This fried shrimp recipe is a classic Southern appetizer or dinner that is effortless to make and has a delightful crunch bursting with flavor! Jumbo shrimp are coated with flour, eggs, and Panko breadcrumbs and then fried to golden perfection! They're the perfect thing to fix up when entertaining guests at a party or wanting a light and flavorful meal!
These delicious jumbo fried shrimp would go well with tasty Cajun fries or air fryer onion rings.
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I love appetizers that are effortless and quick to make, yet full of incredible flavor! These fried shrimp only require 10 minutes of prep time before they are ready to fry in cooking oil.
You can serve them with your favorite fried side dishes for a hearty family dinner- or dip them in a tasty dipping sauce to enjoy them as a satisfying snack!
🥘 Ingredients
All you will need is a handful of common ingredients and you're all set! You can use frozen shrimp if you have them in your freezer already, just make sure that they are completely thawed before coating!
- All-Purpose Flour - ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour.
- Salt & Pepper - ½ teaspoon of each, salt & pepper.
- Cajun Seasoning - ½ teaspoon of Cajun seasoning. Use my homemade seasoning blend or your favorite brand.
- Eggs - 2 large eggs (at room temperature).
- Panko Breadcrumbs - 1 ½ cups of Panko breadcrumbs.
- Jumbo Shrimp - 1 pound of jumbo shrimp (thawed, peeled, deveined).
- Cooking Oil - 1 cup of cooking oil (for frying).
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Fried Shrimp
These fried shrimp are incredibly easy to prepare! To begin, you'll need a few mixing bowls, a large stockpot, and a silicone whisk.
This recipe will yield about 4 servings! You can easily double or triple the ingredients to make more if you work in batches at a time.
- Whisk. Add ⅓ cup flour, ½ teaspoon each salt, pepper, and ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning to a medium-sized mixing bowl or shallow dish and whisk the ingredients together.
- Prep. In a second mixing bowl or dish, beat 2 large eggs until they are well blended. Pour the 1 ½ cups of Panko breadcrumbs into a third mixing bowl.
- Dredge shrimp. Dredge the 1 pound of shrimp in the flour mixture on both sides and shake off any excess. Then, dip the shrimp into the egg mixture and coat. Finish coating the shrimp in the Panko breadcrumbs on each side by turning the shrimp and pressing the breadcrumbs into them.
- Cook. Heat the 1 cup of oil in a large pot to 350°F (175°C) and cook your shrimp in small batches for about 1 minute or until they are cooked through. *Do not crowd the shrimp as they fry.
- Drain and serve. Use kitchen tongs to take out each shrimp and transfer them to a wire cooling rack over a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat to cook the rest of the shrimp.
For a healthier alternative side, try my broccoli tots or baked zucchini fries! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- You'll know when the shrimp is done when the Panko crust turns a golden brown color. The shrimp will also shrink slightly in size and curl as they cook. Large to jumbo-sized shrimp will only take 1-2 minutes to cook completely through. When you cut into them, the shrimp should be opaque in color with a reddish-pink edge under the crust.
- Make sure that the shrimp are slightly wet before dipping them into the flour mixture. If they are completely dry, the flour will not stick.
- You can use a deep-fry thermometer to check that your oil is 350°F (175°C). You'll want to maintain the same temperature so you may need to adjust your heat as you work in batches. Never overcrowd your pan when deep frying.
- Always thaw your frozen shrimp (if using) before frying. Frying frozen shrimp will give you undesirable results.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Place any leftovers in an airtight storage container and store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Store your leftover fried shrimp in a heavy-duty Ziploc bag in the freezer and enjoy them within 6 months.
Reheating
You can reheat your shrimp in the microwave in 30-second increments or until they are warmed through to your liking. Alternatively, you can spread them out on a baking sheet and warm them up in the oven at 300°F (150°C).
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❓ Recipe FAQs
There are so many sauce options that would pair wonderfully with fried shrimp! You could make a Cajun dipping sauce, homemade blue cheese dressing, sweet and sour sauce, buffalo sauce, or Hawaiian BBQ sauce!
Either one is fine to use! I recommend using uncooked shrimp because it will allow for more flavor to soak up in the shrimp vs cooked shrimp.
Any oil that has a high smoke point would work, it's really up to your preference and what you have available. You could use peanut oil or vegetable oil for this recipe!
🍤 More Delicious Shrimp Recipes
- Buffalo Shrimp - This tasty appetizer features pan-fried shrimp tossed in a flavorful hot pepper sauce!
- Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp - If you are a fan of simple appetizers that are full of flavor, you have to make my coconut shrimp!
- New Orleans BBQ Shrimp - This shrimp recipe features juicy shrimp mixed with Creole seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chicken broth, lemon juice, and butter!
- Cajun Shrimp - These Cajun shrimp will taste well with pasta, rice, veggies, or by themselves!
- Dynamite Shrimp - Crispy battered shrimp are tossed in a tangy mayo sauce with sriracha!
- Creamy Coconut Shrimp - Tender shrimp are sauteed in coconut oil, then stirred into a mixture of coconut sauce and fresh lime zest!
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📖 Recipe Card
Fried Shrimp
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper
- ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 lb jumbo shrimp (thawed, peeled, de-veined)
- 1 cup cooking oil (for frying)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Add flour, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning to a medium-sized mixing bowl or shallow dish and whisk the ingredients together.
- In a second mixing bowl or dish, beat the eggs until they are well blended. Pour the Panko breadcrumbs into a third mixing bowl.
- Dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture on both sides and shake off any excess. Then dip the shrimp into the egg mixture and coat. Finish coating the shrimp in the Panko breadcrumbs on each side by turning the shrimp and pressing the breadcrumbs into them.
- Heat the oil in a large pot to 350°F (175°C) and cook your shrimp in small batches for about 1 minute or until they are cooked through. *Do not crowd the shrimp as they fry.
- Use kitchen tongs to take out each shrimp and transfer them to a wire cooling rack over a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat to cook the rest of the shrimp.
Notes
- You'll know when the shrimp is done when the Panko crust turns a golden brown color. The shrimp will also shrink slightly in size and curl as they cook. Large to jumbo-sized shrimp will only take 1-2 minutes to cook completely through. When you cut into them, the shrimp should be opaque in color with a reddish-pink edge under the crust.
- Make sure that the shrimp are slightly wet before dipping them into the flour mixture. If they are completely dry, the flour will not stick.
- You can use a deep-fry thermometer to check that your oil is 350°F (175°C). You'll want to maintain the same temperature so you may need to adjust your heat as you work in batches. Never overcrowd your pan when deep frying.
- Always thaw your frozen shrimp (if using) before frying. Frying frozen shrimp will give you undesirable results.
- To store: Place any leftovers in an airtight storage container and store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- To freeze: Store your leftover fried shrimp in a heavy-duty Ziploc bag in the freezer and enjoy them within 6 months.
- To reheat: You can reheat your fried shrimp in the microwave in 30-second increments or until they are warmed through to your liking. Alternatively, you can spread them out on a baking sheet and warm them up in the oven at 300°F (150°C).
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