Last Updated on 23rd April 2022 by
You might think that you would do better to buy fresh shrimp rather than frozen, but that’s not usually the case. Shrimp are a very fragile meat in that they need to be kept carefully frozen or used soon after they are caught.
Otherwise, they can go bad and cause food poisoning. It doesn’t take much for shrimp to turn bad and cause indigestion or other health issues.
That’s just one of the reasons to cook frozen shrimp rather than fresh shrimp. Another great reason is that you can store them for longer and use them whenever you want. Frozen shrimp will store for years in the freezer if they’re properly packaged and sealed.
You can also cook them from frozen and they’ll taste great. You probably won’t be able to tell the difference between cooking them from frozen or fresh. They’re still flavorful and juicy when cooked properly.
Let me share with you how to cook frozen shrimp so they come out great and so that no one will be able to tell whether they were prepared from fresh or frozen shrimp.
How to Cook Frozen Raw Shrimp
The method I’m going to share with you uses raw shrimp and requires that you cook them on the stovetop, boiling them in a pot of water. There are other methods you can use as well, but let’s start with this one. It makes shrimp that are really thick, juicy, and tender.
Directions:
- Take a 3-quart saucepan and fill it about 3/4 of the way full with water.
- Add some salt to the pot and then a little parsley and peppercorn for seasoning.
- Warm the pot on high heat until it starts to boil rapidly. Then, remove it from the heat and allow the boiler to stop.
- Add in your frozen shrimp, stir gently a couple times, and then cover the saucepan with a lid.
- Allow the pot to sit for five or six minutes- long enough for the shrimp to become pink and opaque looking.
- You can then take the shrimp out of the pot and drain out the excess liquid.
If you’re going to serve the shrimp cold, you can place them into an ice bath to let them cool down quickly. Shrimp can be served with the shells on or fully peeled.
This method for how to cook frozen shrimp with the shell still on can be used if you are cooking pre-peeled shrimp as well.
How to Cook Frozen Shrimp on Stove?
The method I gave you above for boiling frozen shrimp requires that they cook for about five or six minutes after the water has finished boiling and then cooled down. That’s going to take around 30-35 minutes altogether.
If you’re cooking the shrimp another way, like in the air fryer or in a frying pan, the cooking time will be different. They should cook faster if you are frying them, but you won’t get the same texture from your shrimp.
How long to cook frozen shrimp will depend on which method you want to use as well as how much shrimp you’re cooking at once.
How to Cook Frozen Cooked Shrimp
If your frozen shrimp is already cooked ahead of time, then it will cook very quickly on the stove. You can heat up some oil or butter in a frying pan and throw your frozen shrimp in there with the ice still on it.
Only add the shrimp after the pan and oil have heated, and then you can cook the shrimp for about five or six minutes, until it changes color.
How to Cook Frozen Shrimp in Air Fryer
Just like when you are cooking in the pot or in the frying pan on the stovetop, there’s no need to defrost the frozen shrimp before you cook it in the air fryer. You should preheat the air fryer before adding the shrimp, though. This ensures that the shrimp cooks thoroughly and evenly.
Once the air fryer is heated up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, you can place the frozen shrimp directly into the air fryer basket. Be careful about putting too much shrimp at once into the basket, as that can keep the heat from circulating and cooking the shrimp evenly and thoroughly.
The shrimp should cook for five minutes if it is already precooked. If it is raw frozen shrimp, it will need to cook for 10 minutes.
It’s best to shake up the basket of shrimp about halfway through so that the shrimp get cooked evenly on all sides.
How to Cook Frozen Breaded Shrimp in Air Fryer
Keeping with the theme of cooking in an air fryer, let’s talk about cooking breaded shrimp there. Frozen breaded shrimp cooks at about the same rate as precooked shrimp.
The breading doesn’t really add anything to the cooking time, as it doesn’t make the shrimp much denser. You can still preheat your fryer basket to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and then add the shrimp, letting it cook for about 5 minutes.
Make sure there’s enough space for your breaded shrimp to cook. We also want to make sure that you toss the shrimp a few times while it is cooking. Breaded shrimp will tend to stick together, and if you want to keep it from doing that, you will need to stir to bit while it’s cooking.
How to Cook Frozen Shrimp in Oven
First, prepare your seasonings while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, toss your shrimp in the seasoning and place the shrimp onto a baking sheet with a little space between each piece of shrimp.
Cook the shrimp for 7-10 minutes in the oven. It should have browned a little if it has finished cooking. Remember that raw shrimp takes longer to cook than precooked shrimp. You don’t have to defrost the shrimp before you throw it on the baking pan, and the water from the melting ice should evaporate by the time you take it out of the oven.
I'm Pauline, a mother of four grown children, my passion for cooking stemmed from the joy i get cooking for my family. I love to try new dishes, especially when dining out but creating and sharing my own recipes is my favourite thing to do!
