Shrimp Chopsuey

A colorful and satisfying Filipino-style stir-fry loaded with succulent shrimp, crisp vegetables, sweet baby corn, snow peas, and tender quail eggs. Everything comes together in a savory, lightly thickened oyster-soy sauce that coats every bite beautifully.

Recipe Information

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Servings: 4–6
• Difficulty: Easy
• Method: Stovetop stir-fry

Ingredients

For the Shrimp & Vegetables

• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1 cup cabbage, roughly chopped
• ½ cup carrots, thinly sliced
• ½ cup snow peas, trimmed
• ½ cup baby corn, drained and halved if large
• ½ red bell pepper, sliced
• ½ cup celery, sliced
• 1 can quail eggs, drained
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, sliced

For the Sauce

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil, optional
• Salt, to taste

Optional

• 1 teaspoon sugar, for a slightly sweeter sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• Sliced green onions, for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare the sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, cold water, black pepper, and optional sesame oil.

Whisk until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.

Set aside.

Tip: Stir the sauce again immediately before adding it to the pan because the cornstarch settles quickly.

2. Prepare the shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.

Season lightly with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Don’t over-season at this stage—the oyster sauce and soy sauce will provide plenty of savory flavor.

3. Blanch the firm vegetables

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.

Add the carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and baby corn.

Blanch for approximately 1–2 minutes, just until they begin to soften while remaining crisp.

Drain well.

This helps the firm vegetables cook evenly without requiring the softer vegetables to be overcooked later. Blanching vegetables before stir-frying is also a common technique in chopsuey recipes.

4. Cook the shrimp

Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high to high heat.

Add about 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil.

Add the shrimp in a single layer.

Cook for approximately 1–2 minutes per side, just until pink, opaque, and cooked through.

Transfer the shrimp to a plate.

Don’t worry about cooking them completely again later—they’ll return to the pan briefly at the end.

5. Sauté the aromatics

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same wok.

Add the sliced onion and cook for 1–2 minutes, until slightly softened.

Add the minced garlic and optional ginger.

Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

6. Stir-fry the vegetables

Add the blanched carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and baby corn.

Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes.

Add the celery, red bell pepper, and snow peas.

Continue stir-frying for another 1–2 minutes.

The vegetables should remain colorful and slightly crisp rather than becoming soft and mushy.

7. Add the cabbage

Add the chopped cabbage and toss everything together.

Cook for approximately 1–2 minutes, just until the cabbage begins to soften.

8. Add the sauce

Give the prepared sauce another good stir.

Pour it into the wok.

Toss continuously as the sauce comes to a simmer.

Cook for 1–2 minutes, until the cornstarch thickens the sauce and creates a glossy coating around the vegetables.

9. Return the shrimp

Add the cooked shrimp back to the wok.

Gently toss to combine.

Add the drained quail eggs and carefully stir so they remain intact.

Cook for another 1–2 minutes, just until everything is heated through.

Taste and adjust with additional soy sauce, salt, or black pepper if needed.

10. Serve

Transfer the Shrimp Chopsuey to a large serving platter.

Garnish with sliced green onions if desired.

Serve immediately with plenty of steamed white rice.

Chef’s Tips

• Don’t overcook the shrimp. Remove them as soon as they’re opaque, then return them at the end.
• Cut vegetables into similar bite-sized pieces so every serving has a good mixture.
• Keep the vegetables crisp-tender for the best texture.
• Make the sauce before starting the stir-fry—the cooking process moves quickly.
• Always stir the cornstarch mixture again immediately before pouring it into the wok.
• If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it with a splash of chicken broth or water.
• Add the cabbage and snow peas later than the firm vegetables so they retain some texture.
• Be careful when stirring in the quail eggs so they don’t break apart.

Optional Vegetable Additions

Chopsuey is wonderfully flexible. You can also add:

• Mushrooms
• Green beans
• Chayote
• Bean sprouts
• Bok choy
• Baby spinach
• Water chestnuts

For a more traditional Filipino-style chopsuey, chayote, mushrooms, and additional bell peppers are also excellent additions.

Make It Spicy

For a little heat, add:

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 sliced Thai chili
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• A few drops of chili oil

Make It Extra Savory

For deeper flavor, increase the oyster sauce to 2½ tablespoons and add an extra teaspoon of soy sauce.

Be cautious with additional salt because both sauces are naturally salty.

Serving Suggestions

Serve hot over:

• Steamed jasmine rice
• Garlic fried rice
• Brown rice
• Rice noodles
• Stir-fried noodles

It also makes a wonderful part of a larger Filipino-style meal alongside lumpia, pancit, or fried fish.

Storage

Allow leftovers to cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat until hot.

Add a small splash of chicken broth or water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Avoid prolonged reheating because the shrimp can become tough.

The Result

The finished Shrimp Chopsuey should be colorful, savory, glossy, and packed with texture—tender shrimp and quail eggs surrounded by crisp broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, snow peas, baby corn, celery, and peppers in a delicious oyster-soy sauce.

It’s a complete, satisfying Filipino-inspired meal when served over hot steamed rice.