Easy 30-Minute Sesame Popcorn Shrimp with Roasted Broccoli: Your Ultimate Weeknight Meal Solution
Welcome to your new favorite weeknight dinner: delightful little bites of crispy popcorn shrimp, generously coated in a rich, savory, and incredibly simple sesame sauce. This vibrant dish is perfectly complemented by tender, perfectly oven-roasted broccoli, creating a balanced and satisfying meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes. Forget the stress of elaborate cooking after a long day; this Sesame Shrimp recipe is designed to be your go-to solution for a delicious, fuss-free dinner. This post was created in partnership with sponsored brands.
Oh, hello there! It’s been a whirlwind of a month, and I’ve found myself busier than ever. After a rewarding year-long break from sponsored blog work, where I channeled my energy into the intense preparation for my Ironman training, I’m thrilled to be back in the kitchen, collaborating with some fantastic brands. Let’s be honest, good food doesn’t magically appear, and my passion for cooking is as strong as ever. Sharing delicious, approachable recipes with all of you truly brings me joy, especially when they involve products that make life in the kitchen a little easier and a lot more fun.
This brings us to today’s star recipe, a dish I’m particularly excited about because it showcases two incredible products that genuinely simplify meal prep. We’re talking about SeaPak® Popcorn Shrimp, which provides that perfect crispy texture, and Black Box Pinot Grigio wine, an ideal companion for a relaxing evening. What makes this recipe truly special, though, is its remarkable efficiency. I can confidently say this is one of the handiest and quickest recipes I’ve created in quite some time. We’re talking a mere thirty minutes from start to finish.
That’s right, just half an hour is all it takes to prepare a heartwarming and delicious dinner that your loved ones will adore. Imagine a weeknight where culinary excellence doesn’t come with a side of stress or endless fuss. This recipe delivers exactly that, making it perfect for those busy evenings when you crave something special but are short on time. It’s about enjoying the process and the meal, without the usual kitchen chaos.
The Stars of the Show: SeaPak Shrimp and Black Box Wine
First, let’s talk about the incredible SeaPak Shrimp. My experience with SeaPak products goes way back; I previously featured their popcorn shrimp in my Shrimp Po’ Boy Pizza recipe, which, if you haven’t tried, is absolutely fantastic, especially with that spicy remoulade. Their commitment to convenient and high-quality seafood solutions makes them a staple in my kitchen. SeaPak offers a diverse range of products, making it incredibly easy to whip up delicious seafood dishes like this one, even on the busiest of schedules. Their shrimp are consistently flavorful and cook up beautifully, providing a delightful crunch that’s hard to beat.
Building on that positive experience, I was eager to incorporate their popcorn shrimp into another quick and flavorful meal. SeaPak truly understands the needs of busy home cooks, offering numerous options for convenient seafood recipes. In fact, they are even rolling out a new recipe booklet that showcases 40 meal solutions and perfect pairings, designed to inspire dinner ideas and suggest complementary wines. These aren’t just any recipes; they’re tried and tested for decades, ensuring reliable deliciousness for your family. This dedication to quality and ease is why SeaPak remains a top choice for my sponsored work and my personal cooking.
And then there’s the second star: Black Box Pinot Grigio. Oh, how I adore this wine! I’ve previously raved about it alongside my Grilled Philly Cheesesteak Pizza. My love for boxed wine has evolved significantly since my grad school days in the 90s, when keeping a box in the fridge was more about convenience than quality – and let’s just say, the quality was… questionable back then.
But Black Box? It’s genuinely delicious. Period. Their Pinot Grigio is crisp, refreshing, and perfectly balanced, making it an excellent pairing for a wide array of dishes, especially lighter Asian-inspired meals like this sesame shrimp. It’s not just the taste, though, that makes Black Box a game-changer. It’s also incredibly practical. Each box contains 3 liters of wine, complete with a convenient spout. That’s equivalent to four standard bottles of wine, all in one easy-to-store package. Do the math, and you’ll find that Black Box is approximately 40% less expensive than purchasing four bottles of comparable premium wine. And as an added bonus for the environmentally conscious, the entire package is recyclable.
So, here’s the perfect synergy: you can whip up a delectable Sesame Shrimp dinner in no time, pour yourself a lovely glass of quality wine to unwind, and feel good knowing you’re making an environmentally friendly choice. All at the same time. Boom! It’s a win-win-win situation that perfectly embodies the spirit of an effortless yet elegant weeknight meal.
Crafting the Perfect Sesame Sauce
Alright, alright, let’s get to the heart of my recipe: the incredibly flavorful sesame sauce. What we’re creating here is a simple, yet profoundly delicious, Asian-inspired brown sauce. This classic base typically features ingredients like soy sauce, stock, a touch of sugar, and aromatic elements like ginger and garlic. However, we’re taking it up a notch and truly “sesame-fying” it, adding layers of depth and a delightful kick.
To achieve this, we incorporate roasted red chili paste, which introduces a subtle heat and a smoky undertone that beautifully complements the other flavors. A generous splash of rich sesame oil infuses the sauce with its distinctive nutty aroma, making it truly irresistible. Finally, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds adds a lovely textural element and enhances the overall sesame flavor profile. The beauty of this sauce is its incredible ease of preparation – it’s primarily a matter of combining ingredients, then letting it gently simmer and boil for a few minutes to thicken to the perfect consistency. Meanwhile, the popcorn shrimp takes care of itself in the oven, baking to a glorious crisp. And for good measure, I’ve incorporated some perfectly roasted broccoli to make this a complete and wholesome meal.
A little note about this fantastic Sesame Shrimp recipe: the sauce itself is incredibly versatile. It makes for a wonderful, all-around Asian stir-fry sauce that you can even prepare ahead of time. Think about it – you can make a batch up to a week in advance and store it in the refrigerator, making future weeknight dinners even quicker. Yup! This advanced prep feature is a true lifesaver for meal planning and ensures you always have a flavorful base on hand.
And just for the record, I want to clarify that I’m not claiming this sauce is a copycat of any famous takeout dish or a traditional sticky anything. This sauce is distinctly its own creation, characterized by its remarkably light texture. It’s not overly heavy or cloyingly sweet, which is precisely why I adore it so much. Its balanced profile provides a beautiful, delicate coating for the crispy popcorn shrimp, allowing the flavors of both the shrimp and the sesame to shine without being overwhelmed. And because it all comes together so quickly, you might find yourself with an unexpected amount of spare time on your hands… yeah, I’m totally kidding there. You’ll definitely figure out what to do with that extra relaxation time! Perhaps enjoy another glass of that delightful Black Box Pinot Grigio?
The Perfect Pairing: Oven Roasted Broccoli
While the popcorn shrimp gets perfectly crispy in the oven and the sesame sauce simmers to perfection on the stovetop, don’t forget about the star side dish: the oven-roasted broccoli. This method of cooking broccoli is a game-changer. By fashioning foil pouches, you create a steaming environment that locks in moisture, resulting in tender-crisp florets with a lovely bite. A generous drizzle of good quality olive oil, along with a few pinches of kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, is all it takes to bring out the natural sweetness and earthiness of the broccoli.
The simultaneous cooking of both the shrimp and broccoli in the same oven is key to achieving that impressive 30-minute total time. As soon as the broccoli has had its initial steam, the shrimp join the party, and both finish cooking together. This streamlined approach minimizes cleanup and maximizes flavor, ensuring that every component of your meal is ready at the same time. The fresh, slightly charred notes of the roasted broccoli provide a wonderful contrast to the rich, savory sesame-coated shrimp, rounding out the meal beautifully.
So, there you have it, folks! This Sesame Shrimp dinner is the epitome of a stress-free weeknight meal. It’s quick, incredibly flavorful, and pairs wonderfully with a glass of Black Box Pinot Grigio. There’s no need to overthink dinner when you have a recipe this simple and satisfying in your arsenal. Just chill out, relax, and savor every bite of this easy meal, knowing it was ready in minutes. It’s a culinary journey that delivers maximum taste with minimal effort, leaving you more time to enjoy your evening.
Sesame Shrimp (Ready in 30 minutes)
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Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable stock
- ⅓ cup white wine
- ½ tsp roasted red chili paste (found in the Asian foods grocery section for a perfect kick)
- 2 Tbs sesame oil
- 2 tsp raw turbinado sugar
- 2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- couple pinches fresh cracked pepper
- 1 Tbs vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced (for aromatic depth)
- 1 Tbs freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tsp water (for thickening the sauce)
- 1 30 oz box SeaPak® Popcorn Shrimp (the secret to a quick, crispy meal)
- 1 Tbs toasted sesame seeds (for garnish and extra nutty flavor)
For the Oven Roasted Broccoli
- 2 14 oz bags broccoli florets (fresh or frozen, ensure good quality)
- extra virgin olive oil (for roasting the broccoli to perfection)
- kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to a high temperature of 450°F (230°C). This ensures that both the broccoli and shrimp cook quickly and achieve the desired texture.
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For each bag of broccoli florets, create a separate foil pouch. Place the broccoli inside, drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil, and season with a couple of pinches each of kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. Seal the seams of the foil pouches tightly to trap the steam during cooking, which will help the broccoli become tender and flavorful. Place these pouches directly onto the oven rack and roast for 15 minutes.
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While the broccoli is in its initial roasting phase, arrange the SeaPak Popcorn Shrimp in a single layer on a separate baking sheet or pan. Once the broccoli has cooked for 15 minutes, add the shrimp to the oven. Continue to cook both the broccoli and shrimp for an additional 10 minutes. This concurrent cooking will perfectly crisp the shrimp and finish tenderizing the broccoli. Carefully remove both from the oven.
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While the main components are cooking, prepare your luscious sesame sauce. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the vegetable stock, white wine, roasted red chili paste, sesame oil, raw turbinado sugar, reduced sodium soy sauce, and fresh cracked pepper. Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined. Set this mixture aside for a moment.
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Heat a wok (or a large, deep skillet) over high heat until it’s screaming hot. Add the tablespoon of vegetable oil and swirl it around to thoroughly coat the sides of the pan. Immediately add the minced garlic and freshly grated ginger, sautéing for about 30 seconds until they become fragrant and lightly golden. Pour in the reserved vegetable stock mixture and bring it to a rolling boil. Next, add the cornstarch that has been dissolved in 2 teaspoons of water. Continue to boil the sauce for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened enough to beautifully coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove the wok from the heat.
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Gently add the freshly cooked, crispy popcorn shrimp into the warm sesame sauce in the wok. Toss thoroughly until all the shrimp are evenly coated with the savory sauce. To serve, divide the roasted broccoli among plates and generously spoon the sesame-coated shrimp over the top. Finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for an added crunch and a beautiful presentation. This recipe yields a delicious meal for 5-6 servings.
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I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below and share your go-to, crazy easy weeknight dinner solutions. Let’s inspire each other with quick and delicious meal ideas!