Honey Garlic Shrimp

December 22, 2020

This honey garlic shrimp is so irresistible, you’ll want to eat it every night! A sweet savory glaze covers succulent shrimp, and it’s done in 10 minutes.

Every now and then a recipe comes along that knocks our socks off. And so it was with this Honey Garlic Shrimp recipe! There’s nothing like the sweet savory combination of honey garlic glaze and juicy shrimp. The best part? It takes 10 minutes to make. This one is hits all the comforting, satisfying dinner notes with a lightning fast prep speed. It’s hard to find those recipes with that elusive trifecta of healthy, easy and delicious: and this one has it in spades.

The secrets behind honey garlic shrimp…in 10 minutes!

There’s no marinating time needed with this honey garlic shrimp. It’s the ultimate fast and easy dinner idea…in just 10 minutes! One note: make sure to thaw the shrimp if you’re using frozen; this isn’t included in the timing. Here are a few of the secrets to this kitchen magic trick (or jump to the recipe below):

Mix the shrimp with minced garlic, onion powder & salt. This allows maximum coverage of the seasoning on the shrimp first.
Mix together a quick sauce. Honey, soy sauce, and vinegar is all you need and it’s absolute perfection!
Sauté 1 to 2 minutes per side. To learn about the perfect sear, to Perfect Sautéed Shrimp.
Turn off the heat and add the sauce! Removing the heat is important so the sauce doesn’t evaporate when it hits the hot pan.

The best shrimp to buy

When you’re shopping for shrimp, there are so many options at the store these days. If you’re making this honey garlic shrimp, here’s what we’d recommend:

Find medium shrimp (or large). Medium is nice because you get more bites! But either work. Medium is also labeled as 41 to 50 count, and Large as 31 to 40 count (which indicates how many shrimp there are per pound).
Use tail on or peeled. For this recipe we like tail on because it looks beautiful. But you do have to remove the tails with your hands as you eat them! So peeled is great too.
Fresh or frozen. Both are essentially the same freshness because most shrimp are immediately flash frozen. Just make sure to thaw the shrimp in advance.
Wild caught. Look for wild caught: it’s the most sustainable!

How to thaw shrimp

What’s the best way to thaw shrimp? The easiest way is the night before! But if you’re like us and rarely think ahead: there’s a method too. Here’s the best way to thaw shrimp for this honey garlic shrimp recipe:

Day before: Place the frozen shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.
Day of: Place the frozen shrimp in a large bowl with very cold water. Stir the bowl every 5 minutes to break up clumps of shrimp that freeze together. The shrimp should defrost in about 15 minutes. Make sure to pat it dry before using!

Ways to serve honey garlic shrimp

All you need are a side dish or two to make honey garlic shrimp into a healthy dinner that everyone will love. Our favorite picks? Rice and broccoli. Every time we make it, everyone around the table raves. Even our 4 year old inhales it! This is one of those recipes I could eat at least 6 out of 7 days of the week and be happy. Here are a few side dish ideas:

Broccoli: Whip up pan fried broccoli in a separate pan! Or use the same pan after you cook the shrimp.
Rice: Go to white rice or brown rice. (Or try lentil rice, rice made from lentils: it cooks even faster!)
Veggie sauté: Pair with these ultimate sauteed veggies.
Edamame: Try Easy Edamame or 5-Minute Shelled Edamame.
Stir Fry: Pair with this Cauliflower Stir Fry for a stunning meal.

This honey garlic shrimp recipe is…

Pescatarian, gluten-free and dairy free (with olive oil).