Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas is an ultra-easy stir-fry with a minimal amount of thickener to keep it low in carbs. And this tasty low-carb shrimp stir fry can literally be on the table in minutes!

PIN Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas to try it later!

Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas in bowl with plates and chopsticks

I think Stir-Fry Recipes are great any time of year, and recipes like this shrimp stir fry are especially quick and easy for a treat if you keep shrimp in the freezer. And this easy recipe for Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas is a very flavorful dinner idea that uses minced ginger root and minced garlic to add so much flavor to shrimp and sugar snap peas.

And if you buy those big bags of sugar snap peas at Costco and have a hard time using them up, this recipe can help with that! And I bet you’ll love the combination of shrimp with sugar snap peas.

If you’re not that experienced at stir-fry cooking, check out The Basic Rules for Stir-Frying in my recipe for Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  • large frozen shrimp, thawed
  • sugar snap peas
  • chicken stock or canned chicken broth (affiliate link)
  • unsweetened rice vinegar
  • Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link)
  • soy sauce or gluten-free soy sauce
  • cornstarch
  • white pepper
  • peanut oil (see notes)
  • Minced Ginger (affiliate link)
  • Minced Garlic (affiliate link)
  • whole garlic cloves, cut in half
  • slices of ginger root

Use my Stir Fry Tips for the shrimp stir fry:

Many years ago I took a class in Chinese cooking and learned some tips for making a successful stir fry. Use that link to see them if you’re not that experienced with stir frying.

Does this shrimp stir fry require thickener?

I’ve made a few stir-fry recipes without using anything to thicken the sauce, and also experimented with lower-carb Arrowroot Starch (affiliate link) to thicken. But through the years I’ve come to prefer using a very small amount of cornstarch for best results. Cornstarch has a lot of thickening power, and although it has 7 carbs per tablespoon, the amount of carbs is adds per serving is very low. In this recipe with one tablespoon of cornstarch and four servings, that’s less than 2 carbs per serving for the cornstarch. And the other ingredients here are all good choices for a low-carb diet, so enjoy!

Can you make this shrimp stir fry without a wok?

Cooking in a wok is fun if you’re really into stir-frying. But you can make this delicious stir-fried shrimp in a large frying pan if that’s what you have.

Want more tasty dinners with shrimp?

If you love shrimp like I do, check out Low-Carb and Keto Shrimp Dinners for more tasty shrimp recipes.

recipe steps collage for Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas

How to Make Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Thaw shrimp overnight in the fridge. Drain shrimp well in a colander placed in the sink.
  2. Cut tips off sugar snap peas and cut larger ones on the diagonal.
  3. Peel and devein shrimp if needed and pull off the tails. 
  4. Mix chicken stock, rice vinegar, sweetener, soy sauce, cornstarch, and white pepper to make the sauce.
  5. Prepare grated ginger root and minced garlic, or use Minced Ginger (affiliate link) and Minced Garlic (affiliate link) from a jar like I did.
  6. When all ingredients are ready, heat empty wok or large frying pan for one minute. Then add oil and heat over high heat until it’s shimmering.
  7. Add the garlic cloves and slices of ginger and cook until you can barely start to smell the garlic. Remove garlic and ginger pieces and discard.
  8. Add sugar snap peas and cook about 3 minutes.
  9. Add minced garlic and minced ginger and and cook about 1 minute. (Forgot to take a photo of that, sorry!)
  10. Add shrimp and stir fry about 1 minute, until shrimp are barely starting to turn opaque.
  11. Add sauce mixture and cook 1-2 minutes more or until mixture thickens; be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
  12. Serve immediately.

Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas in serving bowl on green-white napkin

More Low-Carb Favorites with Shrimp:

Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas finished dish in serving bowl
Yield: 4 servings

Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes

Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas is quick and easy for a week-night dinner and this can be on the table in no time when you're craving shrimp!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. large frozen shrimp, thawed (see notes)
  • 3 cups sugar snap peas
  • 1/3 cup chicken stock
  • 1 T unsweetened rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Monkfruit Sweetener (see notes)
  • 2 T soy sauce (see notes)
  • 1 T cornstarch
  • pinch white pepper
  • 2 T peanut oil (see notes)
  • 2 tsp. minced ginger root
  • 2 T minced garlic
  • 4 whole garlic cloves, cut in half
  • 4 slices ginger root

Instructions

  1. Thaw shrimp overnight in the fridge.
  2. When you're ready to cook, drain shrimp well in a colander placed in the sink (or pat dry with paper towels if you're in a hurry.)
  3. Cut tips off sugar snap peas and cut larger ones on the diagonal.
  4. Peel and devein shrimp if needed and pull off the tails. (I buy frozen shrimp which are de-veined and peeled and have the tail off, but I cut off the tail tip which is often discolored.)
  5. Mix chicken stock, rice vinegar, Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link) or sweetener of your choice, soy sauce or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (affiliate link), cornstarch, and white pepper and whisk together.
  6. Prepare grated ginger root and minced garlic before you start to cook, or use Minced Ginger (affiliate link) and Minced Garlic (affiliate link) from a jar.
  7. When all ingredients are ready, heat empty wok or large frying pan for one minute. Then add oil and heat over high heat until it's shimmering.
  8. Add the garlic cloves and slices of ginger and cook in the hot oil just until you can start to smell the garlic, less than one minute. (Don't cook too long or the garlic will taste bitter.)
  9. Remove garlic and ginger pieces and discard.
  10. Add sugar snap peas and cook about 3 minutes, stirring often.
  11. Add minced garlic and minced ginger and and cook about 1 minute, stirring several times.
  12. Add shrimp and stir fry about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until shrimp are barely starting to turn opaque.
  13. Add sauce mixture and cook 1-2 minutes more or until mixture thickens, stirring several times; be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
  14. Serve immediately.

Notes

I buy frozen large shrimp from Costco, 21-25 per pound size. Use peeled, tail off shrimp if you can, which will save time. I love Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link) but use any no-calorie sweetener you prefer. Use Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (affiliate link) if needed. I prefer Peanut Oil (affiliate link) for stir-fries, but if you don't have that use any neutral-flavored vegetable oil.

This recipe  adapted from a stir-fry found many years ago at All Recipes, and the recipe has been improved through the years!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 272Total Fat: 9.3gSaturated Fat: 1.9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6.7gCholesterol: 240mgSodium: 1548mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 3.6gSugar: 5.3gProtein: 31g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

square image for Stir-Fried Shrimp and Sugar Snap Peas in serving bowl

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This delicious shrimp stir fry with sugar snap peas has a very minimal amount of thickener, so this is still a great dish for low-carb and low-glycemic diet plans. The use of cornstarch probably makes this phase two for the original South Beach Diet.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Stir-Fry Recipes for more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This tasty shrimp stir fry was first posted in 2007! The recipe was (finally) updated with better photos and more complete instructions in September 2020, and was updated again with more information in 2023.

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