Easy Crispy Pan-Fried Shrimp

Name: Easy Crispy Pan-Fried Shrimp
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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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.

Fried shrimp on a plate with cocktail sauce.

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:
🥘How to make pan-fried shrimp:
📖 Recipe variations:
💬 Recipe FAQs:
👩🏻‍🍳 Sharon’s tips:
🦐 More shrimp recipes:
📋 Recipe:

📋 Ingredient notes:

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.

🥘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.

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.

📖 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:

How to thaw shrimp?

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.

How many shrimp per person to buy?

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.

What side dishes pair well with this dish?

I like to serve pan-fried shrimp with either Cheese Grits or Southern Potato Salad, Southern Hush Puppies, and cole slaw.

Leftovers and storage?

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.

What’s the difference between pan-frying and pan-searing?

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:

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:

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

Sharon Rigsby

This quick and easy recipe for Crispy Pan-Fried Shrimp features fresh, succulent, salty 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.

5 from 21 votes

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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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