- Rice vinegar or mirin: a little tang or sweetness, it cuts richness nicely.
- Honey or brown sugar: mellow sweetness that balances the salty and spicy.
- Sesame oil: nutty finish, drops of it make everything feel rounded.
- Vegetable oil: neutral heat carrier, so nothing burns while you stir.
- Chicken broth or water: thins sauce so it coats everything just right.
- Cornstarch: thickens sauce into a clingy glaze, no weird lumps.
- Cold water: slurry maker, you’ll mix this to avoid clumps.
- Green onions: fresh bite and color, toss on right before serving.
- Toasted sesame seeds: little crunch and nuttiness, optional but nice.
- Crushed red pepper: quick kick of heat, add if you like it spicy.
- Salt: adjusts seasoning, use sparingly because soy’s already salty.
- Black pepper: subtle warmth and edge, keeps flavors from tasting flat.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 pound (450 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed or left on as you prefer
- 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch half moons
- 1 can (8 oz / 225 g) water chestnuts, drained and sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or mirin (use what you have)
- 2 tablespoons honey or light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or neutral oil for stir frying
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth or water (for sauce thinning)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (for thickening)
- 2 tablespoons cold water (to make cornstarch slurry)
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish and a little crunch)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, optional but nice
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional for heat
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
How to Make this
1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper; this helps them sear instead of steam.
2. In a small bowl whisk together 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar or mirin, 2 tbsp honey or light brown sugar, 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1/2 cup chicken broth or water. Stir until the honey dissolves.
3. Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water until smooth; set aside.
4. Heat 1 to 2 tbsp neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. When hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Remove shrimp to a plate and don’t overcook them.
5. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pan if needed, reduce heat to medium, then add the minced garlic and 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger. Stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
6. Toss in the zucchini slices and cook, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes until they start to soften but still have a little bite. Add the drained, sliced water chestnuts and cook another minute.
7. Pour the prepared sauce into the pan, bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 1 minute. If it gets too thick, add a splash of water or broth.
8. Return the shrimp to the pan, toss to coat and warm through, and taste for seasoning. Add crushed red pepper flakes if you want heat, and adjust salt or pepper as needed.
9. Serve immediately topped with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Great over rice or cauliflower rice for a lighter meal.
Equipment Needed
1. Large nonstick or stainless steel skillet or wok
2. Cutting board
3. Chef’s knife (for shrimp, zucchini and ginger)
4. Small bowl and whisk or fork (for sauce)
5. Measuring spoons and measuring cup
6. Small bowl or cup for cornstarch slurry and a spoon to stir it
7. Spatula or tongs for stirring and flipping shrimp
8. Paper towels and a plate for drying and resting the shrimp
FAQ
Stir Fry Shrimp And Zucchini Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Shrimp: use thinly sliced chicken breast, firm tofu (press and cube), or scallops if you want a different seafood texture. Cooking times will change a little, so watch for doneness.
- Zucchini: swap with yellow squash, broccoli florets, or sliced bell peppers for more crunch and color. If using broccoli, you might blanch it quick first so it cooks evenly with the shrimp.
- Water chestnuts: try canned bamboo shoots, thinly sliced jicama, or chopped celery for that crisp bite.
- Low sodium soy sauce: use tamari for gluten free, coconut aminos for lower sodium and a milder sweetness, or a mix of regular soy plus a splash of fish sauce for extra umami.
Pro Tips
1. Pat the shrimp really dry and don’t skip that step, otherwise they steam and get rubbery; a hot pan and a quick sear give way better texture, so work in one thin layer and don’t overcrowd the pan.
2. Mix the sauce early and taste it before you add the slurry — you might want a touch more acid or sweet depending on your vinegar or honey, and adjust now so you dont end up over-salting later.
3. Toss the cornstarch slurry in slowly while the sauce is simmering and stir constantly, otherwise you get clumps; if it thickens too fast, add a splash of broth or water and heat briefly, dont keep it on high or the veggies will go limp.
4. Finish by adding the shrimp back at the end and just warming them through, then hit with green onions and sesame seeds for brightness and crunch; crushed red pepper is great but add it sparingly at first, you can always add more.
Stir Fry Shrimp And Zucchini Recipe
I made a Shrimp Teriyaki that turns zucchini, shrimp and water chestnuts into a sticky, bright weeknight dish you won't believe came from your own pan.
4
servings
317
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large nonstick or stainless steel skillet or wok
2. Cutting board
3. Chef’s knife (for shrimp, zucchini and ginger)
4. Small bowl and whisk or fork (for sauce)
5. Measuring spoons and measuring cup
6. Small bowl or cup for cornstarch slurry and a spoon to stir it
7. Spatula or tongs for stirring and flipping shrimp
8. Paper towels and a plate for drying and resting the shrimp
Ingredients
1 pound (450 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed or left on as you prefer
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch half moons
1 can (8 oz / 225 g) water chestnuts, drained and sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or mirin (use what you have)
2 tablespoons honey or light brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or neutral oil for stir frying
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth or water (for sauce thinning)
1 tablespoon cornstarch (for thickening)
2 tablespoons cold water (to make cornstarch slurry)
2 green onions, sliced (for garnish and a little crunch)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, optional but nice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional for heat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper; this helps them sear instead of steam.
- In a small bowl whisk together 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar or mirin, 2 tbsp honey or light brown sugar, 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1/2 cup chicken broth or water. Stir until the honey dissolves.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water until smooth; set aside.
- Heat 1 to 2 tbsp neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. When hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Remove shrimp to a plate and don’t overcook them.
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pan if needed, reduce heat to medium, then add the minced garlic and 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger. Stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
- Toss in the zucchini slices and cook, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes until they start to soften but still have a little bite. Add the drained, sliced water chestnuts and cook another minute.
- Pour the prepared sauce into the pan, bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 1 minute. If it gets too thick, add a splash of water or broth.
- Return the shrimp to the pan, toss to coat and warm through, and taste for seasoning. Add crushed red pepper flakes if you want heat, and adjust salt or pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately topped with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Great over rice or cauliflower rice for a lighter meal.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 275g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 317kcal
- Fat: 12.8g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 3.5g
- Monounsaturated: 4.5g
- Cholesterol: 213mg
- Sodium: 400mg
- Potassium: 449mg
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Sugar: 9.8g
- Protein: 29g
- Vitamin A: 350IU
- Vitamin C: 14mg
- Calcium: 90mg
- Iron: 0.9mg
