Pan-Fried Shrimp is one of those simple, dependable recipes I come back to again and again. Cooked quickly in a hot skillet with a light seasoned flour coating, the shrimp turn out tender on the inside with just enough crispness on the outside-never heavy or greasy. This stovetop method is fast, forgiving, and perfect for busy weeknights when you want big flavor without a lot of fuss.
This pan-fried shrimp recipe is also incredibly versatile. I use it as the base for several favorites, from buffalo shrimp to classic shrimp po' boys and even fried shrimp tacos. Once you master this easy technique, you'll find yourself reaching for it anytime shrimp are on the menu.
Quick Look at the Recipe
Pan-Fried Shrimp are cooked quickly in a hot skillet with a light seasoned flour coating, creating shrimp that are tender inside with just a hint of crispness outside. This easy stovetop method takes minutes and works as a stand-alone dish or as the base for other favorite shrimp recipes.
Ready in: 10-12 minutes
Cooking method: Stovetop skillet
Difficulty: Easy
Make-ahead: Best served fresh
Jump to:
- Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why I love this recipe, and you will too!
- Ingredient notes
- Recipe variations
- How to pan-fry shrimp
- Serving Suggestions
- How to Store and Reheat Pan-Fried Shrimp
- How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp
- How Many Shrimp Per Person to Buy
- How Long to Pan-Fry Shrimp
- Recipe FAQs
- Tips for Perfect Pan Fried Shrimp
- More Recipes You’ll Love
- Featured Readers Comment
- Join the Conversation
- Recipe:
Why I love this recipe, and you will too!
- Because of its simplicity, this pan-fried shrimp recipe is one of my favorite go-to dishes. Like my recipes for Buffalo Shrimp, Shrimp Po' Boys, and Fried Shrimp Tacos, this one is easy to make, full of flavor, and on the table in less than 15 minutes.
- Because the shrimp are cooked in just a small amount of olive oil, this recipe is lighter than traditional deep-fried shrimp, where the shrimp are fully submerged in oil.
- These tender shrimp cook in minutes and are naturally low in carbohydrates while being rich in protein and nutrients-making them a satisfying option for a quick weeknight meal.
Ingredient notes
Let's talk ingredients: what you need, what you can swap, and how to make it work with what's in your pantry. The full list is waiting down in the recipe card.
- Shrimp - fresh or frozen and thawed. You will need either jumbo (21-25 per pound) or extra-large (26-30 per pound). They also need to be deheaded, peeled, and deveined. You can leave the tails on or not.
- Flour - all-purpose coats the seafood and produces a flavorful crispy crust.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper - nothing fancy here. Both seasonings enhance all of the other flavors.
- Garlic powder - just a bit adds a mild garlicky essence to the crust.
- Olive oil - just a small amount is used to pan-fry the seafood. You can substitute any neutral-flavor vegetable oil you prefer or have on hand, or use coconut oil.
Recipe variations
You can change up this recipe to use ingredients you might already have on hand or to suit your family's preferences. Here are just a few ideas:
- Before you remove the seafood from the skillet, add some buffalo sauce, and voila, you have Buffalo Shrimp.
- Change up the seasonings: instead of the ingredients I have listed, use Old Bay Seasonings, Cajun or Creole seasonings, or seasoned salt and lemon pepper.
- Add red pepper flakes to enhance the heat and flavor of the shrimp, especially when combined with other seasonings like Old Bay and garlic.
- You can substitute cornstarch for the flour.
- After coating the shrimp in flour, dip them in a beaten egg mixture, and then you can dredge them in cornmeal, cracker crumbs, bread crumbs, or even a coconut and panko coating before pan-frying them.
How to pan-fry shrimp
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat.
- While the oil is heating, add flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Add the shrimp and shake well.
- Shake off any excess flour and add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Do not crowd them.
- Pan-fry for one minute on the first side or until they are golden brown and crispy. Then use a fork or fish turner to turn over and cook on the other side for another minute or so.
- Place the shrimp on a paper towel to drain, and repeat the steps.
- Serve immediately with cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or remoulade.
Serving Suggestions
I like serving pan-fried shrimp with my American Coleslaw or Purple Cabbage Coleslaw, Air Fryer Frozen French Fries, Cheese Grits or Southern Potato Salad, and Southern Hush Puppies.
How to Store and Reheat Pan-Fried Shrimp
Pan-fried shrimp are best enjoyed right after they're cooked. If you do have leftovers, they're great repurposed in shrimp and bacon quesadillas or stirred into fried rice.
Store cooked shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat with a small amount of olive oil, watching closely so they don't dry out or overcook.
How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp
The best way to thaw frozen shrimp is to place them in the refrigerator overnight. If you need to thaw them quickly, put the shrimp in a colander in the sink and run cold water over them for about 15 minutes.
How Many Shrimp Per Person to Buy
For adults, I usually plan on about 10-12 shrimp per person. Shrimp are sold by size and by the pound, but sizes aren't standardized, so buying by weight is the most reliable option. Larger shrimp mean fewer shrimp per pound.
How Long to Pan-Fry Shrimp
Cook time depends on the size of the shrimp. For extra-large shrimp (21-25 per pound), pan-frying usually takes 2-3 minutes per side. Smaller shrimp cook faster, while jumbo shrimp may take slightly longer. Shrimp are done when they turn pink and opaque and curl into a loose "C" shape.
Recipe FAQs
Butter adds rich flavor but burns easily. I prefer olive oil for pan-frying shrimp because it's more stable at higher heat and less likely to scorch.
Soaking seafood in milk is sometimes used to remove strong odors. Shrimp have a very mild flavor and shouldn't smell fishy, so soaking them in milk isn't necessary.
Olive oil works well for pan-fried shrimp, but it has a lower smoke point. If cooking a large batch or using higher heat, peanut oil or another high-smoke point oil is a good choice.
Normally, yes, but this recipe uses a light flour coating, which needs a bit of moisture to adhere. I don't pat the shrimp dry before coating them.
Tips for Perfect Pan Fried Shrimp
- You'll likely have leftover seasoned flour. Store it in the freezer and reuse it the next time you make this recipe.
- Whether you leave the tails on or remove them is personal preference. I leave them on for appetizers but remove them when serving this dish for dinner.
- When buying fresh shrimp, look for shrimp that are firm and smell clean and briny, like the ocean. Avoid shrimp that feel mushy or have a strong odor.
- While special tools are available for peeling and deveining shrimp, I usually ask the seafood counter to do it for me-it's a time-saver.
- Shrimp can go from perfectly cooked to tough in seconds, so keep a close eye on them while they fry.
- This dish is best cooked right before serving. When entertaining, I prepare the seasoned flour ahead and add the oil to the skillet so the shrimp can be coated and cooked in just minutes.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Once you've mastered this pan-fried shrimp recipe, here are a few favorite ways to serve it-or pair it with an easy side.
Featured Readers Comment
Amazing that such a simple recipe can have such a delicious result. It lived up to its advertisement. It has now been added to my regular meal book. – Gary
Join the Conversation
Pan-fried shrimp is one of those recipes everyone seems to make a little differently. Please leave a star rating and comment. Do you prefer your shrimp lightly coated like this, or cooked without any coating? I'd love to hear how you serve yours-especially if it's a family favorite.
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Pan-Fried Shrimp (Lightly Floured & Crispy)
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp Fresh or frozen, either jumbo (21-25 per pound) or extra-large (26-30 per pound). Deheaded, peeled, and deveined.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- While the oil is heating, add flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Add the shrimp and shake well.
- Shake off any excess flour and add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Do not crowd them.
- Cook the shrimp for one minute on the first side or until they are golden brown and crispy. Then use a fork or fish turner to turn over and cook on the other side for another minute or so.
- Place the shrimp on a paper towel to drain, and repeat the steps with the remaining shrimp.
- Serve immediately with cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or remoulade.
MAHA Lady
I thought this was good! I added a little cornstarch to the flour mixture. Weren’t golden brown… but next time! Saved $50 eating out!
Sharon Rigsby
Thanks so much for letting me know. I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
All the best,
Sharon
Debra
It’s fine to make a big batch of seasoned flour. However, put some of the flour in a separate zip lock in which you shake the shrimp. That way, you do not contaminate the rest of the flour, and can save it. I do the same for chicken.
Teri Brookshire
Loved this recipe! I added a little Okay seasoning to make it perfect!!!
Sharon Rigsby
Awesome! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Julianne
So quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights!
Anonymous
My taste buds are doing a happy dance! This needs to be a regular thing.
LORETTA
I am making this tonight but instead of flour I’m using crushed up crackers
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Loretta, I have never tried this recipe with crushed crackers, so please let me know how it turns out!
All the best,
Sharon
Karen
My shrimp were cooked before the coating ever got crispy. I let them drain on a paper towel and they never did get crunchy
Any idea what I did wrong?
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Karen, pan-fried shrimp will never be as crunchy as deep-fried, but they should still have a nice crispy coating. Your oil might not have been hot enough when you added the shrimp, or they might have been too crowded. What size did you use? If they were on the small side, I can see how they might cook before the coating crisps up, and larger shrimp would help. I always buy extra-large shrimp sized 21-25 per pound. I wish I had a better answer for you, and it’s hard to say without being there. I hope you try this recipe again because I know you will enjoy it.
All the best,
Sharon
Kim
Perfect recipe for something quick, easy, and filling!!!
Doreen
Light, easy, delicious.
I had sea scallops & tiger shrimp. The shrimp were perfect. The scallops had crunch on the outside & melted in my mouth.I added lemon peel & a pinch of hot pepper to seasoning.
Claire
Loved these cooked them in the electric wok delicious thanks for the recipe
Xinou Wei
Sharon thank you! I was getting sic of getting the trader joe’s mix seafood bag (squid shrimp bay scallop) in tomato sauce again and pasta, I was dreaming what if I do this, and your recipe encouraged me, so so good!!! and I did with Tilapia as well, I have ate this a few days in a row now:) I love cookinh schnitzel but this is so easy to clean it’s like nothing!!!
Gary
Amazing that such a simple recipe can have such a delicious result. It lived up to its advertisement. It has now been added to my regular meal book.
Ali
Can these be made ahead and warmed in low oven
Sharon Rigsby
Hi Ali,
Because shrimp cooks so quickly and can become tough and chewy if overcooked, for the best results, I wouldn’t try to make them ahead. They take less than five minutes to cook. What you might want to do is get your flour mixture and pan ready and then cook them right before you want to serve them. That said, I eat the leftovers cold and also warm them up to make shrimp quesadillas. So if it’s just you and your family and you want to make them ahead and reheat them then that’s fine as long as you understand they will not be quite as good reheated. If you are making them for company, I definitely wouldn’t make them ahead.
All the best,
Sharon
Shelly Lasher
This recipe is to die for, the shrimp are crispy on the outside and so soft on the inside. I did change one item, I used a white pepper which was so good, made them have a little spicy bite to them.
Tim
Nice recipe. Both easy and tasty. Thank you! Will use this a lot! Some minor adjustments – I used Garlic Salt instead of salt and powder separately. Just a personals preference. I also added a very little butter to help the oil spread and add a little flavor – about 1 teaspoon (1 pad), Also, I used Tupperware instead of a bag. It’s easier to store and to work with and it’s more environmentally friendly. I am going to try the suggested brussels-sprout salad next! Looks very good!
Beth Pruett
Was watching Diners Drive ins and Dives….seen a floured shrimp recipe we wanted to try. Dang, couldn’t find the episode again! So googled lightly floured shrimp and found yours!!! Made, and let me tell you It’s Our New Favorite!!!! Will probably never make our shrimp any other way, it’s absolutely wonderful! We Love it!!