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Clean eating doesn’t have to mean that a meal takes hours to prepare. Get this Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry on the table in under 30 minutes for your next busy weeknight dinner.
We make this all the time because of how easy it is! I love everything seafood and go back and forth between this recipe, my fried trout recipe, and my creamy Tuscan scallops recipe!
They’re all super simple, but each one has its own little twist. If you’re looking for something more on the sweet and savory side, you’ve got to try my honey garlic chicken—not seafood, I know, but the sauce is so good I’d probably put it on just about anything.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Not only is this dish delicious for its perfectly cooked shrimp and broccoli, and sweet and savory honey garlic butter sauce, but it’s also healthy.
- With a few minor changes, this could even qualify as a pro-metabolic recipe!
- It’s the perfect balance of quick, easy, nutritious, and filling. I have a feeling you’ll be using this one all year round when dinner needs to come together in a pinch.
- Thaw the shrimp at the start of the day or the night before and you’ll be ready to throw this shrimp with broccoli recipe together fast.
- The best part about cooking shrimp in cast iron is the nice crisp finish and perfectly cooked center. It’s the best pan to cook shrimp in. Look to cajun cuisine for confirmation there!
We will only use one 12″ skillet to cook everything (besides the brown rice). Using frozen broccoli will free up some freezer space and means very little chopping is required. This is super easy skillet shrimp.
Recipe Ingredients
- Frozen broccoli: Any brand will work here, so go with what you prefer.
- Garlic: I love finding organic produce. If you have a local farmer’s market, check it out!
- Butter: I absolutely LOVE grass-fed butter, and will always recommend it. It adds a real, noticeable depth of flavor.
- Frozen wild-caught organic shrimp: My favorite variation is making this recipe with scallops!
- Raw honey: Really any honey will be just fine! I prefer raw honey!
A Note On Thawing Shrimp Quickly:
Thawing the shrimp in advance will make the meal come together very quickly. However, thawing shrimp doesn’t take much time at all. So not to worry if you don’t get to it in advance.
To thaw shrimp quickly, fill a bowl with cold water and fill it with your shrimp so that they are submerged. It should add on another 20-30 minutes to your prep time.
A few minutes of prep, and then it’s just a matter of waiting for the rice to finish cooking, which, by the way, can be made ahead of time. I like to make a batch of my dutch oven rice and reheat it during the week when things get busy.
Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
Step 1: Melt a tablespoon of butter in a 12″ skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and broccoli, sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper and cook for about 4 minutes, just until the broccoli starts to soften.
Step 2: Move the broccoli to one side, add another tablespoon of butter and cook the shrimp. 4 minutes total; flipping halfway through is about perfect for shrimp. Move off the heat to avoid overcooking shrimp.
Step 3: Combine the soy sauce, melted butter, honey, sesame seeds and a pinch of pepper in a small ramekin and pour over the broccoli and shrimp.
Step 4: Toss ingredients to coat and simmer on low until sauce is heated through. Serve the garlic butter shrimp skillet with rice.
Recipe Tips
- Stir fry moves fast, so if you have your shrimp peeled, broccoli chopped, and sauce mixed before turning on the heat, you won’t have to scramble mid-cook!
- Use paper towels to remove excess moisture from the shrimp. This helps them sear nicely and prevents a watery sauce.
- Pour your sauce over the cooked shrimp and broccoli, then toss to coat. This ensures the sauce thickens properly and clings to the ingredients.
- Stir fry is best enjoyed fresh off the stove. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and reheat gently to avoid overcooking the shrimp.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe works perfectly either way, you’ll just need to thaw your shrimp first if it’s frozen. Personally, I use frozen because of the flexibility it provides and how long it can be stored before cooking. If you have a grocery store near you with fresh shrimp, give it a try!
The recipe calls for serving the garlic butter shrimp skillet with rice. We like brown rice in our household, but white rice will do just fine. Shrimp and broccoli recipes like this one also go great with noodles!
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days, but it never sticks around for that long in my house! You can reheat in the microwave, but try reheating in your skillet to avoid overcooking the broccoli.
The best metabolic meals are focused on quality ingredients and a nice ratio of carbs, fats, and proteins. Just substitute soy sauce for liquid aminos and it will check all the boxes. The shrimp are cooked in a delicious honey garlic butter sauce, satisfying the fat requirement. Serve this easy honey garlic butter shrimp & broccoli over brown rice and the carbohydrate need is met. It will be filling and you may already have all the ingredients on hand! If you’re looking for more ways to incorporate pro-metabolic eating, this recipe, as well as my apple cinnamon oatmeal bake, is a great place to start.
Related Recipe
- Best Beef Liver Stir Fry Recipe
- Chinese Beef and Broccoli
- Stovetop Coconut Chicken
- Fried Pork Liver Recipe
If you tried this Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe, I’d love for you to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry
Equipment
- 12" skillet
Ingredients
- 2 lbs organic wild-caught shrimp thawed
- 2 cups frozen broccoli
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp butter plus 1 tbsp, melted
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Melt a tablespoon of butter in a 12" skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and broccoli, sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper and cook for about 4 minutes, just until the broccoli starts to soften.
- Move the broccoli to one side, add another tablespoon of butter and cook the shrimp. 4 minutes total; flipping halfway through is about perfect for shrimp. Move off the heat to avoid over-cooking shrimp.
- Combine the soy sauce, melted butter, honey, sesame seeds and a pinch of pepper in a small ramekin and pour over the broccoli and shrimp.
- Toss ingredients to coat and simmer on low until sauce is heated through. Serve over rice or noodles.
Video
Notes
- Stir fry moves fast, so if you have your shrimp peeled, broccoli chopped, and sauce mixed before turning on the heat, you won’t have to scramble mid-cook!
- Use paper towels to remove excess moisture from the shrimp. This helps them sear nicely and prevents a watery sauce.
- Pour your sauce over the cooked shrimp and broccoli, then toss to coat. This ensures the sauce thickens properly and clings to the ingredients.
- Stir fry is best enjoyed fresh off the stove. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and reheat gently to avoid overcooking the shrimp.
