Juicy Sous Vide Shrimp (Fresh and Frozen)
on Oct 17, 2023, Updated Nov 21, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Sous Vide Shrimp recipe makes the most tender and juicy shrimp that is impossible to achieve with traditional methods. Ready in 20 minutes, this healthy dinner is so flavorful and lip-smacking delicious with the addictive honey garlic sauce. No more overcooked and chewy shrimp again. You can cook the shrimp from fresh or frozen!
I’ve been cooking Sous Vide Shrimp Scampi at least once a week recently. It has a perfect tender texture that cannot be achieved with the traditional method.
Simply serve over rice, tacos, or pasta through the sweet, savory, and garlicky sauce for a delicious dinner. If you’re like me and need a quick and healthy dinner, I have it all for you today!
What is Sous Vide?
It means “under vacuum” in French, and is known for being a precise and consistent way to cook your food evenly. Simply vacuum seal your food in a bag, and cook it in a water bath to a very precise temperature. No more overcooked shrimp!
Why Sous Vide Shrimp?
- With the traditional method, just cooking a few seconds more can make your shrimp rubbery and chewy. But with sous vide method, you will get the perfect result by eliminating short windows of time for the perfect doneness.
- Sous vide shrimp is so tender and juicy with the guaranteed results EVERY TIME. You can use the same technique to cook scallops or fish too!
- If you use frozen shrimp, this recipe doesn’t require you to defrost shrimp ahead of time. You can cook shrimp from frozen with the sous vide machine, and just add 10 more minutes of cooking time.
Equipment For Sous Vide Shrimp
- Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
- Vacuum Sealer/Sous Vide Bags: Or you can use zip-loc bags
- A Large Pot or Container
- Kitchen Tongs
- Baking Sheet
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Season the shrimp.
Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and olive oil in a large resealable bag.
- Vacuum seal the bag.
Vacuum seal the bag using the “water displacement” technique.
- Sous vide cook the shrimp.
Place the vacuum-sealed bag in the sous vide machine and cook at 140 F degrees for 20 minutes.
- Make honey garlic sauce.
In the meantime, add all the sauce ingredients to a skillet and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Toss the shrimp with the sauce.
Once the timer goes off, remove the shrimp from the bag and toss them with the sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Toss the shrimp with half a teaspoon baking soda 30 minutes before sous vide cooking will yield plump shrimp.
- It’s very important to keep the shrimp in a single layer in the bag. If your bag is not big enough, you can use multiple bags. You can vacuum seal the bag first, and then move the shrimp around to a single layer.
- If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, you can use a zip-top bag and seal it with water displacement technique.
- For a thicker and more sticky sauce, mix it with cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water) in the skillet.
Sous Vide Shrimp Temperature Chart
I recommend setting your sous vide immersion circulator to a temperature between 135°F (57°C) to 140°F (60°C). At this temperature, the shrimp become opaque whitish color and firm with a tender and juicy texture. When the temperature is lower than these, I feel it’s a little too soft for me. For another doneness, see the different textures below:
| Temperature | Texture |
| 125°F (52°C) | Semi-raw and very soft |
| 130°F (54°C) | Half opaque and taste still raw |
| 135°F (57°C) | Very tender and juicy |
| 140°F (60°C) | Close to traditional poached shrimp texture; tender and juicy |
Honey Garlic Sauce
In the sauce, we have 3 familiar favorites: honey, garlic, and soy sauce. To add some extra flavor, I added minced fresh ginger, but that’s optional.
I like to prepare the sauce while the shrimp is getting cooked in the sous vide water bath. Just add all ingredients to the skillet and cook until the sauce thickens. You can add a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch + water) to speed up the process if you are in a rush. The sauce will thicken more when it’s cooling down, turning into an addictive sweet, savory, and sticky sauce!
If you’d like to try other flavors, you can cook the shrimp with lemon butter or teriyaki sauce.
How To Store Sous Vide Cooked Shrimp
If you don’t eat the shrimp immediately after sous vide cooking, you can place them into an ice water bath. Once cooled, remove them from the ice water and pat them dry with paper towels COMPLETELY.
Note: Extra moisture can cause a loss of texture and flavor.
Store the shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge and it’ll last for up to 3 days. You can also store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How To Reheat Leftover Shrimp With Sous Vide
Reheating shrimp is my favorite way to heat up the leftovers. First, preheat your sous vide machine to 140°F. Vacuum seal the shrimp and place the bag in the water bath for about 10-15 minutes.
You eat as is or finish with a quick sear for an extra crispy texture.
More Sous Vide Recipes
FAQs
How long to sous vide shrimp?
Cook fresh (or thawed) shrimp for about 20 minutes in the sous vide water bath. If your shrimp is frozen, add another 10 minutes.
Pro Tip: It’s ok to leave the shrimp in the water bath for an extra 10 to 15 minutes. But avoid cooking it for too long as it could become mushy.
How to select shrimp?
Buy shrimp (or prawns) already deveined and shelled, and you’ll save yourself more time. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.
Can I sous vide frozen shrimp?
Yes, absolutely. To sous vide frozen shrimp, follow the same instructions as cooking the thawed shrimp, and add an extra 10 minutes of cooking time in the sous vide cooker.
What to serve with sous vide shrimp?
You can serve shrimp over rice, pasta, or tortillas. You can pair it with side dishes like green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus. Alternatively, you can use them in a shrimp cocktail or shrimp salad.
Should I sous vide shrimp with shell on or off?
It depends on your personal preferences, but either way, your shrimp will come out perfectly tender and juicy. Shell-off shrimp will cook slightly faster and easier to serve, while the shrimp with shells have more flavor.
How long to cook frozen shrimp sous vide?
If you want to cook shrimp directly from frozen, you’ll need to add about 15-20 minutes to the cooking time
What is the water displacement method?
This technology helps to remove air from a zip-top bag so that the bags are vacuum-sealed and ready for sous vide cooking. To do this, place your shrimp in a zip-loc bag, leaving a small opening at the top.
Slowly lower the bag into the water bath, allowing the pressure to push the air out. Once most of the air is out, you can seal the bag tightly.
Can you overcook shrimp with sous vide?
It’s not possible to overcook shrimp with sous vide. However, if you leave your shrimp in the water bath for too long, you can get a drier and mushy texture.
Perfect Sous Vide Shrimp Recipe {Only 20 minutes}
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Shrimp:
- 1 pound uncooked shrimp, (deveined and peeled, fresh or frozen*, see recipe notes)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- salt and pepper, (to taste)
Honey Garlic Sauce:
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, I use reduced sodium
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
Optional:
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- chopped green onion for garnish
Instructions
Sous Vide Cook Shrimp
- Fill a large container or pot with water, attach the sous vide precision cooker and set the temperature to 140ºF (60ºC).
- Lightly season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and oil in a zip-top bag.
- Seal the bag using the “water displacement” technique: seal all but one corner of the bag and slowly place it in a pot with cold 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 (60ºC), place the vacuum sealed bag in the water bath and set the timer for 20 minutes*. Make sure to submerge the shrimp completely in the water. Use heavy kitchen item to weigh it down if it’s floating. (Time-saving tip: while the shrimp is cooking, make honey garlic sauce, and steam some green vegetables.)
Make Honey Garlic Sauce
- Add honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, and optional minced ginger in a mixing bowl.
- In a skillet over medium heat, add the sauce, and cook for about 5 minutes until it thickens**. Remove from heat and set aside.
Mix the Shrimp with the Sauce
- When the time goes off, remove shrimp from the bag (discard the juice). Toss the shrimp with the sauce
- Garnish with green onions if desired. The sauce is excellent on rice and veggies on the side.
Notes
- *If you use frozen shrimp, cook for 30 minutes in the sous vide water bath.
- ** If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water) to the skillet.
- You can leave the shrimp tails on if you like.
- For plumper shrimp, toss it with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 30 minutes before sous vide.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
Thanks Izzy, this was wonderful, and so quick!
Thank you so much for all this info!
Excellent!