Blackened Shrimp Recipe

This Blackened Shrimp recipe is a flavor bomb! The shrimp’s spicy and smoky seasoning meets crunchy breadcrumbs and is perfectly balanced by aromatic yellow rice, a cool veggie salad, and creamy avocado – it’s a delicious mix of flavors and textures that’s totally irresistible!

Blackened Shrimp

I love shrimp, yet sometimes want to serve it in a more creative way. At my favorite restaurant, they offer several serving options: with grits and cheese, with pasta and Alfredo sauce, and in a rice pilaf. So that got me thinking of other ideas, and this is the result: Blackened Shrimp with yellow rice and veggie salad! It’s almost like a casserole–several foods served together–but yet again, it’s not.

My husband loves just about anything if it’s blackened, so I knew we were headed for a recipe with great potential. Using panko along with the blackening spices helps the shrimp turn out nice and crispy-crunchy. And the fresh salad with tangy lime vinaigrette dressing sets everything off perfectly. 

How To Make Blackened Shrimp

Even though there are several components in this recipe, it comes together in just over a half hour. And if you make the salad in advance, it’ll save a few minutes of prep time. Below I’m sharing a few of the ingredients that deserve a bit of discussion.

• Shrimp: In this recipe, we use raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp. We like the large ones–about 26-30 per pound. When you see numbers like 26/30 or 41/50, that indicates how many shrimp are in one pound. The smaller the number, the larger the shrimp. A bag of 10/12 shrimp would contain 10 to 12 grandiose shrimp, and a package of 80/85 shrimp would contain 80 to 85 small shrimp.
  • It’s fine to use frozen (and thawed) shrimp for this recipe. In fact, unless the label says otherwise, the vast majority of seafood is frozen right on the ship for fresh keeping, and then thawed before it’s put in the chilled case at the grocery store. Buying shrimp in its frozen state can actually be fresher than getting frozen-but-thawed seafood.
• Yellow rice: Yellow rice is available at most grocery stores in the rice-pasta-grain aisle. Some brands are a bit spicy and others are very neutral, so it pays to check the ingredients so you end up with the type you like. The color of yellow rice comes from turmeric added to the blend, though in some cases it might be colored with saffron. Both are natural products; saffron is the stigma and style portion of crocus flowers and turmeric is the dried and ground root of the turmeric plant. For our recipe, we keep things nice and easy by using a store-bought mix.

Ingredients, Continued

• Corn: Take your pick: fresh, frozen, or canned.  Any style of corn (except maybe creamed) works in the veggie salad topping for this Blackened Shrimp recipe. If it’s fresh, cut the kernels off; frozen, be sure to thaw it under running water; canned corn needs to be drained.
• Tomatoes: We use cherry tomatoes because they’re so cute, but any type of tomato will taste delicious in this recipe. The larger the tomato, the more cuts it will need to be bite-sized.
• Blackening seasoning: There are many brands of blackening seasoning on the market, ranging from mild to extra-hot. Blackening doesn’t simply mean charring a food–it’s a seasoning style that uses a number of herbs. A food (like shrimp, in this recipe) is coated in the spices and then cooked over high heat. As the spices heat up, they release their flavor and also help develop a flavorful crust. If you’d like to make your own, here’s our blackening seasoning recipe. You can double or quadruple the ingredients to make enough to store for later use. Making your own blackening seasoning blend allows you to control the level of spiciness and flavors in this blackened shrimp. Feel free to adjust the ingredients to suit your preferences.

Blackened Shrimp Recipe Tips

1. Shrimp size matters: Using jumbo or large shrimp ensures that the shrimp do not overcook while you are trying to get the coating nice and crispy.
2. Thaw properly: Make sure the shrimp is thoroughly thawed before you begin. If the shrimp is not fully defrosted, it can result in uneven cooking.
3. Pat dry: Thoroughly patting the shrimp dry ensures that the melted butter and coating will stick properly. It also helps get a nice sear on the shrimp.
4. Even coating: Make sure to press the breadcrumb mixture onto the shrimp firmly to ensure an even coating. This gives the shrimp a uniform texture and flavor.
5. Avoid crowding the pan: When cooking the shrimp, avoid crowding the pan, as this can lower the temperature and cause the shrimp to steam rather than sear. Cook in batches for best results!
6. Testing for doneness: Shrimp cooks quickly, so keep an eye on it. It’s done when it turns pink and opaque. Overcooked shrimp can become tough and chewy.
7. Serve immediately: Shrimp can become rubbery if left to sit for too long. For the best results, serve the dish immediately after cooking.

More Shrimp Recipes:

• Lemon Garlic Shrimp with the best lemon butter sauce
• Shrimp Fajitas with peppers and onions
• Honey Garlic Shrimp with broccoli
• Shrimp Couscous with a delicious herb sauce
• Shrimp Foil Packets with veggies

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5 from 1 vote

Blackened Shrimp

By Chelsea Lords

This Blackened Shrimp recipe is a flavor explosion! Smoky, spicy shrimp meet crunchy breadcrumbs, paired with aromatic yellow rice, a cool veggie salad, and creamy avocado.

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

• Pie plate or bowl
• Nonstick pan

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 pound (26-30) raw jumbo/large shrimp defrosted, peeled and deveined; see note 1
• ▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• ▢ 4 tablespoons seafood blackening seasoning blend see note 2
• ▢ 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ▢ 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
• ▢ 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese see note 3
• ▢ 2 (5 to 7-ounce) packages yellow rice mix with the additional ingredients listed on the package
• ▢ veggie salad optional, for serving; see note 4
• ▢ 1 large ripe avocado optional, diced
• ▢ 1 large lemon optional

Instructions 

• Thaw the shrimp (see note 1). Prepare the yellow rice as per the instructions on the package. When the rice is halfway done, start preparing the shrimp.
• Melt butter and let cool to room temperature to prevent clumping when mixed with the shrimp. In a pie plate, combine blackening seasoning blend, breadcrumbs, and grated Parmesan. Add shrimp to a large bowl and pour melted butter on top. Toss gently to coat shrimp in butter. Hold each shrimp by the tail and press into the crumb mixture, ensuring all sides are coated. Place coated shrimp on a plate. Repeat process until all shrimp are coated.
• Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil is hot, add half the shrimp in a single layer. Cook shrimp 1–2 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Turn shrimp with tongs and cook an additional 1–2 minutes, or until fully cooked. Remove shrimp and place on a clean plate. Wipe out the pan and repeat cooking process with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the rest of the shrimp.
• To serve, spread the yellow rice onto a platter. Add the optional salad (see note 4) over the rice, then top with the shrimp. If desired, garnish with diced avocado. Slice the lemon into wedges and serve on the side for guests to drizzle over their individual portions.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Follow package directions to defrost shrimp, if frozen. Be sure shrimp is 100% defrosted and not cold before starting (should be at the same temperature as the butter, or the butter will clump). Once shrimp is defrosted, thoroughly pat dry with a paper towel.

Note 2: Here’s my favorite blackening seasoning blend. Whisk the following together then measure out 4 tablespoons for this recipe:

• 1 teaspoon each: fine sea salt, black pepper, dried thyme, dried oregano, garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 3 tablespoons paprika (I use 1½ tbsp regular and 1½ tbsp smoked paprika)
• ½ up to 1 teaspoon ground cayenne (or less, if preferred; I use ½ tsp in the blend for this shrimp)
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay® seasoning, optional, but delicious!

Note 3: For best flavor and the ideal crumb texture on the shrimp, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. You can typically find this in the refrigerated section of your local grocery store. It’s recommended to steer clear of shelf-stable Parmesan cheese, as it won’t provide the optimal flavor for this recipe.

Note 4: Optional Veggie Salad (SO good!):

• 2 cups corn, thawed if frozen, drained if canned
• ¾ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ¼ cup diced yellow, sweet, or red onion
• ⅓ cup ribboned basil, optional
• Lime vinaigrette: 1 large lime, juiced and zested (2 tbsp juice), 2 tsp Dijon-style mustard, 1 tsp maple syrup, ¼ tsp salt, 2 tbsp olive oil
• Combine corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients (or add to a jar and shake until emulsified). Pour dressing over the corn mixture and stir well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Storage: Let the shrimp and rice cool, then store in separate airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat shrimp in a skillet and rice in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 1829mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 499IU | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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