Frozen Shrimp Recipes: Budget-friendly and Convenient Shrimp Dishes

Frozen shrimp are a lifesaver because they are cheap and easily obtainable everywhere.

Read on for a collection of recipes that will give you some pointers to make delicious meals from your frozen shrimp and choose the ones that you find most appealing from our list.

Can You Cook Shrimp From Frozen?

Sure you can. Frozen shrimp is still delicious if cooked properly and there are a lot of methods you can use to do so.

It will certainly not be the same as cooking fresh shrimp. Frozen shrimp are likely to have already been prepared and cleaned, so you can skip that part. However, you must thaw them correctly to ensure that the shrimp is in its best condition.

Is It Better to Cook Frozen Shrimp Without Thawing?

We wouldn’t say cooking shrimp straight from frozen is better. It is faster and more convenient because you can skip thawing.

Some methods allow you to cook frozen shrimp directly and some don’t. The ones that do include steaming, boiling, air-frying, and using Instant Pots.

Best Frozen Shrimp Recipes

Check out these budget-friendly frozen shrimp recipes and pick your favorites.

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Shrimp sautéed with broccoli and bell pepper in a black skillet topped with scallion and sesame seeds.

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Pan Fried Shrimp Recipe

This lustrous dish is so shimmery it’s sure to dazzle your world before you taste it. It’s a simple fry with carrots, bell peppers, and broccoli to complete it with crunchy bits.

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Chili Lime Shrimp Recipe

Two dynamic flavors go head to head in this chili and lime recipe to create a knockout dish. Add a bit of Cajun seasoning and paprika to complete a robust flavor profile. Whenever you have 15 minutes to spare, you can whip this recipe out!

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Shrimp And Asparagus Recipe

While simplistic, this crunchy vegetable dish is one to reach for when you need a change of pace. It’s served with cooked barley for a change and adds a mild, nutty taste you’ll appreciate.

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Pan Seared Shrimp Recipe

A superior technique for quick cooking, the pan sear never disappoints. This recipe transforms raw shrimp into plump, caramelized portions that add complex sweet flavors to cooked potatoes.

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Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe

This cheese-stuffed tortilla includes bell peppers for a pop of color and an added crunch. Typically served as a snack, this dish's popularity lies in its being easy to prepare and inexpensive.

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A dish full of cooked shrimp, green beans, and carrot strips, surrounded by a soup bowl, a rice bowl, a soy sauce bowl, a watermelon drink, and split cashews

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Cashew Shrimp Recipe

The best part about a dish like this is how it combines crunchy textures with a meaty substance. You’ll love every single bite! Serve it with rice for a meal that’ll draw compliments from each guest.

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Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi Recipe

This one-pot meal is only 25 minutes away. Add the spaghetti, garlic seasoning, and shrimp one after another into the instant pot and leave it to do the rest.

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Tuscan Shrimp Recipe

Traditional Italian flavors never get old in this Tuscany special. Olive oil, garlic, and tomatoes create the base for a savory meal with spaghetti.

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Shrimp Paella Recipe

At the center of Paella is a saffron-infused stew that is sweetly fragrant. The recipe includes rice and peas cooked in one pan for an efficient yet delicious Spanish meal.

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Shrimp Balls Recipe

Imagine a bite-sized treat that’s delicious, party-worthy, and ready in 27 minutes. This is the recipe to give you that treat. Serve it with a creamy mayo sauce, and you’ve got a splendid appetizer.

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Shrimp Stew Recipe

It’s an extremely quick dish, yet it oozes vibrant aromas as if it were simmered all day. This stew runs over with textures and can be made ahead of time.

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Shrimp Rangoon Recipe

You can’t go wrong with this Rangoon. It’s simple, convenient, and ultimately forgiving. The best part is, for a dish that looks this sophisticated, it’s surprisingly effortless. You won’t regret adding this to your repertoire!

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Voodoo Shrimp Recipe

This meal offers a new bag of tricks to win your guests over. Imperative to the dish is a tomato stew heartened with peppery aromas. It’ll have everyone at the table clamoring for more.

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Pesto Shrimp Recipe

Pesto is the single thing that makes shrimp immediately irresistible. Including it in this recipe will help you revolutionize your family dinners without breaking a sweat.

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Marinated Grilled Shrimp Recipe

As evident, a short and quick marinade can work wonders. Paprika, sriracha, and cayenne carry the heat in this dish, leaving lime juice to mellow its flavors. By the end of the cook, the shrimp is infused with intense aromas that no one will guess it’s a 20-minute meal!

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Shrimp Marinade Recipe

Prepare to get soaked up in sriracha flavors with this simple marinated dish. If you’re a fan of bold flavors, you may want to take the shrimp with no embellishments.

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Shrimp Parmesan Recipe

While there are several ways to beautify shrimp, a breadcrumb and parmesan topping is a popular favorite. And for a good reason. You won’t rack up these irresistible flavors anywhere else in 25 minutes!

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Shrimp Mei Fun Recipe

Typical Chinese flavors like hoisin and soy sauces with hints of lime and curry tie together rice noodles and fresh shrimp in this dish. A flavor bombshell waiting to be indulged.

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Oven-Baked Shrimp Recipe

If you love your dinner with crispy, caramel, baked edges, this meal is a tried-and-true favorite. And it’s easy to make, thanks to the magic and convenience of an oven!

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Shrimp Mozambique Recipe

Don’t let fear of the unfamiliar intimidate you out of taking a shot at this classic. Such a dish requires only one attempt to nail it. It’s a simple saffron-infused wine, tomato, and garlic stew teeming with floral essence and chock-full of delicious flavors.

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Shrimp Orzo Recipe

The shape and texture of orzo makes for a fascinating treat. Coupled with this lemon and pepper stir-fry in cream, it becomes a rich delicacy made right in your kitchen.

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Cajun Shrimp and Rice Recipe

You’ll enjoy this Cajun-seasoned relish if you love Louisiana flavors. We added bell pepper and onion chunks to complete flavorful, hefty portions and create a wonder of a meal.

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Garlic Shrimp Recipe

What can you learn from a dish like this? That simplicity is indeed the ultimate sophistication. You’ll be amazed at how 20 minutes and a garlic butter sear can produce a splendid and restaurant-worthy meal.

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Shrimp Francese Recipe

Francese is a cooking technique whereby you dredge the meat (in this case, shrimp) first in flour and then in eggs before sauteing it or deep-frying it as we did. Simple—yet it tastes like a dream.

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Shrimp Omelet Recipe

This recipe proves that you can serve a no-fuss and no-mess meal in half an hour! It’s already a given that an omelet is delicious, and adding shrimp makes it ten times better. So it’s no surprise that this dish knocks it out of the park with unrivaled breakfast flavors.

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Roasted Shrimp Recipe

This recipe gathers all the potent flavors you seek in a mouthful. It’s buttery, garlicky, herbaceous, and zesty, and it takes an hour to prepare, yet it’s oh-so.

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Shrimp Diablo Recipe

Far from a hellish meal, this diablo (devil) dish delivers a divine experience. A juicy, tomato-simmered feast with savory heat that’ll take you south of the border in minutes.

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Sesame Shrimp Recipe

This recipe features crispy atop crispy components; broccoli, snow peas, and a sprinkle of crunchy toasted sesame seeds. If it isn’t enough that the dish is a texture haven, it’s topped with a honey-sriracha sauce that takes it way above average.

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Shrimp Fajitas Recipe

Fajitas are one of those cozy, hold-in-your-hand meals you always want to eat. You won’t get tired of them with this cumin-seasoned crustacean version with Greek yogurt to tie the flavors together.

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Jerk Shrimp Recipe

Jamaican jerk is made by rubbing the meat with spices and letting it marinate. The myriad of seasonings makes the dish a little more complex, but every bit worth it!

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Shrimp Chow Mein Recipe

While chow mein is well and truly Chinese, there’s no need to shy away from making it yourself. Follow our recipe to the tee, and you’ll have this meal ready quicker than it takes you to order takeout!

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Shrimp Curry Recipe

Your favorite Indian aromas will never get old with this complex, spicy stew. A dish of rich and earthy tastes, it naturally pairs best with a bowl of hot rice.

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Orange Shrimp Recipe

This gorgeous dish is visually appealing and flavorful. It pops with colors that’ll make a rainbow jealous, and the quenching citrus is refreshing. An overall sweet and savory dish for the books.

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Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta Recipe

The heart of this recipe lies in tossing shrimp in a buttery, herb-infused sauce for a glossy finish. Meanwhile, the al dente pasta is the perfect vehicle to help soak up these flavors.

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Shrimp Tacos Recipe

Tacos made from scratch are delicious. These are simple, with no over-the-top ingredients. Rustics like cabbage, avocado, onion, and cheese create the bulk of each taco, yet they taste like a fortune.

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Firecracker Shrimp Recipe

Fish sauce, sriracha, red pepper flakes, and red chili build an intense flavor profile in this firecracker of a treat. The meal stays true to Chinese flavors with spices like ginger and garlic that further define the dish.

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How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp Quickly

The easiest way to thaw frozen food is by moving them to the fridge and letting them defrost overnight. Shrimp are no exception, but overnight may not be suitable for everyone.

There is a faster way to thaw frozen shrimp. Prepare a large bowl of cold water and transfer your shrimp to a ziplock bag. Put the entire bag into the water and cover the bowl. The shrimp will be defrosted in 20-30 minutes.

To speed up this process, place the shrimp directly into the water. Doing so will reduce the time to 10-15 minutes.

How to Tell if Frozen Shrimp Are Bad

Frozen shrimp, or seafood in general, can still spoil if exposed to warm temperatures for too long before cooking.

Don’t buy frozen shrimp if their packaging is damaged (torn or crushed). Check the shrimp for ice crystals, as they may indicate that the shrimp were thawed and then refrozen.

Smell and color are other indications that shrimp have spoiled. Spoiled shrimp may have an "off" ammonia-like scent, sour taste, discolored appearance, or slimy feeling. If your shrimp have any of those signs, don’t hesitate to discard them for safety reasons.

Best Ways to Cook Frozen Shrimp

These four methods allow you to cook shrimp directly from frozen without any precautions.

Air-frying

Air-fryers are very convenient because they can cook food directly from frozen. Technically, shrimp are defrosted and then cooked using the heat from the air-fryer.

Set the temperature to 400 ºF and place the shrimp in the basket. Cook for 5-10 minutes depending on the size of your shrimp. Season the shrimp and enjoy.

Boiling

Prepare a pot of water and bring it to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for 2-5 minutes. Drain, season, and serve the shrimp.

Boiling being so simple, it will allow the most natural taste of the shrimp to shine. You can always customize with seasoning, or replace the water with a flavorful broth of your choice.

Steaming

Similar to boiling, steaming also highlights the authentic taste of shrimp. The only difference here is that you don’t submerge the shrimp in liquid. Instead, you need a steamer basket, and the steam from the boiling water will cook the shrimp.

Steaming takes 5-6 minutes to cook shrimp perfectly.

Instant Pot

This method is most suitable for larger shrimp because the heat can cook small shrimp too quickly.

You will also need a steamer basket for this one. Add water to the pot and place the shrimp in the basket. Put the pressure on high and adjust the time to 0 (zero) minutes.

The pressure cycle will end in 10-15 minutes. After that, open the Quick Release and let all the steam out. Season and serve.