Garlic Shrimp {Hawaiian Style}

The BEST Garlic Shrimp ever! It’s just like the famous shrimp you buy at the food trucks in Hawaii. Made with succulent shrimp cooked in an extra garlicky, deliciously rich, butter based sauce.

Hawaiian Style Garlic Shrimp

I love this recipe because not only does it pack an abundance of fresh flavor but it’s incredibly easy to prepare.

And who doesn’t love a delicious sautéed shrimp recipe? Plus a fast dish, built up with basic ingredients, that’s sure to impress?

It’s one of those entrees that’s perfect for a busy day yet it’s so good you’d love to serve it to guests at a weekend get together.

Shrimp is always good (when properly cooked of course) but then when you finish it off with a sauce this good people will be talking about it for days and longing for another taste of this savory decadence.

Watch the Video!

Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp Ingredients

• Raw shrimp: Go with the extra large size about 21 – 30 count per pound. Peel and devein unless you prefer the shells left on.
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter will work fine to just don’t season shrimp with as much salt.
• Olive oil: Regular or extra virgin olive oil will work.
• Garlic: You’ll need lots of garlic here, about 1 medium size head of garlic. Yes almost an entire head of garlic! It’s so good trust me!
• All-purpose flour: This helps the buttery sauce stick to the shrimp.
• Paprika: Go for standard sweet paprika for this recipe not smoked. Smoked may overpower the enticing garlic flavor.
• Cayenne pepper: I love the light kick of heat this adds. If you want it spicier add more, if you don’t like heat then omit.
• Salt and pepper: Season to taste.
• Lemon juice: Stick with fresh lemon for best flavor. This just finishes off the dish with a nice bright flavor.
• Parsley: This fresh herb just for a nice pretty finish and mild flavor, you can omit if you don’t have any on hand.

How to Make Easy Garlic Shrimp

1. Using paper towels, dab shrimp dry of excess moisture on both sides. Place in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle with flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper as desired. Toss to evenly coat.
3. Melt butter with olive oil in a large 12-inch non-stick skillet.
4. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds until nicely fragrant (but not browning!).
5. Add shrimp in an even layer in skillet. Cook on first side until pinkish color on bottom, about 2 minutes. Then flip and cook opposite side until just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.
6. Remove from heat, toss with lemon and garnish with parsley if using.
7. Serve right away topped with extra garlic butter sauce from pan.

What to Serve with It

• White rice (I like it with jasmine rice)
• Fresh pineapple
• Steamed or roasted vegetables such as broccoli or asparagus
• Pasta (a thin spaghetti or even something like orzo are good options)

How to Reheat Shrimp

• Shrimp is one of those things that’s always just best served shortly after cooking the first time around but don’t toss those leftovers, they can be reheated.
• No matter what method you’ll be using to reheat you’ll want to cook over a moderately low heat and only warm through or it will become rubbery.
• For this recipe (or a similar recipe with a sauce) you can reheat in a skillet over low to medium-low heat with the sauce, or reheat in the microwave, covered, on 50% power just until heated.
• For other recipes that don’t include a sauce you can reheat in a skillet with a little olive oil.

Tips for Garlic Shrimp

• Don’t brown the garlic or it will taste bitter and ruin the dish.
• Don’t skip drying the excess moisture from shrimp or the seasoning mixture will just clump up.
• Careful not to overcook shrimp or it will ruin the tender texture.
• Finish with fresh lemon for a delicious finishing touch.
• Serve it warm. Some shrimp recipes are meant to be served cold but not this one.

More Amazing Shrimp Recipes to Try

• Baked Shrimp
• Creamy Parmesan and Garlic Shrimp
• Honey Lime Shrimp
• Greek Shrimp
• Grilled Shrimp
• Shrimp Scampi

5 from 28 votes

Print Recipe

Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp

The BEST Garlic Shrimp ever! It's just like the famous shrimp you buy at the food trucks in Hawaii. Made with succulent shrimp cooked in an extra garlicky, deliciously rich, butter based sauce.

Watch the video

Servings: 4

Prep15 minutes minutes

Cook5 minutes minutes

Ready in: 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb. extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup (slightly packed) minced fresh garlic (nearly 1 medium head)
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

• Using papar towels, dab shrimp dry of excess moisture on both sides. Place in a bowl.
• Sprinkle with flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper as desired. Toss to evenly coat.
• Melt butter with olive oil in a large 12-inch non-stick skillet.
• Add garlic and saute 30 seconds until nicely fragrant (but not browning!).
• Add shrimp in an even layer in skillet. Cook on first side until pinkish color on bottom, about 2 minutes. Then flip and cook opposite side until just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.
• Remove from heat, toss with lemon and garnish with parsley if using.
• Serve right away topped with extra garlic butter sauce from pan.

Nutrition Facts

Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp

Amount Per Serving

Calories 362 Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Fat 26g40%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Cholesterol 332mg111%

Sodium 158mg7%

Potassium 190mg5%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 25g50%

Vitamin A 1292IU26%

Vitamin C 16mg19%

Calcium 201mg20%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Hawaiian

Keyword: Garlic Shrimp

Author: Jaclyn