Published: Mar 8, 2012 · Last Updated: May 1, 2022 by Dr. Sonali Ruder · This post may contain affiliate links · 30 Comments

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Shrimp and colorful vegetables are tossed with soba noodles and coated with a delicious sweet and savory sauce. My Hoisin Shrimp and Edamame Stir-Fry is the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal that comes together in under 30 minutes!

Have you ever had a stir-fry disaster? Do you wonder why your stir-fry doesn’t look or taste like it does in restaurants? A good stir-fry can be a home cook’s best friend- it’s a crowd-pleaser and is ideal for busy weeknights when you want to put a nutritious meal on the table fast.

But sometimes stir-fry can end up less than perfect with limp, soggy vegetables or dry, tough meat. And how do you prevent the ingredients from sticking to the pan?

Here are some simple tips on this versatile ancient Chinese cooking technique to guarantee that your next stir-fry attempt will be a success.

Tips for Stir-Fry Success:

1. Hot, hot, hot!

Getting your wok or pan really hot before you start to cook is key to ensuring stir fry success. When your pan is hot, your meat will get seared which will give it a nice golden crust, leaving it juicy in the middle. Veggies will stay crisp with a firm bite. If you’re a beginner, start with your temperature on medium high and adjust from there.

2. Use oil with a high smoke point and neutral flavor

This is not the time to use your extra virgin olive oil! You want to use oil that can heat up to very high temperatures without burning and is also neutral in flavor to let the ingredients shine. Try peanut, canola, corn, soybean or grapeseed oil for best results. Dark sesame oil is used for seasoning- add it at the end of cooking to add delicious flavor.

3. Mise en Place

This classic French technique of prepping all of your ingredients ahead of time is how professional kitchens are able to push so many dishes out of the kitchen quickly every night. When making stir-fry, the cooking process is really quick so it’s key to have all of your ingredients prepped and chopped when you’re ready to start cooking.

4. Don’t overcrowd the pan

Although you may be tempted to throw all of your ingredients into the pan at once, this will just steam your ingredients rather than sautéing them, leading to tough meat and mushy veggies. When cooking meat, make sure each piece comes into contact with the surface of the pan- you may need to cook it in batches to ensure this. Don’t stir the pieces around too much- let them develop a golden color on the outside.

5. Cook in steps

The different components of stir-fry are usually cooked in stages- sear the meat first then remove from the pan. Veggies go in next- things that take a longer time to cook like broccoli or eggplant go in first followed by veggies that cook quickly such as snow peas or spinach. Then the meat is added back and the sauce is added to finish the dish. This ensures that nothing gets overcooked and that each component is cooked to perfection.

Hoisin shrimp and edamame stir-fry

My yummy Hoisin Shrimp and Edamame Stir-Fry is a great way to incorporate healthy seafood into your diet and shrimp only takes a few minutes to cook.

Red bell peppers and vibrant green edamame add bright pops of color to this dish and they’re packed with nutrition.

Bell peppers are an excellent source of Vitamin C and also contain high levels of Vitamins A, E, K and B-complex vitamins as well as the antioxidant lycopene.

Edamame, which can be found in the frozen foods aisle of the grocery store, are green soybeans. They’re high in protein, fiber and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. They’re also rich in several antioxidants, vitamins and minerals including Vitamin K, folate and manganese.

They are commonly served boiled or steamed in the pod with a light sprinkling of sea salt. Shelled edamame are usually precooked and make a great addition to stir fry dishes, soups and stews.

Soba Noodles

Instead of rice, I serve my stir-fry with soba noodles. Soba noodles are thin Japanese noodles made mainly from buckwheat flour. They have a mild nutty flavor and are commonly used in soups and cold salads.

Soba noodles are a nice change from rice and I like to toss them directly into the stir-fry to get them evenly coated with the sauce.

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