Cooking shrimp in a pan is SO EASY AND FAST! It’s the perfect way to have dinner ready in a FLASH! Just keep a small bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer and you’ll be ready for dinner in no time at all!
Shrimp in a Pan
Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Shrimp in a pan is the way to cook supper for tonight, NO DOUBT! It’s really ready in literal minutes and with that buttery sauce, you’ll be good to go!
Just give it a little squeeze of lemon and boom! Dinner is ready!
You may also like our homemade cocktail sauce (so easy and yummy) or our How to Cook Shrimp for Shrimp Cocktail or even “How to Boil Shrimp” too!
Here’s What You’ll Need to Cook Shrimp In a Pan
- a lb of shrimp
- 4 Tbs of Butter
- Seasonings (Italian seasoning, Old Bay, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, etc. – your choice because they are your taste buds!
Here’s How You Do It
- Thaw the shrimp if they are frozen and if not just jump in now.
- Melt the butter in the pan and as soon as it’s melted, toss the shrimp and seasonings in.
- Cook over medium heat until the shrimp is bright pink and slightly curled. The meat should be opaque.
Special Equipment
You really don’t need any special equipment, however I do recommend…
(Also, I’m an Amazon affiliate and if you click these photos, you’ll go straight through to Amazon where you can compare prices. Purchases made through these links will give a commission, however, that does not change your price. Thank you! Your purchases help support the work at Loaves and Dishes!)
Heavy Duty Cast Iron Pan
I particularly love my Lodge cast iron and I know you will too. It’s perfect for this type of recipe because it heats so evenly. (Plus, as I am writing this, the photo link below has this pan for just $19!!! WHAT?)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
This shrimp will last for a few days if covered in the fridge but they are best hot and fresh out of the pan, so just cook what you will eat right now
I don’t recommend freezing this cooked shrimp. It’s best right out of the pan and I recommend just cooking enough for you to eat right now
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Shrimp in a Pan
You won’t need many tips and tricks to make perfect pan cooked shrimp! The best ones follow here.
- It’s best to heat the butter in the pan, add the seasonings and then put the shrimp in the pan. Don’t try to put the butter and seasonings in a bowl with the shrimp because the shrimp are cold and they make the butter hard and it becomes too difficult to stir.
- The main thing to understand about cooking shrimp no matter if you start with raw, precooked, shell on or shell off, the shrimp is done with the meat is opaque and the shrimp turns bright pink and curls a bit. Take it off the heat immediately.
- If you are using precooked shrimp, just understand that because the shrimp is already cooked, you simply need to warm it up in the pan so lower the temp and let it warm slowly.
- If you thawed the shrimp in the bag that it was frozen in, remove the shrimp from the bag and drain well. You do not want to add that juice to the pan.
- Thaw the shrimp by placing the frozen shrimp into the refrigerator the night before. If you forgot, you can thaw shrimp fast by placing the bag from the freezer section into a large bowl of cool water (not warm or hot water). Change the water every 20 minutes until the shrimp is thawed.
Substitutions
Shrimp – I don’t know of a substitution for the shrimp in this recipe, however, you CAN substitute any format of shrimp you have, raw, precooked, head on, head off, shell on, shell off, etc. Just understand from the notes section when the shrimp is done.
Seasonings – you can substitute any seasonings you prefer in any amount you like. Try garlic and onion powders, Old Bay, Tony Cacheries, hot sauce and butter, Lemon Pepper, etc. Get the idea?
Butter – feel free to substitute an equal amount of olive oil, margarine or whatever oil you prefer.
Watch Us Make Shrimp In a Pan
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Shrimp in a Pan
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp
- 4 Tbs Butter
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 lemon for squeezing juice
Instructions
- Thaw the shrimp by placing frozen shrimp into the refrigerator the day before you prepare.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet or heavy pan over medium heat on the stove top.
- Once preheated, put the butter, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, old bay, salt and pepper into the pan. Heat until the butter is just melted.
- Add the shrimp all at once (but do not include any juices from the container) to the preheated skillet. Stir the shrimp continuously until the shrimp is cooked through. (Flesh is opaque, the shrimp becomes a bright pink color and the tails begin to curl).
- Remove from the heat, squeeze lemon over the top of the shrimp and reserve some for serving at the table with the shrimp.
Notes
- It’s best to heat the butter in the pan, add the seasonings and then put the shrimp in the pan. Don’t try to put the butter and seasonings in a bowl with the shrimp because the shrimp are cold and they make the butter hard and it becomes too difficult to stir.
- The main thing to understand about cooking shrimp no matter if you start with raw, precooked, shell on or shell off, the shrimp is done with the meat is opaque and the shrimp turns bright pink and curls a bit. Take it off the heat immediately.
- If you are using precooked shrimp, just understand that because the shrimp is already cooked, you simply need to warm it up in the pan so lower the temp and let it warm slowly.
- If you thawed the shrimp in the bag that it was frozen in, remove the shrimp from the bag and drain well. You do not want to add that juice to the pan.
- Thaw the shrimp by placing the frozen shrimp into the refrigerator the night before. If you forgot, you can thaw shrimp fast by placing the bag from the freezer section into a large bowl of cool water (not warm or hot water). Change the water every 20 minutes until the shrimp is thawed.
Nutrition
Have you ever been so thankful for a loved ones safe return home? Boy I was the other night when a loved one hit a deer causing quite a bit of damage to the vehicle. The deer, sadly, didn’t make it but my loved one did. Thank you Jesus.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble
