This Honey Garlic Shrimp and Sausage is the ultimate sweet and savory dinner made entirely in one pan. If you love a glossy, thick, dark amber sticky sauce coating your meal, this recipe will blow you away.
Picture a rustic cast-iron skillet bubbling with medium cooked pink shrimp, thickly sliced smoked sausage rounds with deeply browned seared edges, and bright green crisp-tender broccoli florets. Every bite balances smoky, sweet, and garlicky flavors.
Garnished with sprinkled white sesame seeds and thinly sliced fresh green onions, it looks like a masterpiece but takes under 30 minutes to make. You can serve this Honey Garlic Shrimp and Sausage over rice or enjoy it perfectly on its own.
Why You’ll Love This Honey Garlic Shrimp and Sausage Recipe
There is nothing quite like the flavor combination of smoky sausage and plump, sweet shrimp. When you toss them both in a sticky honey garlic glaze, the magic truly happens.
Using a cast-iron skillet ensures that your thickly sliced smoked sausage gets those highly coveted, crispy seared edges. The residual savory fat then perfectly flavors your medium pink shrimp as they cook.
This dish is incredibly fast, making it ideal for busy weeknights. It brings the rich, comforting flavors of a honey garlic chicken into a lightning-fast, seafood-infused skillet.
Key Ingredients for a Glossy, Sticky Skillet
To achieve that thick, dark amber sauce and perfectly cooked proteins, you only need a handful of accessible ingredients. Preparation is quick, so measure everything before you start.
- Shrimp: 1 lb (450g) of medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined. They will cook up beautifully pink.
- Smoked Sausage: 14 oz (400g) of smoked sausage (like Kielbasa), sliced thick to hold up to the heat.
- Broccoli: 3 cups (270g) of fresh broccoli florets. We want them bright green and crisp-tender.
- Honey & Soy Sauce: 1/3 cup (80ml) honey and 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce create the sweet and salty base.
- Garlic: 1 tbsp (15g) freshly minced garlic for that pungent, aromatic kick.
- Cornstarch: 1 tbsp (8g) mixed with 1 tbsp (15ml) water. This is the secret to a glossy, thick sauce.
- Garnishes: 1 tbsp (9g) white sesame seeds and 2 stalks (25g) of thinly sliced fresh green onions.
How to Sear the Sausage and Shrimp
Start by heating 1 tbsp (15ml) of neutral oil in your cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Listen for the sizzle as you drop in your thick-sliced smoked sausage rounds.
Let them sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes per side until you see deeply browned, crispy edges. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving the flavorful fat behind.
Toss your medium shrimp into the hot skillet. Cook them just until they turn a beautiful, opaque pink, which takes about 1-2 minutes per side. Overcooking will make them rubbery, so remove them promptly.
Achieving Crisp-Tender Broccoli
Perfect broccoli is essential for this Honey Garlic Shrimp and Sausage. You want bright green florets that still have a slight crunch.
Add your broccoli directly to the hot skillet. Pour in 2 tbsp (30ml) of water, immediately cover with a lid, and let it steam for 2 minutes.
The florets will turn a vibrant, bright green. This quick-steaming method is similar to how we treat vegetables in a classic ground beef and broccoli bowl. Remove the broccoli and set it aside.
Building the Perfect Dark Amber Sauce
Lower the heat to medium. Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, and minced garlic, then pour it straight into the skillet.
Let the mixture bubble and reduce for about 1-2 minutes. The sugars in the honey will start to caramelize, deepening the color.
Whisk in your cornstarch slurry. Stir continuously until the mixture transforms into a thick, glossy, dark amber sticky sauce. If you love making a homemade teriyaki sauce, you will recognize this satisfying visual change.
Bringing the Honey Garlic Shrimp and Sausage Together
Once your sauce is thick and bubbly, immediately add the cooked shrimp, seared sausage rounds, and crisp-tender broccoli back into the skillet.
Toss everything vigorously. You want the entire mixture heavily coated in that glossy honey garlic sauce. The rich amber color should cling to every single piece.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Generously garnish the dish with sprinkled white sesame seeds and thinly sliced fresh green onions for a pop of freshness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but they must be fully thawed and patted dry with a paper towel before searing. Excess moisture will prevent the shrimp from browning and will water down your glossy honey garlic sauce.
The trick is to steam the florets very quickly. Add them to the skillet with a splash of water, cover immediately, and let them cook for just 2 minutes before removing them. They will finish cooking when tossed in the hot, sticky sauce later.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop; you may need to add a splash of water to revive the glossy texture of the honey garlic sauce.
Kielbasa, Andouille, or any high-quality smoked pork or beef sausage works perfectly. Slice them thickly so they can develop deeply browned seared edges in the hot cast-iron skillet.
To achieve a thick, dark amber sticky sauce, you must use a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with cold water). Whisk it into the simmering soy and honey mixture and let it boil for 1 minute to activate the thickening properties.
Honey Garlic Shrimp and Sausage Recipe
Honey Garlic Shrimp and Sausage Skillet
Equipment
- 1 Cast Iron Skillet Essential for getting deeply browned seared edges on the sausage.
- 1 Whisk Used for mixing the glossy sauce.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp (15ml) neutral cooking oil For searing
- 14 oz (400g) smoked sausage Thickly sliced rounds
- 1 lb (450g) medium pink shrimp Raw, peeled and deveined
- 3 cups (270g) broccoli florets Cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/3 cup (80ml) honey
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce Low sodium preferred
- 1 tbsp (15g) garlic Freshly minced
- 1 tbsp (8g) cornstarch Mixed with 1 tbsp (15ml) water to form a slurry
- 1 tbsp (9g) white sesame seeds For garnish
- 2 stalks (25g) fresh green onions Thinly sliced, for garnish
Instructions
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Heat the neutral oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thickly sliced smoked sausage rounds. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until they have deeply browned seared edges. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- In the same skillet with the residual sausage fat, add the raw shrimp in an even layer. Sear for 1-2 minutes per side until they turn an opaque, medium pink color. Do not overcook. Remove and set aside with the sausage.
- Add the broccoli florets to the hot skillet along with 2 tbsp of water. Immediately cover with a lid and steam for 2 minutes until they are bright green and crisp-tender. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium. Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, and minced garlic in the skillet. Let it bubble for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and water slurry, whisking continuously until it forms a thick, glossy, dark amber sticky sauce.
- Immediately return the cooked shrimp, seared sausage, and steamed broccoli to the skillet. Toss everything vigorously until the entire mixture is heavily coated in the thick sauce.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Generously garnish the dish with sprinkled white sesame seeds and thinly sliced fresh green onions. Serve immediately.
Notes
Tip 2: If your sauce thickens too much, add a tablespoon of water to loosen the glaze.
More Skillet Dinners You’ll Love
If you enjoyed this fast, flavorful cast-iron dinner, you need to explore more of our one-pan favorites.
For a creamy, spicy kick, try our rich cajun steak pasta which uses similar searing techniques.
Or, if you can’t get enough of sweet and savory pan sauces, our honey pepper chicken pasta is guaranteed to be a hit with the whole family.
Share Your Feedback
Did you make this Honey Garlic Shrimp and Sausage? We would love to hear how your thick, sticky sauce turned out!
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