Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp

This Hawaiian garlic shrimp recipe is super delicious juicy shrimp with a garlicky flavor! This is an easy meal to make, requiring only a few steps to make it! It takes less than 30 minutes to make this meal!

What Is Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp?

My family and I were truly blessed to have the opportunity to live in Hawaii for almost eight years. And the one thing we couldn’t get enough of was this popular dish.

These are quick pan fried buttery shrimp made with the best garlic butter sauce. They were made popular on food trucks like Giovanni’s shrimp truck. Now you can find different varieties all over the island with eateries serving tourists, and locals in places like the Oahu’s north shore and Kamehameha highway.

Why This Recipe Works

We help you to make this the local Hawaiian way, sharing tips on how to get those popular crispy garlic bits. Plus, each step only takes a couple of minutes, making this a very simple dish to make with so much flavor!

What You Need

Jumbo shrimp- This ensures you have succulent shrimp.

Garlic– The key to making this right is using lots of garlic, so don’t skimp on the amount suggested!

Mochiko Flour– This is a sweet sticky rice flour used to make different desserts, but also helps create a light crispy coating because it doesn’t absorb as much oil during the frying process. If you can’t find it in your local grocery store, try shopping at Asian or Polynesian stores, or online. You can use cornstarch or all-purpose flour as a substitute if you can’t find this particular ingredient.

Hawaiian Sea Salt– You can find this in local Asian or Polynesian stores, or online. You can use coarse Kosher salt if you can’t find the Hawaiian sea salt. (I put both salts in the ingredient’s picture to help you see what they both look like for your grocery trip.)

How To Make It

• 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 it (all of the flour mixture should adhere to them).

• Set them aside, and let them sit for at least 10 minutes (this time allows for the coating to adhere to the shells better).

• In a large pan melt butter and one tablespoon of olive oil using medium high heat on the stove top until the butter has melted. This will take about one minute.

• Add the chopped garlic to the melted butter & oil, and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until you see it has turned light brown.

• Once the garlic has turned light brown, add the wine, and cook for about one to two more minutes.

• Remove the sauce from the pan and set aside. (I do this to help prevent burning the garlic and to keep everything crispy.)

• Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and let it get hot. Then, add your shrimp to the pan.

• Cook them for 2 to 3 minutes on each side (They should be pink in color). Remove the cooked pieces from pan and place on plate. Cook next batch as directed above. (I like to cook them in batches, so that the pan is not overcrowded and to help with even cooking. I usually have to cook only about two batches in my large skillet.)

• Once you have cooked the last batch, add the sauce, and other cooked seafood back into the pan, and stir. Then, remove the pan from the heat source. Garnish with optional parsley and lemon wedges.

Expert Tips

Fresh shrimp– They are always the better choice whenever you can. Look around your local seafood/fish markets for fresh seafood. But the other option is frozen seafood which are easier to find, and definitely ok to you use.

Removing shells– If you decide to peel them prior to cooking, add the salt to the sauce instead (because without the shells, they taste saltier in my opinion). The remaining instructions in this recipe provides similar results and good outcomes. The seafood may cook quicker when shelled, so your cooking time may decrease by one to two minutes when sautéing them.

Frying tips– Don’t overcrowd the pan during the sauté (fry) process. This lowers the temperature and causes more moisture to release. This changes the cooking process from sauteing to almost a steam cooking, preventing the crispy results we want.

Crispy Shell Tips- After battering the meat, let them sit for at least 10 minutes (this time allows for the flour mixture to adhere to the shells better). Add the sauce right before serving to keep them from getting too soggy.

Garlic Tips– If you want to keep your garlic crispy, remove the cooked garlic from the sauce with a slotted spoon (and place it on separate plate) prior to adding the wine to the pan. Just add it all back in the pan together when it’s time to mix all the cooked ingredients together.

Sauce– If you want more sauce just double the sauce ingredients. For a more buttery, richer, and slightly thicker sauce, cut the wine amount in half.

Lemon juice– a squeeze of this helps to smooth out the richness of the butter. I like to add a few splashes to my plate while I’m eating. (I make this as an optional ingredient in the recipe card.)

Variations

Spicy– If you want a more peppery option, try this zesty version for a twist on this dish!

FAQs

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!

♥♥♥ Did you make this recipe? If so, please rate this recipe and leave a comment below to let me know if you enjoyed it. And follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more delicious inspiration! ♥♥♥

Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp

This Hawaiian garlic shrimp recipe is super delicious juicy shrimp with a garlicky flavor! This is an easy meal to make, requiring only a few steps to make it!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main

Cuisine: Hawaiian

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 521kcal

Author: Sharee

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 pounds of jumbo shrimp with shell on (de-veined – I buy the shrimp that are de-veined with shell still on).
• ▢ 2 and 1/2 tablespoons mochiko flour or 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)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
• ▢ 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons total)
• ▢ 1/3 cup dry white wine
• ▢ Fresh chopped parsley (optional for garnish)
• ▢ Lemon wedges (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 (all of the coating should adhere to the shrimp).
• Set them aside, and let them sit for at least 10 minutes. They can sit while you make the sauce. (this time allows for the flour mixture to adhere to the shells better).
• 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 two minutes.
• Remove the garlic sauce from the pan and set aside. (I do this to help prevent burning the garlic while I cook the shrimp and to keep everything crispy.)
• Add one 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). Remove the cooked pieces from pan and place on plate. Cook the next batch as directed above. (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, add the sauce, and other cooked shrimp back into the pan, and stir. Then, remove the pan from the heat source. Garnish with optional parsley and lemon wedges.

Notes

• Fresh shrimp– They are always the better choice whenever you can. Look around your local seafood/fish markets for fresh seafood. But the easier option is frozen shrimp which are easier to find, and definitely ok to you use.
• Removing shells– If you decide to peel them prior to cooking, add the salt to the sauce instead (because without the shells, they taste saltier in my opinion). The remaining instructions in this recipe provides similar results and good outcomes. The seafood may cook quicker when shelled, so your cooking time may decrease by one to two minutes when sautéing them.
• Frying tips– Don’t overcrowd the pan during the sauté (fry) process. This lowers the temperature and causes more moisture to release. This changes the cooking process from sauteing to almost a steam cooking, preventing the crispy results we want.
• Crispy Shell Tips– After battering the meat, let them sit for at least 10 minutes (this time allows for the flour mixture to adhere to the shells better).  Add the sauce right before serving to keep the shrimp from getting too soggy.
• Garlic Tips– If you want to keep your garlic crispy, remove the cooked garlic from the finished sauce with a slotted spoon and place it on a separate plate prior to adding the wine to the pan. Just add it all back in the pan together when it’s time to mix all the cooked ingredients together.
• Sauce– If you want more sauce just double the sauce ingredients. For a more buttery, richer, and slightly thicker sauce, cut the wine amount in half.
• Lemon juice– a squeeze of this helps to smooth out the richness of the butter. I like to add a few splashes to my plate while I’m eating.

Nutrition

Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Sodium: 15mg | Potassium: 301mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 316IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 1mg

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.

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♥♥♥ Did you make this recipe? If so, please rate this recipe and leave a comment below to let me know if you enjoyed it. And follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more delicious inspiration! ♥♥♥