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This Fried Shrimp Recipe gives you shatteringly crispy, golden panko shrimp that beat any restaurant version, with juicy shrimp inside a crunchy coating. I first fried a big batch on a Friday night when the kids voted for a seafood feast, and they vanished before I could even set out the cocktail sauce. If you love our fried catfish, this crispy fried shrimp is your next must make.
A simple flour, egg, and panko breading is the secret to that signature crunch in every single bite.
Fried Shrimp Recipe Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 3 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 23 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 231kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Crispy, golden, savory
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our crispy catfish nuggets
Quick Answer
Dry the shrimp, then dredge them in seasoned flour, dip in beaten egg, and coat in panko breadcrumbs. Fry in 350 degree oil in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy, then drain on a wire rack and serve with lemon and cocktail sauce.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Panko is the crunch secret. Japanese panko breadcrumbs fry up lighter and crispier than regular breadcrumbs for the ultimate crunch.
- The three step breading sticks. Flour, then egg, then panko gives the coating something to grip so it stays on the shrimp.
- Drying the shrimp matters. Patting the shrimp dry helps the flour adhere so the breading does not slide off in the oil.
- 350 degree oil fries them fast. Hot oil cooks the shrimp in 2 to 3 minutes, crisping the coating before the shrimp overcook.
- A wire rack keeps them crispy. Draining on a rack instead of just paper towels stops the bottoms from steaming and going soft.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The panko coating fries up shatteringly crispy every time.
- It comes together fast and works as an appetizer or a main.
- It is restaurant quality fried shrimp for a fraction of the cost.
Key Ingredients
Here is what makes this fried shrimp recipe so good. Just a few simple ingredients.
- Shrimp: Use large peeled and deveined shrimp so they stay juicy inside the crispy coating.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: The key to that extra crispy, golden crunch. Regular breadcrumbs will not be as light.
- Eggs: The glue that helps the panko stick to the shrimp.
- Flour and Seasonings: A seasoned flour dredge adds the first layer of flavor and helps everything adhere.
- Lemon and Cocktail Sauce: The classic finishing touches for serving.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This fried shrimp recipe is easy to make your own.
- Spicy: Add cayenne or hot sauce to the egg wash for a kick.
- Coconut shrimp: Mix shredded coconut into the panko for a tropical twist.
- Air fryer: Spray the breaded shrimp and air fry at 400 degrees until crispy.
- Gluten free: Use gluten free flour and panko style breadcrumbs.
- Shrimp po boy: Pile the fried shrimp on a roll with lettuce and remoulade.
How to Make Fried Shrimp Recipe
- Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels so the coating sticks.
- Add the shrimp to a bag of seasoned flour and shake to coat.
- Dip the floured shrimp into beaten egg, letting the excess drip off.
- Press the shrimp into the panko breadcrumbs until fully coated.
- Arrange the breaded shrimp in a single layer on a parchment lined tray.
- Fry the shrimp in 350 degree oil in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden.
- Drain the fried shrimp briefly on paper towels.
- Transfer to a wire rack to keep them crispy, then serve with lemon and cocktail sauce.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Dry the shrimp well before breading so the coating sticks and does not fall off.
- Keep one hand dry during breading to avoid clumpy fingers, using one hand for wet and one for dry.
- Use a thermometer to hold the oil at 350 degrees for even, crispy frying.
- Do not crowd the pan so the oil temperature stays steady and the shrimp crisp up.
- Drain on a wire rack instead of paper towels to keep the bottoms crispy.
- Serve right away while the shrimp are hot and at their crispiest.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This fried shrimp recipe is a crowd pleaser as an appetizer or a main. Pile it on a platter with lemon wedges, cocktail sauce, and tartar sauce for dipping.
For a full seafood feast, serve it with fries and a side of slaw. It is also fantastic in a shrimp po boy or on top of a salad.
Round out the meal with our hush puppies and a basket of homemade french fries for a Southern seafood spread.
Fried Shrimp Recipe FAQs
Large or extra large shrimp are best for this fried shrimp recipe because they stay juicy inside the crispy coating. Peel and devein them, leaving tails on if you like.
Breading falls off when the shrimp are wet or the layers are skipped. For this fried shrimp recipe, dry the shrimp well and use the full flour, egg, and panko breading process.
Yes. Bread the shrimp as written, spray them with oil, and air fry at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy.
Fried shrimp are best fresh, but you can bread them ahead and refrigerate, then fry just before serving. Reheat leftovers in the oven or air fryer to re crisp.
Yes. Freeze the cooked, cooled shrimp in a single layer, then reheat in a 400 degree oven or air fryer until hot and crispy. Avoid the microwave.
Cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, remoulade, and a squeeze of fresh lemon are all classic with this fried shrimp recipe.
Hosting a seafood night? Pair these with our crispy Southern fried catfish next.
Love seafood? These grilled mahi mahi fish tacos are light and fresh.
For another crispy app, fry up our beer battered fried green beans.
For another fast seafood favorite, this Asian glazed air fryer salmon is ready in about 15 minutes.
When you want fish off the grill, this grilled mahi mahi is bright, flaky, and easy.
Love easy shrimp recipes? Our grilled shrimp bruschetta is a summer favorite.
Fried Shrimp Recipe
Equipment
- Deep Fryer optional
Ingredients
- 2 pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 large eggs
- Splash of water
- 3 cups plain panko breadcrumbs
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
- cocktail sauce to serve, optional
- lemon wedges to serve, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oil in a deep fryer or dutch oven with oil 3 inches up the sides to 350°F.
- While the oil is heating, prepare the shrimp. Dry the shrimp well with paper towels.2 pounds large shrimp
- In a gallon-sized plastic ziptop bag add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine the seasoning with the flour.1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Add the raw shrimp to the bag. Close the top and shake the bag so the shrimp get coated in the flour mixture, set aside.
- In a shallow dish whisk the eggs with the water until combined.3 large eggs, Splash of water
- In another shallow bowl add the breadcrumbs.3 cups plain panko breadcrumbs
- Working with a few shrimp at a time, take them out of the bag and place them into the egg, move them around so they are coated.
- Let any excess egg drip off and place them into the breadcrumbs. Cover them with the breadcrumbs and gently press them in so they stick, let any excess panko crumbs fall off.
- Place the breaded shrimp onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer, repeat with the other shrimp.
- Once the oil is hot, place shrimp into the hot oil in batches, do not crowd the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they have a gorgeous golden brown color and an internal temperature reaches 165°F, cooking time may vary on the size of the shrimp.
- Place the fried shrimp onto a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Immediately transfer to a wire rack that is set on top of a sheet tray to catch any drips. This will ensure the shrimp stay crispy.
- Repeat with the remaining shrimp. Serve with fresh chopped parsley for garnish, lemon wedges, and cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or favorite dipping sauce.Fresh chopped parsley, cocktail sauce, lemon wedges
Notes
- This makes a large batch, but you can easily double it to feed more or halve the recipe as needed.
- Tons of custom options, see my tips above on that.
- Great main course or appetizer.
- This freezes well, see my tips above on how to store.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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YAY, thanks so much for letting us know. This makes my day. 🙂
Saw this recipe yesterday and just tried it today. It was fantastic. I will be doing this quite often from now on. I didn’t know that it could be this simple.
yet another wonderful recipe Dana!!
I’ll be featuring you this week @ Inspire Me Fridays, thank you so much for sharing!
The shrimp looks delicious! Thanks for sharing on my blog hop. This week’s blog hop is up! What Are You Doing? Blog Hop #15
YUMMY! I love shrimp! Thanks for linking to my Pin Me Linky Party.
These look really good Dana, found your post on The Weekend Potluck! Pinning to my Sensational Seafood board.
We’re also hosting our SUPER SUNDAY Link Party now through Tuesday evening, stop on over and link this up, our readers would love it too!
Lori
Who Needs A Cape? (Not Your Average Super Moms!)
Sounds yummy and definitely looks like restaurant quality. Must make!
I love seafood and I could eat shrimp any time, not just during the summer. I will be sure to make this very soon!
These look wonderful. I love shrimp!!! Thank you for sharing at the hop. ( you will be featured at Katherines Corner on Monday xo
That’s brilliant to put them on a drying rack (why did I never think of it!). I love how easy these are. Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friday
My oldest son would love this, Dana! I’ve pinned this to try one of these times when we have shrimp! Thanks for sharing at All My Bloggy Friends this week – I’ve also shared this on Facebook 🙂
This looks amazing!! I love shrimp and cook it often. I found this recipe on Sugar & Spice on the 733 Blog. I am co-hosting Tasty Tuesdays this week and would love for you to link up this recipe.
Lori
Lori’s Culinary Creations
I think Panko is way better than any solo flour dredge. I just can not fry anything without it. Thanks for linking up to Inspiration in Progress.
Oh yum! I love seafood all the time and these look perfect!