How to make Blackened Shrimp
This Blackened Shrimp recipe is fast, flavorful and endlessly versatile. Made with a homemade blackening seasoning mix that delivers big on flavor and spice, these shrimp come together in minutes and work in tacos, bowls, salads and so much more.
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If you’ve made my Blackened Shrimp Tacos, you already know how good these shrimp are. And if you haven’t… well, that’s a conversation for another day, but the short version is that the shrimp are so flavorful and so simple to make that I decided they deserved their own standalone recipe. Because these shrimp are not just for tacos.
This is a regular rotation recipe in our house. My husband asks for it, and the kids do, as well.
And on any given weeknight when I need something fast and full of flavor, this is where I land.
Why I love this recipe:
This blackened shrimp is the kind of recipe that sounds way more impressive than it actually is to make, and I mean that as the highest compliment.
If you’re a little bit intimidated by the fact that they’re blackened, let me go ahead and clear some things up before we get started: We are not cooking these on an open flame. (Though you can certainly grill them if you prefer.)
Also, there is nothing dramatic about the cooking process. The blackening piece is about the spice blend, which is a homemade mix that’s similar to a Cajun or Creole seasoning, but it has its own personality and some slight differences in the flavors. It sounds fancy, but it’s not.
And since we’re making our own blend here rather than reaching for a store-bought bottle, that means you get more spice and less sodium than pre-packaged versions.
It’s a weeknight hero recipe, which I love and an easy meal… assuming your shrimp is ready to go. If you use frozen shrimp, make sure they are completely defrosted before getting started. And if your shrimp is not peeled and deveined, you need to do that before cooking and that, sadly, will add significant time to the process.
In fact, the part of this recipe that takes the longest is getting out all the spices and measuring those to create the seasoning blend.
Once the shrimp are perfectly cooked, you’re minutes away from dinner. Eat them by themselves, add them on top of a simple salad, in a bowl with rice, beans and veggies, over a bed of creamy coleslaw, in tacos or something else.
These blackened shrimp bring a lot of flavor to the table.
More shrimp recipes to try: Lemon Shrimp Pasta | Grilled Shrimp Skewers | Cajun Shrimp and Grits
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- Nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet
- Tongs
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you need to get at the store to make this easy recipe:
- Sweet paprika — I prefer sweet paprika to a hot paprika or even a smoked paprika in this recipe. You can use whatever sounds best to you.
- Chili powder — I used a chili powder blend from my local grocery store. Use whatever you’ve got on hand. If you use Chipotle chili powder, please note that it will be significantly spicier than a regular chili powder.
- Garlic powder — or granulated garlic if that is what you have on hand. This adds a wonderful garlicky flavor to the mixture without having to worry about garlic burning in the pan.
- Black pepper — freshly ground black pepper from a pepper mill is the best and so wonderfully fresh. If you do not have a pepper mill to do this with, feel free to use pre-ground black pepper.
- Dried oregano and basil — these dried herbs add color and flavor to the homemade blackening seasoning. A little goes a long way!
- Cayenne pepper — a little goes a long way. If you are concerned about this recipe being too spicy, feel free to skip the cayenne.
- Kosher salt — since we have so many other seasonings going on here, we don’t really need a lot of salt. (Please note that store-bought versions of blackening seasoning have a LOT more salt added.) I prefer to use a medium grain kosher salt. You can use a similarly sized sea salt, as well.
- Shrimp — please note that they need to be peeled and deveined before you begin. I like to purchase ones that have already been peeled and deveined because I have a really hard time doing that quickly on any given weeknight. I purchased frozen shrimp that were locally caught at my local grocery store and defrosted them in the fridge before cooking.
- Extra virgin olive oil — or another oil, like avocado oil, of your choosing. This is what we cook the shrimp in.
How to make Blackened Shrimp:
Make the blackening seasoning spice mix. Measure the paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, oregano, basil, cayenne and salt into a small bowl. Stir until mixed. Set aside.
Season the shrimp. Place the deveined and peeled shrimp into a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle on the blackening seasoning, and toss until all shrimp are coated.
The seasoning will be thick. Don’t fear that this will be too much — it makes it delicious!
Heat the oil. Pour it into a skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook the shrimp. Add them to the pan in a single layer once the oil is hot. Cook until pink, then flip and finish cooking. Depending on the size of your shrimp and how crowded your plan is, this will take no more than 7-8 minutes.
Enjoy! Remove the juicy shrimp from the skillet, and enjoy with your favorite sides.
how to store:
Cool, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts. They will not be as tender when you reheat them in the microwave. You can also reheat in the air fryer.
How to serve:
- Over creamy coleslaw as a standalone dish
- In a grain bowl with rice, black beans and roasted vegetables
- On tortillas or lettuce wraps with your favorite toppings
- On top of creamy grits for a Southern spin
- Stuffed into a po’boy style sandwich with lettuce, tomato and Cajun remoulade.
- As an appetizer with a dipping sauce, like a remoulade or avocado cream sauce
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use whatever size shrimp you can get your hands on. Smaller shrimp cook more quickly and larger shrimp will take a little bit more time. You will have less large shrimp in a pound than small shrimp so just keep that in mind.
Yes, but the shrimp needs to be fully defrosted before you cook it.
Sure. You will need 4 ½ teaspoons of that seasoning blend and the overall flavor and saltiness will be potentially be different.
It is a blend of herbs, peppers and spices that adds delicious flavor.
I think this is a good medium spice recipe; however, everyone’s taste buds are different. My children find this to be too spicy on its own so I typically use half of the amount of spice for them when I make the recipe to share with them.
Yes. Use less of the seasoning mixture to coat your shrimp.
I used a non-stick skillet for this but you could very easily use a cast iron skillet as well.
Yes, this would be a great recipe to grill as long as you are using extra-large shrimp. Smaller shrimp will fall through the grates on your grill.
The shrimp will be fully pink and no longer translucent. They cook very quickly so keep an eye on them.
Yes, though I have never made this recipe with a different protein.
No, I recommend making and enjoying these shrimp immediately. You can make the seasoning blend beforehand.
Quick tips and tricks to make the BEST blackened shrimp
- Make the seasoning in advance. That way all you need to do is sprinkle it onto the shrimp, toss it all together, and then sear it quickly in the pan.
- Start with fully defrosted shrimp. Frozen shrimp is incredible, but it needs to be completely defrosted and patted dry before you get started on cooking. Shrimp that have ice on them will steam rather than sear so you won’t get a crust on them.
- Peel and devein before. This is going to add a significant amount of time to the cooking process. Unfortunately, there is no way around it if you need to peel your shrimp. Get it done as quickly as you can and then get going. You don’t want to have the peels on the shrimp for this.
- Play with a spice level. Use half the amount of blackening seasoning called for if you think this is going to be too spicy for you or your crowd.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Let the shrimp have room to sear properly. If the pan is crowded, they will steam instead of getting a crust on the outside.
- Watch them closely. Shrimp cook quickly, a lot faster than you might think. When they start to curl and turn pink and opaque, they are done.
- Homemade seasoning means less sodium. Store-bought seasoning mixes tend to be heavy on salt. Making your own means you control the sodium, which matters if you’re cooking for anyone who watches their salt intake.
Here’s how to make these in your own kitchen…
Blackened Shrimp
EQUIPMENT
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Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 lb. raw shrimp * peeled & deveined
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
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Instructions
- Measure the 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt into a small bowl. Stir until mixed. Set aside.
- If you have not already, peel and devein the shrimp BEFORE proceeding.
- Place the 1 lb. raw shrimp into a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle with the blackening seasoning, and toss until all shrimp are coated. (The seasoning will be thick. Don't fear that this will be too much — it makes it delicious!)
- Heat a skillet with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. (If doing this at a tailgate, you can throw the shrimp directly onto the grill! Or you can cook them on a skillet on the grill, if you so desire.)
- When the oil is hot, add the shrimp.
- Cook until pink and completely cooked through. This will take about 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the heat.
- Remove from the skillet, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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