Honey Garlic Shrimp are glazed with a sweet, tangy, homemade BBQ sauce for an effortless, delicious weeknight dinner that’s special enough for company!
Today I bring you delectable skewers showcasing glossy, gorgeous Honey Garlic Shrimp!
Can you say yum, or can you say YUM?
These happy little shrimp skewers are glazed with a homemade, Asian-inspired BBQ sauce that’s tangy from apple cider vinegar, sweetened with honey, and flavored with fresh ginger, garlic, and a dash of hot pepper sauce.
Then all of that mouthwatering shrimp is served over a bed of fluffy quinoa, but not just any quinoa…quinoa that’s been infused with flavor thanks to soy sauce, more fresh ginger, and garlic!
Shrimp is such a quick and easy protein to prepare, and while I often think of it as a special occasion menu item, it’s really amenable to busy weeknights as well. This recipe is as simple as throwing some ingredients in a pot for the BBQ sauce to glaze the shrimp, tossing a few other ingredients in a second pot to cook the quinoa, and finally, skewering and glazing the shrimp before popping it in the oven.
So what does that minimal effort yield? Well, not only does roasting render the shrimp tender and juicy, but the BBQ sauce coating it is AH-MA-ZING.
I’ve always been a huge fan of combing fresh garlic and ginger, so I was excited to incorporate them into this recipe in order to give it a bit of Asian flair. And while honey is a delicious complement to ginger, vinegar keeps things from becoming cloyingly sweet while Tabasco gives the sauce a teensy kick.
As for the quinoa…well, if you haven’t tried flavoring a pot of quinoa with seasonings and aromatics, might I suggest you remedy that ASAP? My family thought this fluffy, savory quinoa was about ten times tastier than eating it plain. The salty undertone from the soy sauce was also a nice contrast to the sweet and zesty BBQ sauce-glazed shrimp.
So the next time you have a hankering for shrimp, be sure to give these Honey Garlic Shrimp with Asian Quinoa a whirl! This mouthwatering meal feels fancy, but it’s deceptively simple to prepare.
Honey Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients
For the BBQ Sauce:
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Quinoa:
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons grated or minced fresh ginger, peeled
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
For the Shrimp:
- 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, ketchup, honey, hot pepper sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally until reduced and thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes (stir more frequently towards the end to prevent burning). Taste and adjust salt and/or pepper, if necessary.
- While the BBQ sauce is cooking, rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water for a couple of minutes. Heat sesame oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add quinoa and toast, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Increase heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until all liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat but keep lid on to retain heat until ready to serve.
- Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil (for easy clean-up) and brush with a thin layer of olive oil. Thread shrimp onto long metal or wooden skewers and brush on one side with BBQ sauce. Cook for 4 minutes. Remove pan from oven, flip skewers, and quickly brush second side with remaining BBQ sauce. Cook for 2 to 4 more minutes or until shrimp are pink, firm, and just cooked through.
- Fluff quinoa with a fork and serve shrimp atop quinoa.
Notes
- Rinsing the quinoa removes its natural bitter coating and gives it a milder flavor once cooked.
- If you prefer, you may spread out shrimp on the pan without using skewers. However, I find that using skewers makes it faster to flip them and brush the second side with BBQ sauce halfway through cooking...plus it's a fun way to serve them. 🙂
- Fresh ginger can easily be peeled with a spoon. I always keep a couple of hunks of fresh ginger (wrapped in multiple layers of freezer-thickness plastic bags) in my freezer. Then when I need fresh ginger for a recipe, I thaw a piece for a few minutes, carefully slice off the skin, and then grate it using a fine microplane grater.
BBQ Sauce adapted from Epicurious
Quinoa adapted from AllRecipes
Kristin says
What a great way to use the ingredients – this sounds amazing!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thanks so much , Kristin! I loved seeing what everyone came up with and I really appreciate your hard work in putting this blog hop together! 🙂
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
I found this post via Mandy’s Recipe Box’s “Totally Talented Tuesdays!
This looks wonderful, I will be trying this very soon.
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thanks for hopping over, Claire! I hope you enjoy this when you try it! 🙂
[email protected] says
Yes please!! The shrimp and homemade BBq, both sounds to die for!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thank you, Lyuba! What a fun blog hop…so many clever recipes created out of the same ingredients! 🙂
Analida's Ethnic Spoon says
These look great! I love the tip on the quinoa. I was happy to find your post over at Totally Talented Tuesdays!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thanks so much, Analinda! I’m happy you stopped by. 🙂
Ashleigh says
Oh my goodness, this looks amazing…my husband loves shrimp! Thank you for sharing! Have a wonderful week and please come share and link up with me now!!
xx Ashleigh @SimplyWright
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thank you, Ashleigh…and I appreciate the invite to your link party! I’m getting back into the swing of things after my kids had off for Spring Break, so I’ll try to remember to stop by this week. 🙂
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
Mmmm love me some shrimp! This glaze looks fantastic!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thank you, Julie! And I’m not ashamed to admit that I could pretty much drink the glaze… 😉
Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy says
Seriously LOVE what you made! Shrimp is the only seafood all my boys will eat, so I will for sure have to try this! Pinned!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thanks so much, Jen! Smart boys you have…one of mine won’t eat shrimp and I just can’t understand it. 😉 I appreciate the pin and thanks for helping to coordinate such a fun blog hop!
Andi @ The Weary Chef says
That glossy BBQ sauce is SO pretty, Samantha. I wish I could reach out and grab some of those skewers for an afternoon snack!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
Thank you, Andi! I think these would make a great afternoon snack…or a morning snack…or a midnight one… 😉 I appreciate you stopping by and hope you have a fabulous week!
karen marie says
When I grate ginger, I don’t bother peeling it at all. I love frozen ginger, because I never run out!
Samantha at Five Heart Home says
What a great tip, Karen…thanks so much for sharing that! I think I’ll be a rebel next time and forgo the peeling as well… 😉