Shrimp might be the most reliable shortcut in my kitchen. It cooks in minutes, takes on any flavor I throw at it, and turns a regular weeknight into something that feels a little special without much effort!
This collection brings together my favorite easy shrimp recipes, from 15-minute skillet dinners to grilled shrimp on the back porch, comforting Southern classics, and the party appetizers I make on repeat. There’s something here for every craving and every kind of night.
Top 5 Shrimp Recipes
If you’re not sure where to begin, these five are the ones my readers come back to most.
⭢ Shrimp in 30 Minutes or Less
These are the recipes I turn to when dinner needs to be on the table in 30 minutes or less. Most use one skillet, and a few are ready in 15 minutes flat. If you’re new to cooking shrimp at home, this is the group to start with.
Honey Garlic Shrimp
A sticky, sweet-savory sauce coats every bite of shrimp in this 15-minute one-skillet dinner. Serve it over rice with steamed broccoli for a meal that beats takeout every time.
Prefer it on a sheet pan? My Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Shrimp adds green beans and rice to make it a full meal on one tray.
Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Bright, garlicky, and ready in 15 minutes, this skillet shrimp leans into honey, Dijon, and fresh lemon for a sauce you’ll want to spoon over everything. Crusty bread is a must.
Blackened Shrimp
Bold Cajun spice meets a quick sear in this 15-minute cast iron favorite. Pile it onto salads, tacos, grits, or rice for an easy dinner that delivers serious flavor.
Honey Sriracha Shrimp
Sweet and spicy equally, this honey sriracha shrimp comes together in one skillet in just 15 minutes. The sauce is sticky, glossy, and easy to adjust to your heat preference.
Shrimp Ramen
Tender ramen noodles tossed with shrimp in a rich, creamy peanut sauce that’s sweet, savory, and a little spicy. A 15-minute weeknight dinner that tastes like takeout.
Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry
Bell peppers, broccoli, snow peas, and carrots get tossed with shrimp in a savory ginger soy sauce for a complete 30-minute dinner. Serve it over rice and you’re done.
Old Bay Shrimp (Garlic Butter)
Old Bay, lemon, shallots, garlic, and butter come together for a quick coastal-style shrimp dinner in 25 minutes. Serve with crusty bread, rice, or pasta to catch all that sauce.
Shrimp Fried Rice
A one-skillet shrimp fried rice that’s ready in 20 minutes and tastes better than Chinese takeout. The trick is cold cooked rice, which keeps every grain separate.
⭢ Easy Shrimp Pasta
Pasta and shrimp belong together, and these recipes prove it. Several of these are dump-and-bake, which means no boiling the pasta separately. Just stir everything into one dish and let the oven do the work!
Dump-and-Bake Shrimp Alfredo
The pasta cooks right in the dish along with the shrimp, Alfredo sauce, and roasted red peppers. Just 10 minutes of hands-on prep for the coziest comfort food dinner!
Want a lighter version? My Lightened Up Shrimp Alfredo skips the cream and bakes up just as creamy.
Shrimp Scampi Linguine
Garlic, butter, and Parmesan (classic scampi flavors) get the dump-and-bake treatment. Just 5 minutes of prep, no boiling the pasta separately.
Aunt Bee’s Shrimp Pasta Salad
A family recipe passed down for decades, this creamy dill-lemon pasta salad with tender shrimp and sweet peas is the dish my family asks for at every summer cookout.
Looking for something lighter? My Greek Shrimp Salad skips the pasta in favor of cucumbers, feta, olives, and a homemade Greek dressing.
Easy Shrimp Scampi
Tender shrimp in a garlic, lemon, white wine, and butter sauce, ready in 20 minutes. Toss it with pasta or serve it with crusty bread for an easy dinner that feels a little fancy.
Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Five ingredients, 30 minutes, and one of the easiest pasta dinners I make. Prepared basil pesto carries most of the flavor, so use one you actually love.
Shrimp with Ravioli
Fresh ravioli, shrimp, fresh tomatoes, and a quick pesto-white wine sauce come together in less than 30 minutes for a dinner that tastes like more work than it is.
More pasta to explore: stovetop fans, try my Shrimp and Sausage Pasta. For a Cajun twist, my Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta Bake brings the heat.
⭢ Grilled Shrimp
When the weather turns warm, grilled shrimp is the easiest summer dinner I make. A quick marinade does most of the work, and the shrimp cook in just a few minutes per side.
Marinated Grilled Shrimp
A simple olive oil, lime juice, honey, and garlic marinade transforms shrimp into the easiest summer dinner. Just 10 minutes of prep, then onto the grill for 5 minutes.
Honey Lime Grilled Shrimp
Sweet, savory, and just a little tangy, these honey lime grilled shrimp skewers are great straight off the grill or under the broiler when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
Citrus-forward marinade fans: My Lemon Garlic Grilled Shrimp leans into Dijon, lemon, and fresh herbs.
⭢ Southern and Cajun Shrimp
This is the heart of my kitchen. Shrimp and grits, gumbo, low country boils, and the kind of cozy comfort food I grew up eating. Some of these come together in 30 minutes, and some are slow-simmered for lazy Sundays.
Southern Shrimp and Grits
Creamy, cheesy grits topped with smoky bacon and zesty Cajun shrimp. A 30-minute Southern classic that works just as well for dinner as it does for brunch.
More Shrimp and Grits
Slow Cooker Gumbo
Chicken thighs, andouille sausage, and shrimp come together in a slow cooker gumbo built on a real roux and the Holy Trinity of onion, celery, and bell pepper.
More Cajun Classics
Sheet Pan Low Country Boil
All the flavors of a Lowcountry boil without the giant pot of water! Shrimp, sausage, corn, and baby potatoes roast together on one sheet pan.
Frogmore Stew
The traditional version, with shrimp, corn, smoked sausage, and red potatoes simmered together in a highly seasoned broth. A one-pot meal made for a crowd.
Shrimp Po’ Boy
Zesty Cajun shrimp roasted on a sheet pan in just 5 minutes, then piled onto crusty French bread with a creamy remoulade and classic toppings.
Shrimp Rolls
A Southern spin on classic New England lobster rolls, with tender shrimp tossed in a creamy lemon-dill dressing and tucked into buttered, griddled hot dog buns.
Shrimp and Rice Casserole
Just 10 minutes of prep for a comforting shrimp and rice casserole that bakes up creamy underneath and golden brown on top. The kind of dinner that disappears fast.
For a Southern comfort variation, my Savannah Shrimp and Rice Casserole is finished with a buttery Ritz cracker topping.
Shrimp Soup
Smoky bacon, sweet corn, tender potatoes, and shrimp in a creamy broth. Works with fresh corn in summer or frozen corn in winter, which makes it a year-round favorite.
Sheet Pan Italian Shrimp
Butter, lemon, diced tomatoes, and a packet of Italian dressing mix do all the work in this 20-minute sheet pan dinner. Serve it with pasta or crusty bread.
⭢ Appetizers & Party Shrimp
Shrimp shines at a gathering. Whether you need something to put out before dinner or a centerpiece for a cocktail party, these four cover the bases.
Shrimp Dip
A classic cold shrimp dip made with cream cheese, chili sauce, and tender shrimp. Serve it chilled for cocktail hour or bake it for a warm, bubbly version.
Shrimp Cocktail
Perfectly poached shrimp and a zesty homemade cocktail sauce that beats anything at a restaurant. Ready in under 30 minutes and easy to make ahead for parties.
Pickled Shrimp
A classic Southern cocktail party appetizer with shrimp marinated in vinegar, capers, lemon, and red pepper flakes. Make them ahead and let the fridge do the work.
New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
Zesty, buttery, and full of bold Cajun flavor. Serve it as a 30-minute appetizer with plenty of crusty bread for soaking up the sauce, or pair it with rice for dinner.
Want a quicker “weeknight” version? My Baked New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp is the sheet pan version, skips the shell-on prep, and bakes in 20 minutes.
⭢ Shrimp 101: A Quick Buying & Cooking Guide
A little context goes a long way when you’re working with shrimp. Most of the recipes in this collection take just 15 to 30 minutes, and the difference between great shrimp and rubbery shrimp comes down to a few small choices at the store and at the stove.
Buying Shrimp
Almost all of the “fresh” shrimp at the grocery store has been previously frozen and thawed. I usually buy frozen and thaw it myself at home, which means I get fresher, firmer shrimp than what’s been sitting at the seafood counter.
For sizing, here’s a quick guide. The number refers to the count per pound, so a smaller number means a bigger shrimp.
- Small (51-60 count): great for pasta salads, dips, and chopped fillings.
- Medium (41-50): my go-to for stir-fries, casseroles, and one-skillet dinners.
- Large (31-40): perfect for grilling, scampi, and most weeknight dinners.
- Jumbo (16-20): showcase shrimp for cocktail, low country boil, and recipes where the shrimp is the star.
When in doubt, large is the safest pick for almost any recipe in this collection.
Prepping Shrimp
To thaw frozen shrimp, place it in the refrigerator overnight, or set it in a colander under cold running water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Never thaw at room temperature.
Pre-peeled and deveined shrimp is the easiest way to keep weeknight dinners on the table. I save shell-on shrimp for cocktail or boils where the shells add flavor and presentation.
⇢ Pat the shrimp dry before cooking. This is the single most overlooked step. Wet shrimp steams instead of sears.
Cooking Shrimp Without Overcooking
Shrimp cook fast. Large shrimp need just 2 to 3 minutes per side in a hot skillet, less for smaller sizes. They’re done when they turn pink and opaque and curl into a loose C shape.
If they tighten into a hard O, they’ve gone past done. Pull them off the heat as soon as the color is right; carryover heat will finish them.
Shrimp is one of those ingredients I keep stocked in the freezer at all times, because it makes weeknight dinners feel a little more special with almost no extra effort.
Bookmark this collection or save your favorites so you’ve got an easy answer when shrimp’s on sale or you need dinner in a hurry. And if you make one of these, I’d love to hear which one became your new go-to.
⭢ Related Collections
If you love these easy shrimp recipes, you’ll find more dinner inspiration in these collections:
