The best fried shrimp recipe is dipped in buttermilk, dredged in a light and crispy seasoned flour coating, and fried to golden brown perfection. Prepare this easy dinner or party appetizer on your stovetop in just minutes!
Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe
My boys love a good family fish fry, so I know that I'll be greeted with smiling faces any time I pull out my cast iron skillet and whip up this crispy Southern fried shrimp recipe! Paired with a basket of hush puppies and a side of coleslaw, it's even better than the local seafood restaurant.
The tender, plump shrimp are coated in a simple seasoned flour with a hint of Old Bay. The coating becomes crisp, light and golden brown in the skillet, creating a perfect contrast to the sweet, fleshy shrimp. With one bite, you'll soon see why these popular little morsels are a family favorite!
Which shrimp to use for a Southern Fried Shrimp recipe?
For most shrimp recipes, I prefer the largest size available (either "colossal" or "jumbo"). When making fried shrimp, however, I find that medium shrimp (41-50 count per pound) works best. The coating-to-shrimp ratio is just better with the smaller shrimp, they cook faster so that the breading doesn't get too dark, and they're easy to pop in your mouth (like "popcorn shrimp")!
How to Peel and Devein Shrimp
You'll need to start with raw, peeled and deveined shrimp. I typically purchase frozen shrimp that are already deveined (for a shortcut), and then thaw the shrimp in the fridge overnight before peeling and using in this recipe.
To peel raw shrimp, start underneath, where the legs are attached. Pull each side of the shell back, starting at the front and ending at the tail. If necessary, you can devein shrimp at home by making a cut along the top of the raw shrimp with a sharp paring knife. The cut should go from the front of the shrimp to the tail, just deep enough to pull out the dark intestine. I do this under cold running water to help wash out the vein.
Key Ingredients for the Crispiest Buttermilk Fried Shrimp Recipe
There are two key ingredients for the lightest, crispiest fried shrimp: buttermilk and self-rising flour. If these two items aren't already staples in your kitchen, they should be! This recipe shows you how to fry shrimp with flour and no egg, a technique that I adapted slightly from Paula Deen's fried shrimp recipe.
Self-rising flour is simply a combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. I buy self-rising flour at the store and keep it in my pantry, but you can also make your own self-rising flour at home by following these instructions. The leavening in the self-rising flour helps the coating "puff up" when it's fried, giving the shrimp that crispy, light-as-air texture.
The buttermilk adds a nice, subtle tang to the dish and helps to tenderize the shrimp. It also helps the seasoned flour adhere to the shrimp, eliminating the need for a thick egg coating. If you don't have access to a thick, rich, full-fat buttermilk (which is literally the liquid left behind after churning butter), you can make your own buttermilk by placing 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup and adding enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir, then let stand for 5 minutes.
How to make Fried Shrimp
Shrimp are one of the easiest foods to fry because they cook quickly -- literally about 2 minutes per batch -- and you don't need a huge vat of oil for frying. They're so much smaller than something like chicken, so you can get away with a lot less oil in the pan. Let's get started!
Ingredients for Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe
- Shrimp
- Self-rising flour
- Salt and pepper
- Old Bay seasoning
- Buttermilk
- Oil for frying (I recommend peanut oil, but vegetable oil will also work well)
Step 1: Prepare Coating
In a shallow bowl, whisk together self-rising flour, salt, Old Bay and pepper. Place the buttermilk in a separate shallow dish.
Step 2: Heat Oil
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees F. It can take awhile for the oil to come to temperature, so you can get started on your shrimp while the oil preheats.
Step 3: Coat Shrimp
While the oil heats, pat the shrimp dry. Dredge them in the flour mixture first, then coat with buttermilk, and dredge in the flour mixture again. Shake the shrimp after each coating to get off any excess flour or batter.
Step 4: Fry
Working in batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan, fry the shrimp for about 2 minutes (or until they're a nice golden brown color). Drain on paper towels, and then keep warm in a 200 degree F oven while you finish frying the remaining shrimp.
Temperature for Frying Shrimp
Use either peanut oil or vegetable oil to fry the shrimp. I typically use peanut oil because it's affordable, it has a high smoke point, and it will not flavor your seafood. Before frying the shrimp, heat the oil to a temperature of 375 degrees F. Once the shrimp go into the oil, the temperature of the oil may come down slightly. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep the oil within a temperature range of 350 degrees F to 375 degrees F. I prefer to use a deep-fry thermometer to keep an eye on the oil's temperature. If it drops too low, the shrimp will absorb too much oil and have a greasy, unpleasant taste. Too high, and the coating will burn or become too dark before the shrimp inside is cooked through.
If you don't have a deep-fry thermometer, that's fine! Instead, when the oil is hot (but not smoking), add a drop of water to the pan -- if it sizzles, the oil is hot enough for the shrimp. As I noted above, you want to maintain a fairly steady temperature as the shrimp cooks, so don't overcrowd the pan with too many pieces at once (which will bring down the temperature). If the oil is really flying and it seems to be too hot, you can turn down the temperature slightly.
How long to Fry Shrimp
At a temperature of 375 degrees F, the shrimp will be done in about 2 minutes. If the temp dips a little and is closer to 350 degrees F, you may need to leave the shrimp in slightly longer (closer to 3 minutes). Just keep an eye on them and pull them out when they're a nice golden brown color.
If you use larger shrimp in this recipe, you'll need to increase the cooking time.
What goes well with fried shrimp?
Garnish a basket of fried shrimp with lemon wedges or parsley and serve with a few simple and delicious sides. The shrimp are a nice appetizer to serve when hosting a gathering, but they're also a great dinner entrée on their own. Make fried shrimp po boys by serving them on a roll with remoulade sauce, add them to fried shrimp tacos, or serve them on their own with your favorite side dishes!
Favorite Fried Shrimp Sides
- Hush puppies
- Coleslaw
- Hoe cakes
- Baked potato wedges
- Skillet cornbread
- Bakery-style corn muffins
- Southern baked macaroni and cheese
- Southern buttermilk biscuits
- Pumpkin bread
- A simple green salad dressed in Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette
- Easy Potato Salad
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon
- Broccoli Salad
- Fried Apples
- Southern Succotash
What to Dip Fried Shrimp In
Serve the fried shrimp with tartar sauce (shown here), remoulade sauce, ketchup, cocktail sauce or honey mustard for dipping.
Can I fry already cooked shrimp?
Yes, you can -- but it's not recommended. Overcooked shrimp are tough and chewy, so if you're starting with already cooked shrimp, it's much more likely that you'll end up with overcooked shrimp and an undesirable texture. The medium shrimp cook perfectly in the same time that it takes for the coating to turn golden brown and crispy, so the best fried shrimp recipe starts with raw shrimp.
Storage Tips
- Leftover fried shrimp will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They're best served immediately; however, and tend to lose some of their crispy texture as they sit.
- You can freeze the fried shrimp for up to 3 months; however, the texture of the shrimp will not be as good when thawed.
- To Reheat: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the shrimp on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Warm in the oven just until heated through (5-10 minutes), being careful not to overcook them.
Tips for the Best Fried Shrimp Recipe
- Season the shrimp before frying by adding the seasoning to the self-rising flour mixture. You can also season with additional salt and pepper (if necessary), as soon as the shrimp comes out of the oil and is still warm.
- Shake off the excess buttermilk and flour each time you dredge the shrimp to make sure that you just have a light coating on each piece.
- Maintain a consistent oil temperature between 350 degrees F and 375 degrees F for crispy, golden brown shrimp. You may need to adjust the heat to keep the oil within this range.
- Use a spider strainer to place the shrimp in the oil and to remove them at the end of cooking.
- Fry the shrimp in batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan, and gently stir or move them around, as necessary, to prevent them from sticking together.
- To serve a smaller family, cut all of the ingredients in half and fry just 1 pound of shrimp.
More shrimp recipes that you might enjoy:
- Sheet Pan Low Country Boil
- Southern Shrimp and Grits
- Easy Shrimp Creole
- Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta
- Marinated Grilled Shrimp
Crispy Fried Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- Salt
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 4 cups peanut oil or vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Optional, for serving: tartar sauce (or other dipping sauce); lemon wedges; fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, 1 tablespoon salt, Old Bay seasoning, and black pepper.
- Place the buttermilk in a separate shallow bowl.
- Pour the oil into a medium Dutch oven or cast iron skillet and warm over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry and dredge them in the flour mixture first, then coat with buttermilk, and dredge in the flour mixture again. Shake the shrimp after each coating to get off any excess flour or batter.
- Working in batches, fry shrimp until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a paper towel-lined tray. Season with additional salt, to taste. You may need to increase the heat to keep the oil at a steady temperature between 350 degrees F and 375 degrees F as the shrimp fry.
- Keep the fried shrimp warm in a 200 degree F oven while you fry the remaining batches.
Notes
- Nutrition information is merely an estimate. Exact nutrition will vary, depending on the amount of coating that adheres to each piece of shrimp and on how much oil is absorbed by the shrimp during the cooking process.
- Season the shrimp before frying by adding the seasoning to the self-rising flour mixture. You can also season with additional salt and pepper (if necessary), as soon as the shrimp comes out of the oil and is still warm.
- Shake off the excess buttermilk and flour each time you dredge the shrimp to make sure that you just have a light coating on each piece.
- Maintain a consistent oil temperature between 350 degrees F and 375 degrees F for crispy, golden brown shrimp. You may need to adjust the heat to keep the oil within this range.
- Use a spider strainer to place the shrimp in the oil and to remove them at the end of cooking.
- Fry the shrimp in batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan, and gently stir or move them around, as necessary, to prevent them from sticking together.
- To serve a smaller family, cut all of the ingredients in half and fry just 1 pound of shrimp.
- Recipe slightly adapted from Paula Deen.
Nutrition
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V
Easily the best shrimp I have ever made in my entire life. Thank you.
Blair
Yay! So glad that you enjoyed it, V! It's one of our favorite meals, too. 🙂
Bunny Peters
Our family loves this treat (I rarely ever fry foods).
We dip them in either Hoisin-Mayonnaise (2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce to 1 tablespoon mayonnaise) or Kewpie brand “Sesame-Mayonnaise” sauce.
Blair
That's great, Bunny! Those dips both sound tasty. Love the Asian spin. Thanks for your note!