How to Cook Frozen Shrimp (Easy Methods For Cooking Frozen Shrimp)
on Nov 17, 2022, Updated Nov 19, 2023
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Did you know that you can cook frozen shrimp straight out of the freezer with no thawing necessary? Once you learn some simple tips, you’ll get juicy and delicious shrimp every time. We’ve covered different easy methods for cooking frozen shrimp.
I always keep a bag of frozen shrimp on hand, as they are incredibly versatile and quick to cook. Shrimp is widely available in the seafood section of almost all supermarkets, and it’s sold frozen most of the time.
Can You Cook Shrimp Straight from Frozen?
If you choose to stir fry shrimp, it’s best to thaw them first before cooking. But there are other ways for you to cook frozen shrimp straight from frozen, from air fryer to sous vide, you can enjoy juicy and tender shrimp without thawing them first. We’ve rounded up 16 of the best frozen shrimp recipes here.
How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp?
If your recipe calls for defrosted shrimp, you’ll want to avoid boiling or hot water when thawing them. You can let them thaw in the fridge overnight, but if you are in a rush, the easiest way is to let the cold tap water run through frozen shrimp for about 10 minutes. You can find a complete guide here.
How to Cook Frozen Shrimp
Method1: Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp (My Favorite)
- Place frozen shrimp in the air fryer basket, and set the temperature to 400 ºF degrees.
- Cook for 5-10 minutes depending on the size and whether your shrimp is pre-cooked.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!
Method 2: Boiling Frozen Shrimp
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Add frozen shrimp to the pot.
- Cover the pot and cook for 2-5 minutes depending on size. Drain the shrimp. Serve with your favorite seasonings or sauce.
Method 3: Instant Pot Frozen Shrimp
- For this method, it’s best to use frozen jumbo shrimp to avoid overcooking. Place a steamer basket into the Instant Pot.
- Add water andshrimp. Then lock the cover.
- Set the pressure to “High”. Adjust time to 0 minutes. Wait for the pressure cycle to complete, about 10-15 minutes.
- Open the Quick Release. When no more steam comes out, remove the shrimp and drain the liquid. Season with optional seasonings or sauce..
Method 4: Steamed Frozen Shrimp
- Fill a large pot with 1 inch of water. Bring it to a boil. Place the steamer basket in the pot.
- Add shrimp to the steamer basket. Cover and steam for 5-6 minutes, depending on size.
- Sprinkle with optional seasonings and serve.
Method 5: Sous Vide Frozen Shrimp
- Fill a large pot with water, and attach the sous vide precision cooker. Set the temperature to 140ºF.
- Season the frozen shrimp with salt and pepper in a zip-top bag.
- Vacuum seal the bag. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 30 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, remove the shrimp from the bag. Add more seasonings if necessary.
Tips & Tricks for Cooking Frozen Shrimp by Baking, Stir-Frying or Grilling
- Thaw shrimp completely before stir-frying, baking, or grilling. If you’ll be baking, grilling or stir-frying your shrimp, do not try to cook from frozen. With these methods, it’s always best to thaw your shrimp first.
- Use highest quality shrimp. When shopping, be sure to avoid packs of shrimp with excess ice crystals as this can indicate thawing and refreezing.
- Don’t overcook shrimp: Thawed shrimp cook incredibly quickly, so you should always be careful of overcooking. You only need a few minutes to cook shrimp, so don’t walk away from the stove. It’s best to have all your ingredients ready to avoid wasting precious time while cooking.
How Long to Boil Frozen Shrimp
Frozen shrimp boil time depends on shrimp size and type. Also, if you have a large pot of boiling water, the temperature will drop less dramatically after you add the frozen shrimp. I recommend at least 2 quarts of water per pound of shrimp. The boiling time will range from 2 to 5 minutes depending on the size.
How to Make Pre-cooked Frozen Shrimp for Shrimp Cocktail?
Shrimp cocktail is a deliciously simple hors d’oeuvre that’s always a hit. To make it, create a broth by combining water, carrots, celery, lemon, parsley, thyme and bay leaves and boiling on high heat. Once at a boil, turn the heat all the way down and allow the broth to simmer for about 15 minutes. Add frozen shrimp and allow them to cook for about 2- 5 minutes until they’re pink and opaque.
How to Make Frozen Raw Shrimp Taste Better?
By boiling frozen raw shrimp in a flavorful broth instead of just water, you can improve the flavor exponentially. You can use vegetable or chicken broth, or simply add seasonings and spices to water and boil.
How to Cook Frozen Shrimp with Tails On?
When it comes to shrimp, tails are a matter of preference. You can definitely cook frozen shrimp with the tails on. If you prefer, you can go ahead and remove the tails before cooking.
How to Tell When Shrimp is Done Cooking?
Shrimp cook very quickly, so you’ll want to pay close attention to them. While raw shrimp are pale and almost translucent, cooked shrimp are slightly pink, opaque and firm. You’ll see the change in color and texture within a couple of minutes, then you’ll know it’s time to remove the heat.
How to Select Shrimp Sizes?
When buying shrimp, you’ll notice that there are various size options available to you. The sizing is displayed by the number of shrimp it takes to make a pound. The smaller the number, the bigger the shrimp. The size of shrimp you want depends on the dish. For example, you may want small or medium bite-size shrimp for pasta, but jumbo shrimp for skewers or shrimp cocktail.
Easy Frozen Shrimp Recipes
- Seafood Gumbo
- Easy Shrimp Boil
- Seafood Boil
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Shrimp
- Healthy Sous Vide Shrimp
Cooking Frozen Shrimp (Step-by-Step Instructions)
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen shrimp
- seasonings such as salt and pepper or sauce, to taste
- olive oil, optional
Instructions
Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp
- Place frozen shrimp in the air fryer basket. You don’t need to defrost them.
- Set the temperature to 400 ºF degree.
- Cook for 5-10 minutes depending on the size or whether they're pre-cooked.
- Season the shrimp with seasonings such as salt and pepper. Or toss it with sauce like teriyaki sauce.
Boiling Frozen Shrimp
- Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil.
- Add frozen shrimp to the pot, submerging completely.
- Cover the pot and cook for 2-5 minutes depending on size.
- Drain the shrimp. Sprinkle with optional seasonings such as salt and pepper.
Instant Pot Frozen Shrimp
- Place a steamer basket into the Instant Pot.
- Add water and shrimp. Then lock the cover.
- Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cooking, then set the pressure to “High”. Adjust time to 0 minutes.
- Wait for the pressure cycle to complete, about 10-15 minutes.
- Open the Quick Release, and the steam will come out of the vent.
- When no more steam comes out, open the lid. Remove the shrimp and drain the liquid. Season with optional seasonings or sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Steamed Frozen Shrimp
- Fill a large pot with 1 inch of water. Bring it to a boil.
- Place the steamer basket in the pot.
- Using kitchen tongs to add shrimp to the steamer basket. Cover and steam for 5-6 minutes, depending on size.
- Sprinkle with optional seasonings and serve.
Sous Vide Frozen Shrimp
- Fill a large pot with water, and attach the sous vide precision cooker. Set the temperature to 140ºF.
- Season the frozen shrimp with salt and pepper in a zip-top bag.
- Seal the bag using the “water displacement” method: seal all but one corner of the bag and slowly place it in a pot with water. Make sure everything below the zip-line is covered by water. Then seal the rest of the bag. (Use a vacuum sealer if you have one.) Make sure to arrange in one layer. If your bag is not large enough, use multiple bags.
- Once the temperature has reached 140ºF, place the vacuum sealed bag in the water bath and set the timer for 30 minutes. Make sure to submerge the shrimp completely in the water. Use heavy kitchen item to weigh it down if it’s floating.
- When the timer goes off, remove the shrimp from the bag. Add more seasonings if necessary.
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
Thank you, Izzy…..This list of options was a big help!