Flavorful and exotic, yet easy enough for a weeknight!
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You’re going to wonder what took you so long, to attempt cashew shrimp. This recipe is super simple and comes together with a handful of pantry staples. (At least, these are staples in my kitchen). You simply whisk the sauce ingredients together, toast the raw cashews in a wok or on a baking sheet, and then cook it all together in a pan on the stove. Simple. This is an authentic Chinese dish that will taste like… more!
Cashew shrimp goes well with so many dishes, you could even create a fusion event — pulling ideas and ingredients from many cultures. This is a welcome change for a protein source, and is lovely over rice, quinoa, or even noodles.
You’re going to love serving this special dish to family and friends. Buying the already peeled and deveined shrimp keeps it simple. You can even cheat and buy pre-cooked shrimp. The toasted cashews and the sauce will be every bit as happy over rice with shrimp that has already been cooked.
Is Cashew Shrimp Healthy?
Cashew shrimp is healthy, being high in protein and calcium. The sauce is comprised of all healthy ingredients and is customizable. To keep it gluten-free, just check the label on the soy sauce to ensure it’s free from gluten. If you have a friend who is vegan, simply substitute extra firm tofu for their portion, using the cashews and sauce, and exchanging a sweet plant syrup such as agave for the honey. I’m thinking that with a smaller skillet alongside the larger one, you can easily cook them both at once.
How to prepare the shrimp?
Shrimp is easily found frozen, prepped, and bagged in varying quantities, separated by size of shrimp. Sprinkling with a teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of baking soda, then tossing with 1/4 cup of water and refrigerating for two hours will help to ensure perfect texture. Rinse well with cold water.
If you didn’t read this part of the recipe until now, and dinner is supposed to be in 30 minutes, don’t panic! It’s absolutely fine to dump the frozen shrimp into a colander and stir while running cold water over until it is thawed. Be sure to pat dry with paper towels before cooking.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup cashews, roasted
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk
Prepare savory sauce.
Sauté
Cook shrimp until pink.
Combine
Add cashews and sauce; heat through.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
This recipe is so quick and easy that there’s no need or advantage in trying to make it ahead of time. Once cooked, if there are leftovers, they can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat over medium heat until heated through, and if cooking frozen shrimp, ensure they’re thoroughly defrosted beforehand.
Yes! This will be fine. You can add them as is, or heat them in a wok or in the oven prior to adding to the sauce. They could also be roughly chopped, according to preference.
It will work just fine! They will only need to be heated through, with the cashews and sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Simply serve this over Brown Rice, Baked Rice, Fluffy Quinoa or on noodles. It’s also good as a topper for toast. It lends itself well to a fusion sort of offering! Serve it with roasted or steamed veggies, whatever is in season. Try these Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus for example. I would even like it on a baked potato. You’re only limited by your imagination, and once you taste the sauce, your imagination is going to run wild!
For more shrimp-based dishes, take a look at this Easy Sautéed Shrimp, Shrimp Spring Rolls or this fresh and delicious Shrimp Ceviche.
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup cashews roasted
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and ginger to create the sauce. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet. Cook until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Add the roasted cashews to the skillet with the shrimp and pour the sauce over the top. Stir well to coat and cook for an additional 2 minutes until the sauce is heated through.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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