Here’s how to cook frozen raw shrimp in the oven, air fryer, stove, grill, or Instant Pot. Following these tips will help you go from frozen and rock hard to pink and tender in no time.
Then put this low-carb, high-protein food on rice, in tacos, or on kabobs and serve with vegetables. From small to large seafood, it doesn’t take long to make dinner when you forgot to let it thaw first.
Cooking frozen raw shrimp has never been easier. We are sharing all the things, and kitchen hacks, with you here today. As you know I love experimenting with cooking frozen meat to tender. Why? I forget things, and I think you do too, so let’s be a mess together, shall we? (affiliate links present).
Cooking frozen shrimp can seem daunting Will it turn out rubbery and flavorless? Or will you accidentally overcook it into tiny, tasteless pucks? Cooking frozen shrimp requires a few tricks to turn out plump, juicy and delicious shrimp every time
As a busy home cook and mom, I often grab a bag of frozen shrimp to have on hand for quick weeknight meals. But frozen shrimp needs to be handled carefully to live up to its convenience Follow my tips below to never mess up frozen shrimp again!
Thaw Shrimp Properly
The first step is thawing your shrimp correctly. Don’t be tempted to thaw frozen shrimp by running them under hot water or microwaving them. This will start cooking the shrimp, resulting in odd textures
Instead, thaw frozen shrimp in the refrigerator overnight. Place the frozen shrimp in a bowl and put it in the fridge. The extended thaw time allows the shrimp to gently come up to temperature without actually cooking it.
If you’re in a rush, place the shrimp in a colander and run cold water over them for 15-20 minutes. The running water will help speed thaw without cooking them through. Then pat the shrimp dry before cooking.
Pro Tip: For food safety, don’t thaw shrimp at room temperature as bacteria can start to grow.
Cook Shrimp Very Quickly
The key to cooking any shrimp perfectly is cooking it fast over high heat. Shrimp cooks quickly, so high heat helps develop flavor while avoiding overcooking.
For frozen shrimp, I recommend pre-cooking it before using in a recipe. Heat a skillet over high heat. When it’s very hot, add a tablespoon of oil or butter followed immediately by the shrimp in a single layer.
Cook the shrimp for just 1-2 minutes per side until they start to turn pink and opaque. Transfer to a plate. This pre-cook, done quickly, removes excess moisture from the shrimp so they don’t water down the final dish.
Save the Shrimp Cooking Liquid
Here’s a great chef’s tip when cooking frozen shrimp – don’t discard the liquid that leaches out of the shrimp as it cooks. That flavorful shrimp juice can add great seafood flavor to sauces or dishes.
After pre-cooking the shrimp, carefully pour the shrimp juices into a measuring cup. Use it in place of part of the chicken stock, wine or water called for in your recipe. But don’t replace all of the liquid as you’ll throw off the balance. Replace just a 1/4 or a 1/2 of the total liquid with the shrimp juice.
Use the Broiler
Cooking frozen shrimp under the broiler is a great option as the intense heat cooks the shrimp fast without overcooking. Make sure you have an oven-safe pan or sheet pan. Preheat the broiler to high and place the pan under it. Let it preheat for 5 minutes.
In a bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and thyme. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Pour the seasoned shrimp onto it in a single layer and pop it back under the broiler.
Cook for just 2-4 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, stirring halfway through. Watch carefully to avoid overcooking.
Boil Quickly
Boiling is one of the easiest ways to cook frozen shrimp perfectly. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Prepare an ice bath.
Once boiling, add the shrimp and cook just until they turn pink and opaque, about 1-2 minutes. Immediately drain and plunge into the ice bath to stop further cooking. Pat dry and use in recipes.
Pro Tip: Add aromatics like lemon, peppercorns or Old Bay seasoning to the boiling water for extra flavor.
Use Your Air Fryer
The air fryer is amazing for cooking frozen shrimp quickly without thawing first. And they develop a light crispiness you don’t get from other cooking methods.
Simple toss the frozen shrimp with a bit of oil, salt, pepper and spices of choice. Air fry at 400F for 4-5 minutes until opaque and pink, shaking halfway through. Enjoy in tacos, over salad or with cocktail sauce for dipping.
Cook in an Instant Pot
You don’t even need to thaw shrimp before cooking in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Add 1 cup liquid to the pot and insert steamer basket. Add seasoned frozen shrimp and lock lid.
Cook on high pressure for 0 minutes (yes zero!), followed by quick release. The short cook time and quick release prevents overcooking. Shrimp cooked this way are perfect for tacos, pasta and more.
Avoid These Common Mistakes
Now that you know how to cook frozen shrimp properly, be sure to avoid these common mistakes:
- Don’t thaw with hot water or the microwave
- Don’t cook too long – shrimp overcooks easily
- Don’t crowd the pan – cook in a single layer
- Don’t discard the shrimp juices – use them for flavor
- Don’t forget to season – shrimp loves bold flavors
With my tips for cooking frozen shrimp, you’ll be able to prepare delicious shrimp dishes on busy weeknights with ease. No more worrying about ruining expensive shrimp. Just follow these simple tricks for tender, juicy shrimp every time.
What’s your favorite way to cook frozen shrimp? Share in the comments below!
Frequency of Entities:
allrecipes.com – 2
temeculablogs.com – 1
frozen shrimp – 21
cook frozen shrimp – 7
shrimp – 28
cook shrimp – 4
thaw shrimp – 3
thaw frozen shrimp – 2
cooking frozen shrimp – 3
pre-cook shrimp – 2
shrimp juice – 3
broiler – 2
boil shrimp – 2
air fryer shrimp – 2
instant pot shrimp – 2
pressure cooker shrimp – 1
common mistakes – 1
tender juicy shrimp – 1
delicious shrimp dishes – 1
favorite way cook frozen shrimp – 1
How do you cook raw frozen shrimp on the stove?
If you thaw them first it will only take about 4 minutes total. Just take it out of the freezer, dry it off with paper towels, toss it with olive oil and spices, and cook it over medium-low heat.
Do so until they turn pink on both sides. Frozen shrimp cooked on stovetop will need a bit of water. When pan is warm add 1/4 c liquid with as many as you’d like.
Cover with a lid for about 2 minutes on each side or rotating like this until thawed. Then drain liquid, add 1. 5 tbsp olive oil, season, and cook 1-2 min on each side until nice and pink overall. Season with all the things when done and serve. Old Bay is one of our favorites for sure.
How to Cook Shrimp From Frozen in Oven
We are NOT using pre cooked pieces for any of these. Just don’t, you’re just basically cooking them twice if that is what you buy. Those babies can’t be saved; the only way to make shrimp recipes that work is to use raw shrimp every time.
- When you bake frozen fish in the oven, make sure the pieces don’t touch each other.
- Mix together frozen shrimp and spices. Set aside.
- Place a baking sheet into the oven. Put the baking sheet in the oven and turn on the broiler to high for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove pan from oven. Put shrimp on the baking sheet and spread them out so they are in a single layer. Put the shrimp on the hot baking sheet. It might sizzle and steam when you do.
- Place the baking sheet back in the oven, making sure it’s about 6 to 8 inches away from the broiler coils. Broil for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the shrimp turns opaque and pink and just starts to curve.
- Remove from oven and place onto a serving plate.
- When the shrimp is done, use a pastry brush to cover the top with melted butter. Re-season again if you’d like.
How do you know when shrimp is done? You don’t want to cook them too long and dry them out. The key is to get them pink and opaque in color. As you can see, the tails will twist and curl a little to make a shape that looks like a zero.
Undercooked shrimp retains a grayish or translucent color, which is how they look when raw. They won’t be firm like they should be when they’re fully cooked to a pretty pink color; they will feel soft or slimy when you touch them.
