Fried shrimp is such a delicious dish that these little prawns are served as a meal in countries worldwide. While most people might have a certain idea of what a fried shrimp recipe is supposed to be, there are tons of other ways to serve fried shrimp other than in the traditional battered way.
From adding different spices to using different preparations, there are plenty of fresh ways you can do a new spin on this classic recipe. Keep reading below to try some of the most delicious fried shrimp recipes you will want to make again and again.
20 Fried Shrimp Recipes to Rock Your Next Fish Fry
1. Southern Fried Shrimp
It doesn’t get much more traditional than this. Fried and battered shrimp are some of the most iconic dishes of the Gulf Coast in North America, but this delicious meal can be prepared just about anywhere. The other major advantage of this Southern-fried shrimp recipe from Cooked by Julie is that it can be whipped up in just fifteen minutes. With this recipe, you can treat yourself to fresh juicy seafood even on a busy weeknight.
2. Restaurant Style Fried Shrimp
Restaurant style fried shrimp is any fried shrimp recipe that tries its hardest to emulate the fried shrimp you can find at coastal seafood restaurants. Using larger shrimp for frying is a good option for this recipe from Ask Chef Dennis since this helps the shrimp retain their moisture during frying. Butterflying the shrimp by cutting them down the middle can help them cook more quickly if you’re using large shrimp.
3. Crispy Fried Shrimp
One of the most appealing things about fried shrimp is the crispiness of the batter on the shrimp once it’s been deep-fried. The crunchy golden coating contrasts beautifully with the plump juicy texture of the shrimp. Serve this crispy fried shrimp recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen with a chilled remoulade sauce to really set off the heat and texture of the freshly fried shrimp. A zesty cocktail sauce is a good choice too.
4. Pioneer Woman’s Fried Shrimp
Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond has been one of the hottest names in food blogging for the past fifteen years, and with good reason. Her recipes are some of the best renditions of America’s most iconic dishes. Drummond’s version of fried shrimp at Food Network takes less than thirty minutes of cooking and preparation to put together but tastes like it took a lot longer. The panko breadcrumbs in this recipe give these shrimp an extra crunchy texture.
5. Chicken Fried Shrimp
When a dish is referred to as “chicken fried”, this is usually a way to describe the method of seasoning flour and dredging a piece of meat in the flour after dipping it in egg to help the flour stick to it. Many types of fried shrimp could be considered chicken fried, but this chicken fried shrimp recipe from Delish uses traditional flour batter rather than incorporating panko or cornmeal like many fried shrimp recipes do. Serve chicken fried shrimp with hushpuppies, fried catfish, and a cold fresh coleslaw to serve these shrimp as part of a traditional fish fry.
6. Tornado Shrimp
If you’re looking for something a little different in your fried shrimp recipe, then look no further than this tornado shrimp from Estylistic. Instead of dipping shrimp in a batter before frying them, these shrimp are wrapped in shredded phyllo dough or spiralized potato before deep-frying to create a unique winding coating that is both beautiful and crunchy. Garnish these tornado shrimp with sriracha mayonnaise and fresh chopped chives for an appetizer that anyone would find irresistible.
7. Fried Shrimp Wontons with Mushrooms
Classic fried shrimp is delicious, but it can get boring if you prepare it the same way every time. These fried shrimp wontons from In Search of Yummyness are paired with hearty mushrooms and will help spice up your next faux takeout night at home. Wontons can also be made ahead of time or even frozen if you want to use this recipe to do some weekend meal-prepping for the rest of the week. Serve these wontons with a variety of dipping sauces such as soy sauce or teriyaki. Fried shrimp wontons can either be served as an entree or as part of a dim sum platter.
8. Fried Shrimp Po’Boy Sandwich
Fried shrimp by itself is amazing, but putting fried shrimp on a sandwich makes it even better. One of the most famous shrimp sandwiches in the world is the shrimp po’boy, a sub sandwich lined with fried shrimp and usually dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, and a zesty remoulade sauce. This shrimp po’boy recipe from No Recipes is a great jumping-off point to your fried shrimp sandwich adventure. Use fresh-baked hoagie bread to take this traditional New Orleans treat to the next level or go for a shrimp lettuce wrap for a more low-carb option.
9. Honey Orange Firecracker Fried Shrimp
Dressing up fried shrimp in sauces and condiments is the best way to add an extra punch of flavor to your fried shrimp recipe, and this fried shrimp from Dinner Then Dessert brings it with a combination of honey, orange, and hot pepper. Sriracha sauce is used for the heat in this dish rather than chili flakes since the sauce helps integrate the spice more evenly throughout the entire dish. Be sure to serve this recipe with plenty of fragrant rice to soak up extra sauce.
10. Chorizo with Prawns
This fried shrimp recipe is pan-fried rather than deep-fried, which makes it a little bit different. The spicy chorizo sausage helps add flavor to the mild shrimp and gives this meal some strong Portuguese vibes. Prawns and chorizo is a popular Portuguese and Spanish tapas, or bite-sized appetizer traditionally served in bars alongside alcoholic drinks. Serve this recipe from Confessions of a Spoon with a simple arugula salad to pull everything together. Either serve chorizo with prawns alone as an appetizer or together with saffron rice to make a full meal.
11. Spicy Fried Shrimp
One of the most popular preparations for fried shrimp is as part of a “bang bang” shrimp recipe, or fried shrimp tossed with a spicy mayonnaise sauce. This spicy fried shrimp recipe from Host the Toast is a copycat of the Bang Bang Shrimp recipe used by Bonefish Grill. The shrimp can either be served tossed in the sauce or it can be served on the side for dipping. A garnish of curly green onions are good for a little fresh crunch to cut the fat in the fried shrimp and sauce. Drain fried shrimp thoroughly to prevent them from being greasy.
12. Camaron Rebozado Fried Shrimp
Camaron Rebozado is a Filipino fried shrimp dish that is served with a peppery pineapple sauce that is similar to sweet and sour sauce in Chinese cuisine. To make this version of camaron rebozado from Junblog lighter and crispier than the traditional version, try using rice flour rather than traditional white all-purpose flour. Like many traditional fried shrimp recipes, these fried shrimp aren’t seasoned with much more than a little salt and black pepper to allow the natural flavors of the shrimp to shine through.
13. Fried Shrimp in Spicy Black Bean Sauce
When it comes to fried shrimp, stir-frying is just as delicious as deep-frying, and this recipe from QlinArt proves it. By stir-frying jumbo shrimps in seasoned ground pork, black beans, and peppers, the meat of the shrimp takes up all of the spices it’s simmered in for a dish that will blow the socks off your dinner guests. The black bean sauce and oyster sauce used in this stir fry can both be found in Asian food markets or the ethnic foods aisle of your local grocery store.
14. Air Fryer Shrimp
Air fryers are a great way to cook traditionally deep-fried dishes more quickly and in a healthier way than deep-frying them in oil. This air fryer shrimp recipe from Nithi’s Click and Cook can put fried shrimp on your dinner table in less than ten minutes. The recipe uses paprika, pepper, Italian seasonings and lemon juice, but you can use pretty much any combination of spices you want for a similar outcome. Garnish with fresh lemon slices and serve with a spicy or creamy dip for best results.
15. Blackened Shrimp with Pineapple Rum Glaze
Blackening spice is a spice mix that originates from the Caribbean and is popular in tropical renditions of fried shrimp recipes. These pan-fried blackened shrimp from Bless This Meal are served with a sweet Pineapple Rum Glaze that helps cut the spice of the dish and gives it a little extra Caribbean flair. Be sure to leave the sauce cooking long enough to reduce it so it’s thick and sticky enough to coat the shrimp. The shrimp can be seasoned ahead of time to help reduce prepwork right before dinner and to also give the spices more time to sink into the shrimp.
16. Chinese Salt and Pepper Fried Shrimp
Chinese salt and pepper shrimp is one of the most iconic Cantonese dishes and also one of the most popular fried shrimp recipes in the world. This crispy shrimp recipe often makes its way onto Chinese food buffets as a fan favorite. Preparing these salt and pepper shrimp from Red House Spice involves a special peppery salt mixture that is seasoned with Sichuan pepper, star anise, and sesame seeds. These shrimp can be served with a spicy Japanese mayo sauce or by themselves, they’re seasoned well enough to stand alone.
17. Honey Walnut Coconut Fried Shrimp
Other than Chinese salt and pepper shrimp, honey walnut coconut shrimp is probably the other most popular Chinese fried shrimp dish. These fried shrimp from Cherry on My Sundae feature salty fried shrimp tossed in a sweet creamy sauce made of coconut cream, mayo, and sesame-spiced walnuts. Making the honey sesame walnuts takes a little bit of extra preparation, but it’s well worth the effort.
18. Curried Fried Shrimp Toast
If you’ve never heard of shrimp toast, you’re in for a treat when you try this traditional Chinese-British appetizer. Created by spreading shrimp puree on a triangle of toast and then deep-frying it, this recipe for shrimp toast at Spice Paw spices things up by adding a yellow curry paste to the shrimp mixture. This recipe is also a great way to use up frozen shrimp or shrimp that is of lesser quality since you will be blending it up.
19. Wasabi Shrimp Sushi Tacos
If you love sushi and you love shrimp, this fried shrimp recipe from Jawns Cooked using dried wasabi peas as a flour base is the perfect combination of the two. Adding these wasabi-fried shrimp to tacos allows you to incorporate a variety of different fresh condiments for a cold, crisp crunch. Charring the tortillas over a stove burner before serving with the fried shrimp can help warm them up and improve their flavor.
20. Fried Shrimp Parmesan
Using fried shrimp isn’t as popular in Italian cuisine as some other proteins, but fried shrimp make a great substitute for chicken or eggplant in this classic Italian dish. In the shrimp parmesan recipe featured in Jawns Cooked, fried shrimp coated in panko are dressed in a zesty marinara sauce before having mozzarella, asiago, and parmesan cheese melted over them. Be sure to butterfly the shrimp so that the sauce has more surface area to coat. While angel hair pasta and spaghetti are both good options to serve with shrimp parmesan, there are tons of shrimp pasta recipes you could try.
Fried shrimp might seem like a basic recipe, but the simple nature of the dish makes it a great recipe for experimentation. Looking for a good source of fresh shrimp is the first step towards making a great fried shrimp recipe, but sourcing fresh spices is important too. Any combination of flavors from cuisines around the world can be added to fried shrimp to create an exotic vacation for your taste buds. Whether you’re looking for a classic Southern-fried shrimp recipe or you want to try something a little farther from home, the fried shrimp recipes above should give you a perfect jumping-off point to find your perfect fried shrimp recipe.