Blackened Shrimp
This Blackened Shrimp recipe is ready in 10 minutes, so easy! It features boldly-flavored, succulent shrimp, plus charred fresh lemon for a hit of bright acidity. Enjoy this versatile lean protein as an appetizer or main entree – or toss the shrimp into salads, tacos, or rice bowls!
Quick & Easy Blackened Shrimp
Juicy-crisp shrimp that’s flavored with a simple-yet-bold seasoning mix, and ready in mere minutes? This Blackened Shrimp recipe has it all! My easy shrimp recipe features sweet, succulent shrimp coated in a smoky blackened seasoning blend. The shrimp are quickly charred in a hot skillet, along with fresh lemon halves for a pop of bright citrus flavor. Serve this protein-rich seafood recipe as an appetizer, or as a main dish with a fresh salad or veggies. You can also make lettuce wraps, blackened shrimp tacos, and rice bowls!
Why I Love This Blackened Shrimp Recipe
You already know how much I love margarita grilled shrimp – it’s one of my top recipes of all time. Well this is another shrimp recipe that’s quickly become a favorite. Here’s why I think you’ll love it, too:
- Quick. An extraordinary dinner that’s ready in 10 minutes is nothing short of miraculous. I keep my blackened seasoning always on hand so I can make this blackened shrimp whenever I’m craving it!
- Flavorful. The DIY seasoning blend adds bold, rich flavor to this shrimp, and the bright lemon ups the ante.
- Versatile. I serve blackened shrimp as an appetizer and as a main course. Plus, I add it to salads, wraps, tacos, and rice bowls. It has endless versatility!
What You’ll Need
This blackened shrimp recipe has a super simple ingredients list. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.
- Shrimp – For this recipe, use large raw shrimp that are peeled and have the tail on. I use 21-25 count shrimp, which means there are 21-25 shrimp per pound. If you use a different size of shrimp, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Blackened seasoning – This is a smoky blend of dried spices and herbs – use my homemade blackened seasoning recipe or your favorite store brand.
- Avocado oil – This oil has a higher smoke point (about 520℉), which allows you to sear the shrimp at very high heat without causing the oil to smoke and burn. Other oils such as canola oil and vegetable oil, with smoke points of 400-450°F, can also be used – although you’ll want to decrease the heat a bit. This might not give you quite the same blackened effect.
- Lemon – This adds wonderful acidity to brighten the charred, savory flavors of the shrimp.
- Parsley – Herbs always add a touch of fresh flavor and color.
How To Make Blackened Shrimp
Follow along with my easy method below for how to make blackened shrimp. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Dry, then season the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry, then drizzle evenly with a little avocado oil. Fold the shrimp to evenly coat with the oil. Then generously season the shrimp with the blackened seasoning.
- Sear shrimp. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining avocado oil. Then sear the shrimp and lemon half.
- Flip. After 2 minutes, flip the shrimp and sear the other sides, until they are just firm and opaque. Do not overcook.
- Serve. Squeeze the charred lemon over the shrimp and garnish with parsley. Serve hot, right away!
Tips & Variations
Here are a few handy tips and variation ideas to help you cook this shrimp recipe perfectly.
- Use frozen shrimp. Fresh, wild-caught shrimp give awesome flavor to this recipe, but I realize that’s not a reality for a lot of people (including myself!). So frozen shrimp works well, too – just make sure to fully defrost the shrimp before starting.
- Try another size of shrimp. I recommend using large shrimp for this recipe, but you can use this method with any size shrimp you wish. Note that smaller shrimp will cook even faster, which might not give you the same “blackened” results.
- Dry the shrimp well. Remove excess moisture from the shrimp as much as possible before adding the blackened seasoning. This step helps the spice blend stick to the shrimp, and lets the shrimp sear (not steam).
- Try butter. Traditionally, blackened recipes instruct you to first coat the protein with melted butter, and then add the blackened seasoning. Go ahead and try that if you like – simply drizzle a tablespoon of melted butter (instead of the teaspoon of avocado oil) over the shrimp before you add the blackened seasoning.
- Make sure the skillet is HOT: It’s crucial to sear the shrimp in a hot skillet, to quickly achieve the blackened crust without overcooking the shrimp.
- Don’t crowd the skillet: Sear the shrimp in batches if needed. Overcrowding can cause the shrimp to steam instead of sear, which reduces the blackening effect.
- Watch the cook time. Shrimp cook FAST! To enjoy juicy, succulent shrimp, sear the shrimp for a just a few minutes, until they have great exterior char and are no longer translucent.
- Char the lemon. Charring the lemon in the skillet is optional but concentrates the lemon flavor – so lovely!
- Grill the shrimp! If you’d rather throw the shrimp on the grill, go ahead! Add the shrimp to skewers for super easy flipping. If not using skewers, definitely use larger shrimp, so they don’t fall between the grates.
Ways To Serve Blackened Shrimp
Blackened shrimp makes a delicious appetizer or main dish, and is a great addition to salads, wraps, pasta, and rice bowls. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Salad. Pair this flavorful shrimp with my winter apple salad or grilled vegetable salad.
- Rice. Cilantro lime rice is perfect with blackened shrimp.
- Vegetables. Add vegetable sides, like creamy mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, or honey roasted carrots.
- Make tacos. Swap out the fish for blackened shrimp in this fish tacos recipe.
- Cornbread. It’s a Southern thing. Add some cornbread – so many people love my honey cornbread muffins!
- With cocktails. Offer a platter of blackened shrimp during cocktail hour. Try a refreshing bourbon limoncello cocktail, brandy old fashioned, or cucumber mojito – or choose from my collection of drinks recipes.
Proper Storage
Cooked shrimp is always best as soon as it’s made. However, if you have some leftovers, here is how to store them:
- Fridge – Place the leftover, cooled shrimp in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat – Heat a skillet over medium heat, then add a little olive oil or butter. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is just warm.
More Shrimp Recipes
Blackened Shrimp
Yield: 2 servings
This Blackened Shrimp recipe is ready in 10 minutes, so easy! It features boldly-flavored, succulent shrimp, plus charred fresh lemon for a hit of bright acidity. Enjoy this versatile lean protein as an appetizer or main entree – or toss the shrimp into salads, tacos, or rice bowls!
Print
Ingredients
- 1 pound very large (21-25 count) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, with the tail on
- 3 tablespoons blackened seasoning
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided (see Notes)
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Pat shrimp very dry with a paper towel, then place it in a bowl. Drizzle shrimp with 1 teaspoon of the avocado oil, then fold to evenly coat the shrimp. Sprinkle blackened seasoning over both sides of the shrimp.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, until it is very hot but not yet smoking. Then add the remaining avocado oil.
- Once oil starts to shimmer, add shrimp in a single layer. Place 1 to 2 lemon halves cut-side down in the skillet as well.
- Sear shrimp for 1½-2 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 1 minute or so, or until they are just firm, nicely charred, and no longer translucent. Total cook time will vary with different sizes of shrimp. Don’t flip the lemon – allow it to cook on the cut side the entire time you cook the shrimp.
- Remove shrimp from the skillet and squeeze the charred lemon over the top. Garnish with minced parsley and enjoy hot, immediately.
Notes
These shrimp are delicious as an appetizer with shrimp dipping sauce – or add them to salads, lettuce wraps, pasta, tacos, or rice bowls.
Avocado oil has a very high smoke point (about 520℉), which allows you to sear the shrimp at very high heat without causing the oil to smoke and burn. Other oils such as canola oil and vegetable oil, with smoke points of 400-450°F, can also be used – although you’ll want to decrease the heat a bit. This might not give you quite the same blackened effect.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 302kcal Carbohydrates: 7g Protein: 32g Fat: 16g Saturated Fat: 2g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 10g Trans Fat: 0.02g Cholesterol: 286mg Sodium: 2885mg Potassium: 353mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 757IU Vitamin C: 34mg Calcium: 142mg Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
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