Here's an Easy Sautéed Shrimp Recipe that cooks in minutes on the stove with just a few ingredients. This healthy recipe offers tips to suit your taste and favorite shrimp dishes.
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This sautéed shrimp recipe is the best way to get a meal on the table in minutes or prepare pre-cooked shrimp for dishes that call for them. For example, this Cajun Shrimp Deviled Eggs adds zip to a traditional Southern dish, and you get the taste of shrimp in every spicy bite!
There's also this Shrimp Salad, which is similar to Shrimp Remoulade. It's dressed in a spicy horseradish sauce with a sweet Cajun kick.
For a New Orleans-inspired dish, try this Shrimp Mold Recipe, A New Orleans-style molded dip, as an appetizer.
Ingredients
Shrimp is a healthful, low-calorie, low-carb, high-protein ingredient that's high in cholesterol. Since this dish has few ingredients added to the shrimp, it is still one of those healthy recipes eaten in moderation. You can use fresh shrimp or defrosted ones from the freezer, and these simple seasonings are probably sitting in your pantry right now.
- Shrimp—Gulf shrimp or shrimp harvested closest to your home are best. Use any size, but medium shrimp work well. Peel and devein shrimp before cooking them.
- Olive oil - a heart-healthy alternative to butter and other oils.
- Salt - sea salt or table salt accents the flavorful shrimp.
- Garlic granules - the concentrated flavor is easy to add to the shrimp instead of fresh garlic; garlic powder sometimes clumps, so I use the granules instead.
- Cayenne pepper - this pepper adds a fiery spice, enhancing the flavor of the shrimp.
See the printable recipe card below for specific ingredient amounts and the nutritional value in the list of nutritious facts.
Instructions
Sautéed shrimp cooks quickly, making it perfect for an easy meal or for dishes that call for pre-cooked or leftover shrimp.
Place shrimp into a medium bowl, sprinkle them with the seasonings, and stir to mix.
Place a large skillet over medium heat, pour the oil into the pan, and heat the oil.
Add the shrimp in a single layer to the hot oil.
Toss to cook evenly for 3 to 4 minutes or until they become pink; the cooking time for larger shrimp will take a little longer, and small shrimp may take less time.
Remove the shrimp from the pan and put them into a bowl or dish so the shrimp will not continue to cook in the hot pan.
Serve as is, or use them in shrimp dishes, or toss them into a salad.
HINT - If you have shell-on shrimp, after peeling and deveining, be sure to pass your fingers through the uncooked shrimp to ensure they are free of shells and black veins, rinse in cold water, drain, and pat dry with a paper towel.
Substitutions
- For less effort, use this House Seasoning Blend or your favorite Cajun seasoning instead of the seasonings listed above.
- You may use any other light-tasting oil, like avocado oil, that doesn't overpower the shrimp's best flavor.
- For a buttery taste, use the same amount of butter as the oil instead of the oil.
- Fresh chopped or pressed garlic adds great flavor instead of the easy-to-use garlic granules.
- A sprinkle of red pepper flakes instead of the cayenne pepper gives more concentrated spice. A little goes a long way, and crushing them between your fingers helps release the heat.
Variations
- A splash of fresh lemon juice pairs well with shrimp to brighten and freshen the flavor.
- Season shrimp with taco seasoning and use these sauteed shrimp for shrimp tacos or taco salad; a squeeze of lime juice puts it over the top.
- Add Italian seasoning and/or fresh herbs to the recipe ingredients above and pour them over cooked pasta for an Italian-inspired pasta dish.
- Double the recipe to prepare for a crowd or to use in more than one shrimp dish recipe.
Storage
Cool the leftover sautéed shrimp completely before refrigerating or freezing.
You can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months.
Think ahead for easy prep! You can also store sautéed shrimp in the freezer to make shrimp dishes anytime.
Top tip
For best results, keep a close eye on the shrimp while cooking so they do not overcook or they will become tough and dry.
FAQ
Sauteed shrimp is shrimp cooked lightly in a pan with a small amount of fat and seasonings, stirring until the shrimp are pink and tender.
Place raw shrimp, peeled, cleaned, and seasoned, into a pan of hot oil or butter and stir together just until the shrimp are cooked. This cooks quickly.
Cook the shrimp for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side or 3 to 4 minutes while stirring them around in the pan.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these shrimp dishes:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this easy shrimp recipe:
Easy Sautéed Shrimp, Simple Stove Top Recipe
Simmer shrimp with a few ingredients for a simple meal or recipes that call for cooked shrimp,
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place shrimp into a medium bowl, sprinkle shrimp with seasonings, and stir to mix.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat, pour the oil into the pan, and heat the oil.
- Add the shrimp to the hot oil, tossing it to cook evenly for 3 to 4 minutes or when it becomes pink.
- Serve as is, or use the cooked shrimp in recipes that call for pre-cooked shrimp, toss with pasta, or into salads.
Notes
- Recipe easily doubles for larger crowds and prepping for other recipes.
- Before cooking, pass your fingers through the shrimp to ensure they are free of shells and black veins, rinse in cool water, drain, and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Don't overcook the shrimp, or they will become tough and dry.
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-4 minutes
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Sautee
- Cuisine: American
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"If things go wrong don't go with them."
Roger Babson
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