Fried shrimp made with panko and seasoned in a flavorful Cajun spice blend are next level delicious. They're cooked perfectly and have the ultimate crispy crunchy outer coating.
Tell me this, what do you love most about shrimp? If you ask me, my answer would be... first and foremost, I love seafood and shrimp are no exception. I absolutely love the taste and texture of shrimp when they're cooked perfectly.
Beyond its taste and texture, shrimp is a versatile ingredient that pairs well with many different seasonings and sauces. If you're in the mood for Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta (without Cream), Grilled Shrimp Skewers, White Wine Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta, or if you just want to learn How to Cook Frozen Shrimp, so you can make Oven Roasted Shrimp, a Shrimp Bowl, or Prawn Stir Fry with Noodles, shrimp should be a staple ingredient in your freezer because of its versatility and quick cooking time.
With that said, having shrimp on hand has gotten me out of a bind many times during those busy weeknights when life got in the way, and I needed to get dinner on the table pretty quickly.
I'm so excited to share this easy and awesome recipe. It's easy to make and the crisp crunchy texture makes it over the top delicious. So, let's dive in, so you know all that's involved in making a great panko fried shrimp recipe then check out my Fried Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Crema for taco Tuesday or just a casual weeknight or weekend dinner.
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Seasoning
When it comes to seasoning shrimp, the possibilities are endless. Here's a list of my favorite seasonings that truly adds incredible flavor:
- Kosher salt (a MUST)
- Cajun seasoning (either homemade or your favorite store brand)
- Granulated garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Smoked paprika
- Red pepper flakes
- Dried thyme
- Dried parsley
- Lemon pepper
- Black pepper
By the way, these same seasonings are great when used on poultry, beef, lamb, and fish depending on the flavor you're going for. You do not have to use all at once. You can mix and match the ingredients from the list to make an incredible shrimp recipe.
Tips
- Always remove the black digestive tract from each shrimp and discard.
- It's important to dry the shrimp completely before seasoning and dredging.
- Use a cooking oil that has a high smoking point, for example grape-seed oil, vegetable oil or canola oil (I prefer grape-seed oil).
- The oil needs to be hot but not super hot to the point that it begins to burn use a cooking thermometer and allow the oil to reach 350 degrees F if necessary.
- Feel free to use any frying pan but a cast iron skillet is my favorite for pan-frying and sauteing.
- Create an assembly station for yourself, for example, you will need 1 mixing bowl for FLOUR, 1 mixing bowl for PANKO CRUMBS, 1 mixing bowl for WHISKED EGGS, 1 baking sheet for the PREPPED SHRIMP.
- Prep all the shrimp/dredge and place them on a baking sheet FIRST before pan-frying.
- Pay attention and do not overcook (see recipe card below for detailed instructions).
- Pan fry in batches if necessary DO NOT OVERCROWD the skillet.
How to make panko fried shrimp
- De-vein the shrimp by cutting a small slit and removing the black digestive tract that runs lengthwise along the underbelly and top of shrimp.
- Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Make an assembly station and dredge through flour, whisked eggs, and panko crumbs (IN THAT ORDER).
- Pan fry.
- Remove shrimp from skillet.
- Place on baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Dipping Sauce
- Tartar sauce
- Cocktail sauce (of course either homemade or your favorite store brand)
- Remoulade (mayo based sauce with Creole or grainy mustard, ketchup, fresh lemon juice, paprika, cayenne pepper or hot sauce, finely chopped shallot, fresh parsley)
What to serve
Serve these panko fried shrimp alongside your favorite dipping sauce for dunking those crispy golden beauties. Of course french fries, or these Crispy Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes, these Herb Garlic Mashed Potatoes would be amazing too. You can never go wrong with a Fresh Spring Mix Salad.
Store and reheat
To store, place in a ziploc bag or airtight container with lid and place in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To reheat, simply place the leftovers on a baking sheet lined with foil or without foil and place into a 375 degree preheated oven until shrimp are warm.
FAQs
Yes, place shrimp on a baking sheet lined with foil or without foil and place in a 375 degree preheated oven until shrimp are warmed throughout. It may take 7 to 10 minutes.
Yes, fried shrimp should always be deveined. This is done by cutting a small slit along the underbelly and top of the shrimp. Then removing the black digestive tract. The digestive tract can also appear white.
Always use raw shrimp when frying, sauteing, grilling or broiling. In fact, I do not recommend purchasing precooked shrimp from the market. Precooked shrimp could possibly contain bacteria or viruses that could potentially make you sick.
Did you make this recipe
If so, let me know how it went. Leave a star rating within the recipe card down below or TAG @cookingwithbliss on Instagram. I can't wait to see how it turned out.
📖 Recipe
Easy Cajun Panko Fried Shrimp
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or other frying pan
- Paring knife (used to de-vein shrimp)
- Baking sheet (for prepped and coated shrimp)
- Foil paper (for lining baking sheet for easy cleanup)
- Paper towels (used for drying shrimp)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs raw shrimp (for this recipe large size would be great. Frozen raw shrimp are perfectly fine.)
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 eggs (whisked )
- 1-½ cups panko crumbs
- 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (homemade or store brand)
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup grape-seed oil (or other oil with a high smoke point. depending on size of pan, feel free to add more oil if needed.)
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with foil paper then a layer of paper towels on top of the foil paper. The foil paper is used for easy cleanup. Set aside.
- Create your assembling station: 1 bowl with flour; 1 bowl with eggs that have been whisked, 1 station with panko crumbs. Set aside.
- If shrimp are frozen, you will need to defrost. Please refer to https://cookingwithbliss.com/how-to-cook-frozen-shrimp for detailed instructions.
- If shrimp are already defrosted, use a paring knife to de-vein shrimp. Cut a slit along the underbelly and top of shrimp and remove the black digestive tract. You may also notice a think white digestive tract.
- After the shrimp are de-veined, rinse under cold water then lay them on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer so the paper towels can absorb the liquid. Place additional paper towels on the top of the shrimp and gently press to absorb any excess liquid.
- Remove all paper towels including those that were used to line the baking sheet and discard.
- Add the Cajun seasoning and kosher salt and toss until all shrimp coated.
- Meanwhile, pour cooking oil into skillet and place of medium to high heat and allow the oil to get hot. The oil will shimmer when it's hot.
- Now, coat each shrimp: 1) coat the shrimp in flour, 2) dip shrimp into egg mixture, 3) coat with panko crumbs. **Make sure you really coat the shrimp with panko use your hands to completely cover the shrimp and gently pat the panko into the shrimp** REPEAT until all shrimp are completely coated.
- After coating each shrimp, place back on lined baking sheet.
- Pan fry each shrimp, one side for 3 minutes, using tongs, flip and pan fry the other side for 2 minutes. DO NOT OVERCROWD THE SKILLET WORK IN BATCHES.
- Remove shrimp from oil and place on a separate baking sheet lined with clean paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Repeat until all have been pan fried.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or make crispy shrimp tacos.
Notes
- Always remove the black digestive tract from each shrimp and discard.
- It's important to dry the shrimp completely before seasoning and dredging.
- Use a cooking oil that has a high smoking point, for example grape-seed oil, vegetable oil or canola oil (I prefer grape-seed oil).
- The oil needs to be hot but not super hot to the point that it begins to burn use a cooking thermometer and allow the oil to reach 350 degrees F if necessary.
- Feel free to use any frying pan but a cast iron skillet is my favorite for pan-frying and sauteing.
- Create an assembly station for yourself, for example, you will need 1 mixing bowl for FLOUR, 1 mixing bowl for PANKO CRUMBS, 1 mixing bowl for WHISKED EGGS, 1 baking sheet for the PREPPED SHRIMP.
- Prep all the shrimp/dredge and place them on a baking sheet FIRST before pan-frying.
- Pay attention and do not overcook (see recipe card below for detailed instructions).
- Pan fry in batches if necessary DO NOT OVERCROWD the skillet.
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