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Crispy Popcorn Shrimp

by Katerina

5 from 5 votes

Mar 13, 2020

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Crispy Popcorn Shrimp are one of my favorite party food ideas! Perfectly cooked and golden brown, they’re heads and shoulders above any frozen alternative you can buy. Set up with your favorite dipping sauces and enjoy!

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Why You’ll Love This Popcorn Shrimp Recipe

• Quick and easy. Popcorn shrimp is such a yummy treat! They are so quick and easy to make and everyone ends up fighting over the last one. Sure, the frozen stuff can be quick and easy, too, but wouldn’t you prefer knowing exactly what’s in your popcorn shrimp? And, actually having great quality shrimp instead of a mystery protein covered in loads of breading?
• Great party food. If you’ve been looking for some fresh party food ideas, popcorn shrimp will fit the bill! Everyone loves dipping these tiny shrimps and they’ll likely be the first thing that disappears from your table. I love setting up a dipping station so people can enjoy a variety of different sauces with these tasty shrimp.
• Make ahead. The ability to make these ahead of time is one of my favorite things about these popcorn shrimp! You can bread these babies up and then spread them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer for a half hour. Then, take them out, put them into a freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. This trick makes them the perfect appetizer to have on hand for any drop-by guests. There is almost always a bag of these guys in my freezer just waiting for their time to shine.

What You’ll Need 

• Shrimp: You can use small or medium-sized shrimp, but popcorn shrimp is usually nice and tiny!
• Vegetable Oil
• Flour
• Egg
• Milk
• Seasoning: Cajun seasoning, salt, and peppper.

How to Make Crispy Popcorn Shrimp

• Prepare. Pour 3-4 inches of oil in a deep pot and heat it to 350˚F. I like to use an instant read or candy thermometer to be sure on the temp. While the oil is heating, combine the flour and seasonings in one bowl, and the egg and milk in another.

• Bread. Pour half of the flour and the shrimp into a ziplock bag and shake it up until the shrimp are completely coated. Take the shrimp out and dredge them in the egg mixture. Then, coat the shrimp with the fresh flour mixture (the one with the seasonings).
• Fry. Fry your shrimp 5-6 at a time in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes until they’re golden brown and crispy. Take the shrimp out and let them dry on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat until all the shrimp are cooked.
• Serve and enjoy. I like to garnish the popcorn shrimp with some fresh parsley and enjoy with a tasty dipping sauce!

Recipe Tips and Variations

• Dredging station. I arrange my dredging station from left to right. Then, I use one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry ingredients. This will prevent you from getting things mixed up along the way.
• Hot oil. Keep away from the olive oil! For frying, you need an oil with a higher smoke point. I like to use a grease guard on top of my pan to prevent hot oil from popping out, and I also like to use long sleeves for a little extra protection.
• Constant temp. Make sure your oil maintains a temp of 350˚F. If it gets too hot, it will smoke. If it gets too cool, your shrimp will be greasy. Yuck!
• Seasonings. If you don’t have Cajun seasoning, have no fear! Old Bay is a great substitute.
• Raw shrimp. Purchase your shrimp raw, peeled and deveined. Whenever possible, get yourself some fresh and local shrimp.

How to Serve Popcorn Shrimp

These popcorn shrimp are great on their own with your favorite dipping sauce. I’m partial to our tasty yum yum sauce (you will seriously say YUM!), homemade garlic butter sauce, honey mustard sauce, or the classic cocktail sauce. They’re also great on top of a salad or in a wrap for lunch. Think a cobb or buffalo style salad with popcorn shrimp. I’m drooling just thinking about it… For a complete meal, you can serve them with some grilled veggies and garlic parmesan rice too.

Can I Store or Reheat Leftovers?

• I highly doubt you’ll have any leftovers, but if you do, you can store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 2-3 days.
• To freeze, you can also pop cooled shrimp in the freezer in an airtight container for 3-5 months. Just note that they won’t be crispy when reheated.
• To reheat, simply bring popcorn shrimp to room temp, put them on a baking sheet and warm them in the oven. 

More Easy Shrimp Recipes

• Shrimp Enchiladas
• Grilled Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
• Shrimp Tempura
• Coconut Shrimp Cakes
• Creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad

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5 from 5 votes

Popcorn Shrimp

by Katerina | Easy Weeknight Recipes

Crispy Popcorn Shrimp are one of my favorite party food ideas! Perfectly cooked and golden brown, they're heads and shoulders above any frozen alternative you can buy. Set up with your favorite dipping sauces and enjoy!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 pound small or medium shrimp,, deveined and peeled
• ▢ vegetable oil for frying,, don’t use olive oil; for frying, you need an oil with a higher smoke point.

For the Flour

• ▢ 1 cup all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• ▢ salt and pepper, to taste

For the Egg Mixture

• ▢ 1 whole egg
• ▢ ¼ cup milk

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Instructions 

• Pour oil in a deep saucepan or pot, and heat to 350˚F. For best results, use an instant read thermometer. (Oil should come up about 3 to 4 inches from the bottom of the pot.)
• In a mixing bowl combine flour, Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• In a separate bowl combine egg and milk; mix to combine and set aside.
• Take half of the prepared flour mixture and pour it into a resealable bag.
• Add shrimp to the bag and shake until shrimp are covered with flour mixture.
• Remove shrimp from bag and dredge in egg mixture. Then coat the shrimp with the remaining fresh flour mixture that’s in the bowl.
• Fry shrimp, about 5 to 6 shrimp at a time, in heated oil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides and cooked through.
• Remove from oil and set shrimp on a paper towel lined plate.
• Continue the process with the rest of the shrimp.
• Garnish with parsley and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 288mg | Sodium: 890mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 887IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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