Shrimp was the first kind of seafood I fell in love with as a kid. It felt fancy and grown-up, even if it was just popcorn shrimp from Long John Silvers. Now I develop seafood recipes for a living, and shrimp is still on my favorites list.
So I put together this list of my go-to shrimp dishes. They all bring big, satisfying flavor to the table without a big time commitment: shrimp thaws in minutes, cooks faster than almost anything else, and plays beautifully with the seasonal produce you're finding at the grocery store.
From a chilled Old Bay shrimp salad piled onto a buttered brioche bun to crispy fried shrimp with a double-coated crust that needs just 60 seconds in the oil, these are the recipes I reach. I hope love every one of them.
1. Old Bay Shrimp Salad Recipe
Poaching the shrimp directly in Old Bay-seasoned water gives you maximum flavor before the salad even comes together. Fold them into a creamy, herby dressing and pile everything into a buttered brioche bun for a true coastal summer experience any time of year.
2. Buttermilk Fried Shrimp
You can use raw or cooked shrimp for this recipe (who knew?). A buttermilk soak and cornstarch double-coating create an ultra-light, shatteringly crispy crust that cooks in about 60 seconds flat. Serve them alongside a spicy aioli or homemade tartar sauce and dinner is done.
3. Blackened Shrimp
Blackened Shrimp and its bold, smoky crust is completely achievable at home without any special equipment. The key is a spice blend combined with butter in a hot skillet - that combo delivers a signature dark sear you'd expect from a restaurant dish. Pile them into charred tortillas, toss them over a Caesar salad, or serve alongside crusty garlic bread, you really can't go wrong.
4. Shrimp Bisque
Simmering shrimp shells with aromatics pulls out every bit of rich, silky flavor before you blend and strain everything into a velvety, restaurant-quality texture in this Shrimp Bisque Recipe, all with just an immersion blender. Serve it in a bread bowl or get crazy with Fancy Grilled Cheese.
5. Shrimp Marsala
Shrimp Marsala is a simple recipe that feels fancy. Dry marsala wine and mushrooms build a silky, savory sauce right in one skillet, and the shrimp cook in just minutes. It's that nostalgic Italian bistro flavor you grew up loving, but built around sweet, snappy shrimp instead of the usual chicken. Have a crusty baguette ready, because you're going to want something to drag through every last bit of that sauce.
6. Shrimp French Tartine
This open-face Avocado and Shrimp Toast is my answer to a happy hour at home. Tender shrimp, jammy boiled eggs, and buttery avocado piled high on crispy sourdough toast, all tied together with a 5-ingredient dressing. It's essentially a Shrimp Louie Salad in open-faced sandwich form, which means it's equally at home as a laid-back weeknight dinner or a work-from-home lunch you'll look forward to. Bonus: it's the tastiest way to use up leftover grilled shrimp or shrimp cocktail so nothing goes to waste.
7. Panko Fried Butterflied Shrimp
Panko Fried Butterflied Shrimp might just be the most crowd-pleasing recipe on this entire list. The panko crumbs and toasty sesame seeds give it a Japanese-inspired twist (think Ebi Fry) that feels a little special without requiring anything beyond basic pantry staples. The butterflied presentation gives you maximum surface area for that crispy coating, and the whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes. Serve them hot with a homemade cocktail sauce and I promise your family will be calling for seconds before you've even sat down.
8. Shrimp Parm Pizza Sandwich
This Shrimp Parm Pizza Sandwich was born in my tiny kitchen after wondering aloud if my air fryer could brown up pizza dough like I'd seen in big fancy pizza ovens. So this beauty was born...using mostly store-bought ingredients and an air fryer. Use whatever fillings you love, but my favorites are crispy breaded shrimp, pesto, pickled cherry peppers, and a shower of parmesan. Serve it with marinara on the side for dipping and I promise you'll be planning it again next week.
9. Hibachi Shrimp Recipe
Hibachi Shrimp is one of those restaurant experiences I assumed required a massive flat-top grill and a high ticket fire insurance. But this recipe proves you can nail that same lightening fast cook right in your own kitchen. The shrimp comes together in minutes, which means you're looking at a full hibachi-style dinner on a weeknight without the steakhouse price tag.
10. Shrimp Scampi Fettuccine
Shrimp Scampi Fettuccine takes the classic butter-garlic-shrimp trio and makes it even better by adding spicy chilis and tossing it with fettuccine before finishing with crispy seasoned breadcrumbs. I learned this recipe in Rome and it's been my pasta obsession ever since.
11. Shrimp Marsala Pasta
Shrimp Marsala Pasta takes everything you love about a classic marsala - nutty wine, earthy mushrooms, silky pan sauce - and tosses it in a tangle of pasta and parmesan. The shrimp cook up sweet and tender right in that sauce, which means you're building flavor in one pan without a lot of extra effort - perfect for a weeknight or a special occasion at home.
12. Greek-Style Shrimp Linguine
This Shrimp Linguine Recipe brings big, Mediterranean-inspired flavors like feta, fresh dill, and bright lemon. Think spanakopita vibes, but twirled around linguine and topped with a crunchy lemon-dill panko crust.
13. Sweet and Spicy Mexican Shrimp
Sweet and Spicy Shrimp bring bold Mexican-inspired flavors, one pan, and shrimp that cooks in minutes. What I love most is how naturally it fits into a big spread: pile it onto tostadas, tuck it into soft tortillas, or serve it over rice alongside beans and guacamole, and it holds its own next to any meat option on the table. Whether you're feeding a crowd for Cinco de Mayo or just trying to get a good dinner on the table, this one delivers.
14. Portuguese-Style Shrimp With Garlic
This Portuguese Garlic Shrimp Recipe is one of those deceptively simple dishes that delivers way more flavor than the ingredient list suggests. The Portuguese-style preparation comes together in under 20 minutes, which makes it just as at home on a last-minute happy hour spread as it does on a rushed weeknight dinner table. If you've ever visited Portugal, you probably tried this dish at a local task and wondered if you could pull it off at home. You definitely can!
15. Shrimp and Grits Dressing
Shrimp and Grits Dressing takes everything you love about a classic low country shrimp dinner and transforms it into a hearty, Cajun-spiced dish that works just as well for a Sunday supper as it does as a show-stopping holiday side.
16. Shrimp and Crab Stuffed Salmon
Shrimp and Crab Stuffed Salmon starts with a simple but seriously flavorful shrimp and crab filling. Then we stuff it into a rich salmon fillet, season the whole thing and bake it. Serve it with a lemon wedge or top with Creamy Parmesan Sauce for a spectacular dinner at home.
17. Cajun Shrimp Sauce
This Cajun Shrimp Sauce features tender shrimp simmered right in a buttery, Cajun-spiced sauce with fresh garlic and a hit of orange zest that brightens the whole thing up. Spoon it over creamy grits, drizzle it over blackened fish, or toss it with pasta. However you use it, dinner is done fast and it tastes like you're vacationing in New Orleans.
18. Pimento Cheese Shrimp Toast
Pimento Cheese Shrimp Toast takes just a handful of ingredients, a small amount of frozen shrimp, and you've got something cheesy, bold, and packed with Southern flavor. It even works with leftover shrimp, which means this one is as practical as it is delicious. Serve it as an appetizer or plan it for girl dinner with a big salad.
19. Baked Shrimp Flautas
Shrimp Flautas are proof that you don't have to default to chicken just because it's a weeknight. With only 8 ingredients and 30 minutes, a honey chipotle shrimp filling comes together faster than shredding a rotisserie. Then it all gets rolled up and baked to crispy perfection using a clever flavor trick the recipe walks you through. Load them up with your favorite garnishes and I promise this one's going straight into your regular rotation.
20. Shrimp Caesar Salad
This Shrimp Caesar Salad takes a classic and makes it even better. Easy blackened shrimp with a spicy Cajun kick gets served with crisp romaine and garlicky Caesar dressing. After countless rounds of testing, the balance here is spot on, and the whole thing comes together in 30 minutes without breaking a sweat. PS sometimes I just take 10 minutes to grill the shrimp and add it to a store-bought caesar salad kit for the easiest weeknight dinner.
21. Shrimp Rasta Pasta
Shrimp Rasta Pasta brings Caribbean-inspired flavor to a weeknight pasta dish - and it comes together in one pan. The perfectly spiced shrimp gets layered into a creamy, bold sauce that's packed with enough vegetables that you don't even have to make a salad with it to hit your macros...if you care about that kind of thing.
22. Shrimp Mei Fun (Singapore Noodles)
These curry-kissed Singapore Noodles are proof that takeout-worthy flavor doesn't have to mean a trip to the restaurant - or two hours in the kitchen. Rice vermicelli soaks up that savory curry spice beautifully, and with shrimp cooking as fast as it does, this whole dish comes together in a fraction of the time you'd expect.
23. Shrimp And Grits Bites
Shrimp and Grits Bites take everything you love about the classic Southern dish and turn it into a skewered, one-bite appetizer that everyone loves. The trick is chilling the grits until firm, coating them in cajun mayo and parmesan, then air frying until you get that crispy, golden exterior with creamy grits underneath. No flipping, no babysitting the stove. Even better, the grit cakes can be prepped the night before, so all you're doing at party time is blackening the shrimp and skewering everything together.
24. Sheet Pan Shrimp Quesadillas
Sheet Pan Shrimp Quesadillas solve the one thing that always slows me down with quesadillas - just standing at the stove flipping them one at a time while everyone's already at the table. By using a preheated pan on top like a giant panini press, you can crank out 6 to 8 at once, with the shrimp cooking right on top so everything finishes together in about 10 minutes. The best hack is brushing the tortillas with chipotle-infused oil before they go in the oven because it gives you that smoky flavor and golden crunch in every bite.
25. Shrimp Wontons
These Shrimp Wontons are inspired by my travels through Malaysia. Juicy shrimp folded with fresh cilantro, scallions, and sesame oil get wrapped up into little pockets of flavor that are as fun to make as they are to eat. Dip them in my spicy wonton sauce and you've got a better-than-takeout dinner at home.
26. Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Argentine Red Shrimp have the sweet, meaty flavor of lobster at a fraction of the price, and they cook just as fast as any shrimp in your freezer. Skewered on the grill or a grill pan, they're ready in minutes, and pairing them with a cilantro chimichurri with pistachios takes the whole thing somewhere truly special. If you've never cooked with Argentine red shrimp before, consider this your introduction — and fair warning, regular shrimp may never quite cut it again.
27. Korean Shrimp and Scallion Pancakes
Korean Pancakes are confusingly delicious - crispy edges, a tender center, and loaded with shrimp and scallions, all ready in 30 minutes. The trick to that signature crunch is ice-cold water in the batter and enough oil in the pan, and once you nail those two things, you can get creative with all kinds of seafood and veggie combinations. Whatever you do...don't forget the sweet, spicy, savory pancake dipping sauce. It's the perfect pairing for this dish.
28. Air Fryer Gnocchi
Air Fryer Gnocchi with Creamy Pesto and Shrimp is the weeknight dinner I really wish I'd thought of sooner. Instead of boiling the gnocchi and sautéing the shrimp separately, the air fryer handles both at the same time, start to finish in about 15 minutes. You get gnocchi that's lightly crisp on the outside and still pillowy in the middle, with shrimp that stays tender instead of turning rubbery. Toss everything in a creamy pesto and you've got a real dinner on the table with less effort than baking a frozen pizza.
29. Shrimp Stuffed Peppers With Romesco Sauce
These Shrimp Stuffed Peppers get paired with smoky Romesco Sauce that's fruity, slightly spicy, and completely irresistible. If you've ever walked past those gorgeous bins of peppers at the farmers market and had no idea what to do with them, this is your answer.
30. Old Bay Shrimp (Air Fryer!)
When I say this Air Fryer Shrimp recipe is ready in 10 minutes, I mean from the moment you pull the shrimp out until the moment you're sitting down to eat - prep and cook time included. A short ingredient list means there's almost nothing standing between you and perfectly tender, juicy shrimp tonight. Toss them over a salad, stuff them into a sandwich, or just eat them straight off the plate.
31. Shrimp Ramen Recipe (Miso Tare)
This Miso Ramen Tare is the kind of discovery that completely changes the way you think about a weeknight shrimp bowl. Tare is the concentrated flavor paste that restaurants drop into the bottom of your broth, and it takes just minutes to make at home. After a trip to Japan, I went deep on recreating this intensely flavored secret weapon, and the result is a home-chef version that delivers. Stir it into your broth, add your ramen and shrimp, and suddenly a simple weeknight bowl feels like something really special.
32. Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Shrimp is the kind of one-pan dinner that actually delivers on its promise. Pillowy gnocchi that crisps up without boiling, cherry tomatoes that burst and get jammy, and perfectly tender shrimp, all from a single pan in about 30 minutes. Fresh basil and parm are the winning flavor combo for toppings!
33. Pesto Shrimp Pasta
Spaghetti with Pesto Shrimp takes twenty minutes to get on the table, and the combination of tender shrimp and bright, herby pesto is one of those pairings that just works everyone at the table. Make homemade pesto or polish off that store-bought jar in your fridge.
34. Blackened Shrimp Tacos
These Blackened Shrimp Tacos bring big taco truck energy straight to your home kitchen. After testing different variations, the spice balance and butter-basting technique are completely dialed in here. You'll get tender, flavorful shrimp with that signature char. Wrap them up and serve with your favorite taco toppings.
35. Shrimp Udon
This simple homemade Asian sauce gets paired with store-bought udon noodles for a 20-minute dinner. Chewy Japanese-style noodles soak up every bit of that savory, stir-fry flavor. Feel free to swap in whatever shrimp and vegetables you have in your fridge - this one is super customizable and great for leftover night!
36. Shrimp Scampi Recipe
My Shrimp Scampi Recipe proves you don't need a bottle of white open on the counter to get that glossy, garlicky, butter-drenched sauce we all love. You can use wine or my fortified stock trick and both give a fantastic shrimp dish that's ready in less than 20 minutes with ingredients you likely already have on hand.
37. Garlic Butter Baked Colossal Shrimp
These Baked Colossal Shrimp arrive at the table swimming in a garlic butter sauce. Add lemon juice and a dash of fresh herbs and the magic is complete. The colossal size makes for a stunning presentation, but the recipe can adjusted to fit whatever size shrimp is on sale this week (or whatever is hiding in your freezer).
38. Crispy Shrimp With Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Sauce
Shrimp With Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Sauce is basically everything I want in life right now. Think crispy shrimp drenched in that sticky, tangy, spice-kissed sauce. It's my seafood makeover of the hot honey lemon pepper wings taking over the world (or at least the internet). Serve them as an appetizer or let them be the whole meal. Either way, they're going to be a huge hit.
39. Shrimp Pasta Salad
This one is based on my mom's legendary Shrimp Noodle Salad - one of the flavor memories of my childhood. One of the tricks that makes it so good is cooking the shrimp directly in the seasoned pasta water, which builds flavor into every single bite while keeping the dish count low. Bring it to a cookout, serve it for a weeknight dinner, or pull it together for a casual lunch.
40. Japanese Shrimp Curry
Japanese Shrimp Curry was such a revelation to me the first time I tried it! I was already a big fan of Thai and Indian curries, so this was the natural next step. Then when I visited Japan, I found out most grandma's there use pre-made curry blocks (that are available around the world!) for their recipes. And that's when my obsession with this recipe was born. Those roux blocks do the heavy lifting, delivering that signature Japanese curry sweetness and depth without measuring out a dozen individual spices. Mix and match your favorite seafood and veggies for the perfect bite.
41. Baked Shrimp Samosas
These Baked Shrimp and Potato Samosas start with a simple, spiced shrimp and potato filling with deeply savory, satisfying curry notes. Store-bought spring roll wrappers do all the work on the wrapper front, and ensures a crispy bite that takes the classic Indian snack somewhere really special. Serve them with a cool cucumber herb raita on the side.
42. Buttery Shrimp In Air Fryer (from frozen!)
This Frozen Shrimp in the Air Fryer is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why we ever bothered thawing shrimp ahead of time? With just 5 ingredients and one clever trick, you can pull shrimp straight from the freezer and have them perfectly tender on the table drenched in creamy garlic butter sauce in 10 minutes flat. It doesn't get more weeknight-friendly than that.
43. Grilled Shrimp with Chili Honey Butter
This Grilled Shrimp Recipe gets paired with a sweet and spicy Chili Honey Butter that reminds me of dishes I ate traveling through Singapore and Malaysia. This one brings serious flavor with a combination of chili heat, honey sweetness, lime, and fresh ginger. Top it off with more lime and fresh cilantro for a finger-licking-good shrimp experience.
Looking for more seafood recipes? Check out this 12 Grilled Seafood Recipes.
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