Our 44 Best Shrimp Recipes of All Time
Updated: Jan. 31, 2024
Whipping up a delicious seafood dish doesn't have to be a challenge. Try these easy shrimp recipes we can't get enough of!
When you’re looking for easy dinner ideas, shrimp might not immediately come to mind. But the healthy, delicious shellfish is a lean protein that’s packed with vitamins, including iodine, B12, choline (a major brain booster) and phosphorous.
Ready to start cooking? Here are our best shrimp recipes. And if you’re brand-new to making it, here’s how to cook shrimp perfectly every time.
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Asparagus ‘n’ Shrimp with Angel Hair
There’s so much to love about this dish: It’s a complete dinner that’s colorful, filling and bursting with flavor. But best of all, this showstopper is one of those 30-minute recipes that’ll be on the table in a flash.Editor’s Tip: You can buy deveined shrimp or learn how to clean shrimp at home.
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Sheet-Pan Chipotle-Lime Shrimp Bake
This secretly lazy dinner is as simple as it gets. Just bake the potatoes, add the rest of the veggies and shrimp, then sprinkle with herbs. Perhaps our favorite part is that there’s only one pan to clean.
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Greek Shrimp Orzo
Leftover seafood can be tricky, but our readers say this dish makes a fantastic lunch when it’s eaten cold the next day. Even better, serve it with a piece of fresh baked pita bread.
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Air-Fryer Breaded Shrimp
While it might seem tempting to get fresh shrimp from the seafood counter, frozen is actually best for this recipe. Leave the tails on or off, depending on your preference.
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Spicy Shrimp & Penne Pasta
Shrimp and penne go together so well, they’re like the savory version of peanut butter and jelly. Pick up some leafy spinach and mix in a few strips of fresh basil leaves for added flavor.
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Shrimp Patty Sandwiches
Pancake batter pulls through as the secret ingredient in these crispy and delightful sandwiches. The batter makes the dish taste like it came from a beachfront seafood shack, and the simple accoutrements of lettuce, tomato and red onion lend a light crunch.
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Bombay Rice with Shrimp
Shredded coconut, golden raisins, chopped apples and walnuts make this easy Indian-inspired dish feel extra special. Serve it with cilantro and lime wedges to make it feel even more fancy.
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Shrimp Pasta Primavera
Shrimp pasta primavera is loaded with veggies, it’s budget-friendly and it takes only 15 minutes to whip up. Make this dish restaurant quality by purchasing a fresh block of Parmesan and grating it just before adding to the pasta.
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Buttery Grilled Shrimp
While it might be tempting to marinate shrimp overnight, our editors recommend marinating it for only 15 to 30 minutes, tops. Otherwise, the shrimp will get too soft, especially if the marinade includes an acidic ingredient like lemon juice.
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Pressure-Cooker Shrimp Risotto
We love risotto…but the constant stirring, not so much. Use a pressure cooker to speed up the cooking time, so everything is ready in about five minutes.
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Fajita-Style Shrimp and Grits
Thanks to quick-cooking grits, fajita seasoning mix, pre-shredded cheese and a jar of salsa, this dinner is ready in a flash. And don’t skip the orange juice—even though it’s a small amount, it adds a depth of flavor you won’t want to miss.
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Garlic Lemon Shrimp
Lemon recipes from sweet to savory will always have our hearts. And while this shrimp dinner may be simple, it doesn’t get much better than filling your kitchen with the aromas of sauteed garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and spices.
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Shrimp Puff Pastry Triangles
You can assemble the pastries and keep them in the fridge the day before, or assemble and then freeze for up to a month. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with breadcrumbs when you’re ready to bake. If you’re cooking from frozen, add about 10 extra minutes to the baking time.
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Mediterranean Shrimp Orzo Salad
Picnics, potlucks and lazy cooking days call for recipes like this Mediterranean shrimp orzo salad. All you have to do is pick up some precooked shrimp, chop the vegetables and cook the orzo pasta.
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Feta Shrimp Skillet
If you can’t go to the Greek Isles, dine on the next best thing: feta shrimp skillet. Salty feta and simply seasoned shrimp pair especially well with the tomato and white wine base.
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Shrimp Scampi
A classic for a reason, shrimp scampi is one of our most popular shrimp recipes. Want to make it even more simple? Substitute frozen shrimp for fresh.
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Party Shrimp
You don’t need to throw a party to make these shrimp…but you might be surprised how many people invite themselves over when they find out you’re making them. Keep the tails on so everyone can eat without forks.
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Shrimp Kabobs
Believe it or not, veggie-packed shrimp kabobs only require six ingredients. This will definitely turn into one of those easy grilling recipes you keep in rotation all summer long.
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Shrimp Tartlets
Your guests will think you hired a professional caterer whenever you whip up shrimp tartlets. No one has to know that these beautiful handheld appetizers only took 20 minutes to make.
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Shrimp Gazpacho
Make and serve this refreshing, summery soup in a nonreactive bowl (that means no iron, unlined copper or aluminum). Glass or ceramic are great choices since the materials won’t interact with the acidity of the soup.
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Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti
In the same way that steak and potatoes go together, shrimp and spaghetti go together. If you’re looking to lower your sodium intake, use unsalted chicken broth and flavor with salt to taste.
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Quick Shrimp Curry
Shrimp dinners cook a lot faster than thick cuts of steak or large portions of chicken, making them an easy weeknight dinner. Add zest to your menu this week with quick shrimp curry that tastes like it’s been simmering all day.
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Spicy Shrimp Salsa
If you’re a fan of ceviche, try shrimp salsa with a kick. If spicy food isn’t your thing, omit the jalapeno pepper for more subtle heat or completely omit the heat and swap in diced sweet peppers.
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Zippy Shrimp Skewers
Soak wooden skewers in a dish of water for two hours to keep them from burning or catching on fire while you’re cooking on the grill. Once cooked, top the shrimp skewers over rice and grilled vegetables.
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Sesame Cilantro Shrimp
Wow! We love a five-ingredient recipe that’s ready and on the table in ten minutes. Trim the bottoms off any leftover cilantro and place in a glass of water with plastic draped over the leaves. It’ll keep your herbs fresh for up to three weeks.
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Coconut Shrimp Chowder
There’s no cream or butter in this delightful chowder. Instead, the creaminess comes from a can of coconut milk. To use up extra coconut milk, whip up some pineapple coconut cupcakes for dessert or make a tasty curry later in the week.
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Ginger-Chutney Shrimp Stir-Fry
A stir-fry this colorful and flavorful on a weeknight is definitely possible. The shortcut is a frozen pepper and onion stir-fry mix, which you can find in the freezer section of the grocery store.
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Curry Shrimp Linguine
Sure, you could go out for dinner tonight. Or, you could pick up seven ingredients at the grocery store, spend 25 minutes in the kitchen and make a restaurant-quality shrimp linguine right at home. Be sure to look for shrimp that’s already been peeled and deveined to save you time.
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Cajun Boil on the Grill
Cooking for a crowd? Whip up a bunch of these individual tin-foil packets, which make clean-up a breeze. This recipe makes four servings, but you can always double the recipe as needed.
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Spicy Shrimp with Rice
Experiment with different hot sauces depending on how spicy you like your meals. Plate the colorful shrimp over a bed of rice and serve with a lemon wedge to add zest.
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Easy Shrimp Tacos
Top these quick and easy tacos with red onion, shredded lettuce and cotija cheese. Make elote, or Mexican street corn, to serve as a side.
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Copycat Cheesecake Factory Shrimp Scampi
Need a recipe to finish off a bottle of wine? This shrimp scampi is just the thing! We love eating out, but when you can make a dish this fabulous in less than half an hour, staying home is kind of a no-brainer.
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Southern Shrimp and Grits
Cooking grits at home might feel intimidating, especially if you didn’t grow up in the south, but they’re actually pretty simple. Cover and cook them for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until they’re thickened. That’s it!
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Shrimp Pad Thai
Unless you cook Thai food regularly, you might not have fish sauce or rice vinegar in your pantry. Head to your local Asian grocery or check the international aisles of your supermarket to find the specialty ingredients you’ll need for this pad thai.
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Shrimp Po’Boys with Pineapple Slaw
While a traditional po’boy is fried, slathered in sauce (and most likely feels like a brick in your stomach), this lightened-up version is lower in fat and calories. It also sneaks in extra veggies by way of broccoli slaw, tomatoes and green onions.
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Seafood Alfredo
While your family will assume you spent all day cooking, this impressive-looking seafood Alfredo has a few secret shortcuts. We use a jar of store-bought Alfredo sauce, frozen cooked salad shrimp, imitation crabmeat and frozen peas to make it extra quick and easy.
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Seafood Soup
On a cold day, there’s nothing more satisfying than a warm bowl of soup. Skip the usual chicken noodle in favor of salmon and shrimp with a tomato base.
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Cilantro Lime Shrimp
File this one under “looks fancy, but so easy.” It’s a great dish for a crowd, since they can grab as many skewers as they want, then eat them while standing in the kitchen (or backyard) chatting.
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Shrimp Tortellini Pasta Toss
While tortellini can be a dinner in itself, it’s even more fun (and delicious) to use it as a meal starter. Add shrimp, garlic, frozen peas and spices to take dinner to the next level.
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Coconut Fried Shrimp
If you know your way around a deep fryer, this recipe will be a breeze. If you’re a beginner, always use an instant-read thermometer to check the oil temperature before frying. If the oil isn’t 375°F, the shrimp will fall apart and get soggy.
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Shrimp Cocktail
Did you know that you can make shrimp cocktail ahead of time? Cook the shrimp the day before, then chill it until you’re ready to serve.
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Shrimp Pasta Salad
Chopped cooked shrimp, frozen peas, green onions, mayonnaise, lemon juice and spices combine with pasta shells to make a low-maintenance main dish you’ll want to cook again and again.
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Shrimp Tostadas with Lime-Cilantro Sauce
Don’t be intimidated by the long ingredients list; most of the prep is chopping and assembly. Just be sure to wear gloves when cutting the hot peppers, as the oils can burn your skin.
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Seafood Casserole
Our readers call this seafood casserole a family favorite and a signature dish. While the recipe calls for celery, onion, green pepper and canned mushrooms, readers suggest using whatever veggies you have on hand, including carrots, fresh mushrooms or water chestnuts.Originally Published: January 03, 2021
