Chinese Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Forget take-out!  Create this incredible Chinese Salt and Pepper Shrimp right at home with this simple recipe and enjoy an easy, protein-packed dinner that everyone will love!

If you open my freezer right at this very moment, it’s highly likely that a few bags of shrimp will fall out. I absolutely LOVE salmon — but shrimp is right up there at the top of my list, too.

What makes shrimp such a favorite (and the reason why I pile it in my freezer!) is that it’s so easy to make at home. And while I love eating out, with 5 kids that’s almost an impossibility without breaking the bank.

I remember, as a kid, asking my mom and dad why we couldn’t go out for dinner. My parents almost always had the same canned response: “why go out when you can eat good food at home?”

I didn’t quite piece that puzzle together until I had my own kids. And now, in true fashion, entertain that same question from my own kids.

And my response is always “why go out when your mom can cook good food?”  Their response isn’t always what I hope 😆 Nonetheless… seafood is a favorite in my kitchen.

Seafood calls my name and I run to it with open arms…

Especially this Chinese Salt and Pepper Shrimp. Oh my word… all I can say is so, so good. So amazingly good!

Doesn’t this make you want to just lick your plate?  

Chinese Salt and Pepper Shrimp

This shrimp comes together easily with just a few ingredients (and minutes!):

• Thai chilies
• large shrimp, peeled and deveined 
• scallions, garlic and ginger
• fish sauce
• cornstarch and flour
• don’t forget peppercorns, salt and cilantro

Start by marinating the shrimp in the fish sauce. Then with a mortar and pestle, grind the peppercorns down — try, if you can, to retain some texture to them.

Chop, Saute and Fry

Then, coarsely chop the garlic, ginger, and red chili peppers.

Drain the shrimp from the fish sauce and coat thoroughly with a mixture of flour and cornstarch. Ensure each piece of shrimp is evenly coated, then set them aside.

Prepare to cook your shrimp by heating a layer of oil in a pan, making sure it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees C). Fry the shrimp for approximately 3 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. Remember to flip them halfway through the frying process. Fry the shrimp in smaller batches to ensure they cook evenly and become crispy. Once all the shrimp are fried, remove them from the oil.

Discard the excess oil from the pan. Add about 1 tablespoon of fresh oil and heat it. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped garlic and ginger. Sauté them until they start to brown, which should take around 2-3 minutes.

Add the chopped red chili peppers and scallions to the pan and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Gently combine the fried shrimp with the sautéed ingredients in the pan, stirring until everything is well incorporated. Remove the pan from the heat.

Sprinkle the dish with the coarsely ground peppercorns and add coarse salt to taste. Garnish the dish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Serve up this Chinese Salt and Pepper Shrimp with your favorite rice – or, opt for cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.

What’s your favorite meal to make at home that your kids go crazy for?

I hope you enjoy this shrimp recipe as much as we do – if you make this, please take a second to rate the recipe and leave a comment.  

Did you try this recipe? If you did, please take a second to rate the recipe and leave a comment as I’d love to know how it turned out.

I’d ask you to tag me on social media but I gave up social media several years ago. It was the best thing I ever did. I still love to read comments and hear from you though – so don’t be afraid to leave comments on this post as I do take the time to read and respond when I can.