Shrimp Cabbage Stir Fry

Shrimp Cabbage Stir Fry is a simple, flavorful Chinese-style dish made with tender marinated shrimp and crisp cabbage tossed in a savory sauce. It comes together quickly, making it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.

This dish can be served family-style with rice, or plated individually for a lighter meal. Using a quick shrimp marinade helps keep the shrimp juicy and adds extra flavor, while the cabbage stays tender but still slightly crisp.

Marinating the shrimp

Before cooking, we marinate the shrimp briefly to add flavor and keep them tender during stir frying. The marinade is simple but effective, using soy sauce, rice cooking wine, cornstarch, and a touch of sesame oil.

The rice cooking wine adds depth of flavor and its slight acidity helps tenderize the shrimp, which is especially helpful if your shrimp aren't super fresh.

The cornstarch creates a light coating (a technique often called velveting in Chinese cooking), which helps lock in moisture and prevents the shrimp from drying out during high-heat cooking.

Type of cabbage

There are many types of cabbage, but for this recipe I prefer Taiwanese cabbage.

Taiwanese cabbage has a flatter, round shape with lighter green leaves. It's naturally sweeter, more tender, and cooks faster than regular green cabbage, which makes it especially well-suited for stir fries.

That said, regular green cabbage works perfectly fine and I've used it many times. If using green cabbage, simply stir fry it a little longer until tender.

How to cut the cabbage

1. Remove any wilted or damaged outer leaves.
2. Cut the cabbage in half.
3. Cut one half into quarters.
4. Remove and discard the hard core.
5. Slice into 1-2 inch pieces.
6. Rinse the cabbage in a bowl of water, drain well, and set aside.

How to cook Shrimp Cabbage Stir Fry (Step by Step)

First gather your ingredients:

• Shrimp marinade:
  • 1 lb shrimp
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon rice cooking wine
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • Black pepper (optional)
• Stir fry:
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 pound cabbage (about ½ head), cut in to pieces
  • ¼ cup of water
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Salt to taste

In a bowl, mix the shrimp with all marinade ingredients. Marinate for 15-30 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and stir fry for about 1 minute, just until mostly cooked. Remove shrimp and set aside.

Add a little more oil if needed, then add cabbage. Stir fry for 1 minute, add water, and cover with a lid for 2 minutes to steam.

Uncover, stir fry until cabbage is tender, then return shrimp to the pan.

Add soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and salt to taste. Stir fry everything together for 2-3 minutes, until fully cooked.

Remove from heat and serve!

Storage & Reheating

• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Shrimp doesn't keep as long as chicken or beef, so it's best enjoyed fresh or the next day.
• Reheat: Quickly reheat in a skillet or wok over medium heat with a drizzle of oil until warmed through (1-2 minutes). Avoid microwaving too long, as shrimp can get rubbery.
• Freezing: Not recommended, since shrimp and cabbage both lose their texture when thawed.

FAQ

Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, you can marinate the shrimp up to 24 hours ahead in the fridge and prep your cabbage in advance. Cook it right before serving for best texture.

What if I only have regular green cabbage?
Totally fine! It's a little firmer than Taiwanese cabbage, so just stir fry a couple extra minutes until tender.

Can I swap the protein?
Absolutely - chicken, pork, or even tofu all work great with this same stir fry base.

What should I serve this with?
It's delicious over a bowl of steamed rice, or you can keep it light and enjoy it on its own.

Continue to Content

Shrimp Cabbage Stir Fry Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Shrimp Cabbage Stir Fry – Marinated shrimp stir fried with cabbage in a tasty sauce. This is an easy dish to make and you can serve it family style or individually on a bed of rice!

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Ingredients

Shrimp marinade:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 lb shrimp
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon rice cooking wine
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• Black pepper (optional)

Stir fry:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pound cabbage (about ½ head), cut in to pieces
• ¼ cup of water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix shrimp with the marinade ingredients together. Allow it to marinade for about 15-30 minutes.
2. In a wok or cooking pan, add cooking oil and allow it to cook on medium high heat. When oil is heated, shrimp and stir fry for about a minute and then remove from heat and set aside.
3. Add a little more cooking oil if your pan is too dry. Then, add cabbage and stir fry for about a minute and add ¼ cup of water and cover with a lid for about 2 minutes.
4. Uncover and stir fry until the cabbage has softened, and return shrimp back in to pan and add soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, salt to taste, and stir fry everything for about another 2-3 minutes or until everything is cooked thoroughly.
5. Remove from heat and serve!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Hiware 10-Pairs Fiberglass Chopsticks - Reusable Chopsticks Dishwasher Safe, 9 ½ Inches - Black
• 
  Eleulife Wok Pan with Lid, 13 Inch Carbon Steel Wok with Spatula, Nonstick Woks and Stir-fry Pans, No Chemical Coated Flat Bottom Chinese Wok for Induction, Electric, Gas Stove, All Stoves
• 
  Kadoya Sesame Oil, 22.10 Fluid Ounce
• 
  Michiu (Rice Cooking Wine)- 750ml (Pack of 1) by QIAN HU
• 
  Wan Ja Shan Organic Aged Soy Sauce, 33.8fl.oz

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 269Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 239mgSodium: 1889mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 28g

The nutrition information for this recipe is an approximate total per serving. Please double check the nutrition information for your exact ingredients and brands for more precise nutrition information. Keep in mind that if there is a marinade, often times not all the ingredients will be consumed.

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• Pork Belly Cabbage Stir Fry
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• Cabbage Stir Fry with Dried Shrimp
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• Stir Fry Cabbage with Sichuan Peppercorn
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