You’ll Love This Fantastic Stir-Fried Lemon Shrimp and Asparagus Recipe

Updated: January 18, 2024 by Olivia Mittak | Leave a comment

Shrimp and asparagus is a very healthy combination. Flavoring asparagus the right way is key to getting the picky eaters in your family to eat it and enjoy it. Asparagus is packed with nutrients that can help keep your family healthy and strong, so it's an important part of this recipe.

Ingredients like soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and lemon juice provide lots of flavor. We've chosen low-sodium soy sauce to keep this recipe healthy. Soy sauce is notorious for having a lot of salt in it. While this does give it flavor, it also makes it rather unhealthy.

Consuming too much sodium can cause a variety of health complications. It's important to moderate your sodium intake as best as you can. When you can choose low-sodium alternatives, you should. Don't negate the health benefits of shrimp and asparagus with too much salt!

When purchasing your shrimp, try to buy from brands that you know engage in safe practices. Many farms and fisheries catch and farm fish in ways that are harmful to the environment. Many sea creatures are killed every year because of these practices. By buying sustainably, you'll help protect our planet's seas for generations to come.

Stir-Fried Lemon Shrimp and Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese rice cooking wine or dry sherry
3 scallions, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
5 teaspoons canola oil
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), tough ends trimmed, sliced on the bias into 2-inch lengths
2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
6 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons
¼ cup Chinese rice cooking wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Toss the shrimp with 2 teaspoons each soy sauce and rice wine in a bowl and marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. Combine the scallions, garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon of the oil in a bowl.

3. Heat 2 teaspoons more oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the shrimp, break up any shrimp that stick together, cook until lightly browned on all sides but not fully cooked, about 1 ½ minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside.

4. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the skillet and return to high heat until shimmering. Add the asparagus and carrots and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Clear the center of the skillet, add the garlic mixture, and cook, mashing the mixture into the pan, until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Stir it into the vegetables.

6. Return the shrimp, with any accumulated juice, to the skillet. Whisk remaining ingredients together in a bowl, then add to skillet. Simmer, tossing constantly, until the shrimp are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Serve.