These Crispy Panko Fried Shrimp are simple to prepare and have a fail-proof flavor payoff your whole family will love. No special ingredients or fancy equipment required. Just a handful of pantry staples, shrimp and about 30 minutes for a restaurant-quality shrimp dinner at home.
The panko crumbs and toasty sesame seeds take this classic crispy shrimp recipe in a Japanese-inspired direction. Ebi Fry is what you would call it in Tokyo...but around your kitchen table, they'll just be calling for seconds. It's that good.
While I love Garlic Shrimp and Grilled Shrimp Skewers for quick weeknight meals, nothing says special occasion like tray of hot and crispy panko shrimp with Homemade Cocktail Sauce.
Ingredients for panko butterfly shrimp:
Before we get to the step-by-step directions, a few notes about the ingredients.
Shrimp: I used colossal shrimp for the photo shoot of this recipe because they were blessedly on sale that week. Generally, large or extra large shrimp suffice - around 21-30 shrimp per pound.
Panko: these ultra-light-and-crispy Japanese breadcrumbs are ideal for a fried butterfly shrimp recipe. I don't recommend any substitutions.
Sesame seeds: plain white sesame seeds add the perfect toasty flavor and crunch to our fried shrimp. If you're out of sesame seeds, you can omit them from the recipe and it will still be delicious.
Seasonings: salt and pepper are all you need to make this crunchy shrimp recipe. Feel free to add a shake of cayenne, paprika or lemon pepper.
How to make butterflied panko shrimp:
1. Bread shrimp
Set up dredging station with beaten eggs, flour, and the panko and sesame seeds. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper to all three dishes.
Dry butterflied shrimp, then coat in flour, then beaten egg, then with sesame panko crumbs.
2. Fry and serve
Fry in 375°F neutral oil for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown and crisp on all sides. (Exact cook time will depend on the size of your shrimp).
Remove fried shrimp to a rack over sheet pan to drain excess oil.
Serve butterflied panko shrimp with lemon wedges, Tartar Sauce, Cocktail Sauce or Spicy Aioli.
How to butterfly shrimp?
Choose large shrimp with their tails on. If the shrimp are too small, butterflying them will be time-consuming and not worth the effort. Using a small paring knife, start at the tail and move downward, making a lengthwise cut along the outer curve of the shrimp. The incision should be deep enough to create two equal halves, connected in the middle, like pages in a magazine held together by its spine.
How to store cooked panko shrimp?
To store leftover butterfly shrimp, just pop a paper towel in the bottom of an airtight container, then pile on the shrimp. You can keep them in the fridge for 2-3 days. When you're ready to reheat, bake them on a sheet pan at 300°F until crispy again and warmed through.
How to freeze breaded butterfly shrimp?
If you want to make the recipe ahead, coat shrimp according to the recipe, then arrange them in a single layer on baking tray covered with parchment and freeze. Once fully frozen, transfer the coated shrimp to a resealable freezer bag.
The great thing about this method is that you can cook them straight from the freezer, just like a box of store-bought fried shrimp. Fry them up the same way you would if they were fresh, though you may need to add 60 seconds more cook time.
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Panko Fried Butterflied Shrimp
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds large, tail-on shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 large eggs
½ cup all purpose flour
1 cup panko crumbs
3 tablespoons white sesame seeds
Salt and pepper, to taste
Neutral oil, for frying
Instructions
- Set up dredging station with 2 beaten eggs in one dish, flour in another, and combine panko and sesame seeds in the third dish. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper to all three dishes and stir to combine.
- Heat a skillet over medium high. Add enough oil to cover about 1 inch of the skillet. Heat to 375°F (will take about 3 minutes).
- Dry butterflied shrimp well. Coat in seasoned flour, then beaten egg, then pack with sesame panko crumbs.
- Fry in the hot oil for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown and crisp on all sides. Remove to a rack over sheet pan to drain excess oil. Serve with lemon wedges, Tartar Sauce, Cocktail Sauce or Spicy Aioli.
Notes
For best results, choose shrimp that are sized around 20-25 per pound.
Cook time will vary based the size of your shrimp. Monitor to avoid overcooking.
Use a small paring knife to clean and butterfly the shrimp.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Japanese
christina toth
ALL the answers to my butterflied shrimp questions,
Christina Jolam
You're going to love this recipe. And you can use that butterfly technique for the Stuffed Shrimp Casserole, too!