The Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Shrimp Stir Fry is a skillet filled with sautéed shrimp in a spicy barbecue sauce garnished with sweet chunks of pineapple and red peppers.
This quick and easy meal gets two thumbs up from the whole family every time I make it.
What’s my favorite part of this meal? This entire recipe comes together in 15 minutes or less. If you cook the rice before cooking the shrimp, it will be on the table in no time.
As with many of our meals, when I first made this recipe, I was inspired by the ingredients I had on hand and a craving or two.
pineapple shrimp
Pineapple and shrimp are favorites here. My middle son asked for shrimp. There was a pineapple sale and a jar of sweet and spicy homemade BBQ sauce waiting to be used. The flavor combination was even better than I expected and it quickly became a family favorite.
I can’t count how many times I’ve made this sweet and spicy stir-fry. I crave this recipe every time shrimp goes on sale. It’s a 15-minute dinner with a guaranteed win every time.
Bacon Blue Cheese and Chopped Shrimp Salad, Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, Chili Lime Shrimp Bites, Spicy Orange Garlic Shrimp OR chili garlic shrimp (a Recipe book favorite), and last but not least, the classic shrimp cocktail, all of which are recipes we make over and over again.
We love shrimp, but we keep repeating these recipes. Be sure to try this stir-fried shrimp with pineapple and peppers.
What kind of shrimp do you want?
This shrimp stir-fry can be done with or without the shrimp tails. I made it both ways.
Cooking the shrimp with the tail on makes for a nicer presentation. However, my go-to method is to cook the shrimp with the tail removed.
I like that the final dish is more child-friendly and easy to eat for a quick dinner. This is truly a lightning-fast meal.
Stir-fried Shrimp with Pineapple
The combination of buttered prawns, tangy-sweet BBQ sauce, crunchy chilies and sweet pineapple makes for a truly irresistible dish. What can you do in just a few minutes? It just gets better.
Rinse the shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and quickly fry the shrimp.
Complete in 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. When the prawns turn pale pink and are cooked through, remove to a plate.
stir fry with shrimp
Add the peppers to a frying pan with a little oil and fry until lightly browned and just tender. Add the pineapple and mix with the peppers to soften slightly, about 1-2 minutes.
Add the barbecue sauce, stir to combine, and bring to a boil over high heat. When it thickens, return the shrimp to the pot, mix well, and simmer for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens.
Remove from heat and add green onions. As it is or with rice.
Most of the time, even if you don’t like spicy BBQ sauce, you’ll probably want a spicy sauce to balance the sweet pineapple in this dish. You can make your own sauce in just a few minutes or use your favorite spicy store-bought sauce.
I promise the end result will not be too spicy.
Stir-fried Pineapple Shrimp
This shrimp and pineapple stir-fry is a big favourite. In addition, the hearty stir-fried shrimp is the key, so please try this kielbasa and shrimp fried rice.
Crunchy warm veggies, tender shrimp and a dash of sriracha make this shrimp and veggie fried rice another great option. my favorite skillet this Spatula when making stir fry. Having the right tools really makes the job easier.
Check out this Thai Steak Stir Fry for some great stir fry recipes. The next time summer squash is in abundance at home, this flavorful Southwest Chicken Skillet from the weekday lunch and breakfast cookbook is a winner.
Korean beef bulgogi is also a family favorite. When I got married, there was a favorite Korean restaurant near my house. Sean always ordered bulgogi and I ordered japchae.
The Sriracha Honey Cashew Chicken and Chinese Beef with Broccoli are stir-fries that get two thumbs up every time I make them.
{First posted 3/24/15 – recipe notes and photos updated 7/31/20}
