Thai-Style Sweet and Salty Shrimp

Recipe from Kris Yenbamroong

Adapted by Ali Slagle

Thai-Style Sweet and Salty Shrimp — David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Total Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 4(1,187)
Notes: Read community notes

Made of equal parts sugar, fish sauce and vinegar, the sauce in the famous pad Thai at Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market restaurants in Los Angeles is too good to be used exclusively on rice noodles. This adaptation is simmered with a tangle of shrimp, peanuts, scallions, chile and lime juice for for a sweet, salty stir-fry. Add a quick cooking vegetable, like peas, thinly sliced asparagus or bean sprouts, with the shrimp, or substitute tofu, salmon or cubed boneless chicken thighs for the shrimp. Serve over shredded cabbage, rice, a roasted sweet potato or rice noodles. —Ali Slagle

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Ingredients

Yield:3 to 4 servings

1pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and black pepper
1tablespoon light brown sugar
1tablespoon fish sauce
1tablespoon white vinegar
3tablespoons roasted, salted peanuts, finely chopped
3scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
1tablespoon fresh lime juice
½teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Pat the shrimp very dry and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Step 2
In a medium (10-inch) nonstick skillet, stir together the sugar, fish sauce and vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. When the mixture comes to a simmer, add the shrimp and cook until pink on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Step 3
Add the peanuts, scallions, lime juice and red-pepper flakes and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,187 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

Simple and delicious.4 years ago

This recipe is so delicious and so easy. It will go into our regular rotation. We added more red pepper flakes and next time I will double the sauce to serve over rice.

Tricia4 years ago

SB you could try doubling the sauce ingredients, and/or using better quality shrimp (tasteless farmed shrimp are not the same as wild caught American gulf shrimp). If you included Asian fish sauce, it shouldn't be bland. Try adding some garlic and a big bunch of chopped cilantro if it still needs "more."

Ellen4 years ago

Pistachios

Veronica Stewart4 years ago

If I make again I will make 1.5 x more sauce.

Alicja4 years ago

I doubled the amount of sauce and add a peanut butter instead of roasted peanuts and it was delicious!

Sarah Morris4 years ago

Absolutely would cook again. Very easy for a quick, healthy, late dinner. I placed over rice and had doubled the sauce ingredients. I would potentially 3x the sauce for my next go around. I also did 1 teaspoon of red-pepper flakes. My next go I may do a 1/2 teaspoon of red-pepper and then drizzle with chili oil for that finishing heat. I served with lime wedges too. DELICIOUS!

Jeanne3 years ago

This is delicious! I used lemon juice rather than lime juice. I put some noodles in a bowl, topped with a handful of plain coleslaw mix and then the shrimp. Easy, spicy, salty and yummy!

KAREN3 years ago

Made 3x sauce, added frozen peas and bamboo shoots, served on top of pad Thai noodles. Fantastic!

Jo Nash3 years ago

I have been making a lot of dishes in bowls lately with a layer of greens then starch then the star of the show on top. With this recipe I placed very thinly sliced cabbage tossed with a little rice vinegar (very little) topped with rice noodles then added the salty sweet shrimp on top. By the time you start digging in, all the contents of the bowl slowly mix together for a wonderful meal.

KAREN3 years ago

Delicious!!! Served over rice noodles, tripled sauce as suggested. Definitely a keeper.

Lynn4 years ago

We have peanut allergies, so used toasted almonds and sesame seeds. Served it over tofu noodles. Will add to our rotation as well, but may be some basil at the end next time.

courtcooksgood3 years ago

The sauce for the shrimp was a little less than I thought was required so I doubled it. With what was left, I sautéed kale in after removing the shrimp and it was a fast, perfect side to eat with the shrimp!

Linda Wigren3 years ago

Made this exactly as written. Served over rice with steamed broccoli. It was really good and everyone liked it. The best part was it was very quick to make.

Nina3 years ago

This was delicious and very quick! I made it twice, the second time I doubled the sauce but I actually prefer the original recipe. There is more concentration of flavor with less sauce, don't miss this one.

Deb2 years ago

Insanely easy and quick! Used a base of rice noodles (stick them in hot water while everything else cooks). Doubled sauce for about 3/4# of shrimp for 2. Used half rice vinegar and half white. Threw 2 big handfuls of slaw mix to pan when shrimp was done. Then topped with some bean sprouts. Also added some hot chili oil... Def think some cilantro would be a good addition on top.

Beth1 week ago

This, on top of Sarah Jameel’s Spicy Corn and Coconut Soup. Amazing.

JB DC1 month ago

Agree with perhaps double the sauce, but we’d cut the pepper flakes in half, to 1/4 tsp, as the heat overpowered the shrimp. Be generous with the scallions and lime juice!

Anna3 months ago

Doubled the sauce, but use 1.5 T fish sauce and no salt. Put over bed of shredded cabbage. Yum!

Nicole4 months ago

I made it with 1-2 thai chilis instead of red pepper flakes and it was excellent. I agree with others, make double the amount of sauce.

Jenna B8 months ago

Doubled the sauce as others suggested. Used rice vinegar instead of white vinegar. Added 1 tsp soy sauce and added 1 tsp cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Next time I would replace half of the vinegar with soy sauce, as it was a bit too acidic as-is.

Dana10 months ago

Doubled sauce. Used rice wine vinegar. Sautéed French green beans, shallots and the shrimp then added sauce. used chives and basil to finish. used soy sauce instead of salt and Sichuan pepper instead of black pepper. served over white rice.

Easy and quick!1 year ago

Tripled the sauce as other commenters suggested! Sooo good. I suggest serving with wedges of lime on the side for those who want an extra kick!

Sherri1 year ago

So delicious and quick! As per reviewer, I added a TBS of peanut butter (as I didn’t have peanuts) to the sauce prior to cooking. Love! I served it over jasmine rice with sautéed spinach and veggies. Great weeknight meal.

a cook from Toronto1 year ago

Made 1.5x sauce and it was enough for 350 grams of mixed seafood (bay scallops and shrimp) served over shredded green cabbage and rice noodles.

Eric1 year ago

The quality of the fish sauce makes or breaks this dish almost more than the quality of the shrimp. Make sure you get something high quality.

Henry1 year ago

Agreed with many comments suggesting larger portion for sauces. Otherwise, this is an incredibly tasty recipe.

3/14/221 year ago

Made 8/25/22. Sautéed mushrooms and green beans in peanut oil and added. Yum

ChefSweety2 years ago

I had kefir lime leaves to use so i shredded them finely and topped the shrimp over coconut rice. Definitely a keeper!

Myra2 years ago

Made exactly as described and it was delicious. Don't skim on the peanuts and scallions. Served with cabbage mango coleslaw which worked well.

Jg2 years ago

This is a terrific recipe...I doubled the sauce and threw in 12 oz. of diced asparagus which I cooked for a few minutes first. Then cooked the shrimp for a minute or so and threw in the sauce and the rest of the ingredients. Had it with jasmine rice...fantastic and easy dinner.

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