Name: Sweet and Spicy Shrimp
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1½ tbsp gochugaru; 3 tbsp ketchup; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium); 1 tbsp mirin; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 1 tbsp water; 1 tbsp butter; ½ tbsp olive oil; 1 lb shrimp; 1 sweet onion (sliced thinly); 1 tbsp garlic (minced)

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This Sweet and Spicy Shrimp is super easy to make and is packed with flavour. Made in less than 30 minutes and with pantry staples, this easy shrimp recipe is always on rotation as it’s the perfect weeknight meal as well as a meal prep!

Growing up, my mom would call this “Ketchup Shrimp” because the base of the sauce was ketchup. Then over time, as I started to cook on my own, I’ve tweaked the recipe to have spicier notes to it. I find that the spice and sweetness balance out each other very well as ketchup tends to be quite sweet.

Close up of a plate of rice with sweet and spicy shrimp on top with sesame seeds and green onions.

Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Recipe

You’ll love how quick this shrimp recipe is to make. Shrimp only takes a couple of minutes to cook through so all you have to do is add the sauce and let it simmer for a minute or two.
I love how everything is pretty much made in one pan so there’s less to clean up.
Shrimp can be quick thawed! This means if I forget to move my meat from the freezer to fridge, this recipe will save the day as the shrimp can be thawed in less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients You’ll Need

gochugaru — also known as Korean chili/hot pepper powder
ketchup
brown sugar — you can use both regular and light brown sugar.
soy sauce — I always use low sodium soy sauce.
mirin — this is a sweet Japanese cooking wine.
oyster sauce — a thick sauce, oyster sauce has an earthy, slightly sweet, and salty taste.
water
butter — I forgot to include it in the image up above but the butter really helps round out the sauce to give it a creamy and velvety texture.
olive oil — or use whatever neutral oil of your choice. Avocado oil is another great option.
shrimp — I use shrimps that already come peeled and deveined. This saves me the time to do it myself. Be sure to pat dry the shrimp before using.
sweet onion — you can also use regular yellow onion as well.
garlic — I love pre-mincing my garlic, I freeze my minced garlic so I can just pull it out instead of mincing garlic for every recipe.

How to Make Sweet and Spicy Shrimp

Sweet and spicy sauce in a spouted bowl.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the gochugaru, ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, mirin, oyster sauce, and water.
In a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat, add the onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add in minced garlic and sauté for another minute. Pour into a plate and set aside.

Onions and garlic added back to the pan of shrimp.

To the same skillet, add the shrimp. Cook for around 2 minutes or until the shrimp has almost all turned opaque.
Add the onion and garlic back into the pan.

Sweet and spicy sauce added to the pan of shrimp and onions.

To the pan, add the sauce that was made earlier and stir to coat the shrimp.
Add the butter to the pan and stir until it has melted and is well combined with the sauce.

A non-stick skillet of sweet and spicy shrimp.

Overhead view of a plate of rice with sweet and spicy shrimp on top.

Recipe Tips and Notes

I like to garnish my shrimp with some toasted sesame seeds and green onions but that’s optional.
Be sure to pat dry the shrimp before using so there isn’t moisture on them which can cause the shrimp to steam.
To quick thaw frozen shrimp, place the bag of frozen shrimp into a cold bowl of water.
Feel free to add more or less of the gochugaru to make the spice levels to your liking.

Make Ahead Tips

Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked shrimp in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. I like to pack this with some jasmine rice and usually some greens but this time, I had some braised tofu on hand. Coconut rice also goes really well with the shrimp as well. Got an instant pot? Here’s how to make Instant Pot Coconut Rice.

Sweet and Spicy Shrimp

5 from 1 vote

Print Rate

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Servings: servings

Ingredients

1½ tbsp gochugaru
3 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp butter
½ tbsp olive oil
1 lb shrimp
1 sweet onion, sliced thinly
1 tbsp garlic, minced

Instructions

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the gochugaru, ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, mirin, oyster sauce, and water.
In a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat, add the onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add in minced garlic and sauté for another minute. Pour into a plate and set aside.
To the same skillet, add the shrimp. Cook for around 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp has almost all turned opaque.
Add the onion and garlic back into the pan.
To the pan, add the sauce that was made earlier and stir to coat the shrimp.
Add the butter to the pan and stir until it has melted and is well combined with the sauce.

Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥

Nutrition Per Serving

Authour: Carmy

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

More Easy Shrimp Recipes To Try

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