Pan-Fried Shrimp (Lightly Floured & Crispy in Minutes)

Name: Pan-Fried Shrimp (Lightly Floured & Crispy)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 11 min
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

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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.

Fried shrimp on a plate with cocktail sauce.

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

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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.

Ingredients to make fried shrimp including raw shrimp and flour.

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.

A plastic bag with seasoned flour and raw shrimp.

Shake off any excess flour and add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Do not crowd them.

Shrimp coated with flour pan-frying in a skillet.

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.

A plate with fried shrimp and a bowl of cocktail sauce.

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

Is it better to fry shrimp in butter or olive oil?

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.

Why do you soak shrimp in milk before frying?

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.

What is the best oil to pan-fry shrimp?

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.

Do you have to dry shrimp before frying?

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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Fried shrimp and a bowl of cocktail sauce on a white plate.

Pan-Fried Shrimp (Lightly Floured & Crispy)

Sharon Rigsby

This pan-fried shrimp recipe uses a light, seasoned flour coating and a hot skillet to create shrimp that are tender inside with just a hint of crispness on the outside. Ready in minutes, it's an easy stovetop recipe you can serve as-is or use as the base for buffalo shrimp, po' boys, or shrimp tacos.

5 from 30 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 6

Total Time 11

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings servings

Calories 422 kcal

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.

Notes

You will have leftover seasoned flour that you can reuse the next time you make this dish. Just pop the bag containing the flour in the freezer and pull it out when you need it again.

Whether you leave the tails on or take them off is a matter of personal preference. I usually leave the tails on if I am serving this dish as an appetizer. However, when I am serving the shrimp for dinner, I have them removed.

When purchasing fresh shrimp, look for shrimp that are firm to the touch and smell like a day at the beach. Don’t purchase them if they are mushy or have a strong odor.

Special tools are available that make peeling and deveining shrimp easier, but I usually ask the folks at the seafood store I frequent to take care of that task for me.

Shrimp can go from perfectly cooked to overcooked and tough in a matter of seconds, so watch them carefully while they are frying.

This dish is best made right before you serve it. However, when we have guests, I like to prepare the seasoned flour mixture ahead and add the oil to the skillet, so all I have to do is coat the shrimp and fry them, which just takes minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 422kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 34gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 286mgSodium: 1867mgPotassium: 306mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 411IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 2mg

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