42 Shrimp Dinner Ideas to Satisfy Your Seafood Craving
Make shrimp tonight.
Victor Protasio
If you’re tired of chicken dinners, steak dinners, and pizza for dinner, it might be time to give shrimp a chance. While the tasty crustacean might not be the most popular protein source, it certainly isn’t one that should be overlooked. Why? Shrimp are easy to prepare (especially if you buy them peeled and deveined), can cook in minutes thanks to their small size, and are packed with nutrients such as iodine, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. Plus, shrimp are versatile and can shine no matter what type of dish you put them in, be it a plate of pasta, a bowl of gumbo, or stuffed inside a taco. You can also cook shrimp from frozen, which means it’s a good idea to always have a bag or two of them in the freezer.
Keep reading for 42 shrimp dinner ideas you can make whenever a seafood craving strikes.
Related: 34 Best Dinner Ideas With Sausage for Fast Weeknight Meals
Pasta With Shrimp and Spicy Butter
Greg DuPree
This scrumptious shrimp pasta comes together in less than 30 minutes, but once it’s plated it looks like the kind of meal you’d expect to find at a high-end restaurant. The key to this dish’s appeal is a dressed-up butter enhanced with chopped sun-dried tomatoes, crushed red pepper, smoked paprika, and a spoonful of gochujang, a Korean chile paste that certainly brings the spice. If you love the look of those rippled pasta edges, use a noodle like mafalde.
30-Minute Shrimp and Artichoke Scampi
Fred Hardy
In just under 30 minutes, you could have this garlicky shrimp pasta dinner on the table. Crushed red pepper, minced garlic, and dry white wine are added to a large skillet with olive oil and artichoke marinade for a flavorful sauce. Serve with lemon wedges.
Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
A delicious dinner on one baking sheet? You bet! This Mexican-inspired meal is ready in just 30 minutes, and won’t leave you with a pile of dishes to rinse at the end of the night. Here, you’ll start by warming tortillas on a baking sheet, and then you’ll add the shrimp, peppers, onion, oil, and fajita seasoning for a quick bake and some time under the broiler. Serve with your favorite fajita accompaniments and enjoy.
Greek-Style Shrimp and Potatoes
Transport yourself to Greece with this easy shrimp dinner that also includes a rich, brothy base made of tomatoes, vegetables, onions, and green beans. To add even more flavor and Greek flair, top the dish with feta and fresh dill.
Saucy Shrimp and Noodle Stir-Fry
Since shrimp cook quickly, you can have this stir-fry on the table in about 20 minutes. The secret here is a sauce made with honey, umami-rich soy sauce, and a kick of chile-garlic sauce. Not only does this tasty combination infuse the shrimp and rice noodles with flavor, but it also mingles with meaty shiitake mushrooms and crisp ribbons of bok choy for a complete, balanced meal.
End-of-Summer Salad
Say so long to summer with this colorful salad that’s packed with seasonal produce such as corn, green beans, and tomatoes, as well as shrimp, pickles, and crispy fried onions. As if that wasn’t enough, an umami-rich dressing made with miso and apple cider vinegar ensures this is a dish you won’t soon forget.
Creamy Cauliflower Rice With Shrimp
Cauliflower rice can be pretty bland on its own, but if you transform the riced vegetable into cheesy “risotto,” featuring melted leeks, white wine, and rich chicken broth, each bite will be packed with flavor. Spinach and peas bring healthful balance, while quickly sautéed shrimp ensure there’s plenty of protein in this dish.
Shrimp and Chorizo Skillet Supper
For a protein that’s packed with flavor, turn to smoky chorizo. Here, the delicious meat is joined by sweet, extra-large shrimp and vibrant tomato-braised chickpeas to create a dish that’s seriously drool-worthy. Make a little extra and serve leftovers over pasta, rice, or with a slice of crusty bread to enjoy this dish a second time.
Crispy Rice Bake With Shrimp and Peas
While paella can be tricky to make, this oven-baked take on the Spanish classic calls for just 30 minutes of hands-on work. Arborio rice and shrimp are mixed with plenty of spices and aromatics, as well as peas and fire-roasted diced tomatoes, to deliver a dish that features tender, flavorful rice in the center with crunchy, crispy edges. As an added bonus, this scrumptious dinner comes together in a single pan. That’s what we call a win-win.
Shrimp and Chorizo Stew
For a more broth-based take on paella, give this recipe a whirl. Here, a base of smoky chorizo, earthy fennel seeds, and juicy tomatoes is paired with fiber-rich chickpeas and juicy shrimp. And don’t skimp on the broiled, garlic-rubbed baguette, which allows you to sop up the juices at the end of the meal.
Shrimp Linguine With Chorizo
Chorizo strikes again! In this flavorful dish, the spicy Spanish meat is joined by juicy shrimp and toasted breadcrumbs. Double down on the Spanish theme with a white wine like Txakoli, or red such as Tempranillo, which will complete this 20-minute meal.
Japanese-Style Shrimp Salad
Salad for dinner might not sound like much, but we know you won’t be disappointed or left hungry with this salad. Here, crunchy romaine, avocado chunks, cucumbers, and juicy shrimp are topped with a creamy soy-mayo dressing. Top the whole thing with white or black sesame seeds for some extra crunch.
Buttery Shrimp With Marinated White Beans
Grab those canned beans that have been gathering dust in your pantry for months and use them to whip up this 25-minute meal. For this easy weeknight dinner, cannellini beans and shrimp are combined with garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, butter, and white wine to make a meal you’ll want to whip up over and over again. Don’t have cannellini beans? Use gigante, cranberry beans, or even chickpeas instead.
Shrimp-and-Basil Stir-Fry
For this 15-minute stir-fry, a sauce made of pantry staples—soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar—brings plenty of flavor to shrimp, fresh basil leaves, and plenty of white rice. Add some acidity to the mix with a squirt of fresh lime juice before serving.
Indian-Spiced Shrimp With Cucumber Salad
The undisputed star of this dish is the Indian-inspired spice mix—a fragrant combination of cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and fresh ginger—which coats the quick-roasted shrimp. The flavorful crustacean will then be served alongside a lightly sweetened, vinegar-spiked cucumber mixture and white basmati rice to soak up all the deliciousness.
Tangy BBQ Shrimp
If you’ve ever thought about dipping shrimp in steak sauce, give this recipe a go. It combines those two foods with tomatoes, scallions, and Creole seasoning, and packs plenty of Louisiana flavor in each bite. Be sure to pick up a loaf of fancy bread to sop up every last bit of the sauce. You won’t regret it.
Orzo With Shrimp and Olives
Fred Hardy
This mash-up of a Greek salad and pasta salad is a delicious and quick weeknight dinner. The addition of shrimp packs on the protein (and flavor) while lemon and olives bring those briny notes.
Spicy Sambal Shrimp Stir-Fry
If you like your stir-fries spicy, this recipe is for you. A base of shrimp, snow peas, and white rice gets a kick from bold sambal oelek—an Indonesian condiment made from crushed chilies, vinegar, and other flavoring ingredients. The sambal is balanced out by honey, lime juice, and soy sauce to deliver a five-star dinner in just 20 minutes.
Shrimp Pil Pil With Spinach
The shrimp in this dish is cooked in a riff on Spanish pil pil sauce, which means that it’s flavored with garlic cloves toasted in butter, olive oil, and smoked paprika. The addition of wilted spinach creates a balanced meal, and we suggest purchasing a loaf of crusty bread so none of that smoky, rich sauce goes to waste.
Easy Stovetop Shrimp Boil
Yes you can make a shrimp boil using just one pot, and this recipe is proof. First, you’ll throw onions, lemon, garlic, potatoes, sausage, artichokes, shrimp, and corn into a large stockpot and bring to a boil with some dry shrimp-and-crab boil seasoning. Then, after about 20 minutes, you’ll drain and dump the goods onto a big platter to serve. Easy enough, right?
Related: 15 Food Bowls Packed With Protein, Fiber, and More
Shrimp and Brown Butter Grits
Shrimp and grits is a classic combo for a reason. In this recipe, the duo is drizzled with brown butter that’s been spiked with lemon juice, which wakes things up just a tad and adds a decadent, fragrant nuttiness to the dish. Meanwhile, juicy grape tomatoes and punchy scallions make a chunky sauce that ties the whole meal together.
Shrimp Lo Mein
Why order shrimp lo mein when you can make it yourself? This takeout staple comes together in 25 minutes, and you can customize the sauce and ingredients to your liking. This version has a sauce made with soy, lime, sugar, Sriracha, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil, as well as sautéed shrimp, bell peppers, bok choy, scallions, and mushrooms.
Toasted Garlic-Butter Shrimp
Shrimp and garlic butter make for one heck of a combination, and it’s surprisingly easy to make. You’ll start with shell-on shrimp and give them a toss in a garlic-infused butter and oil mixture, and then finish them off with a generous amount of salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Sounds easy, right?
Baja Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Slaw
Briny shrimp, full-bodied hot sauce, and a creamy, crisp slaw come together to create a taco full of texture and flavor. We like using both red and green cabbage for a colorful slaw, but feel free to choose one or the other. Top with your go-to hot sauce for an extra kick.
Farfalle With Lemon, Shrimp, and Kale
A one-pot pasta meal that delivers restaurant-quality taste? Consider us intrigued! For this dish, instead of cooking the pasta in water and the shrimp and kale in a skillet, you’ll make use of the water to do all the cooking. Then, tossing everything together with olive oil and lemon zest and juice ensures the flavors come through individually. Feel free to stir in some chili flakes or grate some Parmesan on top for even more flavor.
Gochujang Gumbo
Gumbo is a Creole soup from Louisiana, and this untraditional variation includes gochujang—a spicy-sweet Korean chili paste. However, the inclusion of andouille sausage, sliced okra, and shrimp are a nod to the soup's Southern roots. Top with sliced scallions and minced red Fresno chiles for an even bigger burst of flavor.
Grilled Chili Shrimp Tacos
A homemade chili paste is easy to make—garlic, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper—but delivers a bold, smoky taste that pairs beautifully with a sweet-and-spicy pineapple-jalapeño salsa and juicy shrimp.
Smoky Sheet Pan Clambake
Yes, you can host a clambake with just two sheet pans, and it’s simpler than you might think. You’ll toss the standard ingredients—potatoes, sausage, shrimp, mussels, and clams with a generous amount of smoky, paprika-spiced butter—and then sit back while the oven does all the work. Serve with grilled corn for the ultimate summer meal.
One-Pot Shrimp and Asparagus Fra Diavolo
Another one-pot pasta for the books! This meal features a spicy, lemony sauce, which gets thickened by the starch from the noodles. You’ll also find shrimp, asparagus, leeks, and plenty of garlic, which delivers a ton of flavor.
Coconut-Marinated Shrimp With Cucumber and Jicama
If you don’t feel like cooking any shrimp, pick up some cooked crustaceans from the grocery store and give this dish a whirl. The shrimp are marinated in a mixture of coconut milk, Fresno chili, and lime juice, and then mixed with sliced crisp cucumbers and jicama matchsticks. Serve over rice noodles and sprinkle with fresh cilantro and you’re all set.
Linguine With Shrimp and Artichokes
Take the combo of shrimp and pasta to the next level by topping this dish with golden-brown sautéed panko crumbs mixed with chopped parsley. Marinated artichoke hearts add body to this meal, while crushed red pepper flakes bring the spice.
Polenta Bake with Shrimp
This Southern-inspired skillet dinner is as comforting as it gets. In this dish, polenta is mixed with whole milk and Parmesan cheese to make it even creamier, while large, tail-on shrimp get tossed in paprika and butter for even more layers of decadent flavor. Broiled cherry tomatoes bring some sweetness and acidity, while fresh scallions add a satisfying crunch.
Tomato and Shrimp Bisque with Toast
If you’re a tomato soup fan, you’re going to want to try this grown-up version of the comforting meal. Here, you’ll stir in chopped shrimp pieces, which add body to the bisque and kick the flavor up a notch. Serve with crusty bread so you can sop up every last drop.
Shrimp Tacos with Guacamole Cream and Olive Salsa
Who needs sour cream, when you can top fresh shrimp tacos with a simple yet flavor-packed guacamole cream instead? All you need is avocado, lime juice, and salt. An olive salsa (yes, really!) adds zest and salt to each and every bite.
Garlicky Baked Shrimp
Moist yet crunchy, this simple baked shrimp dish is ready in just 25 minutes. Serve it over pasta with a side salad for a complete meal.
Shrimp and Spinach Pasta With Leeks
Sautéed leeks and shrimp combined with a touch of cream, lemon zest, and a handful of spinach make up this 20-minute pasta dish. To make sure there’s plenty of tasty sauce in every bite, use a pasta shape like gemelli, fusilli, or medium shells.
Shrimp and Pineapple Tacos With Black Bean Salad
Cumin-seasoned shrimp and pineapple pieces are cooked together on skewers for this dish, creating a taco filling that's both sweet and spicy. The satiating bean salad side balances out the flavorful duo, and helps ensure you won't go to bed hungry.
Stir-Fried Shrimp and Celery
Don’t knock celery in a stir-fry until you try it. Here, the overly crunchy vegetable is joined by shrimp, snow peas, chili flakes, and a soy-based sauce. Serve over rice and dinner is served.
Spicy Shrimp and Farro Soup With Winter Greens
Shrimp may not be the most popular soup ingredient, but it’s a darn good one. In this recipe, the crustacean is joined by hearty farro, fiber-packed Swiss chard, and a chili pepper-spiced, tomato-based broth. Serve with crusty bread and dunk away!
Related: 21 Simple, Healthy Soup Recipes for Every Season
Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Crispy Tortillas
With tortilla strips, fresh lime juice, roasted pepitas, and creamy avocado slices, this salad is basically a deconstructed shrimp taco. Don’t skimp on the ground cumin, which helps deliver that taco-like flavor.
Spicy Fennel-Fried Shrimp and Celery
If you like shrimp, you’re going to love fried shrimp. In this recipe, the protein is joined by celery as well as fennel and anise seeds, which add an herbal depth. When you’re cooking the shrimp, be sure not to turn them too often, or else they won’t get a good browning.
Curry Powder Shrimp and Rice
Curry powder acts as the superhero ingredient in this quick and easy shrimp dinner recipe. Here, chopped onions and carrots get a quick sauté before combining with rice, garlic, and curry powder. Shrimp is added in the last five minutes, cooking in the residual heat of the rice.
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