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Sticky Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp are coated in the most amazing sticky honey garlic butter soy sauce. This is a quick 20 minute meal that you will make again and again!
You can’t go wrong with shrimp recipes that are quick and easy to make! Creamy Garlic Shrimp Alfredo Pasta, Lemon Garlic Shrimp Scampi Recipe or Cajun Garlic Shrimp and Grits are a few of our favorite family meals.
Sticky Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp
Since the New Year has started I made a goal to make dinner at home more. The holidays were crazy and it is so nice to settle down a bit. I love cooking at home and eating together at night is just so much better. We started our week off with this amazing Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp. I am not even the biggest fan of shrimp… the hubby is… and this is one of the best meals that I have ever had!! Add some fried rice or white rice and this is a complete meal your family will love!
Honey, garlic, soy sauce, and butter. Seriously my favorite flavors in one. I use them in so many recipes because it is just so dang good!! It is easy to make and the flavor is incredible. It coats the shrimp perfectly and creates such a flavorful and sticky sauce! But my favorite part is that this meal was ready in under 30 minutes. You can have amazing meals for your family at night that require little effort but are restaurant quality. You are going to love the sticky sauce on this shrimp and this will be a meal that you want to make again and again!
Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp Ingredients:
- Honey: Makes everything sticky but it makes it a little sweeter too!
- Soy Sauce: One of my favorite sauces to add to shrimp. It has a sweet and salty flavor that cooks well in shrimp.
- Garlic: You can never have enough garlic. This hint of garlic will balance out the flavors.
- Lemon: A squeeze of lemon is just what is needed to have a fresh, zest flavor.
- Shrimp: Large is best and ready to cook.
- Butter: Will be melted as you are cooking the shrimp in the skillet.
- Green Onions: Used for color and garnishing the shrimp.
How do you make Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp?
- Marinate the shrimp: In a small bowl whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic and lemon. Add half of the sauce to the shrimp and let marinate for 30 minutes.
- Melt the butter: In a medium sized skillet add the butter. Add the shrimp and discard marinade. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook shrimp: Turn the heat to medium high. Cook until the shrimp turns pink about 2 minutes each side.
- Add the sauce with the shrimp: Add the reserved marinade and pour over shrimp. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken and coats the shrimp. Garnish with green onions.
What is the best shrimp to use?
There most common types of shrimp found in markets are pink or white shrimp, both are great to use in this recipe. Make sure to select a jumbo-sized shrimp, look for 16 to 20 count (or pieces) per pound. This will ensure that the shrimp does not overcook quickly when sauteed.
Jumbo size also gives a nice two-bite piece for a heartier entree. Feel free to remove the tails to make it easier to eat. Frozen shrimp can also be used, run them under cool water until the ice melts, or defrost them the night before and drain well.
How long do you cook the shrimp?
When the shrimp are no longer pink in color and is taking on more of an opaque white color, is when I would consider them done. You do want to keep an eye on how white they do get and assure they do not overcook.
Keeping an eye on size reduction in the shrimp as well is a great way to watch how “done” your shrimp are getting. I like to leave the tails on the shrimp when cooking them. It does add extra flavor; however, if you prefer to peel the whole shrimp or purchase them that way, that is fine too.
Can you overcook shrimp?
The exterior of the shrimp should be pink with red tails and the flesh is slightly opaque and a little “white” in color. If it is too bright white in color, then the shrimp may be overcooked.
Looking for more Shrimp recipes?! Here are some!
- Shrimp and Asparagus Skillet
- Copycat Bang Bang Shrimp
- Sweet and Sour Shrimp
- Easy Shrimp Tacos
- Fiery Shrimp Diablo
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Sticky Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 small Lemon Juice from lemon
- 1 pound Large Shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- Green Onions for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic and lemon. Add half of the sauce to the shrimp and let marinate for 30 minutes.
- In a medium sized skillet add the butter. Add the shrimp and save marinade. Season with salt and pepper.
- Turn the heat to medium high. Cook until the shrimp turns pink about 2 minutes each side.
- Add the reserved marinade and pour over shrimp. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken and coats the shrimp. Garnish with green onions.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really good…I added red pepper flakes to the sauce, also 1/4 teaspoon of cornstarch to thicken. Based on comments, I cooked shrimp first then added shrimp to the thickened sauce, stirring around for 30 seconds, removed from heat, plated and added green onion pieces. Soooo good, thanks again Alyssa. Winner- winner!
My husband wants me to use with chicken. Do you think this will be alright
Thanks
Yes, that will taste great! I hope your husband enjoy it!
I must not have cooked the sauce down enough, thickened but not thick.Shrimp over done trying to thicken sauce.Maybe take them out next time to reduce moisture and not over cook.
I never cook seafood because I do not like it. My husband loves it unfortunately so I am trying to cook it for him. This was my first ever recipe/attempt at seafood and it was a big hit. I added a tiny bit of sesame oil to the marinade with extra pepper flakes because he likes it spicy and he was seriously impressed 🙂
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!??? I added a spoonful of ground fresh chili paste to the shrimp while it was marinating to add a little heat to it. I mixed in some broccoli and served over a bed of rice!!! Won’t be ordering shrimp and broccoli anymore…MINE IS BETTER!!!??????
Tried this last night my sauce was a bit sticky. However I let simmer and cooked probably more then what needed. I mixed in some Lingine noodles after it was cooked! It was a hit in my Barracks! All the soldiers loved it! Thanks again!
This dish is so easy to make, we love it! I serve it over angel hair pasta. There is one misleading statement, it says to disguard liquid shrimp is marinated in. Do not disgurd, use it in the end with left over sauce.
This recipe is 5 star!
I want to know why it’s never a thick sticky sauce. Flavors are great. I make it all the time. But it’s never thick or sticky
Please help. Thx
Why can’t u just thicken the sauce first then add the shrimp?
You are welcome to try it that way too! Hope that helps you! Enjoy your shrimp!
For the Sticky Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp:
Can someone tell me what size shrimp you use, also do you use fresh or frozen?
You will want to use 1 pound large shrimp that is peeled and deveined. They will be either fresh or frozen. Just for the frozen you will want to thaw before cooking. Hope that helps!
Did you drain the shrimp after cooking before adding the reserved marinade? There was a good deal of liquid in my pan, and it made the sauce runny. When I see your video it seems as if you’ve drained them.
Thx!
Yes, I did drain some of the access marinade in the sink before adding them to the pan. You can also leave the marinade on and not drain it but cooking the shrimp a little longer. Hope that helps explain it better.
Has anyone tried this with garlic powder? I am out of garlic and scraping by until payday.??
How about white fish?
Sounds great too!
Hi!
Thinking of using this marinade for chicken. Wanted to see if u think there would be an issue leaving the chicken in with the marinade for several hours as opposed to the 1/2 hour you mentioned in ur instructions for the shrimp.
Thanks!
MJ
I have made this several times. I can never get the sauce to thicken let alone even be sticky. The flavor is good I just wish i could get it sticky.
I Agree! The sauce did not thicken. I added extra honey but still did not thicken. I drained the marinade from the shrimp so it wouldn’t add extra liquid but that did not make a difference. Maybe some cornstarch would help thicken. Great flavor. I also use honey and teriyaki as a marinade for bbq salmon.
Add cornstarch. Just a little.
We tried this a month ago and we are going to have it again tonight. This was very yummy. This recipe has a lil sweet and spicy, very good indeed…Thanks for a great recipe…