Better than takeout, these flavourful stir-fried rice cakes with shrimp, chives, baby bok choy, and bean sprouts are tossed in a delicious peanut butter and soy sauce based sauce. It's a one-pan, quick and easy meal that takes just 5-10 minutes to prep, and another 10 minutes to cook. Weeknight dinners have never been easier or tastier.
Ingredients in Rice Cakes with Shrimp
As with most stir-fry dishes, this one is super versatile. The key components of the dish are the rice cakes and the sauce. You can switch up the shrimp for other protein, and the use any other vegetables that you have on hand.
- vegetable oil - essential for any stir-fry.
- rice cakes - stir-fried rice cakes should be soft yet chewy. You can find many different brands at an Asian grocery store, and either fresh or frozen ones work in this recipe. Note that Korean rice cakes tend to be a bit harder and chewier. To get them soft and tender, you will need to precook them in boiling water for 5 minutes before adding in to the pan. If it's still hard when stir frying, simply additional water (1 tablespoon at a time) and continue to stir fry everything together for a few more minutes until soft.
- shrimp - you can substitute with chicken, pork, beef, or tofu. You could even leave it out completely and make this a vegan dish.
- vegetables - I used baby bok choy, chives and bean sprouts. I just love this combination for this dish. You can substitute the bok choy with Napa cabbage, and add any vegetables that you have on hand such as cabbage, shredded carrots and/or enoki mushrooms.
- seasoning + sauce - garlic, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, peanut butter, sugar, black pepper, white pepper, and sesame oil for flavour and to create its delicious signature sauce.
How to Make the Best Stir-Fried Rice Cakes with Shrimp
- Cook the shrimp. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp, garlic, chives, and black pepper. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes until the shrimp turns pink.
- Add rice cakes, and continuously stir for 1 minute, making sure that they don't stick to the bottom of pan.
- Add seasonings, including light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, peanut butter, sugar, and ground white pepper. Stir for 2 minutes to fully infuse the flavours. Peanut butter is a key component in the sauce. But, you can leave it out for a more soy-based sauce which is also very delicious.
- Add vegetables. Add baby bok choy, bean sprouts and sesame oil. Stir well for 1 minute until the vegetables are soft and fully incorporated with the shrimp and rice cakes.
- Cook with some water. Add water and cover the lid for 2 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the rice cakes don't stick together. (Cooking in additional water will help soften the rice cakes and create a soft and tender texture. If you like chewier rice cakes, skip this step).
- Serve immediately. You can sprinkle some roasted sesame on top for some extra flavour.
Tips for Making Stir-Fried Rice Cakes
- Prep your ingredients. Once you start to stir-fry, things move along very quickly, so having your ingredients ready and within hands reach will ensure things go smoothly.
- Peanut butter sauce. Peanut butter is a key component in the sauce. You can leave it out for a more soy-based sauce which is also very delicious.
- Prep the rice cakes (if needed). Some brands tend to be harder and chewier than others. For instance, Korean rice cakes are usually a bit harder and chewier. To get them soft and tender, you will need to precook the rice cakes in boiling water for 5 minutes before adding in to the pan. If it's still hard when stir frying, simply additional water (1 tablespoon at a time) and continue to stir fry for a few more minutes until soft and tender.
- How to serve. Stir-fried rice cakes are best served hot. Once they start going cold, they will start to stick together and get stiff.
- How to store and reheat. To store any leftovers, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, simply place in a steamer with occasional stirring for about 5 minutes until the rice cakes are soft and chewy.
More Quick and Easy Stir-Fry Recipes
- Shanghai Style Fried Noodles
- 10-Minute Chicken Pad Thai
- Easy 15-Minute Lo Mein
- 10-Minute Vegetarian Fried Rice
- Tiger Prawns in Garlic Ginger Soy Sauce
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Recipe
Stir-Fried Rice Cakes with Shrimp
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings
Description
Better than takeout, stir-fried rice cakes with shrimp, bok choy, and bean sprouts in a delicious peanut butter sauce is a quick 10-minute one pan meal.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 10 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (200 grams)
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 10 (4-inch long) pieces chives or scallions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups (450 grams) rice cakes, fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 3 cups baby bok choy (or Napa cabbage)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp, garlic, chives, and black pepper. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes until the shrimp turns pink.
- Add rice cakes and continuously stir for 1 minute, making sure that they don't stick to the bottom of pan.
- Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, peanut butter, sugar, and ground white pepper. Stir for 2 minutes to fully infuse the flavours.
- Add baby bok choy, bean sprouts and sesame oil. Stir well for 1 minute until the vegetables are soft and fully incorporated with the shrimp and rice cakes.
- Add water and cover the lid for 2 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the rice cakes don't stick together. (Cooking in additional water will help soften the rice cakes and create a soft and tender texture. If you like chewier rice cakes, skip this step). Remove from heat once desired consistency is reached for the sauce.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Prep your ingredients. Once you start to stir-fry, things move along very quickly, so having your ingredients ready and within hands reach will ensure things go smoothly.
Peanut butter. Peanut butter is a key component in the sauce. You can leave it out for a more soy-based sauce which is also very delicious.
Prep the rice cakes (if needed). Some brands tend to be harder and chewier than others. For instance, Korean rice cakes are usually a bit harder and chewier. To get them soft and tender, you will need to precook the rice cakes in boiling water for 5 minutes before adding in to the pan. If it's still hard when stir frying, simply additional water (1 tablespoon at a time) and continue to stir fry for a few more minutes until soft and tender.
How to serve. Stir-fried rice cakes are best served hot. Once they start going cold, they will start to stick together and get stiff.
How to store and reheat. To store any leftovers, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, simply place in a steamer with occasional stirring for about 5 minutes until the rice cakes are soft and chewy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Stir-fry
- Cuisine: Chinese
Jamie says
I love finding recipes that include rice cakes! I will definitely make this recipe again, however I will be reducing the amount of pepper. Even though I'm fond of pepper, I felt like the amount was excessive, and ended up overpowering the dish.
Amanda says
This was delicious! I've never had rice cakes in stir fry, but they were so good, and the shrimp was the perfect addition.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you! So glad you liked the recipe! 🙂
Mikayla says
Oh my gosh we loved this recipe!! We bought some rice cakes on a whim and had to find a way to use them, this was totally perfect, so easy and delicious. We used tofu, it was great with that peanut butter sauce. Thanks!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thanks Mikayla! Tofu is great to add here as well. It's such a versatile dish that you can add whatever you have on hand. So glad you liked the recipe 🙂