3-ingredient Hibachi Shrimp Recipe with Video! (2024)

5 from 109 ratings

The BEST hibachi shrimp recipe ever! Quickly seared shrimp with TONS of flavor tucked into a yummy rice bowl. This Japanese shrimp recipe is done in just 5 minutes with a few easy ingredients. Think: imitation Benihana shrimp recipe when you also don't want to put on pants. I love this with plain white rice , kimchi fried rice, or hibachi vegetables.

Three ingredients and five minutes to a great protein, yes we can.

This is the dinner for when we just can't even, you know? Oh, you know. The nights where if we make rice, the rest of the dinner needs to be done by the time the rice has simmered.

This is that dinner! Super simple seared Japanese shrimp that I pair with veggies and white rice or fried rice. There isa quick white sauce recipe (sometimes called yum yum sauce or hibachi shrimp sauce), but it takes 5 minutes to stir together and also you can skip it.

I love this hibachi shrimp recipe because it is done FAST with a few pro tips and tricks to make it taste just like a Japanese steakhouse. It features only three ingredients, so by the time you cook some rice you'll be on your way to homemade hibachi greatness.

(sidebar there are a few links below to amp up this to a full EXPERIENCE, but I have a hibachi steak recipe that is similarly simple and delicious and really makes this a great bowl when both proteins are included)

Recipe Notes and FAQ

Ingredients and Ingredient Variations

Let's gather some ingredients! Grab some shrimp, soy sauce, and lemon juice. You'll also need oil for the pan - I use olive oil, but canola or any other light cooking oil will be fine.

• If you'd like to make this recipe gluten free, Tamari or coconut aminos are lovely to make this a GF hibachi shrimp moment.
• This method works nicely with chicken too, you'll just need to cook cut up chicken cubes for 2-3 minutes longer than shrimp.
• Fresh lemon juice is lovely here, but bottled works just as well - 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, give or take.

This is so easy, I'membarrassed.

Timing Note: Once you start the shrimp they'll be completely done in about 4 minutes, so be sure you have your other meal components ready to go when you add the shrimp to the hot pan.

Step By Step Instructions

Turn a large pan to medium-high heat, and let it get really hot. I use a 12-inch stainless steel pan OR a cast iron skillet for this and it holds 12 ounces of shrimp, but not much more.

You'll want a pan big enough so that when you put the shrimp in it it can fit all in one layer for extra crispy shrimp.If you need to use two pans or cook the shrimp in batches that's fine, do that! The main thing about pan selection is that we are giving enough space between the shrimp to really sear them to get a gorgeous crispy texture on the shrimp.

When the pan is really hot, drizzle a bit of oil in the pan and add the shrimp in one even layer - they should sizzle a lot!

Cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes until they start to get golden, then flip them and sprinkle the soy sauce all over the shrimp. Some of it will burn and that's the magic - little crispy bits of soy sauce all over your hibachi shrimp.

After another 1 minute, squeeze a wedge of lemon over the entire skillet. Toss the shrimp around in the skillet once more, and serve! The shrimp should be just barely cooked, so this entire process takes 4 minutes max if your pan is really hot.

Lemon Juice Pro Tip: If you don't have fresh lemon juice, about a teaspoon of jarred or bottled lemon juice is great here, just sprinkle it over the entire skillet so all the shrimp gets the lemon/soy treatment.

And that's it! Perfect homemade hibachi shrimp every time. You could add a drizzle of sesame oil or a sprinkle of sesame seeds for some extra flavor, but this is delicious with just the soy sauce and lemon juice.

Homemade Yum Yum Sauce

The white sauce is simple - just stir the ingredients together and taste - adjust the flavors to your liking and drizzle all over your shrimp.

Note that Kewpie Japanese Mayo is usually what's used to make hibachi shrimp sauce - buy a bottle if you can get ahold of it! It has a slightly tangier taste than American mayonnaise and is wildly delicious on almost anything.

Serving Suggestions

For the veggies in these images (and how I make them all the time), I cook them exactly like the shrimp, but in a separate skillet since the veggies take a bit longer to cook than the shrimp. I use broccoli, carrots, peppers, onions, anything I have on hand. The result is a super delicious hibachi shrimp and vegetables rice bowl!

Vegetarian Option: If I know I'm cooking for some folks that don't like seafood, I will separately sear a batch of tofu steak to go with the same side dishes.

Other Ideas:

• Kimchi Fried Rice
• Braised Cabbage
• Beef Fried Rice (or leave out the beef if you prefer!)
• Cucumber Salad
• Sesame Noodles
• Hibachi Vegetables
• Japanese Sweet Carrots

Hibachi Shrimp and Chicken Variation

I've also done this with multiple proteins - adding chicken or steak to the same skillet with the shrimp for a hibachi shrimp and chicken dish with vegetables.

The key to making this work is to start the OTHER protein first - chicken until it's nearly cooked through, then adding the shrimp just in the last 2 minutes so it doesn't overcook. Right before serving, add the soy sauce and lemon juice like in the recipe instructions.

PS for another Japanese rice bowl situation, the second most popular recipe on this site is Spicy Crab Salad that I use in these Spicy Crab Poke Bowls. Don't miss those!

Meal Prep and Storage Notes

• I love leftovers of this recipe, and often will double up everything to have leftovers for a few lunches. I store them in meal-sized portions (a little rice, some veg, some shrimp) and microwave for 1 minute before eating.
• The leftovers will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.
• To prep, I cut up the veggies, peel the shrimp, and make the yum yum sauce in advance. With those items done, the entire dinner is done in the time it takes to simmer some white rice.

I hope you love this! It's such a quick favorite and is perfect for lunches or weeknights. Enjoy!