General Tso Shrimp Stir Fry

General Tso shrimp stir fry features crispy shrimp tossed in a spicy-sweet sauce with garlic, ginger, and chiles for a bold, restaurant-style meal at home.

Also try tofu kung pao, black pepper chicken, or a classic chicken stir fry. And one of my all-time favorites ever: this delicious five spice chicken stir fry.

Why You’ll Love It

Better than takeout: This General Tso’s shrimp recipe is not only quick and easy but the result is so delicious, it’s better than takeout! The combination of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors is simply perfect.
Quick and easy: With a prep time of 10 minutes and a cooking time of 15 minutes, you can have this tasty dish ready in less than 30 minutes. That makes it the perfect solution for those busy weeknights when you’re craving something special but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
Perfectly crispy: The method of battering the shrimp will make it perfectly crispy. It’s then coated with a glossy, spicy, and sweet sauce that’s incredibly flavorful.

General Tso’s Shrimp Recipe Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Shrimp: This recipe calls for shrimp that’s been peeled and deveined. You’ll want to keep the tails on for a better presentation. 
Shaoxing wine: This Chinese rice wine adds a depth of flavor to the shrimp. If you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute dry sherry or non-alcoholic white wine.
Soy sauce: It adds the classic savory, umami flavor to our General Tso’s shrimp recipe.
Chili oil, red chiles, and red pepper flakes: These add a nice kick to the dish. You can control the heat by adding more or less, or omitting it entirely if you don’t like spicy food.
Cornstarch: This is used to coat the shrimp. It helps to make them crispy when they’re fried and also thickens the sauce later on.
Ginger and garlic: These are minced and added to the shrimp for a flavor boost. Be sure to mince them finely so you don’t get a big chunk in your food.
General Tso sauce: For the homemade sauce, you’ll need soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, mirin, and cornstarch. The cornstarch is mixed with a little water to make a slurry and used to thicken the sauce, the other ingredients give it a delicious sweet, tangy and umami flavor.

How to Make General Tso’s Shrimp

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Marinate the shrimp: Add the shrimp to a bowl and mix in the Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, chili oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let it marinate while you prepare the sauce.
Prepare the General Tso sauce: In a saucepan, heat the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chile oil, sesame oil, and mirin. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the cornstarch. Remove from heat.
Coat and fry the shrimp: Add cornstarch and red pepper flakes to the marinating shrimp and toss to coat. Fry the shrimp in batches in a wok or large skillet until crispy, then place on a paper towel-lined plate.
Prepare the vegetable mixture: Remove most of the oil from the wok, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the garlic, ginger, dried red chiles, and sliced green and red chiles and cook for 2 minutes.
Combine the shrimp and sauce: Pour the prepared sauce over the cooked shrimp and stir to coat. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Garnish and serve: Garnish the General Tso shrimp with sesame seeds and serve it with white rice or your favorite side.

Substitutions and Variations

Spice level: If you’re not a fan of spicy food, you can easily adjust the heat level of this General Tso’s shrimp recipe. Simply reduce or omit the spicy chili oil and cut down on the amount of chiles you use.
Shaoxing wine: If you don’t have Shaoxing wine on hand, a good substitute would be dry sherry. They have a similar flavor profile and will provide a similar depth of flavor to your dish.                   
Alcohol-free: For those who prefer not to use alcohol, you can replace the Shaoxing wine with rice vinegar and half a teaspoon of white sugar. It will still give you a similar
tangy-sweet flavor.
Extra veggies: To add a boost of nutrition and freshness to this dish, feel free to throw in some extra vegetables like broccoli or snap peas. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time to make sure that they’re not overcooked.

Serving Suggestions

Popular side dishes: General Tso shrimp makes a great main course for a quick weeknight dinner or a delicious weekend treat. Pair it with a bowl of steamed white rice, hibachi fried rice or hibachi noodles, or even gluten-free noodles to soak up the tasty sauce. You might also want to try my PF Chang’s copycat fried rice.
Contrasting side: Since this shrimp dish packs a bit of a spicy punch, a mild-tasting side dish like steamed bok choy or even a simple cucumber salad can provide a refreshing contrast to the heat. It’s also great with some steamed broccoli or even a zoodle salad.
Other Asian mains: I don’t know about you, but whenever I’m craving takeout, I always want to have a few different options. Try some vegan tofu kung pao with it.

How to Store General Tso’s Shrimp

Store: If you have any leftovers, make sure to remove the shrimp from the sauce before storing. Place them in an airtight container and pop them into the fridge. You can keep the General Tso sauce separate and it will last for up to 3 days.
Freeze: You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Make sure to place it in a freezer-safe container before you do so.
Thaw: Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Reheat: Reheat in a foil-covered baking dish for about 10 minutes at 325 degrees F in the oven or until hot. I like to remove the foil during the last minute or so, so the top can crisp up a little.