20-Minute Honey Garlic Shrimp
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This 20-minute honey garlic shrimp is a fast skillet dinner with juicy shrimp coated in a sticky-sweet garlic sauce made from honey, soy sauce, fresh ginger, and sesame oil.
I make this honey garlic shrimp whenever I need dinner on the table fast but still want something that feels exciting.
The shrimp cooks in minutes, the sauce comes together in one bowl, and everything gets finished in a single skillet, which makes cleanup easy and weeknights calmer.
My whole family has been obsessed with this dish ever since I first tested it! We love serving it over white rice or cauliflower rice on low-carb days alongside roasted broccoli or sautéed broccolini. It’s so good!
Table of Contents
“Easy to make and very tasty”
Why I Love This Honey Garlic Shrimp
- Ready in 20 minutes: The shrimp cooks in just a few minutes and the sauce thickens right in the same skillet.
- Sweet and savory balance: Honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger create that sticky glaze everyone loves.
- One-pan dinner: Fewer dishes, faster cleanup, and everything finishes in one skillet.
- High-protein and filling: Shrimp keeps this meal light but satisfying.
- Easy to pair with sides: Serve it over rice, cauliflower rice, or alongside roasted or stir-fried veggies.
Ingredients Needed
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to whip up this flavorful honey garlic shrimp!
- shrimp – the star of the dish! Use peeled and deveined shrimp for easy prep. I prefer wild-caught shrimp for the best flavor and texture.
- olive oil or butter – for cooking the shrimp and adding a bit of richness. Butter will give a more classic, restaurant-style flavor, while olive oil keeps things a little lighter.
- garlic powder, salt & pepper – a simple seasoning blend to enhance the shrimp before adding the sauce.
- honey – adds the perfect amount of natural sweetness to balance the savory soy sauce and garlic.
- low-sodium soy sauce or tamari – brings a rich umami depth to the sauce.
- arrowroot powder or cornstarch – helps to thicken the sauce.
- fresh ginger & garlic – the must-have aromatics in any great honey garlic sauce. Fresh is best!
- sesame oil – just a little adds a toasty, nutty flavor that ties everything together.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
I love this shrimp recipe as is, but there are always ways to switch things up! Here are some easy swaps to fit your needs:
- Protein swaps: This honey garlic sauce works just as well with bite-sized chicken thighs, salmon chunks, or extra-firm tofu. Cook times will vary, so pull each protein as soon as it’s just cooked through.
- Soy-free option: Coconut aminos can replace soy sauce for a slightly sweeter, milder flavor. Tamari is still the best choice if you want to keep the dish gluten free.
- Thickener options: Tapioca starch can stand in for arrowroot or cornstarch. If skipping starch altogether, let the sauce simmer a bit longer to reduce and concentrate.
How to Make Honey Garlic Shrimp
Step 1: Add shrimp to a large bowl. Pat dry and toss with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Step 2: Add sauce ingredients to a small bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
Step 3: Heat oil on medium heat. Once hot add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until shrimp is opaque and cooked. Remove shrimp from heat.
Step 4: In the same skillet add the sauce. Simmer for 3-4 minutes on medium heat until the sauce reduces and thickens.
Step 5: Add the shrimp back to the skillet. Stir to coat shrimp in the sauce.
Step 6: Serve over rice or quinoa and top with green onions and sesame seeds.
Brittany’s Recipe Tips!
- Pat the shrimp dry: Before tossing with the seasoning and arrowroot powder, make sure your shrimp are dry. This helps them sear properly and get a nice, golden crust instead of steaming in the pan.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp: Shrimp cooks quickly! They only need about 2-3 minutes per side. Once they turn pink and opaque, remove them from the heat to keep them juicy and tender.
- Customize the sweetness: If you prefer a less sweet dish, start with 2 tablespoons of honey and adjust to taste. You can also balance the flavors with a splash of rice vinegar or lime juice for extra brightness.
How to Serve Honey Garlic Shrimp
This honey garlic shrimp pairs well with so many sides! Here are a few ways to serve it:
- Over rice or grains – The classic pairing! Serve this shrimp over jasmine rice, turmeric rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice to soak up all that sweet and savory sauce.
- With stir-fried or roasted veggies – Balance out the meal with some roasted broccoli, air fryer zucchini, or a simple stir-fry of bell peppers, carrots, and snap peas.
- As a lettuce wrap – Skip the grains and serve the shrimp in lettuce cups for a lighter, low-carb meal. Add some shredded cabbage or carrots for crunch.
- In a shrimp bowl – Build a delicious bowl with rice, cucumber salad, steamed edamame, avocado, and a drizzle of sriracha or extra sesame oil.
- On a salad – Add this shrimp to my Asian edamame salad for some extra protein!
How to Store & Reheat
- In the refrigerator: Store leftover honey garlic shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- In the freezer: You can freeze cooked shrimp in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Just thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm the shrimp in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or soy sauce to loosen the sauce. Avoid microwaving for too long, as shrimp can become rubbery.
- Make ahead: Prep the sauce and marinate the shrimp up to 12 hours in advance for an easy weeknight meal!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! To air-fry, cook at 375°F for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway. To bake, place shrimp on a sheet pan and bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, then toss in the sauce before serving.
Use large, peeled, and deveined shrimp for the best texture and flavor. Fresh shrimp is great, but frozen shrimp works too—just make sure to thaw and pat dry before cooking.
More Shrimp Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
20-Minute Honey Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
- ½ Tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Green onions, for topping
- Sesame seeds, for topping
Instructions
- Add sauce ingredients to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ cup honey, 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari, 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch, 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, ½ Tablespoon sesame oil, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, Green onions, Sesame seeds
- Add shrimp to a large bowl. Pat dry. Toss with salt, pepper and garlic powder.1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat butter or oil on medium heat. Once hot add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until shrimp is opaque and cooked. Remove shrimp from heat.1 Tablespoon olive oil or butter, 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
- Reduce heat to medium low and add the sauce in the same skillet. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens.
- Add the shrimp back to the skillet. Stir to coat shrimp in the sauce.
- Serve over rice or quinoa and top with green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
- Storing: Store leftover honey garlic shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm the shrimp in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or soy sauce to loosen the sauce. Avoid microwaving for too long, as shrimp can become rubbery.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Easy to make and very tasty
Love hearing that, Holly! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for giving it a try and for taking the time to leave a review!
I think something may be off in your measurements. The flavor was good but the consistency and color are very different than the pictures. Should it have said more soy or less cornstarch?
So sorry to hear this! I just double checked and the measurements are all correct. What was your consistency like? Was yours too thick? I’m wondering if your sauce simmered too long so got too thick? And what color was your sauce? Let me know and I’d be happy to help troubleshoot!
Thanks! After about 30 seconds to one minute the sauce was goopy and congealing. It was a light brown color, not dark brown like the pictures. Also it seemed like we had less of a quantity of sauce overall compared to the pictures.
Interesting! Did you use arrowroot or cornstarch? And do you remember if your heat was on high? Cooking at too high of a heat can cause it to thicken up quickly and reduce more than expected. I’d recommend keeping a close eye on it and pulling it off the heat as soon as it starts to thicken slightly — it’ll continue to thicken as it cools. The color can also vary a bit depending on the type of soy sauce and honey used, but I totally get wanting that rich, dark glaze like in the photos. I hope it still tasted great, and I’m happy to help troubleshoot further if needed!
We used cornstarch, did you test with cornstarch? I was reading that half the cornstarch is needed when using it instead of arrowroot. We used 2 tablespoons of honey as the customization suggests for less sweetness. The heat was medium and we had to pull it off very quickly since it was congealing.
The arrowroot is listed as a sauce ingredient, but not in the shrimp section. However, it’s mentioned in the coating of the shrimp in the directions without a specific amount. Would you be willing to clarify?
So sorry for the confusion! The arrowroot powder is just in the sauce, not in the shrimp. That was a typo in the instructions. Thank you for noticing that and letting me know. I just updated the recipe. 🙂