Honey garlic marinated shrimp takes just 25 minutes from start to finish and delivers a glossy, sticky sauce that is sweet, salty, and full of garlic.
A short soak in half of the sauce seasons the shrimp, and the rest goes into the hot pan at the very end to form a quick glaze. With only five ingredients, it turns a pound of shrimp into a main dish with almost no effort.
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Why This Honey Garlic Marinated Shrimp Recipe Works
The marinade does not need hours. Fifteen to twenty minutes is enough for honey, soy sauce, and garlic to flavor shrimp, which are delicate and absorb seasoning quickly.
Splitting the sauce keeps things safe and flavorful. Half marinates the raw shrimp and is discarded, while the untouched half becomes the glaze, so you never serve sauce that touched raw seafood.
Shrimp cook in just 1 to 2 minutes per side, so the glaze thickens right as the shrimp finish. The honey caramelizes lightly for a glossy coat without burning if you keep the heat at medium high.
Ingredients for Honey Garlic Marinated Shrimp
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Honey. It provides sweetness and the sticky glaze. Warm it briefly if it is too thick to whisk.
Soy sauce. Low sodium soy sauce keeps the dish balanced, and tamari makes it gluten free.
Garlic. Mince it finely so it dissolves into the sauce rather than burning in the pan.
Shrimp. Use shrimp of the same size so they finish cooking together.
Vegetable oil. Choose an oil with a high smoke point so the pan can get hot enough for a good sear.
How to Make Honey Garlic Marinated Shrimp
1. Whisk the sauce In a small bowl, whisk the honey, soy sauce, and garlic until smooth. Set the bowl aside.
2. Marinate the shrimp Place the shrimp in a zip top bag and pour in half of the sauce. Seal the bag, massage the sauce around the shrimp, and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
3. Heat the pan Warm the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until it shimmers.
4. Sear the shrimp Lift the shrimp out of the marinade, discard the marinade, and add the shrimp to the pan. Cook in two batches if needed so they sit in a single layer.
5. Cook through Cook the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until pink and opaque and 145 degrees F inside.
6. Glaze the shrimp Pour in the reserved sauce, stir, and cook for 1 minute until it just begins to thicken and coats the shrimp.
7. Serve right away Remove the pan from the heat and serve while the glaze is glossy.
How to Serve Honey Garlic Marinated Shrimp
Spoon the shrimp over fluffy cilantro lime rice so the glaze soaks into every grain. A cool creamy Asian cucumber salad or garlic sesame cucumber salad balances the sweetness, and air fryer broccoli with parmesan adds a green side with crisp edges.
How to Store and Reheat Honey Garlic Marinated Shrimp
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat them within 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat for a minute or two, since shrimp turn rubbery when overheated. Freezing is not recommended because the texture turns soft.
Tips and Variations for Honey Garlic Marinated Shrimp
Pat the shrimp dry. Dry shrimp brown better and keep the glaze from watering down.
Do not marinate too long. Beyond 20 minutes the soy sauce can start to firm the shrimp, so keep the time short.
Never reuse the marinade. The marinade touched raw shrimp, so discard it rather than adding it to the pan.
Do not crowd the skillet. Crowding steams the shrimp and keeps them from searing, so work in batches.
Watch the honey. Honey burns quickly, so add the glaze at the end and keep the heat at medium high.
Add some heat. A pinch of red pepper flakes in the sauce gives a gentle kick.
Add vegetables. Bell peppers or snow peas can cook in the pan with the shrimp for a complete dinner.
Keep seafood safe. Cook shrimp until opaque and refrigerate leftovers promptly. The FDA safe food handling guidance is a good general reference.
Frequently Asked Questions About Honey Garlic Marinated Shrimp
Can I prepare honey garlic marinated shrimp ahead of time?
You can whisk the sauce and peel the shrimp a few hours ahead, but keep them refrigerated and cook just before serving for the juiciest texture.
How long should I marinate honey garlic marinated shrimp?
Fifteen to twenty minutes is plenty. Longer marinating can change the texture of the shrimp.
Can I freeze honey garlic marinated shrimp?
Freezing cooked shrimp in a glaze is not recommended because the texture turns soft. Refrigerate and eat within 3 days.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes. Thaw them completely in the refrigerator or under cold running water, then pat dry before marinating.
Can I make this gluten free?
Yes, use tamari instead of soy sauce and check that the label says gluten free.
Honey Garlic Marinated Shrimp
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Zip top bag
- Small mixing bowl
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten free
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled and deveined, tails on
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil for cooking the shrimp
Instructions
Cooking
- Make the sauce. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, and garlic together and divide it in half.
- Marinate. Toss the shrimp in half of the sauce in a zip top bag and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes, then discard that marinade.
- Sear. Cook the shrimp in hot oil over medium high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
- Glaze. Add the reserved sauce and cook for 1 minute until it thickens and coats the shrimp.
