Learn how to cook shrimp on the stove with these easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions. Large juicy shrimp cooked in the pan. You won’t believe how easy this can be. Get it right the first time and every time. 
Nothing is better than perfectly cooked shrimp. How many times have you stood on the stove cooking shrimp? If you’re like me, cooking shrimp isn’t something you do often. This post is less a recipe, but mainly instructions on techniques. Cooking shrimp is so easy if you know how.
Most
shrimp are
frozen soon after being caught, so the fresher-tasting shrimp are the ones you buy in the freezer aisle rather than the thawed stuff at the supermarket fish counter. Because shrimp is highly perishable, and you don’t really know how long the thawed material has thawed. Therefore, never, I repeat, NEVER buy shrimp that are not frozen.
How to
thaw frozen shrimp If you
buy frozen shrimp, you can thaw them yourself just before you need them. I never let it thaw overnight in the fridge because it will build up too much histamine that way. Histamine is what makes you sneeze and have watery eyes, it can also cause mild to severe digestive problems.
What I usually do is take the shrimp out of their package, put them in a container or strainer in the sink and run cold water over them for about 5 minutes. Mix the shrimp from time to time to make sure everyone is exposed to cold water. You will know that shrimp thaws and is ready when they are no longer frozen solid, but soft, easily flexible and slightly translucent. This will only take a few minutes. Dry the shrimp with a paper towel.
Here is a quick cooking lesson on how to cook shrimp perfectly on the stove.
- First things first, put the shrimp in a mixing bowl and rub them in the seasoning mixture. Mix well to make sure the shrimp are well covered with sea salt, Italian seasoning, paprika and red pepper flakes. Shrimp have a mild flavor, so they take on whatever flavor you serve them with. Delicious!
- Next, turn on the stove and heat the oil or butter over medium-high heat. I usually tilt the pan as the oil heats up to cover the bottom of the pan.
- When the butter melts or the oil moves around the pan easily, add the shrimp to the hot pan. If they don’t sizzle on contact, heat your pan a little more next time.
- Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side, turning only once halfway. Depending on the size of your shrimp and how many you have in the pan, this will usually take 4 to 6 minutes.
- Finally, transfer to a serving plate. Serve the scorched shrimp immediately with pasta or rice. May I suggest Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta and Instant Pot Shrimp and Orzo for your enjoyment?
How do I know when shrimp is made
? Keep in mind that shrimp cook very quickly, do not take your eyes off them, otherwise they can overcook. Overcooked shrimp look like a wide, flexible “U” shape, while overcooked shrimp form an “O” shape. Perfectly cooked shrimp are pink with bright red tails and look like a shaped “C” and ready to eat! One minute they’re a little weird and unappealing, and the next minute it’s hard to avoid eating them straight out of the pan. There is absolutely no guesswork involved.
While
you could probably be perfectly happy with a bowl of shrimp and nothing else, most of the time shrimp need some accompaniment, usually carbs, to make it a meal. Let me introduce you to Pesto Shrimp Pasta, an amazing combination of pesto, white wine fettuccini and Italian seasonings. I am also biased to using red wine when cooking shrimp, as I did in this garlic shrimp paste. Because shrimp is used in almost every kitchen in the world, you can add it to just about anything! Serve the shrimp over rice or orzo, eat them on a bed of vegetables or with some roasted vegetables on the side. What’s your favorite way to dine on shrimp?
