Hawaiian Shrimp is an easy garlic butter shrimp tossed in an succulent garlic sauce. The perfect appetizer or light meal!
Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp is so quick and easy! Especially if you love garlic. Enjoy it with a bowl of rice or your favorite pasta of choice! You’ll love these spicy garlicky shrimp which are on the table in less than 20 minutes.
What’s the point of leaving the tail on the shrimp?
Leaving the shrimp tail on or is a matter of personal preference, but here are a couple of things to keep in mind. Shrimp shells are quite flavorful and can impart that flavor into the surrounding dish. However when the shrimp are cooked for just a couple of minutes, as it is here so it’s unlikely the tail imparts any flavor.
Yet, when you leave the tail on, the shrimp is easier to pick up! I also think that shrimp look nicer with the tails on.
Is shrimp healthy?
Shrimp has a variety of health benefits. It is high in several vitamins and minerals, and is a rich source of protein. Eating shrimp also promotes heart and brain health due to its content of omega-3 fatty acids and the antioxidant astaxanthin. Tasty and healthy!
Three ounces of shrimp provides about 20 grams of protein, just a few grams less than that a 3-ounce chicken breast. Each jumbo shrimp provides about 3 grams, and contains very little fat and carbohydrate. Your choice!
How to make the best Hawaiian Shrimp
- First things first, let’s choose which shrimp to buy. I used large, or sometimes called, jumbo shrimp in this recipe. You will get about 18 shrimp per pound. Try to buy wild caught shrimp, but sadly most shrimp sold in the supermarkets is farm raised.
- Make sure to thaw you shrimp. What I usually do is take the shrimp out of its package, put it in a bowl or colander in the sink, and run cold water over them for about 5 minutes. Toss the shrimp occasionally to make sure they are all exposed to the cold water.
- You can use either the shrimp that still has their shell on, or not. Your choice!
- Add seasonings and flour to the resealable plastic bag. Make sure that the bag is large enough to toss the shrimp!
- Put shrimp into that bag, seal it and shake! This will ensure that shrimp will be coated in seasoning mixture. Mix well until shrimp is coated well in salt, pepper, paprika, and flour. Shrimp have a mild flavor so they take on whatever flavor you’re serving them with.
Tips on cooking the best Hawaiian Shrimp
- Prepare a large skillet. I used 12 inch carbon steel skillet.
- Now melt the butter over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the garlic to the hot pan. Cook only for a short time, about 2 minutes. Remove garlic from the pan before adding shrimp.
- Next add the shrimp in two batches. Cook each batch for 2-3 minutes on each side, flipping only once midway. Depending on the size of your shrimp and how many you have in the pan, this will usually take 4 to 6 minutes.
- For even more tips, check out this article on how to cook shrimp.
Enjoy!
Hawaiian Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 12 oz. shrimp, cleaned and deveined
- ½ stick unsalted butter
- 7 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Fresh chopped parsley, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Place paprika, salt, black pepper, and flour in a large resealable bag. Shake well to mix.
- Add the shrimp to the bag, seal it and shake to coat the shrimp with the flour mixture. Set aside.
- Add the butter to a large 12 inch cast iron skillet. Once the butter has melted, add the chopped garlic, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until you see the garlic is translucent and dark. It will cook fast!
- Remove the garlic from the pan and add olive oil to the pan. Once heated, add your shrimp to the pan.
- Cook the shrimp over medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Do not overcrowd the pan.
- Once all the shrimp is cooked, pour the removed garlic over the shrimp right inside the skillet. Reheat, stir to combine and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. This information comes from online calculators. Although whatsinthepan.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Maria says
Perfect, flavorful and simple recipe. I left the shell on the shrimp but opened the spine so I can clean out the guts. I used corn starch. I didn’t have parsley so I used green onions which I had. Thank you for sharing.
Olga says
Green onions are even better!
Angela Loonce says
Cooked this tonight! Delicious!
Terri says
Last step says pour the garlic sauce on but I don’t see that in the recipe??
Olga says
I just updated the wording. Garlic sauce refers to the garlic (with drippings) removed from the pan earlier. Once the shrimp is cooked, you will add that garlic back to the pan.
Nicole says
Simply beautiful I added and little Cajun seasoning to the mix before shaking the shrimp and small piece’s of pineapple at the end of cooking the shrimp then added them with the shrimp over garlic herb rice amazing 😍 ty
Olga says
Sounds like you nailed it with the seasoning and the pineapple pieces, Nicole!
Erika says
Hello! Would you recommend replacing the flour with coconut flour, almond flour, or tapioca flour? Looking forward to trying out this recipe 🙂 Thank you!
Olga says
I would use almond flour here. In my opinion it’s the best substitute -I used it on chicken parmesan and it works great!
kim bartimus says
Thank you 🙂
kim bartimus says
Hope this question isn’t to dumb lol, but are you using frozen shrimp that’s already cooked or raw shrimp? Thanks
Olga says
I’m using raw shrimp:).
Samantha says
I followed the recipe just as it says. And it turned out perfectly!! No need to try any other way!
Cara says
I just made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS! I left the shells on the shrimp, which I think really added to the flavor. The spices collected in the legs and on the shell and we slurped them off. Decadent! Next time I think I’ll add a little bit of cayenne to up the heat – but it wasn’t necessary. Delicious. Oh, did I say that already???
Jenny says
I made it three times by now!!! so delicious!