This delicious and easy Cantonese stir-fried scrambled eggs and shrimp is made with fluffy scrambled eggs and ready from start to finish in 15 minutes!
Table of Contents
- What is Chinese Shrimp and Egg Stir Fry?
- Ingredients for Scrambled Eggs and Shrimp
- Tips
- How to Make Fluffy Scrambled Eggs
- Easy Way to Devein Shrimp with a Toothpick
- How to Make Shrimp and Scrambled Eggs
- Other Asian Scrambled Eggs Variations
- FAQs
- More Classic Cantonese Recipes to Try
- Recipe Card
- Chinese Takeout At Home Recipes
What is Chinese Shrimp and Egg Stir Fry?
At its core, Cantonese shrimp and egg stir fry is scrambled eggs with shrimp in them.
It is a very simple, classic Chinese dish that most Chinese families serve at home with plain white rice and is considered an easy-to-make comfort food.
This shrimp and scrambled eggs recipe is one of my favorite go-to recipes for busy weekdays when I want to have a simple, quick and easy meal (15 minutes or less), without compromising flavor.
If I have a bit of extra time, I will also pair this dish up with my Chinese Steamed Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce as well since they both go amazing with plain white rice.
To take this Chinese shrimp and egg stir-fry to the next level I like to make the eggs extra fluffy by mixing oil right into the egg mixture!
If you're looking for a quick and easy recipe to try, that can get dinner or lunch on the table in less than 30 minutes then definitely give this a try!
Ingredients for Scrambled Eggs and Shrimp
- Shrimp - I use frozen deveined and peeled shrimp to keep things simple. If you want bigger shrimp, you can also use prawns as well. You must thaw the shrimp ahead of time before cooking it. If your shrimp has shell on it, make sure it is fully peeled (with tails removed) so that it is easier to eat once it's scrambled into the eggs.
- Eggs - I like to use large chicken eggs for this recipe.
- Oil - A traditional method used in China to make scrambled eggs fluffy is to mix in a bit of liquid lard with your eggs but growing up, I was always taught to use oil instead. It's a much healthier alternative to lard and oil is something you always have on hand. I like to use avocado oil for the eggs.
- Green Onions/ Scallions - finely chopped green onions give the final dish a bit of extra flavor, so if you can get some green onions, I'd highly recommend them.
- Salt - To season the eggs and shrimp (even though shrimp is usually salty on its own) I like to use salt instead of soy sauce. It's a simpler ingredient and it won't turn your eggs brown.
- Sesame Oil - To flavor the shrimp further I highly recommend using a touch of sesame oil, although it is optional.
- White Pepper (Optional) - Adding a pinch of white pepper gives the dish a bit more flavor but it is completely optional. Don't substitute this with black pepper. Black pepper is stronger in flavor and will overpower the dish.
Tips
- Always cook the protein before adding it to the scrambled eggs mixture. Making scrambled eggs literally takes 30 seconds and that's not enough time and heat to cook any type of raw protein all the way through properly, so always pre-cook the protein before adding it to the scrambled egg mixture so that you don't risk having any raw meat in your eggs.
- Adding oil to your egg mixture will give your scrambled eggs a creamier and fluffier texture.
- The scrambled eggs are not overly very salty in this dish because I like to control the saltiness by dipping the egg into oyster sauce while eating it with white rice. If you are not serving it with a side of oyster sauce, add another ⅛ teaspoon of salt to the egg mixture.
How to Make Fluffy Scrambled Eggs
I was taught to add oil to my eggs to make them fluffy, and only later in life did I learn that in China it is actually very common to add lard to scrambled eggs to make them fluffy.
Since oil is a lot easier to find and healthier, I stick to that instead. Try not to use heavily flavored oil like olive oil. Avocado oil is my go-to, but you can also use vegetable oil, canola oil, or any type of neutral oil.
By adding oil, not only will the scrambled eggs be fluffier, but it also makes scrambled eggs a bit denser with a bit of a chewier texture.
In the past, I have tried adding water (as well as milk) to my scrambled eggs but the final texture of the eggs was always too 'wet'.
Oil on the other hand makes the eggs fluffy but also creamy since it binds to the eggs a lot better.
I like to add about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of oil per egg I use.
Easy Way to Devein Shrimp with a Toothpick
If you bought whole shrimp that need to be peeled and deveined, I have a guide that goes into detail on how to easily devein shrimp with a toothpick.
Keep in mind that deveining shrimp is optional for this recipe, and if you're like me and not particularly picky, you can definitely skip this step.
How to Make Shrimp and Scrambled Eggs
Step 1: Prepare the Shrimp and Marinate it
If you are using frozen shrimp, make sure it is fully thawed before you work with it.
Once the shrimp has thawed, peel and discard the skin and tails and place them into a small bowl.
You can also devein them with a toothpick as well at this point but this step is optional.
Add a bit of sesame oil, a pinch of white pepper (optional), and salt, and let it marinate for 5-10 minutes at room temperature.
Step 2: Cook the Shrimp and Remove it from the Pan
In a hot frying pan or wok, add a bit of oil and wait until the pan gets hot.
Add the shrimp in and cook it until it is fully cooked. You'll know its cooked when it curls into a C shape and the becomes white and pink. It should take about 1 minute.
Once the shrimp has finished cooking, remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Step 3: Make the Scrambled Egg Mixture
Crack a few eggs into a small bowl and add a bit of oil and salt to it. Finely chop some green onions and add them to the egg mixture.
Beat it vigorously with a fork or a pair of chopsticks for a minute or so until everything is well-combined.
Add in the cooked shrimp, but make sure the shrimp has cooled before adding it in so that we don't risk cooking the scrambled eggs.
Step 4: Cook the Scrambled Eggs and Serve!
Wipe the frying pan or wok clean and heat it up again over medium heat and add a bit of oil to it.
Once the pan is hot, pour in the scrambled egg mixture (with the shrimp inside) and spread out the shrimp so that it's not clumped together.
Let the eggs sit in the pan without touching it for about 20 seconds or until the edges start to cook and bubble.
Use a spatula or chopsticks and push the egg mixture up towards the top of the pan to create folds.
Tilt the pan down so that the remainder of the raw uncooked eggs run down to the exposed part of the frying pan to cook. Repeat this process until everything is cooked.
If you don't like your scrambled eggs creamy or runny, flip everything and cook the eggs for 5 more seconds directly on the pan.
You should only cook the scrambled eggs for a total of about 1 minute.
Serve with white rice and enjoy!
Other Asian Scrambled Eggs Variations
- Spam or Hot Dogs - Instead of shrimp, you can also use sliced hot dogs or cubed spam. Pan-fry the cubed spam or sliced hot dogs first, then add it to the raw scrambled eggs once they have cooled and scramble the eggs!
- Tomatoes - To add a bit of tang and sauce, I like to use my Chinese tomato egg stir fry recipe.
- Beef, Pork, or Chicken - You can use both leftover or raw beef, pork, and chicken. If you are using raw meat, marinate it and stir fry it ahead of time and once it has cooled add them to the raw scrambled eggs, and scramble the egg the same way. If you are using leftovers, you still want to pan-fry them to warm them up slightly before adding them to the egg mix since the egg cooks really quickly and will not have enough time to warm up the meat.
- As-Is with Extra Toppings - Crumbled some roasted seaweed snacks or furikake on top
- Cheese - Place a slice of processed cheese (American Cheese) on top of the scrambled eggs when it is piping hot and straight out of the pan for a creamy and cheesy treat!
FAQs
I have tried adding water, milk, and cornstarch slurries and I found that the best and most fluffy scrambled eggs are made with oil.
Not only does using oil make scrambled eggs fluffier, but it also makes them creamy and gives them a denser texture.
I like to use avocado oil in my scrambled eggs.
More Classic Cantonese Recipes to Try
- Chinese Stir-Fried Shrimp (Classic Ketchup Shrimp Recipe)
- Steamed Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (咕噜肉)
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Crispy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein
- Sweet and Sticky Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
- Chinese Tomato Egg Stir-Fry 番茄炒蛋 (Authentic Easy Recipe)
- Saucy Beef Chow Ho Fun with Gravy (菜遠牛河)
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Recipe Card
Chinese Scrambled Eggs and Shrimp
Joyce's Recipe Notes
- Always cook the protein before adding it to the scrambled eggs mixture. Making scrambled eggs literally takes 30 seconds and that's not enough time and heat to cook any type of raw protein all the way through properly, so always pre-cook the protein before adding it to the scrambled egg mixture so that you don't risk having any raw meat in your eggs.
- Adding oil to your egg mixture will give your scrambled eggs a creamier and fluffier texture.
- The scrambled eggs are not overly very salty in this dish because I like to control the saltiness by dipping the egg into oyster sauce while eating it with white rice. If you are not serving it with a side of oyster sauce, add another ⅛ teaspoon of salt to the egg mixture.
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs
- 1 stalk green onions (scallions)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons oil (use neutral oils like avocado oil, do not use olive oil)
Shrimp Marinade
- 6 shrimp (size: 21/25, if you are using smaller shrimp use 8 shrimp)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 pinch white pepper (optional, do not use black pepper)
Instructions
Prepare the Shrimp and Cook It
- Fully thaw the shrimp if you are using frozen shrimp and peel it.
- (Optional) Devein the shrimp
- Add the salt and sesame oil to the peeled shrimp and mix well. (Optional) If you are using white pepper, add that as well.
- Set a pan or wok on to the stove and set it to medium heat. Add a bit of oil to it and wait for it to shimmer and get hot.
- Once the pan is hot, add the shrimp in and cook it for about 30 seconds per side for a total of about 1 minute. You'll know the shrimp is cooked when you no longer see any grey and the shrimp has turned milky white and pink. It will also curl up into a 'C' shape.
- Remove the shrimp from the frying pan and set it aside to cool
Prepare the Egg Mixture
- Wash and finely mince the green onions and discard the rooted tips.
- Add the eggs into a bowl and add the oil and salt and beat it vigorously with chopsticks or a fork until the oil has fully blended in with the eggs.
- Add the finely minced green onions and cooled shrimp into the egg mixture and mix them together. You can save a few green onions to the side to add at the very end as well.
Make the Scrambled Eggs
- Using a clean frying pan or wok, add it to the stove and set the heat to medium heat. Add a bit of oil to it to coat the bottom and wait for it to shimmer and get hot.
- Once the pan is hot, add in the egg mixture and spread the shrimp apart so that it is not in a pile. Wait for the egg at the edge of the pan to bubble and start to cook. (this should take approximately 10-15 seconds)
- Once the egg starts to cook at the edges of the pan, use a chopstick and push the edges up to form the folds of the scrambled eggs
- Tilt the pan down so that the raw egg mixture runs downwards towards the exposed hot pan to cook.
- Keep repeating the push, and tilt method until the eggs are all cooked. You should only have cooked the eggs for about 1 minute in total.If the tops of the eggs are too raw for you, use a spatula and flip everything onto the hot pan.
- Serve with rice and a side of oyster sauce (optional) and enjoy!
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*
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Denise says
Your instructions with pictures are clear and easy to follow. Thank you for a great recipe.
Joyce Lee says
Hi Denise!
I am so happy the recipe was helpful! It's always worth the extra effort to make things clear so that our first tries are a success! 🙂