15 Minute Sticky Honey Garlic Shrimp Recipe

This honey garlic shrimp is a quick, flavor-packed recipe that comes together in just 15 minutes. With a simple marinade and a glossy, garlicky-sweet sauce, it delivers big flavor with very little effort. Serve it over rice, noodles, or veggies for an easy dinner that’s sure to earn a spot in your regular rotation.

I originally shared this recipe back in December of 2017, and today I’m updating it with new information and my some extra tips!

This Honey Garlic Shrimp Recipe Is a 15-Minute Dinner You’ll Make on Repeat

If you need a fast, no-stress dinner that still feels like real food, this easy honey garlic shrimp recipe is it.

The shrimp cook in minutes, the sauce turns glossy and sticky right in the pan, and the whole thing comes together faster than takeout. No fancy ingredients, no complicated steps—just a simple, flavorful dinner you can pull off even on your busiest nights.

Serve it over rice, add a quick veggie on the side, and dinner is done.

Why You’ll Love This Honey Garlic Shrimp

• Ready in 15 minutes – start to finish, no exaggeration
• Sticky, garlicky sauce that clings to every bite
• Simple pantry ingredients you probably already have
• Beginner-friendly – hard to mess up, easy to get right
• Better than takeout (and faster)

What Readers Are Saying About Honey Garlic Shrimp!

Thanks, Allissa!

Ingredients for Honey Garlic Shrimp

You only need a handful of ingredients for this one, but each one pulls its weight.

• Shrimp – peeled and deveined; fresh or frozen and thawed both work (You can also buy with the peels on and remove them yourself)
• Garlic – fresh is best here for flavor
• Honey – brings sweetness and helps create that sticky glaze
• Soy sauce – adds depth and balances the sweetness
• Cornstarch – the secret to that glossy, thickened sauce
• Oil – for cooking, your favorite neutral oil is fine
• Green Onions  – optional but tasty and pretty!

If you’re new to cooking shrimp: they cook very quickly and turn pink and opaque when done. That’s your cue—don’t walk away from the pan.

How to Make Honey Garlic Shrimp (Step-by-Step)

Pro Tip:  Prep everything first so it’s ready to go!  Shrimp cook fast and if you overcook them you get rubbery seafood – nobody wants that. 

 1.  Mix the sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together everything except the shrimp, cornstarch, and green onions.

2.  Coat the shrimp

Place the shrimp in a bowl and pour about half of the sauce over them. Toss to coat and set aside.

3.  Cook the shrimp

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 1 minute, stirring once or twice.

4.  Add the sauce and thicken

Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining sauce, then pour it into the pan. Cook for another minute or so, until the shrimp are cooked through and the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze.

5.  Finish and serve 

Sprinkle with green onions and serve hot over rice (highly recommended for soaking up every bit of that sauce).

Mirlandra’s Tips for Perfect Sticky Shrimp

• Don’t overcook the shrimp – this is the #1 mistake. They go from perfect to rubbery fast.
• Have the sauce ready before you start cooking – things move quickly once the shrimp hit the pan
• Use medium-high heat for a quick sear and better flavor
• Let the sauce simmer briefly to activate the cornstarch and get that glossy finish

What to Serve with Honey Garlic Shrimp

This shrimp was made for rice. The sauce soaks in and turns it into a full meal.

Serve it over:

• White rice, Jasmine rice, brown rice
• Pan Fried Noodles (because yumo!)
• Sauteed Veggies (Yes, not rice but I’m old enough to know sometimes you need some veggies!)

A simple bowl of well-cooked rice + this shrimp = dinner done right.

Add a quick side like steamed broccoli or green beans if you want to round it out.

My Favorite Way to Cook Rice

I’ve made rice every possible way over the years – heck I’ve even baked it!  Before I got married I had only ever tried terrible rice cookers and thought they were a total waste of time.

When we got married Jonathan had a Zojirushi and I had a major wake up call.  I’ve become a total rice snob!  I want my rice cooked perfectly, ready when dinner is, and without my doing anything more than pushing a button.  Can you say spoiled?

Jonathan’s old Goodwill Zojirushi had a very scratched up pot from bachelor life (or Goodwill origin?)  About a year into our marriage we replaced it with this beautiful Zojirushi rice cooker with fuzzy logic for perfect cooking.  It is 14 years old now and still cranking out pot after pot of perfect rice.

I start rice in the afternoon whenever I have time and it is hot and ready for dinner!  #winning!  It is probably one of my top tricks for getting dinner on the table quickly.

More Easy Seafood Recipes 

Love practical and tasty seafood recipes?  Me too!  Here are some of my favorites!

• Easy Shrimp and Scallop Pasta 
• Easy Grilled Cod
• Easy Clam Chowder From Scratch In 30 Minutes
• Baked Salmon With Brown Sugar Glaze (Under 30 Minutes)

Print Pin

4.20 from 26 votes

15 Minute Sticky Honey Garlic Shrimp: A Fast & Healthy Dinner

This honey garlic shrimp comes together in just 15 minutes with a simple marinade and a quick stovetop cook. The sauce turns glossy and perfectly balanced—garlicky, a little sweet, and full of flavor—coating each piece of tender shrimp. Serve it hot over rice, noodles, or vegetables and spoon that extra sauce right over the top. There is no shame in licking the pan...

Course Dinner or Appetizer

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Mirlandra Neuneker

Author Mirlandra Neuneker

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper optional
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
• 1 pound raw shrimp size medium (see note)
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 2 green onions sliced thinly on the diagonal

Instructions

• Serving Suggestion: For a fast dinner toss some rice in the rice maker before you start the shrimp and steam up some broccoli or heat up some frozen broccoli. Alternately these shrimp are tasty over stir fried veggies or even just by themselves! Party food anybody?
• In a small bowl, whisk everything together except the shrimp, corn starch and onions.
• Place the shrimp in a bowl and pour about half the sauce over it, stirring to coat.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp to the hot oil. Cook about 1 minute, stirring at least once.
• Whisk corn starch into the rest of the marinade and then add to the pan. Cook about one more minute until shrimp are cooked through.
• Pro Tip: Shrimp turn a nice light pink right through to the middle when they are cooked. Cut open the thickest part of a shrimp if you want to double check.
• Sprinkle green onions over the shrimp and serve hot over rice or on a plate. (Rice is a great delivery system for the delicious sauce on the shrimp.)

Helpful Recipe Notes

Choosing Shrimp: You can buy shrimp fresh or frozen but do make sure it is raw shrimp – not something already cooked. You can buy any size you like but medium works well for this and if you buy smaller or bigger shrimp you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Select peeled or unpeeled, tail on or off as you prefer. Just remember if you have to peel the shrimp that will take more time!

Your Rating Matters

When you leave a comment or star rating, it means more than you might think. It helps me understand what you’re enjoying, builds trust for other readers, and supports real, tested cooking content. If you have a moment, I’d truly appreciate you sharing your experience. - Mirlandra

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 285mg | Sodium: 1693mg | Potassium: 152mg | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 5.8mg | Calcium: 172mg | Iron: 3mg

A Note on Nutrition

Nutritional info is an imperfect estimate. Please take it with a grain of salt.

PIN FOR LATER