30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (2024)

You really can make simple seafood recipes during the busy work week! We picked 30 of our favorite quick and easy shrimp recipes, all ready in 30 minutes or less. To make the prep even easier, check the grocery store for raw shrimp that are already peeled and deveined. And if you can't find raw, pre-prepped shrimp, don't discount frozen shrimp. They'll cook up tastier than the market's already-cooked shrimp. If you are using frozen, however, don't miss Chef John's quick tricks for frozen shrimp, with smart tips for making frozen shrimp taste as good as fresh shrimp just plucked from the sea.

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Simple Garlic Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (1)

Ready in less than 30 minutes. Get everything prepped and ready in advance because things come together fast. And don't be shy about the garlic! These garlic shrimp are great served with any kind of starch — rice, potatoes, or pasta, topped with the bright garlic, parsley, and lemon sauce.

02of 30

Szechwan Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (2)

Ready in 20 minutes. This spicy number combines fresh shrimp with ginger, soy sauce, garlic, crushed red peppers, and ketchup. "Excellent recipe," says LIZCANCOOK. "Don't be scared away by the ketchup, this sauce is fantastic! And so quick — it was ready before the broccoli side finished steaming in the microwave!"

  • Top Asian-Inspired Shrimp Recipes

03of 30

Garlic Shrimp Linguine

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (3)

Preps in 10 minutes, ready in 30. "Absolutely loved this dish," said GATERJEN. "This is a perfect weeknight dinner — very quick and easy! The presentation was wonderful as well."

  • 12 Great Ways to Make Shrimp Scampi

04of 30

Authentic and Easy Shrimp Curry

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (4)

Ready in 20 minutes. "This is a home-style South Indian shrimp curry recipe from my husband's family," says RK. "It is simple and quick to make — and as hot as you like it. Serve with basmati rice or an Indian flatbread."

05of 30

Honey Walnut Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (5)

Ready in 30 minutes. This Hong Kong-style Chinese recipe stars crispy battered shrimp tossed in a creamy sauce. Top it off with sugar-coated walnuts. "Scrumptious," says EatFoodNow. "A new favorite in our home. It was really easy and quick."

06of 30

Fire Roasted Tomato and Feta Pasta with Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (6)

Ready in less than 30 minutes. "Linguine pasta and sauteed shrimp are bathed in a basil-flavored fire-roasted tomato sauce and sprinkled with feta cheese," says Amy.

07of 30

Shrimp Fried Rice II

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (7)

This restaurant-style shrimp fried rice is ready in 30 minutes. "Doesn't get any better than this," says MGMARCKS. "Just like my favorite restaurant but so easy, and I can control the fat and sodium."

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (8)

Ready in 30 minutes. Fill warm corn tortillas with spicy chipotle shrimp garnished with cilantro, onion, and a splash of fresh lime. "Total winner," says Jakey. "Perfectly delicious and so easy. Added homemade salsa, avocado, and lettuce — and had it with the Best Black Beans."

09of 30

Shrimp and Jalapeno Nachos

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (9)

Ready in less than 30 minutes. Here's an understated approach to traditional, typically overloaded nachos, which often turn into a greasy mess. You'll quickly saute seasoned fresh shrimp in a hot skillet, and then top tortilla chips with the shrimp plus sliced jalapenos and pepper-Jack cheese — all dressed up with a super-simple avocado and sour cream sauce.

10of 30

Shrimp and Mushroom Linguini with Creamy Cheese Herb Sauce

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (10)

Ready in 30 minutes. "Quick and easy," says ANDREA89. "And the seasoning is perfect. The sauce is incredibly delicious. You can substitute shrimp with crab, cooked chicken, or other vegetables."

11of 30

Creamy Pesto Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (11)

Ready in 30 minutes. "Definitely a winner," says MRXMUFFIN. "Took about 20 minutes of my day. And my hubby thought I slaved for hours. So simple, but definitely restaurant-quality taste!"

  • Two Weeks of Shrimp Dinners to Cook in Your Skillet

12of 30

Shrimp and Crab Bisque

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (12)

Ready in 20 minutes. Katrina Berry. And MYANGEL6 raves, "Absolutely fantastic! As good as I can get in a restaurant and very quick and easy."

13of 30

Alaskan Cod and Shrimp with Fresh Tomato

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (13)

Ready in 25 minutes. "This meal is very yummy, easy to cook, and convenient," says Maddy Cruise. "My fiancee loves this recipe and wants it every day!"

14of 30

Fresh Tomato Shrimp Pasta

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (14)

Ready in 30 minutes. This simple summer dinner combines fresh tomatoes, spinach, herbs, and fresh mozzarella with shrimp and tender fettuccine. "Fantastic," says RAZORBACKLADY. "It's fresh-tasting, light, and a visually appealing dish." Amanda recommends that you "use the freshest ingredients possible to really bring out all the flavors."

15of 30

Shrimp Florentine with Zoodles

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Ready in less than 30 minutes. Here's a fresh, healthy shrimp and spinach dinner made with zoodles instead of pasta. "Delicious," says CJ. "Very flavorful and easy to make. I made the zoodles with a potato peeler."

16of 30

Shrimp and Scallop Stir-Fry

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (16)

Ready in 25 minutes. "This is a simple and light-tasting scallop and shrimp stir-fry," says Shana. "When served with rice, it makes a delicious meal."

17of 30

Japanese-Style Deep-Fried Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (17)

Ready in about 20 minutes. "Great fried shrimp. The key is the panko. Its texture allows it to fry up golden brown and crunchy before the protein it's stuck to (in this case, shrimp) gets overcooked." — j

18of 30

Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (18)

Ready in 30 minutes. "I was apprehensive that I could cook shrimp in 10 minutes on a sheet pan and have it turn out well, but I was amazed at how easy this was to do, not to mention delicious!" says LazyFoodieGirl.

19of 30

Cilantro Garlic Lime Sauteed Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (19)

Ready in 25 minutes. Pre-made salsa forms the base of this delicious dish. Garlic, citrus juice, and chile pepper take it to the next level.

20of 30

Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir-Fry

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (20)

Ready in 15 minutes. The secret ingredient here is frozen stir-fry veggies, along with minced garlic, a little wine, and some honey. ZachZ calls it a "quick and easy shrimp stir-fry full of flavor. I use Costco frozen stir-fry veggies and add cilantro. Serve either by itself or over rice."

21of 30

Shrimp a la Diablo

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (21)

Ready in 20 minutes. Add cooked shrimp to a sauce of pureed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, cream cheese, and milk. "Wonderful," says OODLES_OR. "Bursting with flavor."

22of 30

Maui Wowie Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (22)

Ready in 25 minutes. Simple seasonings and mayo are the key ingredients here. "An easy recipe to put together for that laid-back 'Maui Wowie' person," says ROXIEMAUI. "Great for the beach or backyard BBQ."

23of 30

Sauteed Shrimp with Spinach

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (23)

Ready in less than 20 minutes. You'll quickly cook seasoned shrimp in the skillet, adding baby spinach at the end. If you like, give it a big squeeze of lemon juice before serving.

24of 30

Shrimp and Pea Salad

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (24)

Ready in 15 minutes. Use frozen cooked shrimp for this one. Combine the shrimp with frozen peas, thinly sliced red onion, and ranch dressing, and spoon over big Boston lettuce leaves. Crystal says it's a "nice cool shrimp salad on a hot summer day."

25of 30

Air Fryer Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (25)

Ready in 30 minutes. "Fish fry seasoning, egg, and a spritz of oil are all you need to make these tasty, crispy air fryer shrimp," says France C. "Use your favorite brand of fish fry breading mix. Serve with co*cktail sauce, lemon-garlic aioli, or whatever you prefer! I like to use a Misto sprayer with my own oil, but feel free to use regular cooking spray."

26of 30

Spanish Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo)

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (26)

Ready in 20 minutes. This recipe proves you just need a handful of simple ingredients — salt, hot smoked paprika, parsley, olive oil, garlic, and sherry — to create a five-star recipe.

27of 30

Baked Coconut Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (27)

Ready in 30 minutes. Pair these crunchy baked shrimp with an orange dipping sauce, like this aptly-named Dipping Sauce for Coconut Shrimp.

28of 30

Indian Shrimp Curry

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (28)

Ready in 30 minutes. "This is a subtle yet richly flavored curry that complements shrimp perfectly," says Jacqueline B. "A very authentic taste, and a very easy meal to prepare when you are in a hurry. Make sure you pop the shrimp tails off before adding to the skillet. Serve with rice."

29of 30

Easy Breaded Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (29)

Ready in 15 minutes. Shrimp coated in a super-simple batter and bread crumb mixture are fried up fast. Erin says it's "easy, good, and wonderful for a family dinner."

30of 30

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Shrimp

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30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (30)

Ready in 20 minutes. No one will believe these flavorful shrimp are covered in nothing more than honey and chile-garlic sauce.

  • Find our entire collection of shrimp recipes here.
30 Best Shrimp Recipes Ready in Under 30 Minutes (2024)

FAQs

What's the tastiest way to cook shrimp? ›

  1. Heat the oven to 450°F.
  2. On a half sheet pan, toss the shrimp, salt, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Roast for 7 to 9 minutes, until pink and just cooked through. Remove from the oven, add the butter, and toss the shrimp until coated. Spritz with fresh lemon juice.
Dec 10, 2021

How to make frozen shrimp fast? ›

Tips for Cooking Frozen Shrimp

You can use anywhere from one pound to a pound-and-a-half, which is one (24-ounce) bag. Preheat a baking sheet under the broiler and your shrimp will only need about 5 minutes of cook time. Yup, they are that fast.

How many minutes should I cook shrimp? ›

Smaller shrimp will cook faster than larger ones, while the total time for bigger boys will be a little longer. Here's associate food editor Kendra Vaculin's rule of thumb: Cook medium shrimp for approximately 3 minutes, large shrimp for 4–5 minutes, and jumbo shrimp for 6–7 minutes.

What is one good way to season or enhance the flavor of shrimp? ›

There are countless ways to season shrimp. For this recipe, we use a mixture of chipotle chile powder, paprika, cumin and garlic powder. It's slightly spicy, smoky and savory. Feel free to experiment with other spices, such as ancho chile powder and smoked paprika.

Should I thaw frozen shrimp before cooking? ›

Thaw frozen shrimp in the refrigerator 24 hours before you need to cook with them. Be sure to place the frozen shrimp in a bowl or a plastic bag to thaw. Only thaw the amount of shrimp that you plan to cook, as you shouldn't re-freeze previously frozen seafood.

Is it better to cook shrimp frozen or thawed? ›

Grilling shrimp requires close attention, because the intense heat can easily overcook their delicate flesh. Cooking them from frozen provides a degree of protection against that risk, so the end result can be better than with thawed shrimp.

How do you make frozen shrimp taste better? ›

Once the shrimp have been thawed and deveined, there's an extra step you can take that's commonly used in Japanese cooking to make the shrimp especially clean, fresh, and mild tasting. All it takes is a spoonful or two of potato or cornstarch. Sprinkle it over your shrimp and distribute it with your hands.

Is it better to cook shrimp fast or slow? ›

Shrimp cook real quickly and overcooking them is a common mistake to occur. Hence, overcooked shrimp can become rubbery in texture and lose their natural sweetness. The solution here is to keep a close eye on your shrimp while cooking. Remember that they are done when they turn pink and opaque.

Is it better to cook shrimp with the shell on or off? ›

Cook in the shell whenever possible, especially when you grill. The shells add a lot of flavor to the meat, and they protect it from quickly overcooking. Besides, sitting around a table peeling and eating shrimp is a party right there.

How do I know when my shrimp is fully cooked? ›

Use a food thermometer to make sure the interior temperature of a shrimp is at least 145 °F (63 °C). This is the safest way to tell if it's fully cooked. Check for an opaque white color on the outside, a curved “C” shape, and a tender texture.

What not to do when cooking shrimp? ›

  1. Mistake #1: Buying Shrimp With the Heads Still On.
  2. Mistake #2: Not Deveining Your Shrimp.
  3. Mistake #3: Thawing Improperly.
  4. Mistake #4: Overcooking.
  5. Mistake #5: Throwing Away the Shells.

Should I soak shrimp in milk before cooking? ›

Should I Soak My Shrimp? This one comes down to the chef's preference. Some prefer to soak seafood in milk before cooking to keep it from tasting too fishy. If you choose to soak your shrimp, you should do so with whole milk for at least 10 minutes.

How to properly make shrimp? ›

Instructions
  1. If frozen, thaw the shrimp. ...
  2. The shrimp will bend easily when thawed. ...
  3. Heat the oil or butter over medium-high heat. ...
  4. Add the shrimp to the hot pan. ...
  5. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. ...
  6. Sauté the shrimp until pink and opaque. ...
  7. Transfer to a serving dish.

Why do you soak shrimp before cooking? ›

Soak shrimp in brine

Soak quickly in brine to keep lean seafood moist as it cooks and season it throughout. A solution of 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 quart water works to season 1 pound of seafood. Dissolve the salt in the water, and then submerge the shrimp and chill for 30 minutes.

Is it better to steam or fry shrimp? ›

Steaming shrimp is one of the best ways to cook the shellfish. The gentle cooking technique helps elevate shrimp's flavor and tender snap.

Is it better to boil or grill shrimp? ›

Grilling shrimp is a great option to not only add a smoky flavor but also develop additional texture from the charred crust. Whether you're serving them as an appetizer, the main course, or as part of a surf and turf duo grilled shrimp are always a crowd pleaser. Plus, food on a stick is just so much fun!

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