Honey Garlic Shrimp

5 from 3 votes

This sweet and savory honey garlic shrimp is a quick, family-friendly, 15-minute dinner!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword Honey Garlic Shrimp, honey garlic shrimp stir fry, shrimp stir fry

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Servings people

Calories 138kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

2 tablespoons salted butter
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons grated or pressed garlic (from about 2 large cloves)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons less-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Optional, for serving: lemon or lime wedges, sliced green onion, toasted sesame seeds, chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, crushed red pepper flakes, cooked rice, steamed broccoli, hot sauce

Melt butter and sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar; cook until the sauce is thick and foamy, about 1 – 1 ½ minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Transfer sauce to a bowl; do not wipe out the skillet.
Add the shrimp to the skillet in a single layer. Cook over medium-high heat for about 1 minute per side, or just until the shrimp turn pink and opaque.
Pour the sauce over the shrimp. Cook for about 1 more minute, stirring to coat the shrimp in the sauce. Serve immediately; garnish with desired toppings and additional soy sauce or hot sauce.

Spread the shrimp out in a single layer in the skillet in order to achieve a crispy exterior. If you crowd them too tightly in the pan, you'll end up steaming the shrimp and miss out on that great sear. If necessary, you can stir-fry the shrimp in batches.
The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your shrimp. You know the shrimp are done when they turn pink and opaque. It's fine if they're still a little bit translucent in the center when you add the sauce back to the pan, since the shrimp will continue to cook in the skillet for another minute or so. Just be careful that you don't overcook the shrimp or they will become tough and rubbery.
For a thicker sauce, let it cook an extra minute or so, but remember -- the sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it cools in the bowl. Since there is no cornstarch in the sauce, it will not be quite as thick as other Asian sauces. Instead, it's more like a sweet butter glaze. If you prefer a very thick sauce, you can add a cornstarch slurry by mixing a small amount of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water, stirring that into the sauce until it reaches the desired consistency.
Garnish the dish with extra toppings for even more flavor. We love toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions, fresh parsley, lime or lemon wedges, chopped peanuts, cashews, or crushed red pepper flakes. An extra dash of soy sauce or hot sauce is great, too!