Cashew shrimp is a sweet, sticky, and totally delicious recipe. Skip the takeout and make this easy dinner at home instead!

Complete the meal with a side of basmati rice or cauliflower rice and some steamed or roasted broccoli!

A close up of a bowl full of cashew shrimp with some rice.

Cashew shrimp

Cashew shrimp is the seafood version of our popular cashew chicken recipe. It's deliciously sweet and sticky and easy to fall in love with.

The shrimp are dusted in a little tapioca starch which makes a nice, crispy coating. Then a simple sauce made of hoisin and a few other Asian flavors is poured over top and the whole thing is topped with toasted cashews.

It's pure, delicious comfort food at its best.

Cashew shrimp in a frying pan with a wooden spoon.

How to make shrimp with cashew nuts

There are two parts to this very simple recipe.

  1. Toss the shrimp in a little seasoned tapioca or cornstarch. When you pan-fry them, the starch makes a crispy coating.
  2. Whisk the sauce ingredients together and pour it over the cooked shrimp. It'll thicken in about a minute and coat the shrimp.

Once your sticky shrimp is made simply add some cashews to the pan and dinner is ready!

Full recipe in the recipe card below.

What kind of shrimp to use?

You can use either fresh or thawed frozen shrimp. When you're buying shrimp, make sure to check that they've been certified as ocean-friendly. MSC, ASC, and Ocean Wise are a few common certifications, but there are others.

We like to use medium-sized shrimp, which are often sold as 36-40 per pound.

You can leave the tails on if you like the look. But it's much easier to eat them with the tails off. Simply pinch the tails and you'll be able to pull them off easily.

A closeup of shrimp with cashew nuts in a frying pan.

How long does cashew shrimp last in the fridge?

Cashew shrimp will keep for up to 2 days in your fridge.

Reheat it gently so that you only warm the shrimp, not continue to cook them.

What to serve with cashew shrimp?

You're going to want to make some rice or cauliflower rice so you can pour some of the sweet and sticky sauce over the top.

As far as veggies go, some steamed broccoli and peppers are what you see in the pictures. Other veggies that go well with cashew shrimp are:

Cashew shrimp in a white bowl with broccoli and rice.
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Cashew shrimp in a white bowl with broccoli and rice.

Cashew Shrimp

  • Author: Kristen Stevens
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Asian

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Description

Cashew shrimp is a sweet, sticky, and totally delicious recipe. Skip the takeout and make this easy dinner at home instead! 

If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star review in the comments!

Scale

Ingredients

Cashew Shrimp

  • 1 ½ lb. medium-sized shelled shrimp
  • ¼ cup tapioca starch (can sub cornstarch)
  • 2 tablespoons oil (we like avocado oil)
  • ¾ cup cashews, toasted (see notes)
  • Sesame seeds and minced cilantro, to serve

Cashew Shrimp Sauce

  • 1 teaspoon tapioca starch
  • ¾ cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • ⅓ cup hoisin sauce (gluten-free, if needed. homemade for refined sugar-free)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce (gluten-free or coco aminos, as needed)
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (can sub white vinegar)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger

Instructions

  1. Place the shrimp and starch in a medium-sized bowl and toss to combine.
  2. Make the sauce next. In another bowl or large measuring cup, combine the tapioca starch with a small splash of the stock. Mix well then add all the remaining sauce ingredients.
  3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Work in 2 batches, if needed. Cook the shrimp for 1 minute then flip it over and cook for 1 minute more.
  4. Pour the sauce into the pan and stir until it has thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in the cashews and serve with some sesame seeds and minced cilantro over the top.

Notes

If you have raw cashews on hand you can toast them for 7-8 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Remove them once they are golden and smell fragrant.

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Cashew shrimp in a white bowl with broccoli and rice with the recipe title on top of the picture.