Best Cajun Shrimp
My cajun shrimp recipe is outrageously flavorful and so easy! I cook the shrimp quickly in a hot skillet, and then swirl in the most delicious garlic cajun butter. I’m going out on a limb and calling this the best cajun shrimp recipe, all thanks to our homemade cajun seasoning. Of course, you can use store-bought seasoning in this recipe, but I highly recommend our homemade blend for the best cajun butter sauce coating your shrimp. This easy shrimp recipe takes less than 10 minutes to prepare thanks to our easy cajun butter. Serve with rice, fill tacos, or even transform this into cajun shrimp pasta (tips are below). And while you have it in the house, we use the same homemade cajun butter to make our cajun corn on the cob! Key Ingredients Shrimp: Use fresh, high-quality jumbo or large shrimp. You can keep the tails on or remove them, whichever you prefer. Cajun Seasoning: You can use store-bought or make your own. It’s a bold blend of spices popular in Creole and Cajun cuisine. Our homemade Cajun seasoning contains hot paprika (or cayenne pepper), sweet paprika, chili powder, dried thyme, sugar, and sea salt. I use the same seasoning when making our pickled shrimp recipe! Butter: I make cajun butter by stirring the cajun seasoning, garlic, and cilantro into softened butter. I use the same butter for my grilled cajun corn. Garlic: The seasoning is already super flavorful, but I love adding one garlic clove. I finely grate it using a microplane and stir it into the butter. Cilantro: I love the little pop of green from cilantro, but parsley makes an excellent substitute. You can also leave it out entirely. Shrimp: Use fresh, high-quality jumbo or large shrimp. You can keep the tails on or remove them, whichever you prefer. Cajun Seasoning: You can use store-bought or make your own. It’s a bold blend of spices popular in Creole and Cajun cuisine. Our homemade Cajun seasoning contains hot paprika (or cayenne pepper), sweet paprika, chili powder, dried thyme, sugar, and sea salt. I use the same seasoning when making our pickled shrimp recipe! Butter: I make cajun butter by stirring the cajun seasoning, garlic, and cilantro into softened butter. I use the same butter for my grilled cajun corn. Garlic: The seasoning is already super flavorful, but I love adding one garlic clove. I finely grate it using a microplane and stir it into the butter. Cilantro: I love the little pop of green from cilantro, but parsley makes an excellent substitute. You can also leave it out entirely. For this easy cajun shrimp recipe, I cook my shrimp quickly in a hot skillet, and just as they are done, I add a swirl of our cajun butter. The cooking process is fast, making it perfect for busy nights. What to Serve with Cajun Shrimp When it comes to serving the shrimp, you have several delicious options. They pair wonderfully with creamy grits or rice. I especially enjoy them with this cilantro lime rice. You can even transform the sauce in this recipe into a pasta sauce. For cajun shrimp pasta, after cooking the shrimp, remove them from the skillet and add cooked pasta to the remaining butter sauce. Add a bit of starchy pasta water, then cook the pasta over low heat while stirring until the butter sauce evenly coats the pasta. Then, return the shrimp to the skillet, give it a good toss, and it’s ready to be served! Best Cajun Shrimp PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins TOTAL 10 mins PREP 5 mins COOK 5 mins TOTAL 10 mins Thanks to our delicious homemade cajun butter, our cajun shrimp recipe has quickly become a family favorite. You can prepare the cajun butter ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to five days or freeze it, making this easy recipe even more weeknight-friendly. Serves 4 Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need 1 pound (450g) medium-to-large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons room temperature butter 1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated 1 tablespoon cilantro or parsley leaves, minced 1 ½ teaspoons homemade cajun seasoning, see tips Directions 1Use a paper towel to pat the shrimp dry. 2Combine the butter, garlic, cilantro (or parsley), and cajun seasoning. Mix well and set aside. 3Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp to the pan, arranging them in a single layer. It’s okay if a few shrimp are stacked on each other. Cook for about 1 minute until the shrimp begins to turn pink. 4Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cajun butter to the skillet. Stir well to coat the shrimp evenly. 5Continue cooking and stirring until the shrimp are firm and opaque throughout, which should take 1 to 2 minutes. 1Use a paper towel to pat the shrimp dry. 2Combine the butter, garlic, cilantro (or parsley), and cajun seasoning. Mix well and set aside. 3Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp to the pan, arranging them in a single layer. It’s okay if a few shrimp are stacked on each other. Cook for about 1 minute until the shrimp begins to turn pink. 4Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cajun butter to the skillet. Stir well to coat the shrimp evenly. 5Continue cooking and stirring until the shrimp are firm and opaque throughout, which should take 1 to 2 minutes. Adam and Joanne's Tips Cajun seasoning: For the best results, we recommend using our homemade cajun blend. However, if you prefer to use a store-bought brand, feel free to do so. Just keep in mind that different brands may vary in their salt content, so you might need to adjust the seasoning accordingly to suit your taste preferences. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Cajun seasoning: For the best results, we recommend using our homemade cajun blend. However, if you prefer to use a store-bought brand, feel free to do so. Just keep in mind that different brands may vary in their salt content, so you might need to adjust the seasoning accordingly to suit your taste preferences. The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/4 of the recipe / Calories 164 / Total Fat 8.1g / Saturated Fat 4g / Cholesterol 197.7mg / Sodium 316.4mg / Total Carbohydrate 0.3g / Dietary Fiber 0g / Total Sugars 2.1g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us Previous Post: Easy Baked French Toast Next Post: Easy Sauteed Bok Choy