74 Southern-Style Shrimp Recipes

August 12, 2009
Photo: Luca Trovato

Tiny, tasty, and oh-so-quick to cook, shrimp are an extremely versatile ingredient. Whether you’re serving up garlic-butter shrimp cocktail as an appetizer or a hearty shrimp pasta for dinner, shrimp can find its way into any meal. Our Shrimp and Grits Casserole can even make an all-star appearance at your weekend brunch. Peeled, boiled, or grilled—shrimp always tastes best when served Southern-style. If you want to pick a Southern shrimp classic, try shrimp and grits or a Lowcountry boil. Try something fresh and new with our Tex-Mex shrimp chilaquiles or our version of shrimp stir fry, which of course, includes bacon. Whichever shrimp recipe you choose, your family is going to love these seafood supper options. With kid-friendly recipes like Shrimp Fried Rice and Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp, even the pickiest eaters at your table will eat every last shrimp on the plate. Lighten up dinnertime with these delicious shrimp recipes.

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Skillet Rice with Shrimp and Chicken

Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Recipe: Skillet Rice with Shrimp and Chicken

Simple substitutions give these hearty dishes flavorful twists: Swap sausage for chicken, crabmeat for shrimp, or make a vegetarian option by subbing vegetable stock and omitting proteins.

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Shrimp-and-Sausage Gumbo

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Shrimp-and-Sausage Gumbo

Enjoy a smoky and spicy classic that takes just a couple of minutes to prepare. When it's ready, serve over a bed of herbed rice.

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Buttery Garlic Shrimp

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Buttery Garlic Shrimp

Ready in just 15 minutes, this quick appetizer is perfect for last-minute company. When making the sauce in Step 2, whisk in the butter 1 Tbsp. at a time--the key technique in making the sauce velvety.

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Shrimp and Grits

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Shrimp and Grits

The original recipe for this hearty shrimp and grits dish is from Bill Smith, executive chef at Crook's Corner, the landmark Southern restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

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Curried Shrimp Tarts

Photo: Beau Gustafson

Recipe: Curried Shrimp Tarts

Ready-made pastry shells make preparation of these tarts super-fast. Simply spoon a shrimp-and-cream-cheese mixture and jarred mango chutney into the shells. Top with chopped fresh chives and toasted sweetened coconut.

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Shrimp Rémoulade Deviled Eggs

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Shrimp Rémoulade Deviled Eggs

Ready in under an hour, these spicy shrimp bites are simple to make but packed with flavor. You'll love this unique twist on deviled eggs with shrimp, spicy Creole mustard, and lots of garlic.

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Creole Shrimp Deviled Eggs

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell

Recipe: Creole Shrimp Deviled Eggs

Shrimp and Creole seasoning give these deviled eggs a distinctly Southern taste.

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Cajun Shrimp Casserole

Southern Living

Recipe: Cajun Shrimp Casserole

This hearty seafood casserole is filled with shrimp, cheese and rice and gets its Cajun flair from the addition of okra, bell peppers, and cayenne pepper. It's a great choice for a special occasion meal. If you're not a fan of okra, you can leave it out of this dish.

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Shrimp Boil Skewers

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell

Recipe: Shrimp Boil Skewers

Serve this colorful appetizer in small cups if you want to skip the skewers.

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Creamy Shrimp Dip with Crispy Wonton Chips

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Creamy Shrimp Dip with Crispy Wonton Chips

If you don't have time to make fried wontons, use fancy potato chips or crispy tortilla chips.

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Tomato Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Tomato Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Look for beautiful and tasty heirloom tomatoes in a rainbow of colors at your local farmers' market, and keep them at room temperature until you're ready to slice and serve.

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Cacio e Pepe with Sauteed Shrimp

Photo: Greg DuPree; prop styling: Claire Spollen; food styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Cacio e Pepe with Sauteed Shrimp

A simple combo of butter, garlic, and a hint of lemon juice yields the freshest pasta sauce.

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Shrimp Boil

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Shrimp Boil

This shrimp boil recipe is as classic as it gets

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Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits

Recipe: Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits

Robert Stehling of Charleston’s Hominy Grill shared this recipe with us, which is only made better by a few shakes of Tabasco on top.

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Bang Bang Shrimp

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Bang Bang Shrimp

Make this fan-favorite appetizer at home and delight your family. Serve them over salad or in lettuce wraps for a full meal.

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Hot Crab and Shrimp Dip

Recipe: Hot Crab and Shrimp Dip

This delicious dip is as simple as stirring the ingredients together and popping them in the oven.

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Coconut Shrimp with Maui Mustard Sauce

Howard L. Puckett

Recipe: Coconut Shrimp with Maui Mustard Sauce

Get a taste of the tropics with this coconut shrimp and sweet-and-spicy sauce.

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Shrimp Alfredo

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Shrimp Alfredo

Trust us: You can make Alfredo sauce from scratch, and this recipe proves how easy it is to do.

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Marinated Shrimp

Photographer Jennifer Causey, Prop Stylist Lindsey Lower, Food Stylist Torie Cox

Recipe: Marinated Shrimp

This shrimp appetizer is the ultimate make-ahead snack, as it needs plenty of time to marinate to perfection.

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Shrimp-and-Andouille Gumbo Dip

Brian Woodcock; Styling: Rachael Burrow

Recipe: Shrimp-and-Andouille Gumbo Dip

We put all the flavor of your favorite gumbo recipe into an easy-to-make appetizer.

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Shrimp Scampi Linguine

Photo: Luca Trovato

Recipe: Shrimp Scampi Linguine

Would you believe this beautiful plate of pasta is on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes? You should!

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Shrimp Fried Rice

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Shrimp Fried Rice

Fresh, sweet pineapple is the perfect complement to a soy-and-chili sauce in this reinvented takeout favorite.

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Shrimp-Tomatillo Tacos

Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Shrimp-Tomatillo Tacos

If you’re looking for a healthy dinner that isn’t boring, try these 20-minute tacos ASAP.

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Kardea Brown’s Okra Soup with Shrimp

Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Kardea Brown’s Okra Soup with Shrimp

South Carolina native and Food Network host Kardea Brown shared this recipe that honors the Lowcountry’s Gullah cuisine.

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Skillet Shrimp Destin with Orzo

Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Skillet Shrimp Destin with Orzo

There’s nothing better than a beautiful summer dinner that was much easier to throw together than it looks.

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Old Bay Rémoulade with Crudités and Shrimp

Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Old Bay Rémoulade with Crudités and Shrimp

Test Kitchen Professional Ivy Odom developed this recipe as an ode to the summer beach trips of her childhood, and you’ll want it to be a new tradition to take on your travels, too.

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Shrimp-and-Corn Succotash

Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Shrimp-and-Corn Succotash

Our favorite summer side dish gets the main-course treatment when juicy shrimp is added.

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Shrimp Étouffée

Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: Shrimp Étouffée

We recreated this Louisiana staple to a quicker version that can be on the table on a weeknight.

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Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp

Southern Living

Recipe: Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp

Our new go-to kitchen tool makes this kid-friendly snack or meal in a flash.

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Crispy Shrimp Salad with Avocado Dressing

Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Recipe: Crispy Shrimp Salad with Avocado Dressing

You’ll want to put this creamy homemade salad dressing on everything from sandwiches to tacos and crudités.

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Pickled Shrimp-and-Citrus Endive Cups

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Pickled Shrimp-and-Citrus Endive Cups

These colorful bites will brighten up any appetizer board. They’re a great make-ahead dish since the shrimp needs to chill in the pickling liquid for at least one day.

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