Today, I’m excited to talk about a delicious dish that has been making waves at Panda Express – the Firecracker Shrimp. If you’re a fan of bold flavors and a bit of spiciness, then this dish is for you.
The Firecracker Shrimp from Panda Express includes big shrimp, hand-cut red and yellow bell peppers, onions, string beans and whole dried chilis. These ingredients are wok-tossed in savory black bean sauce that intensifies both saltiness and spiciness to make it a perfect dish.
The best thing about the Firecracker Shrimp is not just how amazing it tastes but also its texture, with delightful crispness from the fresh colorful vegetables.
Currently as part of their Lunar New Year celebration Panda Express has Firecracker Shrimp available for a limited time. And guess what? They even gave away coupons for free trial during those festive days!
Panda Express re-releases Firecracker Shrimp
Panda Express has recently brought back one their most popular dishes: the Firecracker Shrimp was was originally released in 2020. It is an entree and can be added to bowls or plates; a premium entrée, it costs $1.50 more than regular entrée items at the chain. So if a bowl is priced at around $10 at your local Panda, you’re looking at $11.50 if you opt for the Firecracker Shrimp over the Orange Chicken. The dish will be available from Feb. 14 through June 4, 2024 or while supplies last — so don’t wait until Memorial Day weekend to try it. But if you are reading this after this date we have an awesome copycat recipe below!
What’s In Firecracker Shrimp
Panda Express’ Firecracker Shrimp consists of big shrimp, red and yellow bell peppers, onions, string beans, and whole dried chilis. These are stir-fried together in a tasty black bean sauce that fills the dish with flavor. The dish is built around the shrimp which are the star ingredient while veggies offer crunch and color. The combination of ingredients and flavors make Firecracker Shrimp a delicious and satisfying choice.
Panda Express firecracker shrimp Taste Test review
I tasted Panda Express Firecracker Shrimp. The sauce alone is enough to make your mouth water – it’s an aromatic blend of black beans, garlic, chili peppers and soy sauce. But what really sets this dish apart is the variety of vegetables they mix in. They take shrimp and toss them in a wok with the sauce along with crisp green beans, diced bell peppers, whole dried chilis and crescent moon-shaped slices of onion.
Now I know what you’re thinking: Is this spicy? Regular firecracker shrimp has a lot of heat to it. And yes, Panda’s version does have alot of chili peppers. But — and this will be disappointing for some — it’s comparatively mild.
That’s not to say a lack of heat equals less flavor. Quite the opposite actually; firecracker shrimp is a well-rounded dish — just not all that spicy. It’s even kind of sweet, if we’re being honest here..
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Cooking Your Own Copycat Spicy Firecracker Shrimp Recipe
I wanted to share a copycat recipe of Panda Express Firecracker shrimp with you all today since it’s only available for a limited time. We came up with this recipe in the Kapnos Dining Club Kitchen so that you can replicate Panda Express’ Firecracker Shrimp at your own house. Shrimp, bell peppers, onions, string beans, dried chilis and black bean sauce are some of the ingredients required for making this homemade version. From marinating the shrimp to stir frying the vegetables and tossing them in the sauce – follow these step by step instructions for recreating magic at home. The best part about making it yourself is being able to control how spicy or not spicy things are and also what goes into them so feel free customize accordingly!
Ingredients You’ll Need for a Homemade Version of Firecracker Shrimp
Here’s a list of the ingredients you’ll need to make your own homemade firecracker shrimp:
For the Shrimps
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Shrimp | 1 pound |
| Bell Peppers | 1 red and 1 yellow, sliced |
| Onion | 1 medium, sliced |
| String Beans | 1 cup, cut into bite-sized pieces |
| Dried Chilis | 3-4, whole |
| Black Bean Sauce | 2 tablespoons |
| all-purpose flour | 2 tablespoons |
| cornstarch | 2 tablespoons |
For the Sauce:
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| sweet chili sauce | â…“ cup |
| Tamari or soy sauce | 2 tablespoon |
| Honey | 2 tablespoons |
| Sriracha sauce | 1 teaspoon |
| Freshly squeezed lemon juice | 2 tablespoons |
| Lemon zest | 1 teaspoon |
| water | 2 tablespoons |
| Garlic cloves minced | 3 large |
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Step-by-Step Guide to Recreating the Magic at Home
- Season shrimp with salt & pepper to taste. Blend flour and cornstarch together in a small bowl; coat the shrimp with this mixture.
- Whisk all sauce ingredients together in another small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat oil in wok or large skillet on high heat.
- Stir-fry shrimp until pink and cooked through. Remove from wok; set aside.
- In the same wok, add more oil if needed and stir-fry the bell peppers, onions, string beans, and dried chilis until they are crisp-tender.
- Add the black bean sauce to the firecracker sauce and bring to a boil.
- Return the cooked shrimp to the wok and toss everything together until well combined.
- Serve the homemade firecracker shrimp hot with steamed rice or noodles.
Nutrition Information for Firecracker Shrimp
Depending on the serving size and method of preparation, the nutrition information of Firecracker Shrimp at Panda Express may change a little. But commonly, there are approximately 110 calories and 11 grams of protein in their average serving (4.5 ounces). The meal is low in calories and rich in proteins hence better than other deep fried or heavy appetizers that might be available. Please note that these numbers could be different depending on where you get them from so it would be best if we could refer back to Panda Express’ official nutritional facts.
Conclusion
Firecracker Shrimp at Panda Express is a spicy, flavorful dish loved by many. This is because it has big shrimps, vibrant vegetables, and delicious black bean sauce as its components. In addition to being available at the restaurant, you can also try making firecracker shrimp at home with our recipe for spicy firecracker shrimp. Whichever method you choose will not disappoint in terms of taste.