Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp just like the Shrimp Truck Plates in Hawaii – Garlicky and buttery!
My family and I were truly blessed to have the opportunity to leave in Hawaii for almost nine years. And the one thing we couldn’t get enough of was that famous Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp. Any day I was of from work, my hubby would come home for lunch and bring two garlic shrimp lunch plates for us to chow down on while he told me about how his day in 30 minutes or less….
There are many different varieties of these little garlicky morsels all around the island ready to go via food trucks such as the famous Giovanni’s truck that you see below. And the recipe I am sharing is similar to one of the basic popular recipes you will more than likely come across if you’re ever on this beautiful island.
Making these garlic shrimp bring back so many memories. We miss Hawaii so much and look forward to going back….. Until then, it’s just me and my shrimp, just me and my shrimp……
ALLLLOHA!!!!!!!!
Fun Tip: True Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp is cooked with the shell on. Making it a fun, messy, and delicious dish.
If you can’t get enough of Hawaii like us – Try my Kalua Pig Quesadillas, Easy Slow Cooker Kalua Pig, and Hawaiian Island Style Fried Rice.
Mahalo!
Enjoying This Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp? Try These, Too:
- Drunken Cajun Shrimp Skewers
- Bibimbap (The Hubby’s Recipe)
- Easy Homemade Hot Dog Chili (No Chili Season Packets Involved)
Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of jumbo shrimp with shell on (de-veined and dried - I buy the shrimp that are de-veined with shell still on).
- 2 and 1/2 tablespoons flour (I used all purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Hawaii Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 18 large garlic cloves minced (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons total)
- About 1/3 cup dry white wine
- Fresh chopped parsley (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Place the flour, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl or plastic food storage bag, and mix these ingredients together until blended.
- Add the shrimp to this flour mixture and coat the shrimp with the flour mixture (all of the flour mixture should adhere to the shrimp).
- Set the shrimp aside, and let them sit while you cook the garlic (this time allows for the flour mixture to adhere to the shell of the shrimp).
- In a large pan heat the butter and one tablespoon of olive oil on medium high heat until the butter has melted.
- Add the chopped garlic to the melted butter & oil, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until you see the garlic has turned light brown.
- Once the garlic has turned light brown, add the wine, and cook for about one minute.
- Remove the garlic sauce from the pan and set aside. (I do this to help prevent burning the garlic while I cook the shrimp.)
- Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and let it get hot. Then, add your shrimp to the pan.
- Cook the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes on each side (your cooked shrimp should be pink in color). (I like to cook my shrimp in batches, so that the pan is not overcrowded and to help with even cooking of the shrimp. I usually have to cook only about two batches in my large skillet.)
- Once you have cooked the last batch of shrimp, add the garlic sauce, and other cooked shrimp back into the pan, and stir. Then, remove the pan from the heat source. Garnish with optional parsley.
- Serve Hawaiian Style with sticky white rice and macaroni salad!
Notes
Also if you decide to remove the shells from the shrimp, add the salt to the sauce instead (because without the shells, the shrimp taste more salty to me).
Please note that I am not a nutritionist, and the nutritional information is an estimate only. It varies based on the products and brands used.
Spices Around the World: https://www.wayfair.com/Spice-Jars-and-Spice-Racks-C246764.html?expand=1#more
Thanks for stopping by! Welcome to the Savory Spicerack! The place where I share recipes that fulfill my never ending cravings, and inspirations. If you want to get into more of the details of how this all started and who I am, just click the link for all the gossip! 
This looks heavenly! I’ve been trying to find a good recipe for Hawaiian garlic shrimp and this one looks perfect! I was wondering how many servings this makes and if it is possible to cut back on the amount of butter. Thanks in advance!
Hello! I have not cut back on the butter so I would not be able to tell you how that would work out. Sorry! This makes about three hefty portions! Happy cooking and thanks for stopping by!
Im just curious why the shell is left on the shrimp? Is it supposed to be eaten with the shell on? I like the flavor but don’t like to eat the shell and it’s kind of a pain to remove the shell not to mention messy. Does it cook better if it is not peeled as opposed to peeled shrimp?
We made the garlic shrimp for Mother’s Day 2017 and it was so delicious and easy to make. It looked and tasted like the shrimp truck’s version. Everyone kept saying it was so good! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Yay!!!! I am so happy to hear! I love this recipe ! Happy Cooking!
I have eaten at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck. The garlic was so amazing and strong three days later I still had garlic breath!!! My favorite food on Oahu.
I know! I miss it so much!
Tks for the recipie! We stayed at turtle bay for a week and have been fiending the shrimp and rice since we left. Would never have thought to use flour but its perfect. Next time im gonna add siracha and see if it tastes like the hot and spicy shrimp.
Cheers!
Keep up the good work on the blog!
That sounds wonderful! I will try it too- thanks for the tip! Thanks so much for stopping by and the warm comments!
Simple and yet so delicious! Have you tried smoked paprika with that one Sharee? Those shrimp with some rice and salad are also a clean, light and complete meal! Yummy!
You are -indeed- so blessed having lived in Hawaii for years! We hope one day you’ll move back and enjoy life from there!:)
Kudos!
xoxoxo
Yes I do looked forward to going back there one day… It is a beautiful laid back place to live!
In reference to the shrimp, I have seen recipes that say use smoked paprika, but I don’t recall the popular dish having over there in Hawaii, and I wanted to stick to the original taste as much as possible so I could relive the moment 🙂
But I am sure smoked paprika would be a twist if you wanted something different from the original Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp.
Aloha! Lol
I agree regarding the smoked Paprika. I have had shrimp many ways, but never like Giovanni’s. Thank you for recreating that recipe 🙂
Yes Smoked Paprika is a great ingredient as I test tasted. I am so happy that you like the recipe.