Spicy honey shrimp is a quick dinner recipe that's ready in about ten minutes. Serve these sweet and spicy honey shrimp over a bed of rice with steamed veggies for a complete meal.
These flavorful shrimp are coated in an easy homemade sauce made with soy sauce, honey, red pepper flakes, paprika, and garlic. The best part - they're ready in only ten minutes!
They make the perfect quick weeknight meal when paired with your favorite cooked rice and roasted broccoli. Plus, it's easier to make them hotter or milder to suit your tastes.
Serve as an appetizer, over a salad for a quick lunch, or with rice and veggies for a light dinner. Makes a perfect summer meal that's light and filling!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Shrimp - Can be fresh or frozen and thawed. I recommend using large or jumbo shrimp for this recipe, but any shrimp will work.
- Oil - Olive oil can be substituted with your preferred cooking oil.
- Honey - Can be substituted with maple syrup or brown sugar.
- Seasoning - Red pepper flakes and paprika add warmth and flavor to the recipe. For even spicier shrimp, add more red pepper flakes, some cayenne pepper, or even a dash of hot sauce. For milder shrimp, cut the red pepper flakes in half.
- Cornstarch - Necessary to thicken the sauce.
- Soy sauce - Adds salty, savory flavor.
- Garlic - I recommend freshly minced garlic for best flavor. I don't recommend using jarred garlic, which often has a harsh flavor.
Tips and tricks
Removing the tails - This is up to personal preference. I generally recommend serving shrimp with the tails off, especially for a quick weeknight meal. It's easier to eat with everything else on your plate, like rice or pasta. However, leaving the tails on your shrimp can make a beautiful and impressive presentation for a fancy meal or gathering.
Checking for doneness - Shrimp are done when they turn an opaque pink color and curl into a U shape. Shrimp cook very quickly and only take about 1 to 2 minutes per side to cook through.
Storage
Leftover shrimp will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, frozen shrimp can be used in this recipe. If you don't live near a coastal area that frequently has fresh seafood available, frozen shrimp is the way to go. It's easy to keep on hand to have shrimp any time of the week.
If you have frozen shrimp on hand, add them to a colander in the sink and gently rinse with warm water until thawed. Shrimp will thaw quickly in a bit of warm (not hot) water. If needed, peel, devein, and remove the tails.
Spicy honey shrimp can be served with steamed rice and veggies, green beans and onions, or some fried rice.
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📖 Recipe
Spicy Honey Shrimp
Ingredients
- 16 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined (optionally, remove tails)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, add your sauce ingredients: water, soy sauce, honey, garlic, cornstarch, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until combined. Set aside.
- In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes on the first side. Flip shrimp to the opposite side.
- Pour prepared sauce over shrimp and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes on second side, or until shrimp are pink. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Serving: Shrimp can be served as an appetizer, over a salad for a light lunch, or with steamed rice and veggies for a light dinner.
- Spicier shrimp: Add more red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or a dash of hot sauce for hotter shrimp. Reduce red pepper flakes for mild shrimp.
- Sauce: Recipe makes enough sauce to pour over rice.
- Leftovers: Leftover shrimp will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
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