This blackened shrimp recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner! Ready in less than 30 minutes, these tender, juicy shrimp are perfect for salads, tacos or even your favorite pasta dish.
Blackened Shrimp
I don’t know about you, but as soon as the weather begins to warm up, I start to crave delicious fresh seafood like juicy shrimp! Maybe it reminds me of being on vacation at the beach? Or maybe I’m just ready to add something besides chicken to my weekly dinner routine? Regardless, there’s no denying how delicious these little shrimps can be when seasoned and cooked to perfection.
Start to finish, this easy blackened shrimp recipe takes less than 30 minutes, depending on how much shrimp you’re wanting to cook. Plus, most of the spices for this recipe are pantry staples, and you can use frozen shrimp if needed. Shrimp is so small that it cooks in just 2-3 minutes on each side, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or even a quick lunch.
I love to make blackened shrimp to add to my salads throughout the week. It tastes delicious but is also super easy! You can also make a well-rounded meal and serve your shrimp alongside your favorite veggies and sides for dinner.
Tips & Tricks
- Wait until the pan is hot. I know sometimes we get impatient, but it’s so important to wait until the pan is hot before adding the shrimp to cook. This will help you avoid overcooking or burning the shrimp, which could lead to them feeling very rubbery.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Again, we have to be patient! I get so tempted to toss all of my shrimp into a large pan to cook at once, but this results in some shrimp cooking at a different pace than others. Cook just enough at a time so that all the shrimp can cook evenly. I guarantee this blackened shrimp is worth the wait.
- Fresh vs. frozen shrimp. Whether you use fresh or frozen, the outcome will still be delicious blackened shrimp. I opted to use fresh shrimp for this recipe, but you can easily substitute frozen. Either way, the result will be tender, juicy shrimp!
Ingredients for Blackened Shrimp:
- Shrimp
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Dried oregano
- Brown sugar
- Cayenne pepper
- Cracked black pepper
How to make Blackened Shrimp:
Step 1: Season shrimp. First you will season the shrimp in a large mixing bowl. To do this, toss together the shrimp, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, dried oregano, brown sugar, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Then continue to mix together until the shrimp are well coated with seasoning.
Step 2: Cook shrimp. Next it’s time to cook! First, in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Then, when the pan is hot, add shrimp and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side. You will know the shrimp are finished when they are pink all around and cooked through.
Step 3: Enjoy! Finally, drizzle the blackened shrimp with a bit of fresh lime juice before serving.
Looking for more seafood recipes? Give these a try!
- Spicy Shrimp Tacos
- Spicy Tuna Croquette
- Salmon and Leek Risotto
- Crab Fries
- New England Style Sheet Pan Clam Bake
- Cedar Plank Salmon
Other easy dinner recipes to try:
- Bibimbap Bowls – Try adding the blackened shrimp!
- Salmon Stir Fry
- Chili Garlic Noodles
- Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi
Blackened Shrimp
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20
- Category: Savory
- Method: Stovetop
Description
This blackened shrimp recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner! Ready in less than 30 minutes, these tender, juicy shrimp are perfect for salads, tacos or even your favorite pasta dish.
Ingredients
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp cracked black pepper
Lime juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together shrimp, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, dried oregano, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and black pepper until well coated with seasoning.
- In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add shrimp in and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until pink all around and cooked through.
- Drizzle with a bit of fresh lime juice before serving.
Notes
- Wait until the pan is hot. I know sometimes we get impatient, but it’s so important to wait until the pan is hot before adding the shrimp to cook. This will help you avoid overcooking or burning the shrimp, which could lead to them feeling very rubbery.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Again, we have to be patient! I get so tempted to toss all of my shrimp into a large pan to cook at once, but this results in some shrimp cooking at a different pace than others. Cook just enough at a time so that all the shrimp can cook evenly.
- Fresh vs. frozen shrimp. Whether you use fresh or frozen shrimp, the outcome will still be delicious. I opted to use fresh shrimp for this recipe, but you can easily substitute frozen. Either way, the result will be tender, juicy shrimp!
Keywords: shrimp, blackened shrimp, seafood
