Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp

4.67 from 30 votes

This Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp recipe is buttery, garlicky, and irresistibly delicious—just like the famous Giovanni’s shrimp truck in Oahu. With crispy, golden shrimp and a rich, savory garlic sauce, it’s easy to make at home and a must-try for seafood lovers!

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Total Time20

Course: Shrimp

Cuisine: American Recipes

Keyword: Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

1 lb (500g) shrimp or tiger prawn headless, shell-on, tail-on, deveined
1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 dashes cayenne pepper or paprika
2 oz (60g) unsalted butter 4 tablespoons/half a stick
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 cloves garlic peeled and minced
2 tablespoons white wine or Japanese cooking sake
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fish sauce optional
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

Clean and rinse the shrimp, then devein them. Pat them dry with paper towels.
Mix the flour and cayenne pepper together in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss a few times to lightly coat them with the flour mixture.
Heat a sauté pan and add the butter. Once the butter melts, add the olive oil. Stir in the garlic and sauté lightly until fragrant, then add the shrimp to the pan. Sauté the shrimp, then add the white wine, salt, sugar, fish sauce (if using) and black pepper.
Continue to stir until the shrimp are cooked through. Dish out and serve immediately with rice and lemon wedges.

Notes

Always use shell-on, tail-on shrimp. The shells help lock in the shrimp’s natural juices, making the garlic butter sauce richer and more flavorful. If you prefer peeled shrimp, you can use them, but you’ll miss out on some of that extra flavor boost from the shells.

Fish sauce is the secret ingredient that takes this dish from good to wow. The umami it adds really rounds out the garlic butter. While it’s optional, I promise you’ll miss out on that extra depth of flavor if you skip it. You can also substitute a pinch of chicken bouillon powder for fish sauce for a different flavor twist.

Shrimp cook in a flash, and that’s exactly how you want them—just 2 minutes per side is all it takes. Any longer, and they’ll turn rubbery.

Serve with two scoops of rice and a lemon wedge—just like they do at Giovanni's Shrimp Truck. Don’t forget to add some extra garlic and oil over the rice for an added umami bomb.

Nutrition