Jersey Girl Cooks

  • About
  • Recipes
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Appetizers/ Snacks

    Sweet and Spicy Shrimp (10 Minute Appetizer)

    First Published: July 18, 2020 . Last Modified: September 2, 2022 lisa23 Comments This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    pin for sweet spicy shrimp

    Sweet and Spicy Shrimp are an easy to make hot shrimp appetizer recipe in only ten minutes of cooking time! The bold flavors turn ordinary shrimp into a special sweet and spicy seafood recipe. You'll love these delicious shrimp.

    A bowl of sweet and spicy shrimp.

    Sweet and Spicy Shrimp Recipe

    I am all about shrimp especially when it comes to appetizers.

    You could probably say I'm a shrimp hoarder. At any given time I have three bags of raw shrimp in my freezer for a quick meal. 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 and one of my favorite ways is in only ten minutes using my cast-iron skillet. Lately I like to cook everything in my cast iron pan especially scallops and frittatas.

    Ingredients

    • olive oil - or substitute another light oil.
    • salted butter - the best way to add richness to the sauce.
    • large shrimp- peeled and deveined
    • Sriracha sauce - you can substitute sweet chili sauce if you don't like it spicy.
    • honey - or use Maple syrup as a substitution.
    • balsamic vinegar - I love the tang of this vinegar.
    • ketchup - adds a nice tomato sweetness.
    • onion powder - or garlic powder if you prefer.
    • paprika - this mild spice provides color and flavor.
    • optional chopped green onions or fresh cilantro for garnish

    Instructions

    • Heat olive oil and butter on medium heat in large skillet and cook shrimp in the pan.
    • In a small bowl, add Sriracha sauce, honey, vinegar, ketchup, onion powder and paprika. Mix well then add to the pan. Stir the shrimp and sauce and cook for another minute or until shrimp are fully cooked. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and keep warm.
    • Continue to cook sauce for another 5 minutes until it starts to thicken. Pour sauce over shrimp.
    • Garnish with green onion or cilantro before serving.

    See printable recipe card below for detailed measurements and instructions.

    Top Tip- Use paper towels to dry shrimp and remove any excess moisture before cooking.

    This hot shrimp appetizer is easy to cook in a pan.

    While I usually serve this dish as a shrimp appetizer, you can add some roasted asparagus and brown rice to this easy shrimp recipe and make it a meal or entree. However you serve the sweet and spicy shrimp 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 sweet and spicy sauce for shrimp on your face.

    Sweet and Spicy Shrimp are one of my favorite hot shrimp appetizer recipes.

    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 delicious 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 especially this shrimp appetizer! It's one of my favorite easy recipes.

    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 or snow peas and serve it over rice (either brown or white would work fine)! With added veggies this spicy shrimp stir fry recipe would also be delicious over some noodles too. This shrimp would also be delicious over noodles too.
    • To increase the heat of your shrimp, try boosting the amount of Sriracha or include additional spices like chili powder, cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes.
    • 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 easy way to buy shrimp is to get them in frozen bags. It's also easy to thaw and cook them right out of the bag for shrimp appetizer recipes!
    • If you 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 this spicy sweet shrimp appetizer, the size of shrimp should be medium to larger shrimp. I do not recommend the small salad shrimp for this recipe. Still, this would work with jumbo shrimp, and especially if you're serving it over rice, make sure to take the tails off when cleaning them.

    Storing Your Dish

    • Cooked shrimp typically lasts up to 1 to 2 days in the fridge. Be sure to store your shrimp in an airtight container. I don't like to store cooked or raw 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 on medium-high heat, or until the shrimp has reached your desired temperature.
    pin for sweet spicy shrimp

    More Shrimp Appetizers

    1. Cilantro Lime Shrimp from Simple and Savory
    2. Old Bay Shrimp - The Easiest Shrimp Cocktail Recipe 
    3. Greek Shrimp Skewers
    4. Preserved Lemon and Caper Shrimp
    5. Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Slaw

    Pairing Suggestions with Sweet and Spicy Shrimp

    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 for Sweet and Spicy Shrimp , please give it a 5-star rating below!

    RECIPE

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    5 from 12 votes

    Sweet and Spicy Shrimp

    This tasty shrimp appetizer is on your table in 10 minutes!
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time15 minutes mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Seafood
    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 heat in a cast iron pan. Add shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until they start to turn pink.
    • In a small bowl, add Sriracha, honey, vinegar, ketchup, onion powder and paprika. Mix well then add 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

    Thanks for stopping by! If you’d like to follow me on social media, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter.

    « My Jersey Tomato Sandwich
    Avocado Tomato Arugula Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette »

    Comments

    1. Liz says

      April 09, 2017 at 9:21 am

      I would happily make this a meal, too! The sauce sounds fantastic!!!

      Reply
    2. cheri says

      April 09, 2017 at 11:26 am

      5 stars
      I love everything about this dish, it is perfection. I am a shrimp hoarder too!

      Reply
    3. Cindy says

      April 09, 2017 at 11:51 am

      Sounds like dinner to me!

      Reply
    4. Laura Dembowski says

      April 09, 2017 at 12:27 pm

      I make shrimp all the time and this sauce sounds like the perfect way to spice things up. Bookmarked!

      Reply
    5. LaNeshe says

      April 11, 2017 at 12:18 pm

      Oh this looks really good.

      Reply
    6. Rachel says

      April 12, 2017 at 3:03 am

      Looks delicious! Love new ideas for shrimp

      Reply
    7. Candace says

      April 12, 2017 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      This dish looks so yummy! I've been looking for a quick shrimp dish to make and I think this could be it!

      Reply
    8. Nathan King says

      August 13, 2020 at 2:35 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely LOVE shrimp, and this recipe looks so easy and delicious! Always searching for new ways to eat shrimp.

      Reply
    9. Kelli says

      September 22, 2020 at 5:03 pm

      5 stars
      What's not to like about this dish? The sauce was so flavorful and easy, and I loved that I had such a flavorful dinner ready in under 10 minutes!

      Reply
    10. Shadi Hasanzadenemati says

      September 22, 2020 at 5:07 pm

      5 stars
      My family is going to love this, thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
    11. Jeannette says

      September 22, 2020 at 5:21 pm

      5 stars
      Ten minutes and so much flavor from the spices! What an incredible easy recipe for my favorite seafood ingredient. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    12. Beth says

      September 22, 2020 at 6:25 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so delicious! I can't wait to make this! My daughter and I are going to love this!

      Reply
    13. Patty at Spoonabilities says

      September 22, 2020 at 7:16 pm

      5 stars
      This is an amazing quick dinner! That spicy sauce is A-one all the way!

      Reply
    14. Karin Bagnasco says

      May 24, 2021 at 11:51 pm

      5 stars
      I've tried several shrimp recipes and this is by far the best! My husband absolutely loved it and I will definitely make it again. Thank you!!

      Reply
      • lisa says

        May 25, 2021 at 12:06 pm

        Thanks Karin!

        Reply
    15. Christina says

      July 16, 2021 at 9:35 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is AMAZING! I made the shrimp & put it over rice. Delicious. The sauce so tasty.

      Reply
      • lisa says

        July 16, 2021 at 12:52 pm

        Thank you! Glad you liked it!

        Reply
        • Pamela Thompson says

          December 23, 2021 at 2:28 pm

          5 stars
          I made this last night. It was a big head. I put some broccoli in with the shrimp to make it like a Chinese style. Then I put it on top of some jasmine rice. Yum

          Reply
          • lisa says

            December 23, 2021 at 2:36 pm

            Great idea! Glad you liked it! Happy holidays!

            Reply
    16. Paul says

      January 15, 2023 at 5:50 pm

      5 stars
      Very good, easy to make in my cast iron skillet (the only way to make shrimp or chicken). We liked it even better over a bit of rice, even as an appetizer. Next time we’ll try this on a cracker smeared with goat cheese.

      Reply
      • lisa says

        January 15, 2023 at 6:39 pm

        Thanks for the review and glad you enjoyed Paul! I love these shrimp over rice!
        Lisa

        Reply
    17. Swoozie2 says

      March 27, 2024 at 7:50 am

      I wish people would comment AFTER MAKING THE DISH. I agree it looks great, but it should be made first, before commenting. It helps to kknow if it was really good or not.

      Reply
      • lisa says

        March 27, 2024 at 10:53 am

        While not everyone that commented has already made this dish, there are quite a few that did. I hope you enjoy!
        Lisa

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Hi, I'm Lisa

    I love creating recipes and cooking for my family and friends. It's great to bring everyone to my kitchen to talk, laugh and eat. I also like to spread my love for cooking to others. So grab an apron and let's do it together. I promise my recipes will be easy and delicious!

    More about me

    Jersey Girl Cooks is a participant in affiliate programs including the Amazon Associates program. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through links in my website with no extra cost to you, the consumer.

    Footer

    freebie!

    Subscribe for Your Free eBook: 5 Pantry Friendly Dinners

    Subscribe for free!
    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions

    Contact

    • Media Kit
    • FAQ

    Copyright © 2024 Jersey Girl Cooks • As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. • Powered by Feast+

    GDPR Privacy Policy