Shrimp and Basil Stir Fry For One

This shrimp and basil stir fry is one of the quickest dinners for one you'll ever make! Shrimp is added to a quick spicy marinade, seared until just cooked and then tossed with LOTS of fresh basil. Mix and match with your favorite vegetable for an easy 20-minute meal.

This shrimp and basil stir fry for one is my ultimate weeknight dinner, and pretty much the sole reason why I will buy basil year-round.

Obviously this is perfect in the summer when it feels like your basil plant can't stop growing, but it's just as perfect when using store-bought, not-so-perfect basil because you're heating and wilting the basil anyway!

Stir fry is a weeknight win!

This recipe is slightly adapted from Bon Appetit and one I've made over and over. My version is (obviously) scaled down for one, but also changes the technique up just a little to fit the way I generally choose to cook (e.g. less dishes!). I'll happily eat this straight out of the pan, all on its own, but you can definitely serve this over noodles or rice. Or alongside any vegetable of your choice.

Stir fries are the ultimate weeknight dinner move, and to me, shrimp stir fries are at the top of that list. If you keep bags of frozen shrimp on hand, this is basically the perfect "oh no i forgot to plan dinner" dinner.

How to quickly thaw shrimp

1. Take out the amount of shrimp you need (this is why I love those big bags of shrimp you find in the freezer section!) and add to a bowl.
2. Cover with cold water and let shrimp sit for 5-10 minutes.
3. By now the shrimp should start to break apart (if they were frozen solid). Drain and replace with more cold water.
4. Let sit for another 10 minutes or until fully thawed.
5. Drain water and pat shrimp dry with a paper towel.

What you'll need

Shrimp. This dish is a great reason to keep frozen shrimp on hand, but fresh shrimp obviously is great too. I remove the tails, but you can keep them on if you don't want to worry about that step.

Zucchini. I find sliced zucchini quicks super fast and I always have it on hand so I use it often when making this shrimp stir fry.

Substitute: You can replace with zucchini with just about any vegetable! Try broccoli, bell pepper or snap peas. Depending on what you use, they might take longer to cook so just adjust your time accordingly. You want the vegetables to fully cook before you cook up the shrimp.

Basil. The basil gives this dish so much flavor, so use fresh and use a lot!

Jalapeno. I like this dish spicy so I use a whole (small) pepper and keep the seeds and ribs in. But you can use less, depending on how much spice you can take.

Substitute: Fresno, serrano or thai chilis will all work. The latter two tend to be spicier, so adjust accordingly!

Garlic. Because of course.

Ginger. I love the flavor ginger adds here and I always have some, but you can leave it out if you don't have any on hand or don't enjoy.

Fish sauce. This gives the stir fry so much delicious umami flavor. I know some people may feel weird about fish sauce, but I promise it's so good in this dish.

Soy sauce. For the flavor and saltiness.

Substitute: You can use coconut aminos if you prefer, but I'd add a pinch of salt too.

Honey. For sweetness to balance out the spice. This also helps the shrimp caramelize as it quickly cooks which adds its own layer of flavor.Substitute: Try white sugar or maple syrup.

How to make this quick stir fry for one

1. Combine jalapeno, garlic, ginger, honey, soy sauce and fish sauce. Add shrimp and marinate for at least 10 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
2. Cook zucchini in a little oil until browned and cooked to crip-tender (you can cook longer if you like!). Remove from pan.
3. Remove shrimp from the marinade, wiping it clean of any bits of pepper or garlic, and add to pan in a single layer. Sear, flipping once, until shrimp is caramelized on the outside and just cooked through. Turn off heat.
4. Add zucchini and basil to pan and toss to combine. That's it!

Serving ideas

You can serve this simple shrimp and basil stir fry for one with steamed rice or any other grain, like quinoa or farro.

You can also cook up some noodles and toss them in the end. When I do this, I add a little extra soy sauce and sesame oil to make a quick sauce.

This roasted broccoli or roasted cabbage are also great choices. For both, you can scale down the recipe to make just as much as you want!

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