This Korean-style gochujang shrimp stir-fry is inspired by saeu-bokkeum, a name used for Korean shrimp stir-fries that can be made with different sauces and vegetables. Juicy shrimp, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion cook quickly in a savory, gently sweet sauce, making this a lively one-pan main to serve with rice. Family versions vary in heat and ingredients, so the recipe gives you a balanced starting point you can adjust.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed; thawed if frozen
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral cooking oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion (about 100 g), thinly sliced
- 1 small zucchini (about 200 g), cut into half-moons about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
- 1 small red bell pepper (about 150 g), seeded and thinly sliced
- 3 scallions (about 45 g), thinly sliced, with white and green parts kept separate
- 2 garlic cloves (about 6 g), finely minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp (24 g) gochujang, Korean fermented red chile paste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) rice syrup or honey
- 1 tsp (2 g) gochugaru, Korean red-pepper flakes, or less to taste
- 2 tsp (10 ml) water
- 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 1/8 tsp (0.3 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (3 g) toasted sesame seeds, for serving
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. If any shrimp are especially large, make a shallow cut along the back so they cook evenly. Slice the onion, zucchini, bell pepper, and scallions, and mince the garlic. Keeping the vegetables and shrimp ready beside the stove matters because the cooking happens quickly. If your shrimp are frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or in a sealed bag under cold running water; drain and dry them well before cooking.
- In a small bowl, stir together the gochujang, soy sauce, rice syrup or honey, gochugaru, water, toasted sesame oil, and black pepper until the paste loosens into a smooth, spoonable sauce. Taste a little of the sauce and adjust the heat with more or less gochugaru. Gochujang brands vary in saltiness and sweetness, so avoid adding extra soy sauce until the finished dish has been tasted.
- Set a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the neutral oil and let it warm for about 1 minute, until it shimmers but does not smoke. Add the onion and the white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, then add the zucchini and bell pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring or tossing often. The vegetables should start to soften but still hold their shape; cooking them until limp will make the final dish watery.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring continuously so it becomes fragrant without browning. Add the shrimp in a single layer if the pan is large enough. If the pan is crowded, push the vegetables to the edges and place the shrimp in the center, or cook the shrimp in two batches. Crowding cools the pan and makes the shrimp release liquid rather than sear.
- Cook the shrimp for about 1 to 2 minutes on the first side, then turn them and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the sauce and toss everything together for about 1 minute, just until the shrimp are opaque and coated. Shrimp size and pan heat affect the timing, so check the thickest shrimp with a food thermometer: the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for fish and seafood is 145°F (63°C). Remove the pan from the heat as soon as they reach that temperature; cooking well beyond it can make them tough.
- Scatter the green parts of the scallions and the sesame seeds over the stir-fry. Taste a piece of shrimp with a little sauce. If it needs more salt, add a small splash of soy sauce; if it needs more sweetness, stir in a little rice syrup or honey. Serve promptly while the shrimp are tender and the vegetables still have some bite.
Tips
- Choose shrimp that cook at the same rate. Large shrimp, often labeled 21–25 per pound, are easy to handle in a stir-fry and are less likely to overcook while the vegetables finish. Smaller shrimp work too, but check them earlier. If using cooked shrimp, add them only at the end to warm through; they will not need the same raw-shrimp cooking time, and reheated cooked seafood can turn rubbery quickly.
- Use gochujang for the distinctive flavor. Gochujang is a Korean fermented chile paste with savory, sweet, and mildly tangy notes. It is stocked in many Asian grocery stores and larger supermarkets. If you cannot find it, combine 1 tbsp (15 g) mild miso with 1 tsp (5 g) sambal oelek or another chile-garlic paste and a pinch of sugar. This is a practical stand-in, not an exact match: it will be less fermented and less rounded. Start with a small amount of chile paste and adjust.
- Keep the pan hot and avoid excess moisture. Dry the thawed shrimp thoroughly, and do not wash sliced vegetables just before they go into the pan unless you dry them well. A very full pan steams the ingredients. Use a wide skillet or cook in batches, and keep the shrimp moving after adding the sauce so the sugars in the paste do not scorch on the pan.
- Adjust chile heat without changing the whole sauce. Gochugaru adds a fruity, mellow warmth; crushed red-pepper flakes can replace it, but they tend to taste sharper and hotter, so begin with 1/2 tsp (about 1 g). The gochujang itself also contributes heat. For a milder dish, reduce the flakes or omit them rather than cutting out the gochujang, which provides much of the sauce’s character.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the shrimp and vegetables hot over steamed short-grain rice, which catches the glossy sauce especially well. For four portions, plan on about 4 cups (about 600 g) cooked rice, prepared separately; rice cooking time is not included in the recipe timing. Brown rice or another plain grain also works, although its firmer texture changes the feel of the meal. For a lower-effort table, put out the shrimp straight from the skillet and let everyone spoon their own serving over rice.
A simple side of kimchi gives the meal a sour, fermented contrast, while blanched spinach seasoned with sesame oil or a cucumber salad adds freshness. These are serving ideas rather than required parts of the recipe. If using kimchi, offer it separately so diners can choose how much heat and acidity to add. A few extra sliced scallions or sesame seeds make a neat finish, but extra garnish is not needed for the sauce to taste complete.
Variations
Make it more vegetable-forward: Add 1 cup (about 100 g) sliced mushrooms or 1 cup (about 90 g) thinly sliced cabbage. Cook mushrooms with the zucchini, or add cabbage a little earlier so it has time to soften. Keep the total volume reasonable; adding too many vegetables at once will crowd the pan and dilute the sauce. You can also replace the bell pepper with thinly sliced carrot, though carrot takes a little longer to become tender.
Change the protein: Thin strips of firm tofu can take the shrimp’s place for a meat-free version. Pat the tofu dry, cut it into bite-size pieces, and brown it in the oil before cooking the vegetables; set it aside while the vegetables cook, then return it to the pan with the sauce. The tofu will not have the same briny sweetness as shrimp, and it does not require the seafood temperature guidance, but it absorbs the spicy sauce nicely.
Use a gentler sauce: For less heat, use 1 tbsp (16 g) gochujang and leave out the gochugaru, then taste before adding more. For a stronger, hotter finish, add gochugaru gradually or serve extra flakes at the table. If the sauce tastes too salty or intense, toss in a tablespoon of water rather than adding more sweetener; a little water loosens the coating without turning the dish sugary.
Turn leftovers into a rice bowl: Chop leftover shrimp and vegetables into smaller pieces and pile them over freshly cooked rice with a fried egg, if desired. The egg is an optional separate topping, not part of the stir-fry. Cook egg dishes to 160°F (71°C) according to USDA FSIS guidance, or cook a whole egg until both the white and yolk are firm. Add the leftovers after reheating them safely, rather than using cold leftovers as a topping.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate cooked shrimp stir-fry within 2 hours of cooking, placing it in a shallow, covered container so it cools promptly. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The vegetables soften as they sit, and shrimp can become firmer, so the texture is best on the day it is made. Keep rice in a separate container when possible, since storing it separately makes it easier to reheat each part evenly.
For the best texture, reheat only the portion you plan to eat. Warm it in a skillet over medium heat with 1 to 2 tsp (5 to 10 ml) water, stirring gently and covering briefly to help it heat through without sticking. You can also use a microwave in short intervals, stirring between them. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. Do not leave cooked shrimp at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if the surrounding temperature is above 90°F (32°C). Freezing is possible for up to 2 months for quality, although the vegetables will be softer after thawing; thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to 165°F (74°C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes. Frozen shrimp are convenient and work well once thawed. Thaw them in the refrigerator, or keep them in a sealed bag under cold running water until pliable. Drain and pat them dry before they go into the skillet. Avoid thawing shrimp on the counter, and do not add icy shrimp straight to the pan because the extra water can cool the skillet and make the sauce thin.
How do I know when the shrimp are cooked?
The flesh should look opaque rather than translucent, and the shrimp should curl loosely into a C shape. A tight O shape can be a sign they have cooked too long, though appearance alone is not a precise safety check. For the USDA FSIS safe minimum, check the thickest shrimp with a food thermometer and cook seafood to 145°F (63°C). Since shrimp are small, use the probe carefully and avoid letting them continue cooking in the hot pan once they have reached the target.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes. Stir the sauce ingredients together and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 2 days. The gochujang may settle or thicken while chilled, so stir it again before using. Keep the shrimp refrigerated separately and cook the dish just before serving; leaving raw shrimp in the sauce for hours is not necessary and can make the surface salty without improving the quick stir-fry.
What can I use instead of rice syrup?
Honey is an easy substitute and is listed in the recipe. You can also use an equal amount of light brown sugar dissolved in the water, though the sauce may be a little less glossy. Korean rice syrup, sometimes labeled ssal-jocheong, has a mild sweetness and thick texture. If you use maple syrup, expect a noticeable maple note, so begin with a little less and adjust after tasting.
Is this dish very spicy?
It is moderately spicy as written, but the exact heat depends on the gochujang and gochugaru you use. Start with less gochugaru if you are unsure, then serve extra at the table. Gochujang varies from brand to brand, and some pastes are both sweeter and hotter than others. A spoonful of plain rice with each bite also balances the chile flavor without changing the recipe.
Can I double the recipe?
You can double the ingredients, but do not try to cook twice as much in an ordinary skillet at once. The vegetables and shrimp will crowd the pan and steam. Cook in two batches, keeping the first batch loosely covered while you finish the second, then return everything to the pan with the sauce just long enough to heat and coat it. Check that all shrimp reach 145°F (63°C) before serving.
Related
- Korean Soy Sauce Marinated Eggs: Mayak Eggs
- Korean Boiled Eggs with Soy Sauce: Mayak Gyeran Recipe
- Popular Korean Drinks: Traditional Sujeonggwa Recipe
More recipes to cook
Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).