Teriyaki Shrimp

Content… Homemade Teriyaki Sauce for Shrimp Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions What to Serve More Sensational Shrimp Recipes to Try

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce for Shrimp

So, yes, you can use bottled teriyaki sauce from the store, but considering how quickly you can make a homemade version, why not? Plus, you don’t need a ton of ingredients. You probably have almost everything you need in your pantry already.

I’m a big fan of homemade sauces, and teriyaki sauce is no exception. It’s sweet and salty and just sticky enough to coat the shrimp, making them insanely flavorful. Give it a try and see if you don’t love it as much as I do!

Recipe Ingredients

1. Shrimp – Frozen shrimp that are peeled and deveined really cut down on prep time, but you can use fresh, shell-on shrimp if you prefer. Jumbo shrimp are my faves, but any size will work.
2. Sauce – Fresh ginger and garlic for aromatics, brown sugar and honey for sweetness, and white wine vinegar and soy sauce for umami. Black pepper and sesame oil finish up a sweet, savory, and oh-so-good sauce. Then, cornstarch thickens it up to that classic teriyaki consistency.
3. Garnishes – Chopped green onions and sesame seeds put a finishing touch on this tasty meal.

How to Make Teriyaki Shrimp

The Teriyaki Sauce

• Teriyaki Mixture – In a small mixing bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, brown sugar, honey, white wine, soy sauce, and black pepper. Mix well until all the ingredients combine. (Photo 1)
• Marinate – Place shrimp in a medium bowl, add about two tablespoons of the teriyaki mixture, and toss until it completely coats all the shrimp. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. (Photos 2-3)

The Shrimp

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Cook Shrimp – Then, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for a minute or two per side until pink. Remove them from the pan and transfer to a plate. (Photo 4)
• Make Sauce – Add the teriyaki sauce to the pan and bring to a boil.
• Thicken – In a small bowl, whisk two tablespoons of water and cornstarch until smooth, and add it to the sauce, stirring until fully combined. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce thickens. (Photos 5-6)
• Add the shrimp back to the pan and stir them to coat evenly with the sauce. Cook for about one more minute. (Photo 7)
• Serve over white rice and veggies garnished with green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Cauliflower rice works, too, for a grain-free dinner. (Photo 8)

Recipe Variations

1. Make it spicy. If you like spicy, add ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce. ❤️‍🔥
2. Switch up the protein. You can swap out shrimp for chicken, steak, pork, tofu, or any other protein you love. 
3. Teriyaki shrimp stir fry. After you cook the shrimp, you can stir-fry your veggies (carrots, bell peppers, celery, etc.) of choice in the pan before adding the sauce. Depending on how many vegetables you add, you may want to double the sauce.

Tips and Tricks

1. You can use pre-cooked shrimp for this recipe. If you do, reduce the initial cooking time to just 30 seconds per side so they don’t get overcooked. Wait until the sauce thickens before adding the shrimp.
2. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp when adding it to the pan. It only needs a minute or so to simmer with the sauce before serving. You don’t want them to overcook and toughen up.
3. Don’t add cornstarch directly to the hot teriyaki sauce ingredients, or it can clump up and not thicken the sauce right. Instead, make a cornstarch slurry per the recipe and add it to the sauce to thicken it.
4. Oops! Did the sauce end up with lumps despite your best efforts? Give it a spin in the blender before adding the shrimp; no one has to know.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Feel free to make this dish a day or two ahead of time. Store the teriyaki shrimp in the fridge in an airtight container. Then pop it in the microwave or heat it on the stovetop over medium when ready to enjoy. Heat it just until heated through to avoid overcooking the shrimp.

Serving and Storage Instructions

Serve teriyaki shrimp hot atop a steaming bed of rice. Shrimp teriyaki also makes a cute appetizer.

If you have leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days—reheat them as noted above. 

What Goes With Teriyaki Shrimp

I love this dish with either sticky rice, coconut fried rice, or jasmine rice. It goes great with traditional stir-fried veggies, but grilled pineapple is a great way to dress it up a little more. To make your meal more like a fun takeout night, serve it with pulled pork egg rolls or crab rangoon. 🤩

More Sensational Shrimp Recipes to Try

1. Jamaican Curry Shrimp
2. Shrimp Jambalaya
3. Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta
4. Shrimp Stir Fry
5. Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp