50 Best Shrimp Recipes for Weeknights and Special Occasions

At Food Network, we invite shrimp to just about every party: As our collection of 50 recipes from our stars like Ina Garten, Bobby Flay and Ree Drummond, shows, shrimp is perfect for everything from appetizers to main dishes. But let’s not let shrimp’s sparkly extroversion blur the other very important fact about it: It cooks in mere minutes, which means it’s also the hero of so many weeknight dinner recipes.

While we love to kick off a get-together with shrimp cocktail, this powerhouse protein is also great paired with pasta for an easy dinner — think lemony, garlic-infused shrimp scampi recipes. Shrimp can be seasoned and fried, eaten as delicious shrimp tacos, baked into a creamy casserole, tossed on the grill, whipped up on a weeknight as shrimp and grits, and more!

We love how such a quick-cooking protein like shrimp can make even traditionally complicated dishes like jambalaya and gumbo a weeknight option. Our quick shrimp dinners also put your kitchen speed demons to work for you, like in Instant Pot shrimp biryani and air fryer options. All come from our stars and Food Network Kitchen, including a very unique Viet-Cajun beurre blank shrimp from contributor Maria Do, and a signature Chicago dish, shrimp DeJonghe, invented for the 1893 World’s Fair. We’re telling you, everything’s more exciting when shrimp is involved.

The next time you don't know what to make for dinner, reach for shrimp: This rich, lemony shrimp scampi with linguini is easy enough to make on a weekday but impressive enough for special occasions.

The genius of this recipe is that all of the ingredients (wine, garlic, shrimp and even the peas) cook together in one pot. Just make sure to use shrimp that's still frozen or they will overcook. You don't have to serve garlic bread with the dish, but there's nothing better for sopping up all that delicious buttery sauce.

In Thailand, you'll find street vendors whipping up this noodle dish to order from scratch. There are numerous variations of the ingredients used to achieve the perfect sweet, sour and umami noodle dish. We've chosen to use sriracha in our version for its warming heat and sweetness. It also adds a nice color. In quick-cooking stir-fry dishes, it’s imperative to have all your ingredients prepped and ready-to-go before you start cooking.

This famous Chicago casserole is usually attributed to the DeJonghe brothers, restauranteurs and hotel owners who hailed from Belgium. They reportedly served this dish at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, although it’s unclear whether they themselves or their chef, Emil Zehr, deserve credit for the original recipe. The casserole is particularly rich and luxurious, hallmarks of popular turn-of-the-century restaurant fare: Shrimp are bathed in a buttery garlic sauce and topped with sherry-coated breadcrumbs spiced with herbs like parsley and tarragon (some versions also include chervil and marjoram). Originally, the shrimp were boiled and then baked, but we think eliminating that step streamlines the recipe and leaves the shrimp more tender. This dish is hearty enough for a main dish but works just as well for an appetizer.

Taking loose cues from the sweet and sour chicken that’s popular at Chinese-American takeout restaurants, this speedy shrimp stir-fry uses plum sauce, ketchup and rice wine vinegar to create the perfect balance of flavors.

This simple, summery pasta dish gets its vibrant flavor from briny shrimp, red bell peppers and a generous addition of rose wine—and just a little heavy cream, for richness. Red pepper flakes give it a kick of spicy heat. Pour a glass of the same wine used in cooking, and serve the dish for a sunny taste all year round.

These air-fryer shrimp are perfectly crispy and easy to make without the hassle of heating up a large pot of oil. Serve with our spicy remoulade, or substitute any of your favorite condiments for dipping.

This sheet pan dinner is loaded with summer corn, tomatoes, fennel and shrimp. The whole thing is broiled together, so you can have it on the table in a flash. Top with feta, fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon juice for the perfect summer weeknight meal.

A classic menu item from every great Italian-American restaurant, this shrimp scampi hits all the right notes – buttery, lemony, garlicky. We love it for its simplicity and balance of flavor (copious amounts of butter help, too!). But while it looks and tastes fancy, this dish is actually very easy to make. The white wine sauce gets a spicy finish from red pepper flakes, perfect for soaking up with good crusty bread or cooked pasta.

This mash-up of macaroni 'n' cheese and your favorite garlicky shrimp dish is deeply cheesy and satisfying. Don't be surprised if, after one taste, your family starts asking for this dish by name!

These sliders draw their inspiration from the beloved garlic shrimp trucks and stands of Hawaii, translating the flavors to mini shrimp burgers. An outrageous amount of garlic is sauteed in butter and tossed with paprika and cayenne. The mixture is folded into chopped shrimp, shaped into patties and cooked until succulent. Serve these shrimp patties on sweet slider buns with a crunchy green slaw of shredded napa cabbage, sliced scallions and cucumbers and you will be transported.

This smoky ancho chile sauce takes time (note: you toast the chiles) but it’s seriously worth the extra effort. Shrimp is then marinated in the flavorful sauce, then seared and piled on top of crispy fried tortillas and mashed avocado.

This take on a classic Italian-American recipe is super easy to make. Slightly reducing the cream and adding a hefty dose of cheese means you don't have to use flour to thicken the sauce.

The multi-cooker makes this beloved Indian dish an easy clean-up — the shrimp and spices are first sautéed in the pot, then the rice is cooked using the pressure-cook function. The result is a super-quick, flavor-packed dinner that's perfect for a weeknight.

Inspired by Spanish garlic shrimp, this ultra-simple dish is cooked entirely in a rice cooker. It’s boosted with the smoky flavors of chorizo and paprika, then rounded out with crunchy red peppers and a bright squeeze of lemon at the end. Layering the cooked chorizo on the bottom of the rice cooker releases a bright orange oil that flavors the rice. And the steam helps soften the sausage in a way that other cooking methods do not. Jumbo shrimp work better than large shrimp for this recipe because they won't overcook.

This super-quick and indulgent weeknight dinner takes a slight left turn from the standard fettuccine Alfredo. Red peppers and paprika transform it from tasty to spectacular.

Large shrimp are coated in a light coconut breading and fried until golden. Served with your choice of sweet chili or sweet and sour sauce, they make the perfect appetizer or accompaniment to a number of weeknight sides.

The quick and easy marinade in this recipe is a great way to use up that leftover coconut milk you have in your refrigerator. It adds a touch of sweetness to grilled shrimp and only takes 30 minutes to infuse tremendous flavor into your next dinner. Serve with steamed white rice or cold rice noodles for a light but delicious meal.

This quick scampi is perfect over pasta or by itself with fresh-squeezed lemon. It serves 2 as a main course and 4 as an appetizer, and it's super easy to double for a crowd.

When you need an easy family dinner, reach for this shrimp and rice dish. The recipe calls for jasmine rice, which is all about texture (slightly sticky and soft, yet firm enough to hold its shape) and smell (slight, but distinct floral notes) but you can substitute extra-long grain rice with good results.

This dish of crunchy fried shrimp in Thai chili sauce is one of our chain restuarnt favorites. That's why we developed a perfect copycat recipe you can make at home.

This recipe is a super-fast, simple and summery version of shrimp scampi with no chasing your shrimp around the grill or dropping it through the grates. Plus, clean-up is a breeze! What's not to love?!

A relatively new cuisine, Viet-Cajun was inspired by the foods Vietnamese immigrants began cooking in the southern United States, particularly dishes based on ingredients from the Gulf Coasts of Louisiana and Texas. This recipe is inspired by recipe developer Maria Do's dad's version of shrimp with the foundational French butter-and-white-wine sauce known as beurre blanc. He used shell-on shrimp from their family’s seafood business in New Orleans, then reimagined the sauce with the addition of lemongrass, garlic, lime, fish sauce and Cajun seasoning.

This Cajun-inspired dish is perfect if you want to impress dinner guests but don't want to spend a ton of money. Make your shrimp work double duty: use the shells to make a shrimp broth that enhances the flavor of the dish.

A crunchy cabbage slaw is the key to Ree’s five-star shrimp tacos. The best part? They're ready to eat in just 16 minutes.

This southern staple is full of flavor and plenty saucy. We tried using bacon, but missed the spiciness and complexity of andouille sausage. For added richness, we cook the grits in milk and finish them with butter.

Ina whips up a simple, flavorful chili cocktail sauce while roasting her shrimp for a quick and delicious appetizer. It's great when you're entertaining and short on time — or when guests pop in unexpectedly.

This is a classic Southern dish that combines three of the most-satisfying comfort food ingredients around: bacon, cheddar and grits. Topped with shrimp, it's a protein-packed meal that will easily bring everyone to the table.

These decorative toasts have all the flavors of Nordic cuisine and no foraging is required! Delicate shrimp get double-hacked: first, they are quickly cooked in a covered pot off the stovetop and then sliced en masse using a trick involving two plastic lids. A protein-packed snack or part of lunch.

These air-fryer coconut shrimp are the perfect combination of savory and sweet. Serve with a sweet chile sauce, for dipping.

This simple dish offers the best of both worlds:a crisp, leafy green salad and a creamy shrimp pasta salad. Toss romaine and tomatoes into this shrimp pasta salad with a creamy Caesar dressing for a salad that's light and refreshing — yet satisfying.

Chipotle and cumin are tempered by beer, butter and lime in this simple and healthy shrimp dish that comes together in a snap. Sealing the ingredients in aluminum foil before grilling keeps the juices in and makes a sauce that is perfect for pouring over rice.

A comforting meal of shrimp and grits packed into one casserole dish. Enjoy with a side of hot sauce if you want an extra kick.

Instead of whole milk, this chowder uses 2% milk, which cuts fat without sacrificing creaminess. A dash of Old Bay seasoning will give the dish some fun spice.

These shrimp marinate for only 30 minutes in a flavorful mix of lemon juice, garlic and the powerhouse spice blend, Old Bay seafood seasoning. Don't be tempted to let them sit in the sauce any longer than that because the lemon juice will start to cook the shrimp and make them tough. Serve with some boiled or roasted potatoes for a grill-lover's version of a shrimp boil.

You're a mere twenty minutes (and one skillet!) away from this all-in-one, spicy-sweet shrimp dinner. It easy and crowd-pleasing — so keep this one handy for busy weeknights.

A simple, zesty coleslaw (made with bagged coleslaw mix to help cut down on prep time) makes these quick and tasty tacos extra filling. Flavorful shrimp and crunchy veggies — it's the good-for-you dinner everyone will be begging you to make again.

This hearty frittata is packed with wholesome green peppers, celery, onion and shrimp. The secret ingredient that really amps up the flavor? Seafood seasoning!

This dish is inspired by the flavors of a classic shrimp boil, including andouille, potatoes, corn, Old Bay and garlic. However, we upped the ante by simmering everything in an all-butter sauce. Serve family-style with toasted crusty bread for dipping and sopping up all that extra sauce.

Think just because you're in Whole30 mode, indulgent dishes like coconut-crusted shrimp are off limits? In this ingenious rendition, you can dig right in, all the way down to the delectable sweet-and-sour dipping sauce.

Ramen noodles (yes, the ones from the package) can be dressed up with poached shrimp and bacon to make a savory, smoky broth that tastes slow-simmered. It's an easy hack we turn to again and again — and you will, too!

This healthy protein-packed shrimp dinner starts with an towering mound of kale that wilts while it roasts. Grapeseed oil is a great neutral alternative to flavor-packed olive oil, which could compete with the flavor of the sweet and spicy curry shrimp.

This easy-to-make shrimp chowder has both bacon and potatoes, making it hearty and slightly smoky. Shrimp keeps it light — and full of protein.

Pro tip: You can use canned whole tomatoes as the base for this spicy sauce. Even better? It gets a nice kick from two common pantry staples: red pepper flakes and garlic.

No more standing over the stove constantly stirring risotto. With the help of an Instant Pot®, you can achieve that creaminess with much less effort. Paired with shrimp it's the perfect weeknight dinner.

The shrimp gets a ton of flavor from the paprika and thyme marinade — even without the bacon. But, of course, the bacon only makes it better.

This casserole is a ridiculously good mashup of two of our favorites: a supremely creamy tetrazzini and a sharp, lemon-and-garlic shrimp scampi. What more could you ask for in one bite?!

Add some spice to weeknight meals with a Cajun-style one-pot wonder. Shrimp is the perfect protein here, since it cooks up in a flash.

This spicy Cajun gumbo, a stew originating in Louisiana in the 18th century, gains much of its flavor from the dark roux and its characteristic thickness from file, an herb made from the ground leaves of the sassafras tree. Onions, celery and green peppers, the "holy trinity" of both Creole and Cajun cooking, add flavor and substance to the thick shrimp and sausage stew, which is served over a heaping portion of white rice.