Name: You Bao Xia Shanghai-Style Shrimp {油爆虾} Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 lb Shrimp: Head on and shell on. Soft shell shrimp with roe are preferred for the most authentic experience; Avocado Oil: 1 tbsp for the sauce/cooking base, plus an additional 3 tbsp for pan-frying. {approx. 1/4 cup total}; 1 tbsp minced ginger; 2 stalks of green onion, finely chopped; 1/2 tbsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp sake; 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 1/2 tbsp cane sugar (or brown sugar; organic unrefined preferred); 1/2 tbsp water

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You Bao Xia {油爆虾}, or Shanghai-Style Shrimp, is a beloved classic dish featuring pan-fried shrimp with crispy shells coated in a rich, semi-sweet savory sauce. Literally translating to “oil-exploded shrimp,” this dish gets its name from the high-heat cooking method that crisps the shells.

Shanghai Style Shrimp You Bao Xia Recipe

Traditionally, Shanghai-style shrimp is made using wild-caught fresh water shrimp, which were once bountiful in the Yangtze River Delta. These freshwater shrimp tend to be smaller with softer shells, making them perfect for this recipe where both the head and shell are left on.

The sauce is the real star here. A blend of sake, light soy sauce, and sugar—enhanced by fresh green onion, ginger, and garlic—creates an incredibly delicious flavor profile. I prefer using sake as a cooking wine for seafood because its clear, refreshing taste pairs perfectly with the shrimp.

This dish is naturally delicious and surprisingly easy to make at home!

How to prepare Shrimp for Shanghai You Bao Xia?

For authentic Shanghai-style shrimp, there’s no need to remove the head or shell – traditionally, both are left on to preserve flavor and presentation. That said, taking a few extra minutes to trim and clean the shrimp will make the dish much more enjoyable to eat.

Use kitchen scissors to neatly trim off the legs and antennae. Then, gently cut along the center line on the underside of the shrimp to remove the vein. This method keeps the shrimp looking whole while ensuring it’s clean and ready for cooking.

Once trimmed and deveined, rinse the shrimp thoroughly several times. Let them air-dry completely before pan-frying—dry shrimp sear better and give you that beautiful, glossy finish that Shanghai You Bao Xia is known for.

How to Cook Shanghai-style Shrimp You Bao Xia?

Step One: Prepare the Stir-Fry Sauce and Aromatics

This classic Shanghai shrimp dish uses just a handful of simple ingredients, yet delivers incredibly rich flavor. For one pound of shrimp, combine 1 tablespoon sake, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, and 1/2 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Whisk well – this will be your base sauce for the stir-fry.

Fresh aromatics – green onion, garlic, and ginger– work beautifully together to elevate the flavor. Finely mince the garlic and ginger into small pieces if possible; the finer they are, the more evenly their fragrance will infuse the oil and sauce.

You Bao Xia {Shanghai Shrimp Stir Fry} Recipe Ingredients

Step Two: Pan Fry the Shrimp

Pan-fry the shrimp until they are just cooked through. For one pound of shrimp, a 12-inch hard anodized frying pan works perfectly – use about 1/4 cup of oil to ensure even cooking and a beautiful sheen.

Avocado oil is my go-to frying oil. It’s not only nutritious, but also has a high smoking point, making it ideal for frying. Plus, its light, neutral flavor won’t overpower the natural sweetness of the shrimp.

Lastly: Stir-Fry the Shrimp with Aromatics and Sauce

Remove the cooked shrimp from the pan, leaving just a small amount of oil behind for the stir-fry. I usually save the extra avocado oil from frying in a small glass jar for everyday cooking. (If your shrimp had plenty of roe, don’t be surprised if the oil looks slightly red – that’s pure flavor!)

pan fried shrimp ready for Shanghai Shrimp Stir Fry

Add the chopped green onion, along with the minced ginger and garlic, to the pan. Stir and fold until fragrant, then return the pan-fried shrimp to the pan. Using a slotted turner to turn, gently toss and fold everything together for about 1 minute before pouring in the stir-fry sauce.

Continue to turn and mix until the shrimp are evenly coated. A silicon spatula works especially well here, helping you scrap up every bit of sauce and fold it back onto the shrimp.

And that’s it – simple, quick, and full of flavor.

Enjoy your naturally delicious Shanghai-Style Shrimp Stir-Fry You Bao Xia {油爆虾}.

You Bao Xia Shanghai-Style Shrimp {油爆虾} Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

You Bao Xia {油爆虾}, or Shanghai-style Shrimp, is a beloved classic dish featuring pan-fried shrimp with crispy shells coated in a rich, semi-sweet savory sauce.

Ingredients

1 lb Shrimp: Head on and shell on. Soft shell shrimp with roe are preferred for the most authentic experience
Avocado Oil: 1 tbsp for the sauce/cooking base, plus an additional 3 tbsp for pan-frying. {approx. 1/4 cup total}

Aromatics:

1 tbsp minced ginger
2 stalks of green onion, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp minced garlic

For Stir-Fry Sauce:

1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp cane sugar (or brown sugar; organic unrefined preferred)
1/2 tbsp water

Instructions

Prep the Shrimp

Using kitchen scissor, trim the shrimp legs, antennae, and the sharp, pointy tip of the head.
Tip: I also use scissors to cut along the bottom centerline to remove the veins. Shrimp have two veins (top and bottom); for this recipe, removing the bottom vein helps with presentation.
Once trimmed and deveined, wash and rinse the shrimp thoroughly a few times, then set them aside to drain.

Prepare the Sauce and Aromatics

First, prepare the stir-fry sauce base. In a small bowl, wisk together the sake, light soy sauce, sugar and water until mixed well.
Next, prepare your fresh herbs. Finely chop the green onion and mince the ginger and garlic. (I usually use a compact food processor to get them into super fine pieces). These herbs work magically together to enhance the flavor of the shrimp.

Pan-Fry the Shrimp ("Explode" the Shrimp)

Heat a 12-inch hard-anodized frying pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add approximately ¼ cup of avocado oil.
Lay the shrimp flat in the pan in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip them and cook for another 2 minutes. After that, continue to flip the shrimp every 30 seconds until they are fully cooked and the shells are crispy (about additioinal 5-6 minutes total on top of the intial 4 minutes ).
Remove the shrimp and set them aside on a plate.

The Final Stir-Fry

If there is lots of oil left in the pan, let it cook slightly and pour the excess into a glass jar for later use, leaving just a small amount of oil in the pan for the stir-fry.
Turn the heat to medium-high. Add the chopped green onion, ginger & garlic, stir frying for about 15 seconds or till fragrant.
Add the cooked shrimp back into the pan. Toss and mix using a pair of bamboo spatulas for about 2 minutes. Finally, pour in the stir-fry sauce in a circular motion. Continue to toss and mix for another minute until the sauce coats the shrimp nicely.
All done! Enjoy your naturally yummy Shanghai-Style You Bao Xia!

Notes

Shanghai-Style Shrimp You Bao Xia is traditonally enjoyed as a cold appetizer. Chilled shrimp make a wonderful topping for noodle soup—simply add them straight from the refrigerator for an instant flavor boost. They’re also perfect for entertaining, making an elegant yet effortless dish to serve at parties and gatherings.