This quick and easy recipe for Crispy Pan-Fried Shrimp features fresh, succulent, briny Gulf shrimp. They are lightly coated with flour and then pan-fried in a small amount of olive oil until they are golden brown, crispy and delicious.
These crispy pan-fried shrimp are perfect for a quick family weeknight dinner, but it’s also a dish you would be proud to serve guests or a special occasion.
Because of its simplicity, this pan-fried shrimp recipe is one of my favorite “go-to” dishes! Like my recipes for Fried Crab Claws, and Fried Oysters, it’s easy, we love it, and it can be on the table in less than 15 minutes.
Because the seafood is cooked in only a small amount of olive oil, this recipe is healthier than regular fried or deep-fried, where they are submerged in oil.
These delectable crustaceans cook in a matter of minutes and are low in calories, low in carbohydrates and rich in protein and nutrients.
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📋 Ingredient notes:
- 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.
🥘How to make pan-fried 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.
📖 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Before you remove the seafood from the skillet, add some buffalo sauce, and voila, you have Buffalo Shrimp. You can also use this recipe to make Fried Shrimp Tacos and Shrimp Po’Boys.
💬 Recipe FAQs:
Because they can be thawed and cooked quickly, I almost always have a bag of frozen raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp in my freezer for nights when I need a quick and easy dinner.
The best way to thaw them is to place them in the refrigerator and let them thaw overnight before you cook them. However, we all know that isn’t always possible. To quickly thaw them in about 15 minutes, put them in a colander in the sink and let cold water run over them.
Shrimp are sold by their size and by the pound. Unfortunately, sizes are not regulated, so it’s best to buy them by weight. The bigger they are, the fewer you get per pound. For adults, I usually plan for about ten to twelve per person.
I like to serve pan-fried shrimp with either Cheese Grits or Southern Potato Salad, Southern Hush Puppies, and cole slaw.
Pan-fried shrimp are best eaten right after they are cooked. However, if I do have leftovers, I frequently use them to make Shrimp and Bacon Quesadillas or add them to fried rice.
You can store leftovers in a plastic storage bag in the refrigerator for up to three days. Be careful when reheating them because it’s easy to dry them out and overcook them.
Pan-frying is cooking food that has been coated in a batter or coating, in a small amount of oil, until a crispy golden brown crust forms.
On the other hand, pan-searing is cooking food that is not usually coated in a hot skillet, with just enough oil to keep it from sticking until the outside is caramelized.
👩🏻🍳 Sharon’s tips:
- 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 this recipe for dinner, I have them removed.
- When purchasing fresh shrimp, look for ones 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 these crustaceans 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.
🦐 More shrimp recipes:
- Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Blue Cheese
- Easy Southern Homemade Shrimp Burgers
- New Orleans-Style Shrimp Creole with Spicy Cajun Cream Sauce
- Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
- Crab Stuffed Shrimp Recipe
- Easy Cheesy Parmesan Shrimp and Grits Recipe
- Hot and Cheesy Baked Shrimp Scampi Dip
- Creole Shrimp Toast – Easy & Cheesy
If you need more ideas or menu suggestions, here’s a link to view all my seafood recipes.
★★★★★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thanks so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones! I hope to see you again soon!
📋 Recipe:
Easy Crispy Pan-Fried Shrimp
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.
I love this recipe. So easy, yet so delicious. I add a little bit of Cajun seasoning to it as well and they are absolutely perfect.
Hi Erin,
I’m so sorry it’s taken me so long to respond! The Cajun seasoning is a great idea and I’ll have to try that next time I make them. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment.
Sharon
My first time to fry shrimp and they turned out great! Thank you for sharing
Hi Laura, I am so glad you liked the shrimp. I have to say this is one of my favorite recipes and I make it often!
Thanks so much for leaving a comment.
All the best,
Sharon
We often get already boxed, breaded frozen shrimp. My family doesn’t like it . Found this incredible easy recipe and used it last night. My family RAVED over it! Seriously, each one made several comments about how good it was as we were eating dinner. Will make again and again.
Thanks for sharing!!!
Hi Anita, I’m so glad you liked the recipe and thank you for letting me know. It’s one of my favorites too! So quick and easy!
All the best,
Sharon
Sharon:
I will make this dish tomorrow night. Once the shrimp are defrosted is it necessary to wet them before putting in the bag of flour, or should they be fairy dry? I’m looking for a lightly fried shrimp recipe with jst flour and no crumbs. This looks ideal.
Hi Jerey,
They should be moist. They should be just fine after defrosting. I wouldn’t dry them off, but I don’t think you should have to add water. I just throw mine in the flour just like they are. I hope you enjoy them!
All the best,
Sharon
These juicy little shrimp look so CRISPY! I can’t way to try them, thanks!
Oh my goodness so good! Thank you so much for the great recipe, SHRIMP LOVERS HEAVEN!!
Hi Maria, thank you so much for your kind comment. I’m so glad you enjoyed the shrimp!
All the best,
Sharon
Cooked these tonight. Big hit! Flavorful and crispy. I did add a half tbsp of baking powder and a teaspoon of Old Bay to the recipe.
Hi Josh, thanks so much for taking the time to let me know. I’m so glad you liked the shrimp. Coincidentally we had them for dinner last night too! Always a favorite at our house.
Thanks again,
Sharon
Sharon
Tried to send email to thank you and it says I sent already.
Thank you for suggestion
jK
Sharon
Thanks for responding.
I will definitely give this a try
JK
Sharon,
I plan on trying this recipe, thank you.
While in Charleston I had fried shrimp with yellow cornmeal in coating mixture.
It was so good, and I haven’t been able to find a recipe with the corn meal, do you happen to have one?
JK
Hey JK, I hope you love this shrimp recipe as much as we do!
I don’t have a shrimp recipe with cornmeal, but do have a Southern Fried Oysters recipe in which you soak the oysters in buttermilk, then coat them in a flour and cornmeal mixture before frying. I don’t see any reason this recipe wouldn’t work with shrimp. If you decide to try it, please let me know how you liked it!
All my best,
Sharon