Sweet and Spicy Shrimp (Made in 10 Minutes!)

Ten Minute Sweet and Spicy Shrimp are an easy to make appetizer or entree. The bold flavor turns ordinary shrimp into a special dish.

First Posted April 2017; Updated June 2020

Sweet and Spicy Shrimp Backstory

I am all about seafood in the summer and today I chose to make some shrimp. So let's hear it for seafood!

You could probably say I'm a shrimp hoarder. At any given time I have three bags in my freezer. I always buy them peeled and de-veined. Why would I want to do that myself?  

When I have a shrimp craving or just need a really quick dinner, I throw a bag in a colander and run some cold water over them. They are defrosted in just a few minutes and they cook even quicker. There are so many ways to cook them just like Forest Gump had suggested.  My favorite way is cooking them in ten minutes using my cast iron pan. Lately I like to cook everything in my cast iron pan.

Many would consider this dish an appetizer but add some roasted asparagus and brown rice to make it a meal. However you serve them is fine but just know they are not going to last long. They also go great with beer. And plenty of napkins! You don't want any of that sauce on your face.

This is the type of dish that cooks quicker than you can call your family or friends to the table. The shrimp are quickly seared and the sauce simmers in the pan for a few minutes until it thickens a little. Can cooking be any easier?

Summer is here and it's the perfect time for seafood. 

Variations

• As mentioned above, if you'd like to take this dish and make it as an entree rather than an appetizer or side, you could add a vegetable like asparagus and serve it over rice (either brown or white would work fine)! This shrimp would also be delicious over some pasta.
• This sauce is delicious, and adding other varieties of seafood would diversify the textures and flavors in the dish. You could also add in some mussels, scallops, or even some chunks of crab.
• To increase the heat of your shrimp, try boosting the amount of Sriracha or include additional spices like chili powder or cayenne pepper.
• Serving this dish at a party or BBQ? Make the sauce separately and serve it as a dipping sauce with cocktail shrimp instead.

FAQ

How to Pick the Best Shrimp

• Typically, the safer bet for shrimp is to buy them frozen, as this ensures they are fresh. It's also easy to thaw and cook them right out of the bag!
• If you're feeling adventurous and would rather try fresh shrimp, make sure the shrimp don't smell like ammonia or have shells that are slimy. They should be firm with solid tails.
• For a recipe like this one, aiming for medium to large -sized shrimp is the best option. Still, this would work with jumbo shrimp, and especially if you're serving it over rice, mini shrimp would be delicious but you might want to take the tail off of them.

Storing Your Dish

• Cooked shrimp typically lasts up to 2 days in the fridge. Be sure to store your shrimp in an airtight container. I don't like to store seafood for very long.

How to Reheat

• One way to reheat this recipe from the refrigerator is to place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it up for increments of 45 seconds or so, stirring in between for equal heating.
• You could also heat up a pan with a little bit of oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp has reached your desired temperature.

More SEAFOOD RECIPES

1. Chili-Lime Scallops from Girl Abroad
2. Cilantro Lime Shrimp from Simple and Savory
3. Crab Cake Bites from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
4. Foil Pack Salmon from Sunday Supper Movement
5. Soft Shell Salmon Tacos with Mango Salsa from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
6. Sweet and Spicy Asian Salmon with Mango Slaw 
7. Pan Roasted Swordfish with Cherry Tomatoes and Capers 
8. Baha Fish Taco Bowls

Side Dish and Pairing Suggestions

1. Marinated Mushroom Salad
2. Baked Eggplant Parmesan Rounds
3. Strawberry Feta Skewers with Basil
4. Mango Guacamole from Sally's Baking Addiction
5. Broccoli Salad from Cookie and Kate
6. Kicked Up Olives

If you like this recipe, please give it a 5-star rating below!

Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Ten Minute Sweet and Spicy Shrimp #SundaySupper

This tasty shrimp appetizer is on your table in 10 minutes!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Seafood

Keyword: sweet and spicy shrimp

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Calories: 236kcal

Author: Lisa Grant

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons salted butter
• 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 ½ Tablespoons Sriracha
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoon ketchup
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• chopped green onions or cilantro for garnish

Instructions

• Heat olive oil and butter on medium high heat in a cast iron pan. Add shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until they start to turn pink.
• Add Sriracha, honey, vinegar, ketchup, onion powder and paprika to the pan. Stir the shrimp and sauce well and cook for another minute or until shrimp are fully cooked. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a bowl.
• Continue to cook sauce for another 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Pour sauce over shrimp.
• Garnish with green onion or cilantro before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 300mg | Sodium: 1095mg | Potassium: 102mg | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 315IU | Vitamin C: 8.3mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 2.5mg

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