I happen to be a shrimp lover; whether it’s Cajun shrimp pasta, shrimp fried rice, or these delightfully crunchy fried shrimp. This is a must-try recipe if you have seafood lovers in your life! You can also impress your seafood fans with elegant dishes such as grilled tilapia, steamed mussels and classic bouillabaisse. Whenever I see fried shrimp on a restaurant menu, I have to order it. I love that combination of sweet tender shrimp with a crispy coating. I tried making this dish at home, and I have to say, I think my crispy shrimp are even better than the restaurant version.
Fried Shrimp Ingredients
This recipe consists of large raw shrimp, flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, eggs, panko breadcrumbs and oil for frying.
How do you make fried shrimp?
Making fried shrimp is all about the crispy coating. Make the coating by mixing flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a bowl. Beat some eggs in another bowl. Finally, pour some breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Dip the shrimp first in the flour, next in the eggs and last in the breadcrumbs. Fry the shrimp up in hot oil until they are golden brown, then serve and enjoy!
Tips for fried shrimp
Use the largest shrimp you can find. I use under 15 count size whenever possible, but 16/20 and 21/25 sizes both work well too. When you dip the shrimp in the coating, hold them by the tail and shake off any excess as you dip them. Make sure the the oil is as close to 350 degrees F as possible when you place the shrimp in the oil. The temperature of the oil will drop when the cold shrimp are placed in the oil. Don’t worry, the oil will come back up to the correct temperature as the shrimp cook. Watch your heat, you don’t want the oil to go over 400 degrees F. Be sure to use a frying thermometer so that you can constantly monitor the temperature. While I love these shrimp as an appetizer, they’re also great when paired with London broil for a decadent surf and turf dinner. Use a kitchen spider tool to place the shrimp in the oil and take them out again. Fry around 5-7 shrimp per batch depending on the size of your pot. As the shrimp cook, make sure to stir them a bit so they do not clump together.
Recipe Variations
This dish is perfect as-is, but you can customize it with different flavorings and even alternate cooking techniques.
Baked Fried Shrimp: You can bake these shrimp instead of frying them by coating them in cooking spray, then bake on a sheet pan at 425 degrees F until browned and crisp, about 15 minutes. Air Fryer Shrimp: Here is my air fryer shrimp recipe if you’re looking to air fry instead of deep fry. Flavorings: Feel free to add some extra herbs and spices to the coating such as onion powder, Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt or even chili powder.
I love getting fried shrimp at restaurants. With this recipe, you can have that same great flavor in the comfort of your own home.
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