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.
Kaili says
Made this last night for dinner. I served it over cauliflower rice. It was a huge hit! So good!
Olya says
Cauliflower rice is so perfect!
Audrey says
Made this last night. It was quick, easy and delicious!
Olya says
So glad you enjoyed it Audrey!
Dan says
What ingredient makes this Hawaiian shrimp? Made this recipe it taste great but it doesn’t taste Hawaiian.
Olya says
Garlic!
Tom says
Hi Olya…Happy New Year to you! By the way, I have to agree with Dan about wondering what makes this Hawaiian recipe. I would have expected to see Pineapple, Mango or some tropical fruit/salsa and did not. It looks very appealing but…it definitely is not Hawaiian. I have seen other recipes from you and I do like what I see. Take care, Tom
Olya says
It’s the more than a normal amount of garlic used in this recipe that makes it Hawaiian:). It’s the bold garlic dish element usually not seen in European/non-Asian cuisines.
Lisa says
It’s so similar to the shrimp food trucks you find in Hawaii. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of eating at one you get the vibe of this recipe. I added some cayenne too. YUM.
Karen says
This was definitely a keeper 🥳
Theresa B says
So good! Definitely making again. Served with rice so added a little more butter for the sauce.
Jane says
Simple, delicious, and easy! Definitely will make this again!
Brooke Miyasato says
When I finished eating this recipe I felt like crying because I was so happy. I was born and raised on the island of Oahu and one of our favorite things to do as a family was go to the North Shore and either go get Huli Huli chicken (best crispy skin chicken) or get prawns from one of the shrimp trucks. When I bit into this shrimp I flashed back to sitting at on a bench in front of one of the shrimp trucks sharing garlic shrimp from a styrofoam takeout box in my swimsuit, towel, and slippahs after waiting in one long line. Now that I live in California, which is experiencing ever increasing number of COVID cases, I’m unsure when I can visit my island home again. But cooking and eating this made me feel, for a moment, that I was back home.
I think the key to making this recipe delicious is cooking it the day you buy the shrimp so it is at peak freshness and choosing big, wild shrimp. It also tastes amazing on a gas stove…I’ll probably try it on a grill sometime!
Olya says
This review made my week!!!!
Margie says
It was amazing. Doubled the recipe. Used half sweet paprika and half hot. Perfect.
Olya says
Thank you for letting me know – I’m so glad it was perfect.
Jeanni says
i’m making this recipe tonight solely based on your review! OMG I love Giovanni’s Shrimp TruckSpace on the north shore! It’s been seven years since I’ve had it and I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you
Torrie Hannah says
I made this tonight for something “different”-I am so tired of chicken and hamburger! This shrimp recipe was very easy and quick and the flavor was delicious. I didn’t change a thing. Yum! Thank you!
Olya says
So happy you tried something new!
Carol says
Quick, easy and good.
Dirk H Killen says
Outstanding and so simple, my wife loved it. Added a little green onion…but this was great