Creole Shrimp
on Jan 03, 2020, Updated Jan 28, 2025
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The kind of saucy shrimp with great Creole spice that is served along with plenty of crusty bread for sopping up the sauce.
This Creole shrimp recipe is New Orleans-inspired, the kind of saucy shrimp that is served at many a Big Easy restaurant, along with plenty of crusty bread for sopping up the sauce. Oftentimes, the shrimp is cooked and served in its shell, which is messy but fun to eat…unless you don’t find peel-and-eat shrimp fun at all, but just messy.
This version calls for peeling the shrimp but leaving the tails on, which function as little handles. They also serve to call attention to how many shrimp you have eaten, so some of us (read: me) often have to hide some of the tails under a stray piece of salad or something to avoid looking gluttonous.
Serve this Creole Shrimp recipe with brown rice, Farro and Tomato Salad, or Green Bean Nicoise Salad.
Table of Contents
This shrimp dish is New Orleans-inspired, the kind of saucy shrimp that is served at many a Big Easy restaurant, along with plenty of crusty bread for sopping up the sauce.
Ingredients
For the Creole Spice Mix:
- Paprika – For a subtle smokiness and the signature red color.
- Garlic powder and onion powder – Key aromatics.
- Dried thyme and oregano – For earthy notes.
- Cayenne pepper – For a slight kick.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
For the Shrimp:
- Unsalted butter – The flavorful cooking fat.
- Minced garlic – For irresistible aromatics.
- Raw shrimp – Peeled and deveined, but with the tails left on.
- Dry white wine – For bright depth of flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce – Offers a tangy, savory, and sweet flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice – Make sure the lemon juice is freshly squeezed for the best flavor.
- Fresh parsley – The fresh topping.
Spice Blend for Creole Shrimp
You can surely take a big old shortcut and buy a Creole spice blend and skip the making of your own. Most of these spices are things that many folks have in their pantry, so if you are so inclined, it does give you extra bragging right to say you made your own Creole spice mix.
This one has paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne, and salt and pepper. It offers up generous amounts of heat and flavor and a moderate amount of salt, which is not something many spice blends can state.
How to Make Shrimp Creole
- Make the spice blend: Combine the paprika, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.
- Sauté the shrimp: Over medium-low heat, cook the garlic in melted butter. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add the shrimp, and sauté until it starts to turn pink, then add the white wine and cook until the wine starts to reduce. Add the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice and sauté until the shrimp is just barely cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add spice blend: Stir in the spices until they have dissolved themselves into the sauce and the shrimp is nicely coated with the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve with the hot rice and crusty bread.
Storage
The leftover spice mix is great to toss into a soup or to rub on a piece of chicken, steak, or fish for that irresistible Creole-Louisiana flavor.
The leftover shrimp can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days and reheated on the stove or in the microwave.
Kitchen Smarts
Want more Cajun and Creole recipes? Be sure to check out Cajun Roasted Turkey, Oven-Baked Cajun Sticky Ribs, and Dirty Rice. Oh, and you can’t forget about the Shrimp Po Boy, a New Orleans icon unto itself!
What to Serve With Creole Shrimp
More Simple Shrimp Dishes
- Honey Garlic Shrimp
- Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice
- Sautéed Shrimp with Vegetables
- Garlicky Shrimp and Broccoli
- Easy Shrimp Scampi
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Creole Shrimp
Ingredients
For the Creole Spice Mix
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
For the Shrimp
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- 1 ½ pounds extra large raw shrimp (26/30 count; peeled and deveined, but with the tails left on)
- ⅓ cups dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- Hot cooked white rice and hot crusty bread (for serving)
Instructions
- Combine the paprika, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute until it is fragrant and beginning to color. Turn up the heat to medium-high, add the shrimp, and sauté for about 2 minutes until the shrimp is starting to turn pink, then add the white wine and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the wine starts to reduce. Add the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice and sauté until the shrimp is just barely cooked though, another minute or so. Season those with salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle the spice mix over the shrimp in the pan. Stir until spices have dissolved themselves into the sauce and the shrimp is nicely coated with the sauce. Immediately transfer the shrimp and sauce to a shallow serving bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with the hot rice and crusty bread.
Super easy. Tasted very close to real Nola shrimp. Really enjoyed this.
I’d add a touch of whipping cream and throw it over linguini.