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Fish, East Asian

Grilled shrimp with soy garlic sauce, rice and cucumber

Grilled shrimp with soy garlic sauce is a dish for 4 people, ready in 25 minutes, rated very easy, for about €6.80 per person. The key is a short marinade, no more than 30 minutes, and a quick sear of two minutes per side to keep the shrimp tender.

Beautiful shrimp glazed in a garlicky soy sauce, grilled fast, with rice and a fresh cucumber salad, tonight feels like a celebration.

Grilled shrimp with soy garlic sauce, rice and cucumber
Total time
25 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€6.80
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

The shrimp come out glossy, coated in a soy sauce that has reduced and clung to their flesh, with just enough garlic and lemon to brighten everything. The cucumber on the side, lightly vinegared and crunchy, cuts through the sweet and salty marinade. It is direct, fragrant, and needs no complicated technique.

This is the kind of dinner you throw together on a weeknight when you want a change from the usual routine, without spending an hour at the stove. Kids love peeling the shrimp at the table, and the dish also works well for casual guests gathered around a bowl of rice.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Raw shrimp 16

Pantry

  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Mirin or honeyoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Rice vinegaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Sesame seedsoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Lemon 1
  • Cucumber 1

Allergens Shellfish, Soy, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the soy sauce, mirin, crushed garlic and lemon juice, add the shrimp and let them marinate. 30 min

    Do not go past 30 minutes, the lemon is already cooking the flesh.

  2. Meanwhile, slice the cucumber into thin rounds and toss it with the vinegar and sesame seeds.

    Salt the cucumber lightly and press it, it will release its water.

  3. Cook the rice in salted water, then drain it. 11 min

    You can serve it warm or hot.

  4. Heat a pan or the grill with the oil, and sear the shrimp for two minutes on each side. 5 min

    Do not overcook them, they turn tough.

  5. Pour the remaining marinade into the pan to let it reduce for one minute and coat the shrimp. 1 min

    Boil the marinade that touched raw shrimp for at least a minute.

  6. Serve the shrimp over the rice with the cucumber salad.

    Peel them by hand at the table, that is half the fun.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pat the shrimp dry before marinating them, they will hold onto the sauce better once they hit the heat.
  • Cook the shrimp in a single batch in a very hot pan rather than crowding them, otherwise they steam instead of searing.
  • Always set aside a bit of raw marinade before adding the shrimp, so you can drizzle some fresh sauce at serving time without boiling the rest.

The variations

  • Swap the shrimp for sliced chicken, it will need two to three extra minutes in the pan.
  • For a vegetarian version, use firm tofu cut into cubes and pan fried instead of the shrimp, the marinade works just as well.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve the shrimp straight over the rice without peeling, and offer the cucumber on the side for picky eaters.

What to serve it with

  • Steamed white rice or vinegared rice
  • Crunchy cucumber salad
  • Green tea or lemon water

Storage

Cooked shrimp keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, but they taste best the same day. They do not freeze well once cooked, the flesh turns rubbery. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, without cooking them further.

Questions about this dish

Can I substitute the mirin with something else?

Yes, the honey listed as an alternative in the recipe works great, it brings the same sweetness needed to glaze the shrimp. You can also try brown sugar dissolved in a little water.

Should the shrimp be peeled before or after cooking?

Keep the shell on during cooking, it protects the flesh and keeps the juices in. Peel them by hand once on the plate, it also tastes better that way.

Can I make the marinade ahead of time?

Yes, you can mix the soy sauce, mirin, garlic and lemon the day before and keep it in the fridge. Add the shrimp only 30 minutes before cooking so they do not overcook in the lemon's acidity.

What size shrimp should I use?

Medium to large shrimp work best, they stay tender after the quick sear. Smaller shrimp risk drying out during the two minutes per side.

How long does it take to make grilled shrimp with soy garlic sauce, rice and cucumber?

Count 25 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in grilled shrimp with soy garlic sauce, rice and cucumber?

About 630 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does grilled shrimp with soy garlic sauce, rice and cucumber cost?

About €6.80 per serving, or €27.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish, soy, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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