In this flavor-packed, quick, and easy Blackened Shrimp recipe, fresh shrimp are coated with a spicy, homemade Cajun blackened shrimp seasoning. Then, they are pan-seared in butter in a cast-iron skillet on the stove or on the grill until tender, juicy, and simply amazing.
A perfect low-carb and low-calorie dish, these spicy shrimp cook quickly and can be on your table in around ten minutes! Blackened shrimp are versatile and can be served as a main dish or appetizer.
You will love this recipe if you like food with big, bold flavors. Like these recipes for Blackened Steak, Blackened Mahi-Mahi, Blackened Grouper, and Blackened Cod, the distinctive sweet and savory homemade blackened seasoning magically transform simple ingredients into a spicy food lover’s dream!
Blackened shrimp can also be combined with other ingredients like grits, pasta, or rice or used instead of Pan-Fried Shrimp to make Blackened Shrimp Tacos, Shrimp Caesar Salad, Shrimp Po’boys, and Shrimp Quesadillas,
In this post, I’ll share tips and tricks for making perfect blackened shrimp at home, a short “how-to” video, and serving suggestions.
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Recipe ingredients:
- Shrimp – extra-large or 21-24 shrimp per pound works best in this recipe. Have your seafood store peel, devein, and remove the tails for you. Fresh is best, but frozen works well too. Be sure to let them thaw first, and for the best results, do not use pre-cooked shrimp.
- Butter – is used for pan-searing and adds richness and flavor to the dish. You can substitute olive oil.
Blackened shrimp seasoning ingredients:
- Thyme: with its mild grassy herbal flavor, thyme adds a slight citrus note to the seasoning.
- Oregano: imparts an earthy pungent aroma and taste.
- Cumin: one of my favorite spices, cumin gives it a slightly smoky taste.
- Onion powder: you know this one, onion powder gives it a slightly sweet onion taste.
- Garlic powder: similar to onion powder, garlic powder mimics the taste of ever-popular garlic.
- Paprika: besides its beautiful red color, paprika also provides a little smokiness.
- Black pepper and cayenne pepper: provide the heat.
- Brown sugar: is one of my secret ingredients, adding just a touch of sweetness and helping to caramelize the blackened seasoning.
- Kosher salt: brings it all together and enhances all of the flavors.
How to make blackened seasoning:
- Add all the spices and seasonings to a small bowl and combine to make the blackened seasoning for the shrimp. Set aside.
How to make blackened shrimp:
- Place the shrimp in a large shallow dish, such as a pie plate. Use a paper towel and blot them dry to remove any excess moisture.
- Melt two tablespoons of butter and use a pastry brush to generously coat them.
- Sprinkle one-half of the blackening seasoning evenly over the crustaceans. Turn over and repeat with the butter and the rest of the seasoning mix.
- Preheat a large cast-iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining three tablespoons of butter.
- When the butter has melted and the skillet is smoking hot, add the shrimp in one layer and cook undisturbed for one minute per side.
- Turn the shrimp over and cook for another minute per side or until they have turned from translucent to opaque and the blackening shrimp seasoning is caramelized and crusty.
- Remove the skillet from the heat immediately and then quickly remove the shellfish from the pan. If not, they will continue to cook.
- Optional, garnish with chopped parsley and a splash of lime juice. Serve immediately, plain or with a remoulade sauce, lemon butter sauce, or garlic aioli.
Top tip:
This recipe calls for extra-large shrimp, which generally means 21-24 per pound. If yours are larger or smaller, you will need to adjust the cooking times. I don’t recommend small; they will overcook before the blackening seasoning caramelizes.
What is blackened shrimp:
Blackened shrimp is a popular Cajun-style dish that involves coating fresh shrimp with a mixture of spices and then searing them in a hot skillet on the stove or grilling them until the spices form a dark, flavorful crust on the outside of the shrimp.
It is a delicious and spicy dish perfect for seafood lovers and those who enjoy bold, flavorful cuisine.
What is blackening:
Blackening is a cooking method in which food, such as fish, meat, or poultry, is coated with a spicy dry rub, called a blackened seasoning, and then pan-seared in butter. Usually, this is done over high heat in a cast-iron skillet on a grill outside to minimize smoke or on the stove with a good exhaust fan.
Blackening does not mean burned. It simply means the sugar and spices in the dry rub caramelize and coats the food with crispy, charred, blackened, or dark brown, spicy deliciousness.
What to serve with this dish:
Because this dish is so spicy, I like to serve it with side dishes with a milder flavor profile, such as Cheese Grits, Squash Casserole, Scalloped Potatoes, Potato Salad, or even Baked Mac and Cheese.
If you want to add a salad, here are a few ideas that would pair nicely with it: Panzanella, Brussels Sprout Salad, Old-Fashioned Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Onions in Vinegar.
If you need more menu ideas, here are links to all of my side dish recipes, and salad recipes.
Recipe FAQs:
The ingredients in these two seasoning blends are almost identical, except Cajun seasoning is spicier and contains twice the cayenne pepper. Cajun seasoning also usually doesn’t include brown sugar.
On a scale of one to ten, this recipe is a six as it packs some heat. If you would like to tone it down, reduce the amount of black and cayenne pepper called for in this recipe.
I am a huge fan of fresh gulf shrimp; we are lucky they are always available where we live.
However, frozen are probably one of the best convenience foods available, and it’s hard to tell the difference between frozen and fresh. I always have a bag of frozen shrimp in my freezer for emergency dinners, and they thaw in minutes.
If you do use frozen, be sure to let them thaw completely and dry them off with a paper towel before adding the seasoning.
Absolutely! I like and have used both Paul Prudhomme’s and Old Bay Blackening Seasoning blend, and both will work fine in this recipe. If you do use purchased, I recommend you add a tablespoon of brown sugar to the mix.
More tips:
- Shrimp has a delicate flavor, and too much spice can overpower it. If you want more heat, you can increase the amount of cayenne pepper. If you prefer a milder taste, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper.
- When cooking shellfish in a skillet, make sure to only put them in one layer and don’t crowd them. You want them to get a nice sear and not steam.
- This recipe produces smoke. Be sure to turn your kitchen exhaust fan on high before making this dish and open a window if you need to.
- Try cooking the shrimp on the grill to avoid smoking up your kitchen. You can put the cast iron skillet directly on the grill grates or use a grill basket or skewers to corral them and keep them from falling through the grill grates. You can also use a grill pan on the stove if you prefer.
- You can substitute olive oil for the butter called for in this recipe.
- Shrimp cook quickly, and it’s easy to overcook them, so watch them carefully. When perfectly cooked, they will form a loose “c.” If they are in a tight “c,” they are overcooked.
More shrimp recipes:
If you have followed my blog for any time, you know I love shrimp. Assuming you enjoy them as much as I do, you might also be interested in some of my favorite recipes:
If you need more menu ideas or inspiration, here is a link to all of my seafood recipes.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon!
📋 Recipe:
Easy Blackened Shrimp Recipe – Cast Iron Skillet
Equipment
- cast-iron skillet or heavy duty non-stick skillet
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds extra-large shrimp peeled, deveined, with the tails removed
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Optional garnishes one tablespoon chopped parsley, the juice of one-half of a lime.
Instructions
- Combine all seasonings and spices in a small bowl and stir well to make the blackening seasoning. Set aside.
- Place the shrimp in a large shallow dish, such as a pie plate. Use a paper towel to blot them dry.
- Melt two tablespoons of butter and use a pastry brush to coat the shrimp generously. Sprinkle one-half of the seasoning mix evenly over the crustaceans. Turn over and repeat with the butter and seasoning.
- Preheat a large cast-iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining three tablespoons of butter.
- When the skillet is hot, and the butter has melted, add the shrimp in one layer and cook undisturbed for one minute. Turn the shellfish over, and cook for another minute or until the thickest end of the has turned from translucent to opaque, and the seasoning mix is blackened and crusty.
- Remove the skillet from the heat immediately and then quickly remove the shellfish from the pan. If not, they will continue to cook and could become tough and stringy.
- Optional, garnish with chopped parsley and a splash of lime juice. Serve immediately, plain or with a remoulade sauce, lemon butter sauce, or garlic aio
Shrimp was absolutely delicious!! Ran out of paprika (didn’t realize I was so low) so only got about 1/2 tsp in there.. the two of us ate the whole pound of shrimp. I will definitely make this again and I’m thinking of using the seasoning mix for fish sandwiches.
Hi Shannon, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe; I use the same blackening spice mix on my Blackened Grouper and Blackened Steak. I know it would work great for a blackened fish sandwich.
All the best,
Sharon
Made this tonight on the grill using a basket. It was perfect. Only 1 change. I used 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and it was plenty. I think 2 would be too much. Ther spice was perfect as was the cooking time. Make this one!
Hi Sharon, Thanks for Blackened Shrimp Recipe. I made mine on a Turkey fryer with iron skillet outside, no smoke in house. Great taste and I cant use brown sugar boyfriend is diabetic, so yes I used Chef Paul Prud Hommes and Zatarains mixed together. Thanks Kathy S.
Hi Kathy, I’m so glad you liked it and also glad you figured out a way to fit your diet needs.
All the best,
Sharon
Just made this for dinner tonight and it was so good! Thanks so much
Hi Kathi,
I’m so glad you liked the shrimp and thanks too for letting me know!
All the best,
Sharon
I think I might make this my Fun Friday snack attack after work to start the weekend off with a BANG!! Yummy! Can’t wait…….