This recipe for deliciously spicy Thai Basil Shrimp Stir Fry is made with fresh Thai basil leaves, a spicy blend of sauces and fresh shrimp, and served over white or brown rice. A very easy, quick and healthy family dinner option, that can be made in just under 20 mins.
Stir fries are quick and easy meals that everyone loves. It is especially easy when you already have some leftover cooked rice. All you need to do is, stir fry the protein with vegetables, loads of ginger and garlic and your favorite blend of sauces and your weeknight dinner is all ready.
This recipe does not have any vegetables in it. It solely gets all of its flavor and taste from the shrimp and Thai basil. But you can always add thinly sliced or shredded stir fry veggies to this, to make it a more wholesome meal.
To make this recipe even easier, I have done a quick blend of the ginger, garlic and sauces together, so you don’t have to finely mince the ginger and garlic. The other option is to use pre minced ginger and garlic, but I truly believe that for stir fries, the freshness of ginger garlic makes a total difference in the flavor.
If you love Shrimp recipes, be sure to take a look at these recipes
- Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine
- Kerala Shrimp Curry
- Grilled Ginger Tamarind Shrimp
- Fijian Shrimp Ceviche
- Spicy Shrimp Roast
Ingredients (and substitutions) for Thai Basil Shrimp Stir Fry
Shrimp – peeled and deveined. I get it this way from the grocery store, so it is easier to just add it and make the dish. You can use fresh or frozen. Make sure to defrost frozen shrimp and drain all the liquid out.
Thai basil – you will need LOTS of this, as it is the main flavoring ingredient of this recipe.
Garlic – fresh garlic is preferred as it is packed with so much more flavor.
Ginger – fresh minced ginger is preferred/
Bird’s Eye Chillies / Thai Green Chillies – they are spicy, so use less of them if you need. You can always add more as you stir fry, if you feel the need for more heat. If you still want some heat but don’t have these chillies, you can use Sriracha or Chili Garlic Sauce.
Oil – I use Avocado oil for most all of my cooking. Use any oil that can tolerate high heat.
Brown Sugar – you can use honey or maple syrup also for this.
Soy Sauce – your favorite brand of soy sauce. I prefer using regular soy sauce over low sodium and adjust any other salt I put in the recipe. You can substitute Tamari or Coconut Aminos for a gluten free diet. Coconut Aminos is a great alternative to avoid soy as well.
Oyster Sauce – check the ingredients to make sure it doesn’t have anything you dont want. Various brands have various ingredients and not all are gluten free.
Fish Sauce – a great addition for that perfect umami flavor.
Lime – for a little zing. If you don’t have lime, you can use a splash of rice vinegar too.
How to make Thai Basil Shrimp Stir Fry
- Blend together garlic, ginger, chillies, brown sugar and the sauces together in a small blender jar.
- Marinate the shrimp in this blended sauce.
- Stir fry shrimp with the sauce and a lot of Thai Basil.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this spicy Thai Basil Shrimp Stir Fry hot over white or brown rice.
You can also serve it as it is, like an appetizer.
For a lower carb version, you could serve this over cauli rice as well. It also tastes well in lettuce cups or wraps.
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Spicy Thai Basil Shrimp Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp about 20-25 pieces, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup packed Thai basil leaves
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
Marinade Sauce
- 8 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 inch piece ginger
- 3 Birds Eye or Thai Green Chillies stem removed
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 lime juiced
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Blend all the ingredients together for the marinade sauce in a small blender jar, chopped or a mini food processor.
- Add this sauce to the shrimp and let it sit for about 10 mins.
- Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Scoop out the shrimp, while draining the marinade back to the bowl ( we are going to use the marinade sauce later, so don't toss it) and add to the oil.
- Place the shrimp in a single layer in the pan, so they can all cook evenly. Cook for a minute on one side and flip the shrimp over. Cook for another minute, till they are all nice and pink.
- Add the rest of the marinade and cook it down to a sticky sauce for about 2 mins.
- Tear the basil leaves roughly and add to the shrimp. Mix well and let it cook for about 2 mins till the basil wilts.
- Serve hot on top of white or brown rice.
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