18 quick shrimp recipes
Shrimp might be the fastest protein there is: it cooks in two or three minutes. That makes it perfect for quick tacos, pastas, stir-fries and party bites.
Updated October 2026 · ranked by popularity
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1. Shrimp pad thai
Chewy rice noodles stir-fried with shrimp, egg and a sweet-sour tamarind sauce, then piled with bean sprouts, peanuts and lime.
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2. Shrimp fried rice
Takeout-style shrimp fried rice with juicy seared shrimp, scrambled egg, peas, carrots and scallions, tossed with soy and sesame oil in one hot pan.
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3. Copycat Panda Express honey walnut shrimp
Crisp fried shrimp in a creamy honey sauce with crunchy candied walnuts made on the stove. Our faster take on Panda Express honey walnut shrimp.
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4. Grilled garlic lemon shrimp skewers
Big shrimp tossed in garlic, lemon zest and a pinch of chili flakes, threaded on skewers and grilled hot and fast until pink and lightly charred.
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5. Lemon garlic shrimp linguine
Linguine tossed with garlicky shrimp, chile, lemon and a buttery pasta-water sauce, finished with plenty of parsley. Bright, simple and fast.
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6. Classic shrimp cocktail
Plump shrimp gently poached in lemony water, chilled fast in an ice bath and served with a zippy homemade horseradish cocktail sauce.
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7. Shrimp and avocado rice paper rolls
Fresh rice paper rolls packed with shrimp, creamy avocado, vermicelli, crunchy veg and mint, with a sweet and sour lime and chile dipping sauce.
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8. Quick skillet paella with shrimp and chorizo
A weeknight paella-style rice: precooked rice crisped in a smoky chorizo, saffron and paprika base with shrimp and peas. Not traditional, but very good.
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9. Shrimp boil foil packets
A campfire shrimp boil in foil: shrimp, smoked sausage, corn and potatoes in Old Bay butter with lemon. Canned potatoes keep it to 20 minutes.
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10. Copycat Din Tai Fung spicy wontons
Our take on Din Tai Fung's spicy wontons: frozen pork or shrimp wontons in a garlicky chili oil sauce with black vinegar and soy. Ready in about 10 minutes.
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11. Chipotle shrimp tacos
Smoky chipotle-spiced shrimp seared in minutes, tucked into tortillas with crunchy cabbage, avocado and a creamy chipotle crema.
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12. Firecracker shrimp
Big shrimp grilled on skewers and glazed with a sticky sriracha-honey sauce with garlic and lime. Sweet, spicy and done in minutes once the grill is hot.
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13. Thai red shrimp curry
Plump shrimp simmered in coconut milk with red curry paste, bell pepper and green beans, finished with lime and Thai basil. Served over jasmine rice.
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14. Gambas al ajillo
Spanish garlic shrimp sizzled in golden olive oil with chile and smoked paprika, served with crusty bread for mopping up every drop of garlicky oil.
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15. Garlic chili shrimp noodles
Juicy shrimp tossed through soy-glazed noodles with a fried garlic and chili oil. Faster than ordering takeout, and better for it.
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16. Copycat Wagamama yaki soba
Our take on Wagamama's yaki soba: noodles tossed with chicken, shrimp, egg and bell pepper in sweet soy, with crispy shallots and pickled ginger. 17 minutes.
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17. Shrimp, mango and rice noodle salad
Cooked shrimp, sweet mango and crunchy veg over vermicelli, drenched in a sweet, sour, salty nuoc cham with heaps of fresh herbs.
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18. Shrimp saganaki
Juicy shrimp simmered in a garlicky tomato and white wine sauce, scattered with feta and steamed under a lid until soft. Bring crusty bread for the sauce.
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Buy frozen raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, and keep a bag in the freezer. Thaw it in a bowl of cold running water in about 10 minutes, then pat it dry so it sears instead of steaming. It is done when it turns pink and curls into a loose C.
Common questions
Can I use cooked shrimp?
You can, but add it at the very end just to warm through, or it turns rubbery.