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High-Protein Honey Garlic Shrimp

High protein honey garlic shrimp with a sticky amber glaze that clings to pink, opaque shrimp. Tossed in a quick garlic-honey soy sauce and served over fluffy white rice for an easy weeknight shrimp dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shrimp and seasoning
  • 1.5 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper to taste
  • 0.33 tsp red pepper flakes
Honey garlic sauce
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 5 clove garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
To serve
  • 1 serving cooked rice or steamed broccoli
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 tbsp sliced green onions for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and season
  1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and black pepper. The shrimp should look less wet so they sear instead of steam.
Sear the shrimp
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. You should see quick ripples in the oil when you tilt the pan.
  2. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1–2 minutes per side until pink and opaque, then remove and set aside. Keep them spaced so they caramelize at the edges.
Make the honey garlic glaze
  1. In the same pan, add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir until fragrant and just starting to turn lightly golden.
  2. Add honey, low-sodium soy sauce, fresh lemon juice, and red pepper flakes and stir. Scrape up any browned bits to build flavor in the amber sauce.
  3. Simmer the sauce for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. It should look glossy and clingy enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Toss and serve
  1. Return the shrimp to the pan and toss to coat. The glaze should coat the shrimp and pool slightly around them.
  2. Serve immediately over cooked rice (or steamed broccoli), garnished with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Add the shrimp with any pan sauce so every bite has sticky honey garlic flavor.

Notes

For the best caramelized edges, keep the shrimp in a single layer and avoid moving them too often while searing. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the shrimp texture can soften after thawing. If you want a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium soy sauce while keeping the rest of the glaze the same.