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Cajun Shrimp

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close up shot of Cajun Shrimp in a pan
This flavorful cajun shrimp recipe has a perfectly spicy kick and makes an easy dinner when served over rice or pasta.
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Table of Contents
  1. Cajun Shrimp Ingredients
  2. Substitutions And Additions
  3. How To Make This Cajun Shrimp Recipe
  4. How To Serve
  5. Storage
  6. More Recipes You’ll Love
  7. JUMP TO RECIPE
  8. Popular Dinner Recipes

This Cajun shrimp dish is sure to thrill your taste buds with its amazing flavor and bold spices. These succulent seafood morsels are spiced with a zesty Cajun seasoning and cooked perfectly in this dish.

close up shot of Cajun Shrimp in a bowl

Cajun Shrimp Ingredients

Cajun Shrimp raw ingredients that are labeled
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A delicious blend of flavors, the juicy shrimp are cooked in traditional Cajun spices, giving you an array of tastes in each bite.

With its mixture of spicy heat and subtle smokiness, it’s a flavor explosion that will tantalize and tease your taste buds.

To make this shrimp dish, you’ll need:

  • 1 pound (21-25) of frozen jumbo peeled, deveined shrimp (thawed)
  • 3 tablespoons of salted sweet cream butter
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons of creole seasoning (I used Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning)

PRO TIP:

You can thaw the shrimp overnight in the refrigerator or in an extra large bowl in cold water.

Substitutions And Additions

SPICE: For an even spicier kick, add 2 teaspoons of hot sauce with the creole seasoning for this easy Cajun shrimp recipe.

How To Make This Cajun Shrimp Recipe

Making Cajun shrimp is a quick and easy process that only needs a few minutes of cooking time.

Preparing the shrimp requires removing the tails from the raw shrimp before tossing them in a pan with olive oil and butter.

You’ll add the Cajun spices and garlic and toss until the shrimp are coated. Shrimp are cooked once they turn pink, which will only take a few minutes.

Follow our easy directions below to make this dish.

STEP ONE: Cut the tails off of the shrimp if the thawed shrimp still has the tails attached. 

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

To easily remove the tails, pinch the tail where it meets the body of the shrimp and gently pull.

STEP TWO: Use paper towels to pat dry the thawed jumbo shrimp.

using paper towels pat dry the thawed shrimp on a wooden board

STEP THREE: Add the butter and olive oil to a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until the butter is completely melted.

STEP FOUR: Add the shrimp and minced garlic. Stir occasionally until the shrimp is a dark pink color and cooked through. 

PRO TIP:

It’s easy to overcook the shrimp, and this will make them rubbery. Shrimp cooks fast and will very quickly turn from a dull gray color to a vibrant pink and white. As soon as this happens, remove them from the pan.

garlic and shrimp added to the butter in a pan

STEP FIVE: Sprinkle the creole seasoning over the cooked shrimp, and stir until completely coated. Serve immediately.

seasoning sprinkled and stirred in a pan

How To Serve

You can serve the Cajun shrimp over grits, a bed of wild rice, rice pilaf, or plain long-grain white rice. You could also serve it up with some creamy mashed potatoes and green beans.

And don’t forget the classic southern side dish – cornbread – to round out this easy weeknight dinner.

We have a few more shrimp recipes that we think you should try. Our bang bang shrimp and shrimp alfredo are two of our favorites.

Storage

Here’s how to store any leftover shrimp so that you can enjoy it later:

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing this shrimp dish. Since the shrimp were previously frozen, it is best not to refreeze them.

close up shot of Cajun Shrimp in a bowl

Loaded with flavorful Cajun spices, this Cajun shrimp makes a delicious dinner entree that only requires a few minutes of prep time and even less cooking time. Served on a bed of rice, pasta, or grits, you have a great meal that will be on the table in no time.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do you cook shrimp on the stove?

To cook shrimp on the stove, you will need a skillet and some olive oil or butter. Heat the shrimp over medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side until they are pink and opaque. Serve immediately to avoid overcooking.

How long do I cook shrimp?

Shrimp cooking times depend on the size of the shrimp and how many you have in the pan. They should be cooked until the flesh is completely pink and opaque. Pan-fried fresh shrimp usually take between three and seven minutes to cook.

Can I use fresh shrimp for this easy recipe?

If you would prefer, you can use fresh shrimp in this recipe.

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close up shot of Cajun Shrimp in a pan

Cajun Shrimp

5 from 23 votes
This flavorful cajun shrimp recipe has a perfectly spicy kick and makes an easy dinner when served over rice or pasta.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 13 minutes
Servings 22

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pounds deveined shrimp, 21 to 25 frozen jumbo peeled (thawed)
  • 3 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons creole seasoning, I used Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning

Instructions
 

  • Cut the tails off of the shrimp if the thawed shrimp still has the tails attached.
  • Use paper towels to pat dry the thawed shrimp.
  • Add the butter and olive oil to a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until the butter is completely melted.
  • Add the shrimp and minced garlic. Stir occasionally until the shrimp is a dark pink color and cooked through.
  • Sprinkle the creole seasoning over the cooked shrimp, and stir until completely coated. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • You can thaw the shrimp overnight in the refrigerator or in an extra large bowl in cold water.
  • To easily remove the tails, pinch the tail where it meets the body of the shrimp and gently pull.
  • It’s easy to overcook the shrimp, and this will make them rubbery. Shrimp cooks fast and will very quickly turn from a dull gray color to a vibrant pink and white. As soon as this happens, remove them from the pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 39kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 237IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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  1. Eileen says

    Sounds nice and easy too. I love cooking shrimp and seafood, makes a delish meal that’s not too timely.
    Typically I’d serve with mashed potatoes, coleslaw, bread and whatever you’d like.
    Thanks.

  2. Linda Gavigan says

    I have only made shrimp before with butter, garlic and lemon. I haven’t tried this recipe yet but am looking forward to it.

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