Crispy Honey Garlic Shrimp

Crispy honey garlic shrimp tossed in a sticky sweet sauce with golden cornstarch crust in 20 minutes. ♡

This crispy honey garlic shrimp is the easy 20 minute shrimp dinner that beats the takeout box every single time. A light cornstarch coating crisps each shrimp to a golden shell, then a sticky honey garlic sauce glazes the whole pan in two quick minutes for that classic restaurant texture. For more ideas, see our Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs.

Fast weeknight protein that lands like a treat. Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Crispy Honey Garlic Shrimp

• 1.5 lbs large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails off
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, avocado or canola
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sriracha, optional
• 2 tbsp sliced green onions, for garnish
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

How to Make Crispy Honey Garlic Shrimp

1. **Dry.** Pat shrimp completely dry with paper towels.
2. **Coat.** Toss shrimp in a bowl with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until each piece has a thin even dusting.
3. **Sear.** Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 90 seconds per side until pink and crispy. Transfer to a plate.
4. **Aromatics.** Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and ginger to the same pan and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. **Sauce.** Whisk in honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Simmer 90 seconds until thick and bubbly.
6. **Toss.** Return shrimp to the pan and toss to coat in the glaze. Cook 30 seconds more.
7. **Serve.** Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over jasmine rice.

Why This Recipe Works

Tossing the shrimp in cornstarch is the move that builds a real crispy crust without deep frying. Cornstarch is pure starch with no protein, so it gelatinizes against the hot oil and forms a thin glassy shell that stays crunchy even after the sauce hits, the same trick chinese restaurants use for sweet and sour shrimp.

Cooking the shrimp hot and fast prevents the rubbery overcooked texture that ruins most homemade shrimp. Shrimp finish in 90 seconds per side at high heat, so a screaming hot pan sears the outside fast while keeping the inside tender. Lower heat gives you sad chewy shrimp every time.

Reducing the honey garlic sauce in the empty pan after the shrimp come out is what makes the glaze cling. The sauce hits the hot fond left behind by the shrimp, picks up flavor, and reduces to a thick syrupy texture before the shrimp ever return to the pan, so they get coated heavy without overcooking. For more ideas, see our Sheet Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Potatoes.

Tips

• Buy 16/20 size shrimp peeled and deveined. They cook fast and stay juicy.
• Pat shrimp completely dry. Wet shrimp will not crisp.
• Use a high smoke point neutral oil like avocado or canola.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days.
• Reheat in a hot skillet 60 seconds to bring the crisp back. Skip the microwave.
• Common mistake: do not crowd the pan. Cook in batches if your skillet is small.

Variations

• Add 1 tsp sriracha to the sauce for a sweet heat version.
• Toss in 2 cups broccoli florets steamed for a one pan dinner.
• Use maple syrup instead of honey for a vegan friendly base swap.
• Add 1 tbsp ketchup for a sweet and sour shrimp twist.
• Stir in 1 tsp toasted sesame oil at the end for nutty depth.
• Skip the cornstarch crust and toss raw shrimp with the sauce for a faster prep.

Looking for more recipes? Try our Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken or Italian Wedding Soup next.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Wet shrimp: Pat with paper towels until bone dry. Wet shrimp steam and the cornstarch slides off.
• Low heat: Use medium high to high heat. Low heat overcooks the shrimp before the crust forms.
• Crowding the pan: Cook in 2 batches if needed. Crowded shrimp steam and the crust gets soggy.
• Cooking shrimp in the sauce: Reduce the sauce first, then toss the cooked shrimp at the end. Cooking them in the sauce makes them rubbery.

Crispy Honey Garlic Shrimp

Crispy honey garlic shrimp tossed in a sticky sweet soy garlic sauce with golden cornstarch crust in 20 minutes. Better than takeout.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Calories: 380

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 lbs large shrimp peeled, deveined, tails off
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp neutral oil avocado or canola
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sriracha optional
• 2 tbsp sliced green onions for garnish
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Method

 

1. **Dry.** Pat shrimp completely dry with paper towels.
2. **Coat.** Toss shrimp in a bowl with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until each piece has a thin even dusting.
3. **Sear.** Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 90 seconds per side until pink and crispy. Transfer to a plate.
4. **Aromatics.** Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and ginger to the same pan and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. **Sauce.** Whisk in honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Simmer 90 seconds until thick and bubbly.
6. **Toss.** Return shrimp to the pan and toss to coat in the glaze. Cook 30 seconds more.
7. **Serve.** Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over jasmine rice.

Notes

Buy 16/20 size shrimp peeled and deveined. They cook fast and stay juicy. Pat shrimp completely dry. Wet shrimp will not crisp. Use a high smoke point neutral oil like avocado or canola.

Sources: USDA FoodData Central for nutrition data and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Nutrition Source.

FAQ

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