William and I came home exhausted on a Tuesday night with nothing planned for dinner and 30 minutes before we needed to eat. I found a pound of frozen shrimp in the freezer and remembered seeing a honey garlic shrimp recipe somewhere. “How hard can shrimp be?” William said, thawing them under cold water. We threw together what became the fastest, most delicious dinner we’d made in months sweet, savory, sticky shrimp ready in 15 minutes. William took one bite and said, “This is restaurant-quality and we made it in less time than delivery would take. Why aren’t we making this every week?”
Why You’ll Love This Honey Garlic Shrimp
This honey garlic shrimp recipe solves that eternal weeknight problem of wanting restaurant-quality food without the time, effort, or cost of actually going to restaurants or ordering delivery. Most impressive dinners require advance planning, multiple cooking steps, or specialty ingredients. This skillet shrimp recipe is literally cooking garlic in butter, adding shrimp and sauce, cooking 5 minutes, done. William can make this in 15 minutes total from pulling shrimp from the freezer to sitting down to eat. If someone who used to panic-order pizza on busy nights can become confident making restaurant-quality shrimp dinners, literally anyone can.
Here’s what makes this Asian-style shrimp approach absolutely genius-shrimp cooks in literally 3-4 minutes, making it the fastest protein to cook while still being elegant and impressive. Traditional weeknight proteins like chicken breast need 20+ minutes, pork chops need 15 minutes, even ground beef needs 10 minutes. These pan-fried shrimp cook in under 5 minutes and taste like you spent an hour. William’s mother who “doesn’t cook on weeknights” because she’s too tired made this once and now makes it twice a week, admitting that 15-minute dinners that taste this good eliminate the exhaustion excuse for takeout.
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Ingredients You Need for Honey Garlic Shrimp
For the Shrimp:
- 1½ lbs large shrimp
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For Honey Garlic Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ginger, grated
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon butter
For Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry:
- Add 2 cups mixed vegetables
- Cook vegetables first, then shrimp
- Toss everything together
For Honey Garlic Shrimp Pasta:
- Serve over 8 oz cooked linguine or spaghetti
- Add pasta water to thin sauce if needed
- Garnish with parmesan
For Honey Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli:
- Low-carb complete meal
- Add 2 cups broccoli florets
- Steam broccoli while cooking shrimp
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Honey Garlic Shrimp Step by Step
Prep Shrimp and Make Sauce:
If using frozen shrimp, thaw completely by placing in a colander under cold running water for 5-10 minutes. Pat shrimp very dry with paper towels excess moisture prevents good searing. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. If you want extra crispy exterior, toss shrimp with 1 teaspoon cornstarch. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes if using. Set aside. Have everything ready this cooks fast and you won’t have time to prep once you start.
Cook the Sauce:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the honey garlic sauce mixture directly to the pan (no oil needed yet). Let it bubble and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces slightly and becomes sticky and fragrant. The sauce should look thicker and coat the back of a spoon. Don’t walk away honey can burn quickly. Once reduced, pour the sauce into a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the skillet if there are burnt bits. This pre-cooking concentrates flavors and ensures thick glaze.
Sear the Shrimp:
Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil or butter and let it get hot-you should see it shimmer. Add shrimp in a single layer without overcrowding (work in batches if needed overcrowding causes steaming instead of searing). Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes until the bottoms turn pink and slightly golden. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes until just cooked through and opaque. Don’t overcook! Shrimp goes from perfect to rubbery in seconds. William checks doneness visually shrimp should be pink, opaque, and forming a C shape. If they’re in a tight O shape, they’re overcooked.
Combine and Glaze:
Return the reduced honey garlic sauce to the skillet with the cooked shrimp. Add 1 tablespoon butter. Toss everything together over medium heat for 30-60 seconds until shrimp are coated with glossy, sticky sauce and butter is melted. The sauce should cling to the shrimp like a glaze, not pool in the bottom of the pan. If sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons water. If too thin, let it bubble for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat immediately don’t keep cooking or shrimp will overcook.
Serve:
Transfer to a serving plate immediately. The shrimp should be glossy, sticky, and coated with thick honey garlic sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, or fresh parsley. Serve over rice, with pasta, with vegetables, or just eat them straight. William always makes extra because people eat way more shrimp than expected they’re dangerously addictive when coated in this sauce.
Equipment For Honey Garlic Shrimp
- Large skillet or wok
- Spatula or tongs
- Small mixing bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Paper towels
Honey Garlic Shrimp Variations
Classic Honey Garlic Glazed Shrimp:
- Just shrimp with honey garlic sauce
- Served over white rice
- Simple perfection
- William’s standard version
Honey Garlic Shrimp and Sausage:
- Add sliced smoked sausage
- Cook sausage first, then shrimp
- Cajun-inspired
- Hearty and filling
Lemon Garlic Shrimp:
- Replace honey with lemon juice
- Lighter, tangier version
- Add fresh herbs
- Mediterranean style
Ginger Shrimp Upgrade:
- Double the fresh ginger
- Add scallions
- Asian-restaurant quality
- Bold and aromatic
Smart Swaps for Your Honey Garlic Shrimp
Shrimp Options:
- Frozen shrimp → Fresh (more convenient, year-round)
- Medium shrimp → Large (cook faster, more pieces)
- Tail-on → Tail-off (prettier presentation, easier eating)
Sauce Swaps:
- Maple syrup → Honey (different sweetness, thinner)
- Coconut aminos → Soy sauce (gluten-free, slightly sweeter)
- Lime juice → Rice vinegar (different acid, brighter)
Fat Options:
- Butter → Olive oil (richer, traditional)
- Ghee → Butter (nutty, dairy-free)
- Coconut oil → Butter (tropical flavor)
Add-Ins:
- Orange zest → Plain (citrus brightness)
- Sesame oil → Regular oil (Asian flavor boost)
- Sriracha → Red pepper flakes (more heat)
Storing Your Honey Garlic Shrimp
Refrigerator Storage (3 days):
- Store cooked shrimp in airtight container
- Keep sauce separately if possible (prevents sogginess)
- Reheat gently in microwave or skillet
- Best quality within 2 days
Freezer Storage (Not Recommended):
- Cooked shrimp becomes rubbery when frozen
- Raw shrimp freezes well but cook fresh
- Better to freeze raw, cook when ready
Meal Prep Strategy:
- Cook shrimp Sunday for week lunches
- Store with rice and vegetables
- Reheat gently (don’t overcook again)
- Portion into 4-5 containers
Leftover Ideas:
- Toss with noodles
- Chop for fried rice or pasta
- Use in tacos or wraps
- Add to salads
Top Tip
- The absolute game-changer for perfect honey garlic shrimp is cooking the sauce separately first until it reduces and thickens, then cooking shrimp separately, then combining them at the end. William used to add the sauce directly to raw shrimp and wonder why it was watery and thin instead of sticky and glazed. The science is that shrimp releases moisture as it cooks if you cook shrimp in the sauce, that moisture dilutes your sauce into watery liquid.
- Here’s the practical technique: William heats his pan, adds the honey-soy-garlic sauce (no oil yet), and lets it bubble for 2-3 minutes until it reduces by about ⅓ and looks thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. He pours it into a bowl. Then he wipes the pan, adds oil, cranks the heat to medium-high, and sears the dried shrimp 2 minutes per side. Finally, he returns the reduced sauce to the pan with the cooked shrimp, adds a pat of butter, and tosses for 30 seconds.
- My other essential tip: pull shrimp from the heat the instant they turn pink and opaque throughout don’t give them “one more minute” or they’ll overcook into rubbery texture. William sets a timer for 2 minutes per side and checks at exactly 2 minutes if they’re pink, he immediately removes them. Shrimp continues cooking from carryover heat even off the stove, so slightly underdone on the pan means perfectly done on the plate.
What to Serve With Honey Garlic Shrimp
From countless weeknight dinners and entertaining occasions, I’ve learned this sticky honey shrimp works beautifully as both a quick weeknight meal and an impressive dinner party entrée. For weeknight family dinners, serve it over white or brown rice with steamed broccoli or green beans-complete meal in 20 minutes. William likes it over cauliflower rice for low-carb, with roasted asparagus on the side. The sweet-savory sauce soaks into rice perfectly, creating satisfying comfort food. For casual entertaining, serve it family-style over a bed of rice on a large platter, garnished beautifully with sesame seeds and green onions.
For Asian-inspired dinner spreads, this honey garlic sauce shrimp pairs perfectly with other Chinese takeout favorites fried rice, lo mein, potstickers, spring rolls. William makes a full Chinese restaurant-style spread at home for less than one takeout order costs, and everything is fresher and healthier. At our house, this appears in our dinner rotation 2-3 times per week during busy seasons it’s genuinely that quick and easy. The fact that it reheats well for lunch the next day makes it a meal prep winner that provides two meals from one cooking session.
FAQ
How do you make honey garlic shrimp?
To make honey garlic shrimp: (1) Pat shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper, (2) Make sauce by whisking honey, soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar, and ginger, (3) Cook sauce in a pan for 2-3 minutes until slightly thick, remove and set aside, (4) Heat oil in the same pan over medium-high heat, (5) Cook shrimp 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque, (6) Return sauce to pan with butter, toss shrimp to coat for 30 seconds, (7) Serve immediately. The key is cooking sauce separately first so it thickens properly, then cooking shrimp quickly over high heat.
How many minutes to cook garlic shrimp?
Cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side over medium-high heat total cooking time is 4-6 minutes maximum. Shrimp is done when it turns pink and opaque throughout. William pulls shrimp the instant it turns completely pink, not a second later overcooking by even 30 seconds creates rubbery texture. Large shrimp (16-20 count) need 2-3 minutes per side. Medium shrimp (31-40 count) need 1-2 minutes per side. Use visual cues: shrimp forms a C shape when perfectly cooked, tight O shape means overcooked.
How long can you keep garlic shrimp in the fridge?
Store cooked honey garlic shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days maximum, though best quality is within 2 days. Shrimp is delicate seafood that deteriorates faster than chicken or beef. William meal preps Sunday and eats leftovers through Tuesday by Wednesday they’re not as tender. Reheat gently in microwave (30-45 seconds) or in a skillet over low heat don’t overcook during reheating or shrimp becomes rubbery.
Does honey garlic sauce need to be refrigerated?
The honey garlic sauce itself (before adding to shrimp) can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 1 week in an airtight container. William makes big batches Sunday and uses it throughout the week for different meals. However, once you’ve cooked shrimp in the sauce, the entire dish must be refrigerated and eaten within 3 days due to the seafood. The sauce contains honey (shelf-stable), soy sauce (shelf-stable), and garlic (perishable), so refrigeration is safest for the prepared sauce.
The Ultimate Weeknight Dinner Victory!
Now you have everything you need to create this incredible honey garlic shrimp-from proper searing technique to my grandmother’s timing wisdom. This easy honey garlic shrimp recipe proves that restaurant-quality seafood doesn’t require culinary training or expensive ingredients. Sometimes the best weeknight cooking involves discovering simple techniques that create dramatically better results in minimal time.
Want more quick seafood recipes? Try our Delicious Grilled Chicken Kabobs Recipe that uses similar technique. Craving more Asian-inspired dinners? Our Easy Cheddar Stuffed BBQ Bacon Bombs Recipe brings different protein. Need another 15-minute meal? Our Best Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich Recipe is equally fast!
We love seeing your honey garlic shrimp creations! Tell us how you served it, if you tried my grandmother’s timing trick, and how much takeout money you’ve saved. We get so excited seeing your glossy, sticky shrimp!
Rate this Honey Garlic Shrimp and tell us if you’ll ever order takeout shrimp again-we love hearing about weeknight cooking victories!
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Honey Garlic Shrimp
Honey Garlic Shrimp
A 15-minute Honey Garlic Shrimp that’s sweet, savory, sticky, and truly restaurant-quality. Perfect for weeknights fast, foolproof, and customizable with veggies, pasta, or rice.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
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Thaw shrimp, pat dry, season, and whisk together the honey garlic sauce.
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Simmer the sauce in the skillet 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened; remove and set aside.
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Heat oil and cook shrimp 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
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Add reduced sauce and butter; toss shrimp until glossy and coated.
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Plate immediately and serve over rice, noodles, or vegetables.
Nutrition
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
