This Mongolian shrimp recipe is a scrumptious combination of succulent shrimp (prawns) coated in light crispy batter, stir-fried with a sweet and savoury Asian sauce, and garnished with a sprinkle of green onions and sesame seeds. This seafood version of the classic Chinese dish is so easy to make that even a novice cook can whip it up in no time. This recipe is gluten-free with paleo-friendly swaps.

What Is Mongolian Shrimp?

You might be familiar with Mongolian lamb or beef from takeout menus and your favourite Asian restaurants. Despite its name, Mongolian anything is not a traditional Mongolian dish but rather a creation of Chinese-American cuisine.

This Mongolian shrimp is a seafood version of this popular Asian dish. It’s made with succulent shrimp that’s been coated in egg white and starch, shallow fried and coated in a delicious, sticky sweet and savoury sauce. It has bold flavours and just enough crunch to make it totally irresistible.

Mongolian Sauce

Whether you use shrimp, beef, chicken or tofu to make this recipe, the star of the dish is the sauce. In almost all recipes, the Mongolian sauce consists of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and sometimes chili flakes or Sriracha for a spicy kick. It can be used in a stir-fry with protein, vegetables or tossed through noodles.

There are variations to this sauce and my version uses honey instead of brown sugar. I also coat the shrimp in tapioca flour (you can use cornstarch too) so it’s gluten-free and/or grain-free.

Ingredients For Mongolian Shrimp

Shrimp: InAustralia, we refer to shrimp as prawns but I am sticking with shrimp as the name as it’s so commonly used by my readers. I recommend large shrimp, the bigger the better. Get deveined and de-shelled shrimp to save yourself on prep time, otherwise, you will need to peel it first. You can also use frozen shrimp and defrost it in warm water for 10-15 minutes.

For coating: I am using Chihyu’s of I Heart Umami tip to use frothed egg whites to coat the shrimp, followed with tapioca starch/flour or cornstarch, which gives them very light yet puffed up and crispy batter.

Avocado oil or coconut oil for frying is best if you want to stay away from unhealthful vegetable or canola oils. The shrimp is shallow-fried in a thin layer of oil rather than deep fried, so you won’t need a whole lot of oil.

For Mongolian sauce: freshly minced or grated ginger and garlic, soy sauce (Tamari or coconut aminos for Paleo/gluten-free), Hoisin sauce, honey (or brown sugar, I use a lot less than most recipes outthere), a little sesame oil and chilli flakes.

For garnish: green onions (scallions) and sesame seeds if you have some on hand.

To serve: I usually do rice and Asian greens or broccoli; you can also do cauliflower rice or veggies for a low-carb/paleo meal.

By the way, I have a recipe for Paleo hoisin sauce here if you must avoid the store-bought version.

How To Make Mongolian Shrimp

The full recipe card with ingredients and a nutritional breakdown is below. Here are some step-by-step photos and a video to guide you along.

Step 1. Peel and devein the shrimp if needed. Pat the shrimp dry with a clean paper towel. Make sure it’s completely dry so it turns out extra crispy when coated in starch and fried. 

Step 2. Butterfly the shrimp to make it look extra pretty when cooked. Cut the flesh along the back to butterfly shrimp, ensuring not to cut through the shrimp. Set aside.

Step 3. Whisk the egg whites until frothy in one bowl and set another bowl with the flour/starch. 

Try This Next Garlic Shrimp and Tomatoes with Parmesan Orzo Recipe

Step 4. Heat the oil in a shallow layer in a skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Once sizzling hot, add the shrimp. Working in batches, dip the shrimp in the egg-white mixture and then roll in the flour. Shake off the excess and carefully add to the hot oil in the pan.

Cook for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Remove cooked shrimp to a plate lined with some paper towel.

Step 5. While the shrimp is cooking, you can whisk the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Combine everything except for garlic and ginger and whisk together. You can also do this first or ahead of time.

Step 6. Once all the shrimp are cooked, pour out excess oil from the pan into a bowl or soak it up with a paper towel. Leave a little bit of oil to fry off the garlic and ginger. 

Step 7. Keeping the pan on medium-high heat, add minced garlic and ginger to the pan and stir for 30 seconds to a minute. Don’t let them get too brown, we want just a little colour.

Then pour in the sauce and stir over heat for about a minute, until it starts to bubble away and caramelise slightly. At this stage, return the pre-cooked shrimp and stir through the sauce.

Turn the heat off and sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice with side vegetables or salad.

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Full Recipe 

Find the full list of ingredients, instructions, and a nutritional breakdown below. If you have questions or cook this recipe, please let me know in the comments, and make sure to rate this recipe so it’s easy for others to find.

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Description

Mongolian Shrimp is a delicious Chinese-American dish made by stir-frying succulent shrimp with a sweet and savoury Mongolian sauce. The result is a mouthwatering dish with tender shrimp coated in a flavourful sauce that’s great served over a bed of steaming rice or veggies.

For the shrimp

For the Mongolian sauce

For garnish: 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds (optional)

To serve: rice, broccoli or other greens (bok choy etc)

• Peel and devein the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry with a clean paper towel. Make sure it’s completely dry so it turns out extra crispy when coated in starch and fried. 
• Butterfly the shrimp to make it look extra pretty when cooked. Cut the flesh along the back to butterfly shrimp, ensuring not to cut through the shrimp. Set aside.
• Whisk the egg whites until frothy in one bowl and set another bowl with the flour/starch. 
• Heat the oil in a shallow layer in a skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Once sizzling hot, add the shrimp. Working in batches, dip the shrimp in the egg-white mixture and then roll in the flour. Shake off the excess and carefully add to the hot oil in the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Remove cooked shrimp to a plate lined with a paper towel.
• While the shrimp is cooking, you can whisk the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Combine everything except for garlic and ginger and whisk together.
• Once all the shrimp is cooked, pour out excess oil from the pan into a bowl or soak it up with a paper towel. Leave a little bit of oil to fry off the garlic and ginger. 
• Keeping the pan on medium-high heat, add minced garlic and ginger to the pan and stir for 30 seconds to a minute. Don’t let them get too brown, we want just a little colour. Then pour in the sauce and stir over heat for about a minute, until it starts to bubble away and caramelize slightly. At this stage, return the pre-cooked shrimp and stir through the sauce. Turn the heat off and sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds.
• Serve over rice with side vegetables or salad.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4 of the dish
• Calories: 398
• Sugar: 14.5 g
• Sodium: 988.5 mg
• Fat: 19.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 28.9 g
• Fiber: 0.9 g
• Protein: 29 g
• Cholesterol: 201.7 mg

Keywords: Mongolian Shrimp, Mongolian Prawns, Mongolian Sauce, Stir-Fry, Shrimp Recipes, Asian Shrimp Recipe

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Garlic Shrimp and Tomatoes with Parmesan Orzo Recipe

Shrimp laced with buttery garlic and thyme and a burst tomato sauce served on a creamy Parmesan orzo.

Juicy, succulent shrimp laced with garlic, butter, and thyme, tucked into a silky burst tomato sauce, and piled high on creamy, luscious Parmesan orzo. WHAT A DREAMBOAT DINNER. I love this recipe!

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In This Post:

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How To Make This Garlic Shrimp and Tomatoes (with Pictures)

Step 1: Blister and Smash the Tomatoes

Get the tomatoes hot and blistery; then give ’em a gentle smash with the back of a spoon or a small plate. It’s… very fun.

Step 2: Cook the Shrimp

Make a little clearing right in the center of the tomatoes where you can add your shrimp to cook for a couple of minutes. Salt it up!

Step 3: Get the Garlic and Butter Going In There

Throw in a bunch of freshly sliced garlic and a knob of butter. Stir it up a few times until it’s dreamy.

Step 4: Make a Creamy Orzo

Put a lid on the shrimp and make a quick creamy orzo – butter, Parmesan, cream, lemon, and salt.

Step 5: Put It All Together

Piping hot orzo goes on the plate first, and then we pull our shrimp and tomatoes back out to pile on top.

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Lindsay’s Notes

This recipe is in heavy rotation at the moment – and it never fails to make me feel like I’m eating at a fancy restaurant and/or generally have my life together. Is my laundry all over my table? Yes. Have I been using dry shampoo for the last 4 days? Yes. But am I also eating a kind of fancy and beautiful dinner? YES! Three cheers for doable “fancy” recipes. 10/10 recommend.

Creamy orzo with the twang of Parmesan, sweet burst tomatoes gently bubbled into a sauce, and a pile of jumbo, delicate, buttery, garlic-laced shrimp. Pass me a glass of wine and I am living my best life.

As far as family approval goes, Bjork and I love the whole big, beautiful thing – no thyme for him (a true crime and I don’t want to spend any more time talking about it), and lots of thyme, salt, and pepp for me. The girls are hit and miss with the shrimp and tomatoes, but you better believe they love the creamy Parmesan orzo which is, of course, just mac and cheese in disguise. They’ll usually eat a few of the fresh little tomatoes on the side, too. Winning for everybody!

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Description

Shrimp laced with buttery garlic and thyme and a burst tomato sauce served on a creamy Parmesan orzo.

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Garlic Shrimp and Tomatoes:

Creamy Orzo:

Popular Recipe Thai Chicken Drumsticks (Baked)

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1. Cook the Orzo: Cook according to package directions. Drain, toss with a bit of oil, and set aside.
2. Soften the Tomatoes: Add the tomatoes and olive oil to a pan over medium high heat so they can soften and get a bit blistered on the outside. I usually cover the pan to avoid extra splatters.
3. Smash the Tomatoes: Once they’re soft (5 minutes or so), give them a gentle smash with the back of a spoon or applying even pressure with a plate or similar flat object. You want the tomatoes to be partially burst / smashed so they release some juices.
4. Cook the Shrimp: Make a little clearing in the center of the tomatoes and add your shrimp right in; season them with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes on each side.
5. Give it Some Flava-Flave: Add the garlic, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pan and stir to mix it all together. Let it get saucy and bubbly; then remove from heat and cover with a lid.
6. Make the orzo: Mix the orzo with butter, half and half, Parmesan, and lemon. Stir to combine; warm it up over the heat if necessary.
7. Pile it up: Serve immediately so the orzo doesn’t get too starchy and sticky! Pile it on a plate with a big scoop of steamy shrimp and tomatoes. Top with thyme. So good!

Notes

This amount usually makes enough for just Bjork and I to finish the shrimp, with plenty of orzo for us and the girls. If you wanted to serve 4 adults, I would use 2 pounds of shrimp!

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Saute
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: shrimp and orzo, orzo recipe, shrimp and tomatoes

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Frequently Asked Questions For Garlic Shrimp and Tomatoes

What can I use instead of shrimp?

Chicken would be delicious! I would probably pan-fry the chicken first, then take it out and set aside while you build your tomato sauce, then add the chicken back in at the end.

How long do the leftovers last?

You can definitely eat this meal as leftovers for 1, maybe 2 days after you make it, but it’s one of those meals that really shines when it’s made fresh.

Can you make this vegetarian / meatless?

Use zucchini in place of the shrimp! Or, similarly, this recipe is great.

How do you make this gluten-free and/or dairy-free?

Use gluten free orzo, dairy-free butter (or olive oil), and something else creamy in place of the half and half and Parmesan – a knob of dairy-free cream cheese would be good!

Another option would be to skip the creamy orzo and serve this with quinoa or another gluten-free, dairy-free option.

My Favorite Shrimp Recipes

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