If you’re looking for quick and easy weeknight dinners? Stir fry dinners are the way to go. There’s a reason why stir fries are some of the most popular recipes. You get your protein, your veggies, your delicious sauce, all in one skillet and less than 20 minutes later you’re serving up a hearty meal!  Read on for some awesome Easy Stir Fry Recipes, from succulent side dishes to yummy mains…

Why Is Stir Frying Good?

Stir frying is a Chinese cooking technique in which ingredients are fried in a small amount of very hot oil while being stirred in a wok. The technique originated in China and in recent centuries has spread into other parts of Asia and the West.

Stir Frying has many benefits, here are a few:

Nutrition retention

Because foods are not exposed to overheating during stir-frying, they retain most of their heat-sensitive nutrients. Although the technique may cause more fumes and require a better ventilation system in the kitchen, it is a healthier substitute for deep frying.

Time management

There’s always a bit of chopping involved, but usually a stir fry is a quick meal to whip up. The time required to stir-fry the food is usually around 15 minutes. 

Food looks better

Stir-frying burns the food for a very short period of time which takes most of the vegetables to the point of looking even more colorful. So, not only does stir-frying retain most of the nutrition in the food, it also makes your food visually appealing. 

Economical 

Stir-frying focuses more on the use of vegetables in the dishes instead of meat, so it can help you cook healthy and delicious foods that won’t cost much.

Easy Stir Fry – Shrimp Recipes

Chinese Shrimp Stir Fry 

This 15 minute Chinese Shrimp Stir Fry recipe will teach you authentic stir-fry method. It’s quick easy and delicious! Succulent shrimp, slathered in a delicious soy, ginger and garlic sauce.  This Asian shrimp stir fry recipe is one of my mom’s, and it’s one of the very first recipes she taught me how to cook.

Shrimp Teriyaki Stir Fry Recipe

This Shrimp Teriyaki Stir Fry is quick and delicious! Shrimp cooked in teriyaki sauce is tender and has that wonderful mixture of salty and sweet flavors. This makes the perfect Asian dinner in minutes.

Fresh Pear and Shrimp Stir Fry Recipe

This light and a flavorful recipe comes from the lovely people at  T.C. Choy’s Asian Bistro. Pear…pairs so well with shrimp and veggies – you have to try this! 

Stir Fried Shrimp, Eggs and Peas

If you love shrimp fried rice, you are going to love this easy stir fry recipe! Taste wise it’s all killer no filler!

Jade Shrimp with Fragrant Vegetables

This easy stir fry recipe marries up succulent shrimp with a whole host of green veggies, all splashed with a coating of garlic – so good!

Easy Stir Fry Recipes – Beef

Chinese Stir Fried Sticky Rice Cakes (Nian Gao)

Nian Gao is normally eaten for Chinese New Year, as it signifies good fortune for the coming year. “Nian” means year and “gao” means high — translating loosely to “every year, may you reach higher and higher.”

Nian Gao can also mean sticky rice cakes that are fried in egg (savory) or fried with sugar (sweet). The Shanghainese and Korean version (TteokGuk photo) of nian gao is this recipe, where they take the glutinous rice cakes, cut them into ovals 2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and stir fry them like noodles. And they are delicious!

Top Tips For Easy Stir Fry Recipes

• Prepare all the ingredients before turning on the heat. Once the heat is on, things move quickly. Have the ingredients sliced and your liquids measured before you start, and keep them close by. 
• Slice meat and vegetables for maximum surface area. The goal is to expose as much surface area as possible: vegetables are often sliced thinly on a sharp diagonal; aromatics like garlic and ginger are usually finely chopped; and meat is always sliced against the grain to increase tenderness. 
• Use a wok or cast-iron pan. If you have a wok, always use it. A wok has a large surface area and retains heat very well, making it ideal for stir-fries. If you don’t have a wok, opt for a cast iron pan. As you add more ingredients, you want the pan to remain very hot and cast iron pans will retain heat better than other materials. 
• The aromatics should be cooked low and slow. There is one exception to cooking at a high heat, and that’s when you’re using finely chopped aromatics such as ginger, garlic, lemongrass or green onions. They should be cooked first, at a lower heat. If added to a wok or pan on high heat, they will burn quickly and taint the flavour of the stir-fry. As these items are used to flavour the oil, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the aromatics gently. 
• Add ingredients according to cook time. Make a plan and decide what order to add the ingredients into the pan, based on their cook time. (Some items will take as little as 30 seconds to cook.) Don’t be afraid to cook the meat first and take it out of the pan, to be added again at the end. This will allow you to cook the vegetables without overcooking the meat. 
• But the stir fry needs to be cooked fast and hot. Your heat should be set to high—but it still needs to be controlled (you don’t want it smoking). Heat your wok or pan before adding the oil, as this step will help prevent sticking. Once the oil is added, roll it around the pan to coat it well. Select oil with a high smoke point. (Peanut oil works very well for stir-fries.)
• Stir your ingredients often. Your ingredients should cook fast, but to ensure that everything is cooked evenly, stir constantly (hence the name). It’s important to move the food in and out of the centre of the pan quickly.

Have you tried an of these Easy Stir Fry Recipes? Feel free to leave a star rating and I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!