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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 cooking in a skillet garnished with lemons.

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!

Sticky honey garlic butter shrimp up close with green onions garnished over top.

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?

  1. 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.
  2. Melt the butter: In a medium sized skillet add the butter. Add the shrimp and discard marinade. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Cook shrimp: Turn the heat to medium high. Cook until the shrimp turns pink about 2 minutes each side.
  4. 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.

Making the honey garlic butter sauce and marinated the shrimp in it, then cooking the shrimp in a skillet with butter and pouring the remaining honey garlic butter sauce over top the cooking shrimp.

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.

Sticky honey garlic butter shrimp on a plate with broccoli and lemon garnishes.

 

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Sticky Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp

4.48 from 96 votes
By: Alyssa Rivers
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!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 People

Ingredients 

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

Updated on March 15, 2020
Original Post on January 11, 2017

Nutrition

Serving: 4peopleCalories: 304kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 25gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 301mgSodium: 1743mgPotassium: 153mgFiber: 1gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 175IUVitamin C: 5.5mgCalcium: 174mgIron: 2.9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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Recipe Rating




235 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    Very tasteful and quick. I had more lemon juice than needed for recipe so put it in the water I boiled the rice in.
    Served with China buffet style green beans as a side.

  2. 5 stars
    This was delicious! However, in order to get the honey to remain sticky and not be diluted, I would be specific about the amount of lemon, the second liquid in the recipe. If there are 4 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, I would estimate 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. That way, you will still get the tang of the citrus yet not dilute the impact of the honey. My second batch was better than my first because of that change.

  3. 5 stars
    I substituted sliced bologna for the shrimp and vinegar for the honey. The resulting dish was a resounding success at the church potluck. Outstanding!

  4. 3 stars
    Takes great, however the sauce never thickens up unless moved into a sauce pan and it take awhile. Should be in main directions

  5. 5 stars
    Your honey garlic butter shrimp is fantastic! Honestly the best shrimp recipe I’ve made. Think marinade will work for boneless skinless chicken breasts as well? Thank you!

  6. 5 stars
    Delicious! Tastes better with pineapple and coconut. Hell, forget the shrimp and just eat pineapple and coconut!

  7. I did a slight variation on this using a little less honey. I marinated shrimp for an hour in refrigerator after putting your ingredients in, then I got iron skillet and washed with soy sauce and honey combo. Let that sit while shrimp maraintes. I stirred mariane to ensure all shrimp good and covered, occasionally. Then cooked as your recipe instructed. Turned out fantastic! Thanks for your tips

  8. 5 stars
    I cooked this today for my family,we loved it.So easy and I don’t cook a lot anymore because I’m retired .Thank you for sharing 👍

  9. 5 stars
    Made this tonight. Read the reviews first so I didn’t make mistakes like overcooking the shrimp. Delicious. Lots of flavor even though it’s such a simple dish with few ingredients. I served it over white rice. Will make this again but might add something to give it a little kick.

  10. AMAZING!!! My family and I where looking for something different from the garlic and butter recipe! You have hit the jackpot! Thank you for sharing this recipe!

  11. 5 stars
    Super delicious! My family gobbled it up. I added walnuts after adding the marinade and served it over angel hair pasta.

  12. 5 stars
    This is great, but had to tweak it a bit. I put 3/4 cup honey a tablespoon of cornstarch and a dash of hot sauce for the sauce to thicken. Served it over thin Chinese noodles. It was excellent!!

  13. 4 stars
    I loved the recipe and the shrimp was very delicious. I will definitely try this again and my family really loved it as well. Though my shrimp was a little over cooked because the last step wasn’t very specific on how long to let it sit. Knowing this, next time I know to take it off earlier and there will be a next time!