Korean Garlic Butter Shrimp (Print version)

Tender shrimp cooked in garlic butter with a spicy Korean chili flare and savory soy honey glaze.

# What you'll need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
05 - 1 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free optional)
06 - 1 tbsp honey
07 - 1 tsp sesame oil

→ Garnish

08 - 2 tbsp chopped scallions
09 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
10 - Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt unsalted butter.
03 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant without browning.
04 - Stir in gochugaru, soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil; cook for 30 seconds.
05 - Place shrimp in a single layer in the skillet and cook 2–3 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
06 - Toss shrimp to coat evenly with sauce, then remove from heat.
07 - Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds; serve immediately with lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The shrimp cook in under five minutes, so you actually have time to eat dinner on a weeknight instead of just thinking about it.
  • That garlic butter sauce is so good you'll find yourself scraping the pan and maybe drinking the last bit—nobody needs to know.
  • The heat from the gochugaru builds slowly, so it feels spicy and sophisticated rather than overwhelming.
02 -
  • Wet shrimp will steam instead of sear, and steamed shrimp are sad shrimp—that paper towel step isn't optional, it's actually everything.
  • If you add the shrimp before the sauce is ready, you'll end up with shrimp that taste like shrimp and nothing else, but the right order means each bite is all the flavors at once.
03 -
  • Buy your shrimp the same day you're cooking them, or at minimum let them thaw in the fridge the night before instead of in hot water—texture matters more than you'd think.
  • If the butter starts looking dark or smells nutty (in a bad way) rather than golden, start over because burnt butter ruins everything and the whole thing takes two minutes anyway.
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