This Sticky Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp is the weeknight dinner that checks all the boxes — fast, flavorful, and made with pantry staples. With a glossy, garlicky glaze that clings to juicy shrimp, it’s ready in under 30 minutes and tastes like something from a high-end takeout spot.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

You get sweet, salty, tangy, and buttery all in one bite — and it comes together with just a few ingredients and a skillet. Perfect for busy nights, date night, or a solo treat that feels fancy but is ridiculously simple.

Sticky Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp

Shrimp is one of the most underrated weeknight proteins out there. It cooks in minutes, soaks up flavor like a sponge, and feels a little luxurious without costing much — especially when paired with a sauce like this one. Enter: Sticky Honey Garlic Butter Shrimp.

This recipe leans into balance — the sweetness of honey, the savoriness of soy, the brightness of lemon juice, and the boldness of garlic. Together, they make a sticky, shiny sauce that coats every inch of the shrimp, creating a bold punch of flavor that tastes far more complex than it is.

The shrimp marinates briefly in the sauce — just long enough to infuse it without getting mushy — and then it hits a hot buttered pan where it cooks in just a few minutes per side. Once the shrimp is pink and just barely curled, the reserved marinade is added back in to simmer until it thickens into a gorgeous glaze.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Honey gives it sweetness and helps create that sticky finish.

• Soy sauce brings the salt and umami.

• Garlic adds sharpness and depth.

• Lemon juice cuts through the richness with acidity.

• Butter rounds it all out with a glossy, smooth texture.

This dish is versatile too. Serve it over rice, toss it with noodles, or pile it into lettuce wraps for a low-carb option. You can add stir-fried veggies or keep it simple. It’s also great as a quick appetizer with toothpicks at a party — people will hover until it’s gone.

And don’t skip the garnish — chopped green onions add a fresh, grassy contrast that balances the sticky sweetness.

Servings & Time

• Servings: 4

• Prep Time: 10 minutes

• Cook Time: 10 minutes

• Total Time: 20 minutes (plus 30 min marinade)

Ingredients

• ½ cup honey

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• Juice of 1 small lemon

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• Green onions, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, garlic, and lemon juice.

2. Add shrimp and marinade to a zip-top bag or bowl. Seal and marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.

3. In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter.

4. Remove shrimp from marinade (reserve marinade). Season shrimp with salt and pepper.

5. Sear shrimp for 2 minutes per side, or until pink and lightly golden.

6. Pour reserved marinade into the skillet and simmer until sauce thickens, about 2–3 minutes.

7. Serve hot, garnished with green onions.

Tips

• No time to marinate? Just cook the shrimp in the sauce — it still tastes great.

• Add red pepper flakes for heat, or ginger for warmth.

• Serve with: rice, noodles, stir-fried veggies, or in lettuce cups.