Best Fried Shrimp Recipe (Quick and Easy) - Miss in the Kitchen (2024)

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ByMilisa

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Southern Fried Shrimp is crunchy and delicious and so easy to make! Try this recipe restaurant favorite that you can make at home in just minutes!

This crispy shrimp batter is made with a buttermilk and Old Bay seasoned flour for a flavorful and delicious coating. A favorite dinner or easy appetizer for any gathering.

Best Fried Shrimp Recipe (Quick and Easy) - Miss in the Kitchen (1)

How to Make Southern Fried Shrimp

Best Fried Shrimp Recipe (Quick and Easy) - Miss in the Kitchen (2)
  1. Peel and devein shrimp.
  2. Pour buttermilk into a bowl.
  3. Mix flour and Old Bay Seasoning in a gallon zip top baggie or a bowl.
  4. Dip shrimp in buttermilk and shake off excess.
  5. Drop 4 or 5 shrimp into seasoned flour. Zip bag and shake to coat shrimp, or dredge through flour coating all sides.
  6. Shake offadditional flour and place battered shrimp on a clean baking sheet.
  7. Heatoil into a dutch oven or heavy bottom pan over high heat until it reaches 350°.
  8. Fry shrimp, a few at a time for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown and reaches at least 145° internal temperature.
  9. Use a spider strainer or slotted spoon to remove shrimp from hot oil.
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  1. Drain on paper towels lining a wire rack placed over a baking sheet.
Best Fried Shrimp Recipe (Quick and Easy) - Miss in the Kitchen (4)

Serve crispy fried shrimp with delicious co*cktail Sauce, Tartar Sauce or White Barbecue Sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.

Best Fried Shrimp Recipe (Quick and Easy) - Miss in the Kitchen (5)

Since we built our outdoor kitchen off of the pool area last summer, we have been doing most of our deep frying outside. Best idea ever! All of the mess and the smell of the grease from frying is outside instead of in my kitchen.

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What’s the Best Pan for Deep Frying?

  • We have a propane burner – like for a turkey fryer and use our Dutch Oven for deep frying. The cast iron is perfect for deep frying, maintaining the oil temperature perfectly.
  • A deep-fry thermometer is super handy to make sure your oil stays at the proper temperature. You can also use a deep fryer for this shrimp recipe.

Cooking Temperature and how Long to Fry Shrimp

Shrimp cook really quickly. The oil temperature should be 350-375° and the shrimp will cook in 1-2 minutes.

What Kind of Oil is Best for Fried Shrimp?

  • Peanut Oil is the best. It has a high smoke point and provides great flavor for deep frying.
  • Vegetable Oil or canola oil also works well. It is less expensive and also has a good smoke point for deep frying.

Best Side Dishes for Fried Shrimp

  • Creamy Coleslaw
  • Cucumber Onion Salad
  • Onion Rings
  • Hush Puppies
Best Fried Shrimp Recipe (Quick and Easy) - Miss in the Kitchen (6)

More Shrimp Recipes to Try

  • Shrimp is one of our favorite meals and thisEasy Barbecue Grilled Shrimpis always a hit and thisJambalayanever fails to please.
  • We love make this grilled pineapple shrimp has become one of our favorites and Shrimp and Grits is on the must-try list.

Why You Will Love this Fried Shrimp Recipe

  • The crispy coating takes the shrimp to the next level of delicious.
  • A quick and easy recipe for any night of the week or a great addition to fish fries.
  • Classic fried shrimp makes a great bite-sized appetizer and can be made with frozen or fresh shrimp.
Best Fried Shrimp Recipe (Quick and Easy) - Miss in the Kitchen (7)

If you are looking for the best shrimp batter for crispy fried shrimp, give this recipe a try. It is a tried and true favorite.

If you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave a comment and a five star review. Help us share on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!

Best Fried Shrimp Recipe (Quick and Easy) - Miss in the Kitchen (8)

Print Recipe

4.62 from 145 votes

Southern Fried Shrimp

Easy Southern Fried Shrimp is a delicious dinner or appetizer for any occasion.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crispy fried shrimp, fried shrimp batter, how to fry shrimp

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 525kcal

Author: Milisa

Ingredients

  • 1 pound jumbo shrimp 21/25 count peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
  • 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
  • co*cktail Sauce for Serving
  • White Barbecue Sauce for dipping

Instructions

  • Pour buttermilk in a bowl.

  • Mix flour and Old Bay Seasoning together in a shallow dish.

  • Dip shrimp in buttermilk and dredge in flour mixture. Shake off excess flour and place on a lined baking sheet.

  • Place oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pan and heat to 350°.

  • Fry shrimp a few at a time, 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Use a digital thermometer to test shrimp is at least 145° internal temperature.

  • Remove to a paper towel lined wire rack over a baking sheet to drain.

  • Serve with co*cktail sauce or white barbecue sauce for dipping.

Video

Notes

Store leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

To reheat shrimp, place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in a 375° oven for about 5- 8 minutes until heated through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 242mg | Sodium: 1566mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g

Best Fried Shrimp Recipe (Quick and Easy) - Miss in the Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak shrimp in milk before frying? ›

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 cook shrimp like a restaurant? ›

  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

What is the most popular way to cook shrimp? ›

Sautéing. Shrimp cook quickly, so they are a great option for weeknight meals. Sautéing, or pan-frying, is a simple way to prepare shrimp for a variety of meals, from tacos and salads to pasta dishes and more.

What is the best oil to fry shrimp in? ›

Deep fry shrimp by preheating (canola, vegetable, or peanut) oil to 375 degrees F. Carefully place a small amount of breaded or battered shrimp in cooker. Fry shrimp 2 to 3 minutes, depending on size of shrimp, until golden brown outside and opaque in the center.

How long can you soak shrimp in milk? ›

To remove the flavor or taste out of the shrimp or fish you bought, soak it in milk for about a half hour before cooking.

What happens if you don't wash shrimp before cooking? ›

How can I avoid a fishy taste in my shrimp dishes? Purchase fresh shrimp and cook them soon after buying. Rinse shrimp properly under cold water to remove any dirt and pat them dry before cooking to reduce any lingering fishy flavor.

What gives shrimp a good taste? ›

These savory little crustaceans taste best with seasoning that complements their unique umami flavor. The top three spice blends for shrimp are garlic butter, Old Bay Seasoning, and blackened seasoning, and they are easy to make at home!

How do you make shrimp taste better? ›

We already know that a salt and baking soda brine improves the texture and juiciness of shrimp, but adding a little sugar to the mix can help encourage better, faster browning and caramelization once they hit the heat.

How to cook shrimp for beginners? ›

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Put shrimp in a mixing bowl and rub in seasoning mixture. Mix well to make sure shrimp is coated well. Add shrimp to the hot pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, turning once midway, until shrimp is pink and cooked through.

Is it better to cook shrimp fast or slow? ›

Shrimp cooks quickly. The secret is to take them out before they turn rubbery and then cool them down to stop the cooking process. Your shrimp will be ready in less than 5 minutes! Easy Peasy.

Should you cook shrimp fast or slow? ›

Don't walk away! Shrimp cook so quickly that you can't turn your attention to anything else while they're on the heat. It only takes a few minutes for even the largest shrimp to start turning pinkish and curling up into a C shape. And when that happens, they're about done.

Is it better to fry shrimp in oil or butter? ›

The answer is both. Kendra likes to sear shrimp in olive oil, then add butter at the end, spooning it over the shrimp (a.k.a. basting) as the butter melts. Heat a stainless-steel or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Is it better to fry prawns in oil or butter? ›

Try a combination of the two, 50/50 butter and oil. Butter tastes good, but it burns easily. Oil is better for sautéing because it won't burn. Combine the two and you've got the best of both worlds.

Do you rinse fish off after soaking in milk? ›

Well if you put the seafood in a bowl and add cold milk, cover it and let it sit in the fridge for about a half hour the smell goes away. Then just rinse it off, pat it dry and cook as you normally would. I have used this trick on haddock, cod, swordfish and shrimp.

What does soaking seafood in milk do? ›

Before cooking, soak the fish in milk for 20 minutes

In this scenario, the protein in the milk binds with the compounds that cause that fishy odor, in essence extracting if from the fish.

Why do you soak seafood in milk? ›

We've found an easy way to eliminate the smell: Soak the fish or the shellfish meat in milk for 20 minutes and then drain and pat dry. The casein in milk binds to the TMA, and when drained away, it takes the culprit that causes fishy odor with it. The result is seafood that's sweet smelling and clean-flavored.

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.

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