Hawaii shrimp trucks are famous for garlic shrimp. Its easy to make and super garlicky. Squeeze lemon all over and serve with rice (which soaks up the garlic-butter sauce, so good!).
Waiting in line for garlic shrimp at Giovannis (Oahu)
Giovanni shrimp is a beloved Hawaiian dish that has gained immense popularity over the years. Originating from famous shrimp trucks on the North Shore of Oahu, giovanni shrimp features plump, garlicky shrimp sautéed in a heavenly garlic butter sauce. This savory dish is simple to recreate at home for a taste of Hawaii. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to make restaurant-quality giovanni shrimp.
A Brief History of Giovanni Shrimp
While giovanni shrimp is often called “Hawaiian garlic shrimp,” it’s not actually a traditional Hawaiian dish. Rather, it falls under the category of “local food” in Hawaii – cuisine that blends flavors from the state’s diverse cultures including Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and Portuguese.
The famous shrimp trucks of Oahu’s North Shore popularized garlic shrimp in the 1980s. Two trucks in particular – Giovanni’s and Romy’s – have been battling it out for decades over who serves up the best garlic shrimp on the island. Their devoted fans line up for hours just to order these indulgent plates mounded with butter and garlic-laden shrimp. It’s easy to see why this dish became so legendary.
How to Make Giovanni Shrimp at Home
Making your own giovanni shrimp is simple. With just 10 ingredients and 15 minutes of cooking time you can recreate the iconic flavors of Hawaii’s favorite shrimp trucks.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 Tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 head garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 2 cups cooked rice
Instructions
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Rinse the shrimp under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels
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In a small bowl, combine the flour, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Toss the shrimp in the flour mixture until evenly coated.
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Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil.
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Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
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Add the coated shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Season with additional salt and pepper.
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Stir in the lemon juice and cook for 1 minute.
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Serve the shrimp immediately over cooked rice. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Enjoy!
Tips for Perfect Giovanni Shrimp
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Use fresh, not frozen, shrimp for the best texture. Thaw frozen shrimp overnight in the fridge if using frozen.
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Make sure the shrimp are dry before coating in flour mixture, otherwise it will get gummy.
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Don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking the shrimp. Cook in batches for even browning.
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Use a generous amount of minced garlic – don’t be shy! The garlic butter sauce is the star of the show.
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Cook the garlic in the butter briefly so it doesn’t burn before adding the shrimp.
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Serve the shrimp as soon as they’re finished cooking for optimum flavor and texture.
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Accompany with steamed white rice to soak up the garlicky goodness.
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Finish with fresh lemon juice to brighten up the butter and balance the richness.
Common Questions
Can I use pre-peeled, frozen shrimp?
Yes, you can use thawed, pre-peeled frozen shrimp. Just make sure to thaw them completely in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Can I leave the shells on the shrimp?
You can leave the shells on for a more authentic shrimp truck experience. The shells get wonderfully crispy in the garlicky butter! Just warn your guests before serving.
What kind of rice is best?
White jasmine or sushi rice are traditional pairings. The neutral flavor lets the garlic butter shine.
Can I use jarred minced garlic?
It’s best to use fresh garlic cloves minced yourself. The flavor is vastly superior to jarred garlic.
What drink pairs well with giovanni shrimp?
A crisp lager or local Hawaiian beer like Kona Longboard Lager make excellent pairings. A tart white wine like Sauvignon Blanc is also a great match.
Enjoy Restaurant-Quality Giovanni Shrimp at Home
Giovanni shrimp is one of those dishes that tastes like you’re on vacation in Hawaii with each garlicky, butter-soaked bite. With just a few simple ingredients and tips, you can make this Hawaiian favorite at home any night of the week. Invite your friends over for a taste of the islands, crack open a cold beer, and let the flavors of the shrimp trucks transport you straight to the shores of Oahu.
What Is Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp?
Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp is a famous local dish in Hawaii. The shrimp trucks parked on the North Shore of Oahu made this dish extra popular.
It has fresh local shrimp (or prawns) mixed with flour, paprika, and cayenne. The shrimp are then pan-fried and mixed with a garlic butter sauce. The finished dish is always served with rice and a lemon wedge.
Nice crisp shell and lots of garlic butter alllll over ^_^
Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp Method
It’s at the end of the post, but I always include this “method” section where I can talk about the recipe in a bit more depth. I hope it is helpful.
First, get all the ingredients together:
- Shrimp (deveined, shell-on) – Using shell-on shrimp is key!
- Mochiko flour—This recipe tastes best with mochiko flour, which is also used for butter mochi and mochiko chicken. You can use regular flour instead, though.
- Paprika
- You can leave out the cayenne pepper if you don’t like heat, but I love it with it. You can also use black pepper instead.
- Salt
- Garlic, minced – Feel free to use even more garlic!
- Butter
- Olive oil
Now we start cooking!
First you clean and pat dry the shrimp. Get it as dry as possible and set it aside.
The dry mix (mochiko flour, paparika, cayenne pepper) for the shrimp coating
Then combine the mochiko flour, paparika, cayenne pepper, and salt in a mixing bowl.
Do your best to get an even coating on the shrimp shells
Add the shrimp and toss so that each shrimp is evenly dusted in the flour mixture. Set this aside.
Melt butter first and then add garlic.
Now get a pan, put it on the stove and turn it to medium heat. Put in the butter. Once the butter is melted, add in the minced garlic. Saute the garlic for about 3 minutes, till its all toasty and nice.
Your kitchen should be smelling amazing right about now. Once its ready, turn off the stove and pour all the garlic and butter into a bowl.
Put the shrimp in a single layer only.
Add the olive oil to the pan and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the shrimp in a single layer. Dont overcrowd the pan, you can do this in two batches if needed.
Note: If you put too many shrimp in the pan, they will steam instead of browning nicely (we want that deep golden, crisp shell).
Cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side.
Now put the garlic butter back into the pan and cook the shrimp for one more minute with it until everything smells great and is well mixed.
You are finished! Slide it over a big bowl of rice. Squeeze some lemon all over and enjoy!
- The recipe calls for mochiko flour. You can substitute this with regular flour.
- The recipe calls for deveined, shell-on shrimp. You can make this with peeled shrimp if you have to, but the crisp garlic bits and butter sauce all over the shells are part of the fun. It’s easier in the end, but please try it at least once with shrimp that still have their shells on.
- Can substitute black pepper for the cayenne pepper.
- For every 12 ounces of shrimp, I use one head of garlic. Feel free to add more garlic if you want. We’ve even made it with two heads of garlic. In this case, you can never have too much garlic. The garlic butter soaks into the rice, making it taste great.
- Before you cook the shrimp, make sure you pour the garlic butter out of the pan and into a bowl. It’s easy to want to add the shrimp right to the pan to save time. but the garlic will be burned by the time the shrimp is done cooking if you do that.
- Make sure the shrimp are really dry before you dust them with the mochiko flour, paprika, cayenne, and salt mix. It won’t get that nice crust if you don’t.
Time to eat!