This recipe for General Tso's shrimp is my healthy recipe based on the take-out version. While there is no breading or frying, the sweet and savory sauce is the star of the show and will make you forget it isn't from a restaurant.
Why this recipe is just so good...
- While I love eating out and skipping the clean up, I love eating healthy, controlling my sugar intake and customizing flavors to my preference more! And the fact that it is a quick, one pan dish makes clean up less painful!
- This recipe offers a no sugar added option for the sauce if you prefer eating a low carb or keto shrimp dinner.
- We never skimp on flavor! The sauce is sweet, spicy, tangy, thick and savory. You can adjust the sweetness and the spice by adding more brown sugar or chilis.
- If you just love seafood recipes that are full of flavor, try my Blackened Cod, Air Fryer Shrimp or Blackened Swordfish.
Ingredient Notes
- The ingredients that give the sauce it's distinctive sweet and spicy flavor are the chili sauce and ginger which gives the spiciness, the brown sugar gives the sweetness and the rice wine vinegar adds the tang.
- You can adjust the spice level by using the chili peppers in the sauce. And if you cut a few open and let the seeds permeate the sauce, it will be hotter. Or leave them out and just use the chili sauce.
These shrimp were frozen and defrosted overnight in the refrigerator. To save yourself some work, buy the deveined, with shell and tail removed.
How to make General Tso's sauce low carb?
- As an option, if you'd like to lower the carbohydrates in the sauce, use a brown sugar substitute, sugar free chili sauce and arrowroot powder for thickening.
How to make General Tso's Shrimp?
Make the sauce by stirring together everything except the shrimp and arrowroot. I added the peppers, but didn't cut them open since I didn't want it too spicy for that meal.
- Pat dry the defrosted or fresh shrimp. Add oil to a large pan or wok and heat over medium high flame.
- Sautee' the shrimp for 2 minutes, turn over and cook another minute until they turn pinky/orange and the tail starts to curl. Remove to a plate.
- Put 2 tablespoons sauce in a cup and stir in the arrowroot or cornstarch. Pour the remaining sauce into pan, bring to a simmer. Lower flame to low-medium and sprinkle the arrowroot mixture and stir the sauce to thicken.
- Return shrimp to pan, stir to coat with sauce and heat through.
- Serve with cauliflower rice, brown or jasmine rice. Sprinkle on some chopped scallions for garnish.
FAQ
Yes, this version is very healthy! It is made without breading and is not batter dipped or fried in a lot of oil. There is no hoisin sauce to add sugar to the sauce. And we have an optional version of using brown sugar substitute, sugar free chili sauce. To thicken the sauce, you can use arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch to lower the carbohydrates too.
We love the combination of sweet and spicy. But your eyes shouldn't water and your tongue shouldn't burn if you don't want. So we offer different levels of spiciness.
The sweet chili sauce from Trader Joes or the sugar free option from G Hughes have some heat to add to the recipe. But if you like more spice, add the chili peppers to the sauce and cut open a few and the seeds will add a lot more spice. Taste test the sauce.
Start with less, you can always add more.
Cooking Tips
- Make sure to pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. And try not to crowd the pan with the shrimp so that they will saute', not steam. If you are cooking more than what easily fits, just cook the shrimp in batches.
- If you accidentally make the sauce too sweet or spicy, add more broth or some water to dilute it a bit. You can add a bit more arrowroot or cornstarch to thicken as needed.
If you enjoyed this recipe, I'd love if you gave it a 5 star rating. This tells me what recipes you like and want to see more of. Thank you!
If you want more seafood recipes, check out these quick and easy dinner ideas!
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General Tso's Shrimp (without breading)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Chinese
Description
This recipe for General Tso's shrimp is my healthy recipe based on the take-out version. While there is no breading or frying, the sweet and savory sauce is the star of the show and will make you forget it isn't from a restaurant.
Ingredients
Sauce
- ¼ cup low sodium vegetable or chicken stock or broth
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar or substitute
- 5 dried chilis *
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce *
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2-3 teaspoons arrowroot powder ( or cornstarch)
- 1 ½ pounds raw shrimp - defrosted if frozen, deveined and shells and tail removed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 stalk scallion, chopped
Instructions
- Combine all sauce ingredients. Stir well. If you want the sauce to be mildly spicy, don't cut open the chili peppers. If you do like a bit more spice cut 1 or 2 open since the seeds are spicy. Taste the sauce for sweetness and spice.
- Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium flame and add the oil.
- Add the shrimp and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 - 3 minutes. They will turn an orange/pink color and the tail will being to curl a bit. Remove shrimp to a plate.
- Combine 2 tablespoons sauce and the arrowroot or cornstarch and mix well. Pour remaining sauce into the pan. Bring to a low boil. Stir in the arrowroot mixture. Sauce will thicken as it cooks.
- Add the shrimp back to pan and stir to coat with sauce and cook for another minute to heat through. Add more broth or water if sauce is too thick.
- Serve with chopped scallions.
Notes
*Remove dried chili peppers before serving.
*Serve over cauliflower, brown or jasmine rice.
*Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for two days.
*Freeze in an airtight container for up to a month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Heat on covered plate until hot.
Keywords: shrimp, keto shrimp dinner, healthy, seafood, sweet and spicy sauce
Katie says
Wow the sauce is so good. Will double it next time
★★★★★