Garlic-Ginger Shrimp Rice Noodle Stir-Fry

Name: Garlic-Ginger Shrimp Rice Noodle Stir-Fry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Ingredients: 8 oz dry rice noodles (pad thai-style or vermicelli); 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted very dry; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, helps sauce cling); 2 cups thin-sliced bell pepper (about 1 large); 2 cups thin-sliced snap peas or snow peas; 1 cup shredded carrots (or thin matchsticks); 3 scallions, thin-sliced (white and green separated); 1/4 cup gluten-free tamari; 3 tbsp water; 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 1/2 tbsp honey (or maple syrup); 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tsp cornstarch; 2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado, canola, or grapeseed), divided; 5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 1/2 tbsp); 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced; 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional; skip for mild); 1 lime, cut into wedges; 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional); 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Jesse Wolf

A fast, glossy shrimp-and-rice-noodle stir-fry with lots of garlic and ginger, crisp-tender veggies, and a mild tamari-sesame sauce. It’s naturally gluten-free as long as you use rice noodles and gluten-free tamari, and it stays weeknight-easy with one quick sauce whisked right in the bowl. Finish with lime for brightness and scallions for that fresh bite.

gluten-free
weeknight
stir-fry
seafood

25 min total · 15 min prep · 10 min cook

Serves 4

430 kcal · 32g protein · 52g carbs · 11g fat total

Large skillet or wok · Mixing bowl · Small bowl · Tongs

Ingredients

Instructions

Prep

Soften the noodles. Soak rice noodles in warm water until pliable but still a bit firm in the center, 8–12 minutes (timing depends on thickness). Drain well and toss with a tiny splash of oil if they’re sticking.

Mix the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk tamari, water, rice vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, and cornstarch until smooth.

Season the shrimp. In a bowl, toss shrimp with salt, pepper, and the optional 1 tbsp cornstarch. Keep them as dry as you can so they sear instead of steaming.

Stir-fry

Sear the shrimp. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles hard. Add 1 tbsp neutral oil, then add shrimp in a single layer. Cook until they turn pink and just curl into a loose “C,” about 60–90 seconds per side. Transfer to a plate.

Cook the veggies. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add scallion whites, garlic, ginger, and optional red pepper flakes; stir 15–30 seconds until fragrant (don’t let the garlic brown). Add bell pepper and peas and stir-fry 2–3 minutes until bright and crisp-tender.

Toss noodles + sauce. Add drained noodles and pour in the sauce. Toss constantly 1–2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and lightly thickens and the noodles are fully tender. If it looks tight, splash in 1–2 tbsp water and keep tossing.

Finish. Return shrimp to the pan and toss 30–60 seconds just to warm through. Off heat, squeeze in lime to taste, then top with scallion greens and optional cilantro/sesame seeds. Taste and adjust with a little extra tamari (saltier) or lime/vinegar (brighter).

Chef’s cue: The best stir-fry texture is when the sauce coats the noodles in a shiny film and you can smell toasted sesame and ginger right when you kill the heat.

Notes

Gluten-free check: use 100% rice noodles and gluten-free tamari. Mild by default: skip red pepper flakes. Veg swaps: broccoli florets, shredded cabbage, mushrooms, or baby spinach all work; keep total veg about 5–6 cups. Storage: best day-of; leftovers keep 2 days. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water until steaming and glossy again.