You can easily adjust the level of hotness in this dish by adding more or less cayenne pepper, to make sure you can enjoy all the scrumptious flavor while still feeling the heat.

INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for spicy garlic shrimp, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of these easy shrimp ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

• Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• Brown Sugar: Light brown or dark brown sugar work well in this recipe. They balance out the tanginess and acidity of the soy sauce.
• Olive Oil
• Whole Grain Mustard Powder
• Paprika
• Cayenne Pepper
• Dried Oregano
• Dried Thyme
• Onion Powder
• Salt and Pepper: Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
• Garlic: You can mince it yourself or use minced garlic in the jar.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter.
• Shrimp: Fresh is best but you can use frozen raw deveined shrimp with stems. Just thaw completely and pat dry.
• Green Onions

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to cook easy cajun shrimp in a skillet, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.

PREPARE: Combine all the ingredients, except butter and shrimp, and whisk together. Add to a skillet together with the butter over medium-high heat. Stir for 2 minutes.

🔴 TIP: Do not overcook your shrimp. Allow the shrimp to cook, undisturbed, until the side on the skillet is turning pink and curling. Shrimp are cooked through when they are pink all over and curled up. If you overcook shrimp they will be tough and not as good.

SERVE: Serve with crusty bread, over rice or noodles and with a side of vegetables.

HOW TO MAKE CAJUN SHRIMP IN THE AIR FRYER

• Prepare the sauce according to the main instructions. Add shrimp to sauce and marinate for 15-30 minutes.
• Spray air fryer basket/tray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Place shrimp in a single layer on the air fryer basket.
• Cook for 8 minutes at 400°F. Do not turn over while cooking.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Store leftover cajun shrimp in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Freeze shrimp in a freezer safe container or freezer bag for 10-12 months. We do not recommend refreezing cooked shrimp that was previously frozen raw.

Defrosting: Thaw cooked shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SHRIMP

Serve spicy shrimp over Instant Pot Jasmin Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, egg noodles or with a side of crusty white bread. Cajun shrimp also pairs really well with roasted or steamed vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus or green beans.

We also love serving them with a crunchy and nutritious salad. Have you tried our Italian Salad, Raw Asparagus Salad or Andrea’s irresistible Greek Salad.

MORE SHRIMP RECIPES

If you love shrimp you’ll enjoy our yummy Shrimp Fettuccine or Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp. Have you tried Stef’s amazingly delicious Shrimp Skewers, Shrimp Ceviche or Shrimp Pad Thai?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking spicy shrimp.