This recipe for shrimp with lobster sauce is just like your favorite Chinese takeout dish. Quick, easy, and flavorful!
Why this recipe works
Did you know that shrimp with lobster sauce doesn’t actually contain lobster? This popular version of the recipe (the one you typically get from your local restaurant) was made more affordable by swapping expensive lobster with shrimp. If you really wanted to get fancy with it, you can just as easily use this savory sauce for lobster – because, after all, that’s what it was traditionally used for in Cantonese cuisine.
However, the lobster sauce complements the shrimp beautifully. Pair it over a bed of white rice and I can’t imagine it being any better than it already is, even with lobster out of the equation.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
SHRIMP – You will need 1 pound of large raw shrimp for this recipe. If you are starting with frozen shrimp, be sure to let it thaw before beginning. To thaw shrimp quickly you can place them in a sealed plastic bag and submerge them in a bowl of cold water. Swap the water every 20-30 minutes as needed.
ADDITIONS – We use a concentrated bouillon base for most of our recipes instead of broth or stock. It’s convenient, takes up a lot less space, has a more intense flavor, and is easily reconstituted with water. You can certainly use broth or stock instead. Just replace the amount of water in the recipe with stock and omit the base.
How to Make Shrimp with Lobster Sauce
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Season shrimp with garlic salt and pepper to taste.
- To a mixing bowl add cornstarch, sesame oil, oyster sauce, sugar, chicken base, and water. Whisk until completely combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl whisk the eggs.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add ginger, garlic, and seasoned shrimp. Stir together and add green onion. Cook, tossing frequently, until shrimp turns pink, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken base mixture and bring to a boil, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
- While gently stirring the contents of the skillet with a whisk, slowly drizzle in the whisked egg.
- Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until thickened.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Shrimp does not take long to cook, which also means it can easily be overcooked. The shrimp will curl and turn opaque with pink and red hues when it is finished cooking. Overcooked shrimp tend to turn a whiteish grey and are rubbery in texture.
Store the cooled shrimp and sauce in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
Serve shrimp with lobster sauce over noodles or rice so there’s something to soak up the extra sauce! Optionally garnish with thinly sliced green onions and enjoy.
More Shrimp Recipes
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Shrimp with Lobster Sauce
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Pin It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 pound large raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- garlic salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ Tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Better than Bouillon chicken base
- 2 cups water
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- If you are starting with frozen shrimp, be sure to let it thaw before beginning. To thaw shrimp quickly you can place them in a sealed plastic bag and submerge them in a bowl of cold water. Swap the water every 20-30 minutes as needed.
- We use a concentrated bouillon base for most of our recipes instead of broth or stock. It’s convenient, takes up a lot less space, has a more intense flavor, and is easily reconstituted with water. You can certainly use broth or stock instead. Just replace the amount of water in the recipe with stock and omit the base.
Instructions
- Season shrimp with garlic salt and pepper to taste.1 pound large raw shrimp, garlic salt, black pepper
- To a mixing bowl add cornstarch, sesame oil, oyster sauce, sugar, chicken base, and water. Whisk until completely combined.2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 1 1/2 Tablespoons sesame oil, 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon Better than Bouillon chicken base, 2 cups water
- In a separate mixing bowl whisk eggs.2 large eggs
- Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Add ginger, garlic, and seasoned shrimp. Stir together and add green onion. Cook, tossing frequently, until shrimp turns pink, about 2-3 minutes.2 teaspoons minced ginger, 1 Tablespoon minced garlic, 1/4 cup chopped green onion
- Pour in the chicken base mixture and bring to a boil, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
- While gently stirring contents of skillet with a whisk, slowly drizzle in the whisked egg.
- Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until thickened.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Store the cooled shrimp and sauce in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
Chef Antoine Davis
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C.J. says
This sounds fabulous, until I read that the shrimp get boiled! How do they not get tough? They cook so quickly, as they are already cooked pink.
Amanda Davis says
Hi there! First these are pretty large shrimp, and second it’s a very short amount of cooking time. Trust me, they are delicious. We eat a LOT of shrimp around here, so we understand how they can get tough if cooked too long. Remember, we start with raw shrimp too, not cooked. Hope that helps!