Sautéed Shrimp

After many years of preparing shrimp both in professional restaurant kitchens and as a go-to meal for my family, I’ve learned that the secret lies in the technique. Since shrimp cook SO fast, it’s incredibly easy to overcook them, leaving them rubbery and tough. This recipe is the culmination of years spent learning all the tricks that will guarantees juicy, tender, and flavorful sautéed shrimp every single time.

What Kind of Shrimp to Buy

Choosing the right shrimp at the store can feel overwhelming, but I have a few tips for you to consider:

Size Matters: Look for large or jumbo shrimp, often labeled as 21-25 count per pound. This size is ideal for sautéing as they are less likely to overcook quickly, giving you a juicy, plump bite every time. Smaller shrimp can easily become tough in the hot pan. (More shrimp sizes to consider include U/15: Under 15 shrimp per pound, 16/20: 16 to 20 shrimp per pound.)

Fresh vs. Frozen: Don’t hesitate to buy frozen shrimp! Unless you live on the coast, the “fresh” shrimp at the seafood counter is often just thawed frozen shrimp. Buying it frozen gives you more control over freshness. Simply thaw in the refrigerator before you’re ready to cook.

Save Time on Prep: To make this a true 10-minute meal, I highly recommend buying shrimp that is already peeled and deveined. The package will typically say “P&D.” Or you can check the seafood counter at the grocery store. While you can certainly do it yourself, having this prep work done for you is a huge time-saver on a busy weeknight.

Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Raw shrimp– You can use either fresh or frozen, just be sure that it’s not pre-cooked. If you want to make a recipe using frozen shrimp, you’ll need to let it thaw completely first.

Cooking oil– Use any variety of cooking oil you like. I use canola for its mild, neutral flavor. Avocado oil, mild tasting olive oil, and vegetable oil are good choices as well.

Unsalted butter– To keep the sodium lower and to prevent the dish from being too salty, unsalted butter is the best option.

Fresh garlic cloves– Use fresh garlic, it always has the best flavor. So much better than buying garlic that’s already minced, pressed, or peeled because it does change flavor at it’s preserved, packaged, and sits on the shelves.

Best seasoning for shrimp –

The best way to season shrimp is with flavors that will balance out any taste of the sea water they came from. Citrus fruit like lemon and lime, garlic, herbs, are the flavor that will always compliments seafood. Simple seasonings like salt, pepper, and paprika are great options, because they balance out most flavors well and all go very well together.

If you like spicy flavors, blackened shrimp is another great recipe to try!

How To Clean Shrimp

If the shrimp you buy isn’t already peeled and deveined, you will need to do that yourself. It isn’t difficult at all, but it can get messy, and honestly, removing its digestive tract isn’t very fun.

Cleaning the Shrimp

For an instructional video and step-by-step instructions on the process, refer to my post, “How to Peel and Devein shrimp“.

To take the shell off, start on the belly side and pull away grabbing the legs and the shell. Pull the shell away from the meat all the way around. You can choose to pull off the tails or leave them on. Keeping the tails on makes a nice presentation but it’s much easier to eat shrimp without tails. 

Use a paring knife or another small knife to slice just the top of the skin all along the back. Expose the dark, long string (aka the vein) that’s running along the back and gently pull it out.

Rinse the shrimp in cold water.

Once they are clean, pat them dry with paper toweling, then place them into a mixing bowl.

How To Make Sauteed Shrimp: Step by Step and Tips

Now that we have the beautifully cleaned and dried shrimp, add them into a mixing bowl. Add in all the seasoning, oil, and lemon juice and toss everything together so that each piece is evenly seasoned. Be gently because the shrimp is quite delicate.

First tip in making perfectly cooked shrimp is preheating your skillet! Searing meat, poultry, seafood, or any other type of food requires using a very hot pan. Place a dry, empty skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes before you add anything to it. If you add butter or oil to soon, it will start to burn. (Remember that different stoves will take different amount of time to heat the pan.)

When the pan is hot, add oil and spread it around. Add the shrimp in one even layer, don’t overlap and don’t overcrowd the pan! This is the second important tip! Use a pan that is large enough to cook the shrimp in 1 layer or cook them in batches.

Once you add the shrimp leave them alone! Do not touch until ready to flip. (Tip #3.) Sear for about 2 minutes, until opaque on that side.

Now is the time to add butter and then flip the shrimp. If you add it too soon, the butter could over-brown and even burn.

Flip each shrimp onto the other side and let them cook another minute or two (again don’t touch), until opaque throughout. Take them out as soon as shrimp are done.

Expert tip: To prevent them from over cooking and becoming rubbery, remove the sautéed shrimp from the pan immediately after cooking. As long as they stay in the hot pan, shrimp will continue to cook.

For a pop of color and a nice plating presentation, garnish the dish with a little more parsley if you’d like.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long do shrimp take to cook?

On average, shrimp take 2-3 minutes to cook completely. Jumbo shrimp could take 4-6 minutes, depending on the actual size and thickness. You are looking for the shrimp to turn completely opaque to be done, and no more.

Should I leave the tails on?

Leaving tails on or taking them off will not affect how the shrimp is cooked, it’s purely for aesthetic. If you want to serve them as an appetizer, you can leave tails on. If you’re serving them over pasta, it will be a lot easier to eat with pasta if you take tails off.

Storing and Reheating Recommendation

Storing: If you have any leftover shrimp, you can store them in the air-tight container, in the refrigerator, for 2-3 days.

Although, I don’t usually recommend reheating seafood, you can technically do it. Shrimp is not bad reheated, especially if they are larger sizes. (Do note that reheated shrimp will not taste as good as fresh and the texture won’t be the same.)

To reheat shrimp, preheat a cooking pan over medium heat and a little bit of butter if desired, and reheat shrimp just until it’s heated through. (DON’T use microwave to reheat shrimp, it will be rubbery.)

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Ways to Serve Sautéed Shrimp

This sautéed shrimp is fantastic on its own, but its simple, savory flavor makes it incredibly versatile. Here are a few of our favorite ways to turn this quick shrimp into a complete meal:

• Shrimp Tacos: Tuck the warm shrimp into tortillas with your favorite toppings like pico de gallo and guacamole for an easy taco night.
• Toss with Pasta or Grains: Mix the shrimp and any pan juices with freshly cooked pasta for a simple and elegant meal. It’s also delicious served over rice, couscous, or in a grain bowl.
• Top a Fresh Salad: Let the shrimp cool slightly and add it to your favorite greens for a light and healthy lunch or dinner. (These shrimp would be great in a Caesar salad, instead of chicken in Southwest salad, or in a Panzanella salad.)
• Serve as an Appetizer: Pile the juicy shrimp onto a platter with some lemon wedges for spritzing and serve as a quick, crowd-pleasing appetizer.

More Shrimp Recipes To Try

Avocado Shrimp Salad

Shrimp Alfredo

Shrimp Stir Fry

Cajun Grilled Shrimp