Description
A quick, easy, and flavorful date night dinner featuring jumbo shrimp in a homemade sweet, savory, and garlicky Hawaiian-style sauce. This recipe balances acidity and sweetness for a restaurant-quality meal ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs (680g) jumbo shrimp (16–20 count), peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce (or low-sodium/coconut aminos)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) 100% pure pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (slurry)
- 2 stalks green onions, sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Rinse shrimp under cold water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sriracha, and 2 tablespoons water. Set aside.
- In a separate tiny bowl, mix cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water to create a slurry. Stir well to remove lumps.
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until shimmering (about 2 minutes).
- Add shrimp in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary). Sear for 2-3 minutes on one side until pink, then flip and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic and grated ginger to the pan. Sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the pan. Stir to scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir the cornstarch slurry again and pour it into the simmering sauce. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon (30-60 seconds).
- Return the cooked shrimp to the pan. Toss to coat evenly in the sauce and heat through for about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat. Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
Ensure shrimp are completely dry before searing to prevent steaming. Do not overcrowd the pan. Remove shrimp before making the sauce to prevent overcooking. The sauce should taste slightly too sweet and salty before adding shrimp, as the shrimp will dilute the flavor. For a gluten-free version, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1/4 of
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 30
Keywords: Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp, date night dinner, quick shrimp recipe, garlic shrimp, pineapple shrimp, easy seafood, weeknight dinner, gluten-free shrimp