Frying shrimp at home is so much easier than one would think. You don’t need a lot of oil (just an inch in the pan), and you’ll end up with hot, crispy, crunchy shrimp that you can dip into anything from Tartar Sauce to Dill Sauce to Remoulade Sauce or maybe pile them high in a Shrimp Po’Boy. Shrimp take only 3 minutes to fry, so they are FAST.

Whenever I think about the best parts of our semi-annual Cape Cod vacations, I think of fried seafood. Yes, I also think of the mini golf with the family, the dunks in the pond, the cute little galleries downtown, and the nice walks near the bay. But I know for a fact that I look forward to eating more crispy fried shrimp, oysters, and clams in one week than I will for the rest of the year combined. #fact.

This is the easiest pan-fried shrimp recipe — just a handful of pantry ingredients needed. And you can change up the seasonings to fit whatever meal you’re preparing.

How to Fry Shrimp: Perfect crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside friedshrimp with a small amount of oil in a skillet!

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Ingredients for Fried Shrimp

The seasoning for this fried shrimp breading is very simple and not overly spicy. You can bump up the amounts of paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne in the coating if you want more robustly flavored shrimp.

• Shrimp – Use raw, peeled, and deveined, such as 25/30 shrimp (meaning 25/30 shrimp per pound — that’s how most shrimp are sized, by the amount per pound, which is more specific than terms like “jumbo shrimp”).
• All-purpose flour
• Cornmeal – Adds great crunch to the coating.
• Paprika – Adds a bit of flavor and color to the crust.
• Garlic powder – Just a hint of garlicky flavor.
• Cayenne pepper – Adds just a hint of heat.
• Egg – Creates a nice crust when fried.
• Milk – I like using whole milk, but any milk will do.
• Vegetable oil – You can also use peanut or canola oil if you wish.

How to Prep Raw Shrimp

To prepare shrimp for frying (or really any recipe), you’ll want to peel and devein them. Most shrimp have a “vein” (actually the intestine) that runs down the back of the shrimp and should be removed as it can be filled with grit. You can purchase shrimp already peeled and deveined, but if you want to save a few bucks, then you can peel and devein them yourself.

1. Pull the shells away from the sides of the tail. For fried shrimp, you want to remove the tail and the shell.
2. Slide a paring knife (or similar small knife) along the outer curve of the shrimp, cutting into the shrimp about 1/4-inch to expose the vein.
3. Pinch the vein out with your fingers, or use the knife to lift it out. Rinse the shrimp to remove any remaining residue.

Variations

• You can use 1 teaspoon of Old Bay, Cajun, or Creole seasoning in place of the paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne.
• You can also try other spice blends, like curry powder, for a change of pace.

Tips for Frying Shrimp

• Use raw, peeled, deveined shrimp for this recipe.
• When you coat the shrimp in the milk-egg mixture and then the flour mixture, use one hand for the wet ingredients and another for the dry ones. This keeps everything from getting clumpy, sticky, and messy when you bread the shrimp.
• Make sure the oil is not too hot but hot enough (see below).
• Fry the shrimp in batches without crowding them in the pan.
• When all the shrimp are breaded, place the baking sheet into the fridge and let the shrimp chill for 15 minutes. This will help the coating adhere to the shrimp when frying.
• Don’t overcook the shrimp. As soon as they are golden brown, they will be cooked through.
• Allow the shrimp to drain on paper towels to remove any excess oil.
• You can make breaded fried shrimp in the air fryer as well. Spray them lightly with cooking spray after breading. It should take about 10 minutes at 385 degrees F, flipping them after 5 minutes and cooking in batches if needed.

Oil Temperature for Frying Shrimp

• Oil Temperature: Ideally, the temperature of the oil should be 360 to 365 degrees to fry the shrimp so that they turn golden on the outside just as the inside is cooked but still tender. If you don’t have a candy thermometer or an instant-read thermometer, just wait until the oil is shimmering, then add one shrimp. If it starts to gently sizzle and turn golden brown after about 2 minutes, your oil is at the perfect temperature. But I think that every cook needs a good instant-read thermometer, so if you’re looking for a reason to buy one, this might be a good one!

• Let the oil come back to temperature: You may need to allow the oil to come back up to temperature in between batches of shrimp. Don’t add too many shrimp at once, or they will lower the oil temperature, and the shrimp won’t get nicely browned and crunchy. They cook very quickly, so fry them up in a few batches!

How to Fry Shrimp

1. Prepare the shrimp dredging station: Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in a shallow bowl. Mix the egg with the milk in another bowl and season with a bit more salt and pepper. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet.
2. Coat the shrimp and chill: Dunk the shrimp in the milk mixture, then dredge them in the flour mixture. Place the shrimp on the wire rack. When all of the shrimp are breaded, place the baking sheet into the fridge and let the coated shrimp chill for 15 minutes.

3. Heat the oil: Line a large plate with paper towels. Pour the oil to a depth of 1 inch into a large, heavy deep skillet. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 365 degrees.
4. Fry the shrimp: Cook the shrimp in batches until browned and crispy.

5. Drain the shrimp: Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. 

FAQs

Leftovers and Storage

Leftover fried shrimp can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. They are best reheated in an oven or toaster oven preheated to 350 degrees for 5 minutes so they get hot and crispy. You can also reheat them in a microwave, but they will lose some of their crispiness.

How to Serve Fried Shrimp

Fried shrimp get even better when paired with a sauce, like Tartar Sauce, Dill Sauce, Remoulade Sauce, or Horseradish Sauce. They would be great added to a big Caesar Salad, and you can pile them into a Po’ Boy Sandwich!

What to Serve With Fried Shrimp

Classic Caesar Salad

Herby Brown Rice

Chickpea and Fava Bean Salad

More Shrimp Recipes

• How to Sauté Shrimp on the Stove
• Shrimp Fra Diavolo with Linguine
• Greek-Style Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp
• Honey-Garlic Shrimp
• Shrimp and Avocado Salad