Name: Thai Crispy Garlic Prawns Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: oil (enough for frying the garlic and prawns); 16 cloves garlic (finely chopped, divided); 8 large prawns (shell-on, preferably king prawns); 1 tablespoon light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; 1 teaspoon white sugar; ¼ cup cooking cream; ½ tsp black pepper

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This Thai crispy garlic prawns recipe combines juicy prawns with crispy golden garlic and a rich, creamy sauce that’s ready in just 30 minutes. I’ll show you exactly how to fry the garlic until it’s perfectly crisp without burning it and how to cook the prawns so they stay tender and juicy every time.

Thai crispy garlic prawns with rice and a creamy dipping sauce.

What are Thai garlic prawns?

Thai garlic prawns, or goong kratiem, are a popular Thai seafood dish made by frying prawns with plenty of garlic, black pepper, and savory sauces. The prawns are juicy and full of garlic flavor, while the crispy fried garlic adds crunch and the pepper gives the dish a gentle warmth without making it overly spicy.

The crispy garlic is just as important as the prawns themselves. It’s first fried until golden, then the garlic-infused oil is used to cook the prawns, giving them even more flavor.

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Thai crispy garlic prawns topped with crispy fried garlic, served with creamy garlic pepper sauce and jasmine rice.

A recipe from my Thai restaurant

Garlic prawns are traditionally made without cream, but this version has become one of my favorites over the years.

When I owned my Thai restaurant, I started adding a splash of cooking cream to the garlic pepper sauce during one busy dinner service. It mellowed the black pepper, created a silky sauce, and paired perfectly with steamed jasmine rice.

Garlic prawns with a creamy sauce over it, and white rice.

I’ve been making it this way ever since. It’s not the traditional version, but if you enjoy plenty of garlic and a rich sauce for spooning over rice, I think you’ll love this variation.

If you prefer the traditional version, I also have a recipe for Thai garlic pork and garlic pepper chicken. Both are stir-fried with the same savory garlic pepper sauce.

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My cookbook is a combination of authentic Thai recipes and Western dishes cooked with Thai flavors and ingredients. It’s a great starting point if you’re new to Thai cooking or want to cook it more often.

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Ingredient notes & substitutes

You can find everything at Asian grocery stores or markets. Head to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.

Ingredients for Thai crispy garlic prawns, including shell-on prawns, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper.

Prawns: Large prawns or king prawns work best. I recommend leaving the shells on. They help keep the prawns juicy while releasing extra flavor into the oil, which you’ll use to make the sauce.
Garlic: Fried garlic is used as garnish, while the garlic-infused oil is used to cook the prawns for even more garlic flavor.
Oyster sauce: Adds rich umami and savory depth to the sauce. It’s a staple ingredient in Thai cooking and essential for authentic flavor.
Light soy sauce: Seasons the prawns without overpowering them. Don’t substitute dark soy sauce, as it will make the sauce sweeter and much darker.
White sugar: Just a small amount balances the salty sauces and rounds out the overall flavor. The dish shouldn’t taste sweet.
Black pepper: Freshly ground black pepper gives the dish its signature warmth and pairs perfectly with the garlic.
Cooking cream: I started adding cream when I owned my Thai restaurant because I wanted a sauce people could drizzle over rice instead of one that simply coated the prawns. It became one of our most popular garlic dishes.

How to make garlic prawns

1: Fry the garlic. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add half of the garlic and stir constantly until it’s lightly golden. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, leaving the garlic-infused oil in the pan.

Don’t wait for the garlic to turn dark brown. It continues cooking after you remove it from the oil, so taking it out while it’s still golden keeps it crispy instead of bitter.

Crispy fried garlic excess oil drain in a sieve.

2: Fry the prawns. Add the prawns to the garlic-infused oil and fry for about 2 minutes per side, depending on their size. Remove the prawns with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and let any excess oil drain off.

Freshly fried shell-on prawns draining in a mesh colander.

3: Make the sauce. Remove most of the oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan (or use a different pan). Add the remaining garlic and sauté for about 20 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, black pepper, and cooking cream. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce thickens slightly.

If the sauce becomes thicker than you’d like, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of water until it reaches your preferred consistency.

Creamy Thai garlic pepper sauce cooking in a wok.

4: Serve. Arrange the fried prawns on a serving plate and spoon the warm sauce over the top or serve it on the side for dipping. Finish with the crispy fried garlic and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

Garlic prawns with rice and a creamy sauce.

How to store & reheat leftovers

Refrigerate: Store leftover crispy garlic prawns in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Their refrigerated shelf life is short, so they’re best enjoyed as fresh as possible.
Reheat: Warm the prawns and sauce gently in a skillet over low heat until just heated through. If the sauce has thickened, stir in a splash of water to loosen it.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this dish.

More Thai prawn recipes to try

Goong Tod Recipe (Deep Fried Prawns)

Goong Ob Woon Sen (Thai Glass Noodle Prawn)

Tempura Shrimp Recipe (Restaurant-Quality!)

Thai Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe (Khao Pad Goong)

Tried this Thai garlic prawns recipe?

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