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High-Protein Honey Garlic Shrimp

High-protein honey garlic shrimp with plump, glossy shrimp coated in a sticky amber honey garlic glaze. Cooked quickly in one skillet and served over fluffy white rice for a fast weeknight protein 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 honey garlic glaze and shrimp
  • 1.5 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 black pepper to taste
  • 1 sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 sliced green onions for garnish
Serving suggestion
  • 1 cooked rice or steamed broccoli for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the shrimp
  1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and black pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1–2 minutes per side until pink and opaque, then remove and set aside.
Make the honey garlic sauce
  1. In the same pan, add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Add honey, low-sodium soy sauce, fresh lemon juice, and red pepper flakes, then stir to combine.
  3. Simmer the sauce for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened, scraping up any browned bits.
  4. Return the shrimp to the pan and toss to coat so every piece is glossy with sauce.
Serve
  1. Serve immediately over cooked rice (or steamed broccoli), garnished with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

For best caramelized edges, make sure the shrimp are dry before they hit the pan and cook in a single layer without crowding. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 2 days; reheat gently in a skillet until warmed through (avoid long simmering). This freezes poorly due to sauce texture, so skip freezing. To make it lower-sodium, use regular honey and replace soy sauce with a low-sodium alternative (or a reduced-salt soy sauce) while keeping the same honey garlic glaze method.