Side dishes · Korean home cooking

Korean soy-butter garlic shrimp

Name: Korean soy-butter garlic shrimp
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: Raw peeled, deveined shrimp; Garlic; Unsalted butter; Soy sauce; Sugar; Water; Neutral cooking oil; Spring onion; Lemon

Juicy pan-fried shrimp in a light garlic, butter and soy glaze. A mild Korean fusion side dish made in one pan, with everyday spoon measures and clear dairy-free and soy-sauce alternatives.

20 min2 servings4 stepsDifficulty: Easy

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

2 servings

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

Raw peeled, deveined shrimp½ of a 600 g packOriginal quantity: 300 g
Essential
Needed for the flavor and texture of this version. Use the listed amount.
Garlic4 cloves
Essential
Needed for the flavor and texture of this version. Use the listed amount.
Unsalted butter2 level tablespoonsOriginal quantity: 28 g
Substitute available
If Unsalted butter is unavailable

Use instead
Olive oil

Substitute quantity
2 level tablespoonsReference quantity: 30 ml

Use this instead of the butter, not in addition. Warm the oil without smoking and follow the same garlic or mushroom step. The sauce will have less buttery flavor.
Soy sauce1 level tablespoonOriginal quantity: 15 ml
Substitute available
If Soy sauce is unavailable

Use instead
Tamari soy sauce

Substitute quantity
1 level tablespoonReference quantity: 15 ml

Replace the original soy sauce with this amount. Keep the water and method unchanged; check tamari labels for soy and possible wheat.
Sugar1 small teaspoonOriginal quantity: 4 g
Optional
May be omitted. Skip only preparing and adding this ingredient; keep the other quantities unchanged.
Water3 level tablespoonsOriginal quantity: 45 ml
Essential
Needed for the flavor and texture of this version. Use the listed amount.
Neutral cooking oil1 small teaspoonOriginal quantity: 5 ml
Essential
Needed for the flavor and texture of this version. Use the listed amount.
Spring onion1 stalk
Optional
May be omitted. Skip only preparing and adding this ingredient; keep the other quantities unchanged.
Lemon1 wedge
Optional
May be omitted. Skip only preparing and adding this ingredient; keep the other quantities unchanged.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

Step 1

Pat 300 g peeled, deveined shrimp dry. Slice 4 garlic cloves; chop the optional spring onion. Mix 1 level tablespoon soy sauce, 3 level tablespoons water and the optional 1 small teaspoon sugar in a bowl. Keep raw shrimp and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat food.
Step 2

Heat 1 small teaspoon oil in a wide nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in one layer. Cook for 1–2 minutes, turn and cook for about 1 minute, until nearly opaque. Transfer to a clean plate; the shrimp will finish cooking in the sauce.
Step 3

Lower the heat to medium-low. Melt 2 level tablespoons butter in the pan and stir in the sliced garlic for 45–60 seconds, until fragrant but not brown. Add the soy mixture and let it bubble gently for 1 minute. Keep some liquid in the pan so the sauce does not burn.
Step 4

Return the shrimp and toss in the sauce for 30–60 seconds, or longer if needed, until the flesh is pearly white and opaque throughout with no translucent center. Turn off the heat. Add the optional spring onion and a squeeze from the lemon wedge. Serve immediately with the light pan sauce.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Helpful tips

For 2 servings. 1 level tablespoon = 15 ml; 1 small teaspoon = 5 ml. Contains shellfish, milk and soy; soy sauce may contain wheat. Check all replacement labels. Thaw frozen raw shrimp in the refrigerator and drain well. Best eaten immediately. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at 4°C or below, use within 24 hours and reheat once to 74°C throughout.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Spoon the garlic-soy pan sauce over plain rice and add a crunchy cucumber side. Keep the optional lemon until serving so its fresh flavor stays bright.