Sautéed Shrimp

Perfectly sautéed shrimp needs just a handful of seasonings and a few minutes of cooking time to yield juicy and tender shrimp. Serve it over shrimp bowls, add it to shrimp salads, and more.

Love cooking with shrimp? Try my shrimp curry, blackened shrimp, and air fryer coconut shrimp.

We never tire of shrimp in my house. It’s a mild and lean protein that takes well to all sorts of flavor profiles. It’s also super fast to cook, and sauteing shrimp is a surefire way for me to feed my family a healthy protein in record speed!

Table of Contents

1. Why I love this recipe
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to sauté shrimp
4. Recipe tips and variations
5. Storage instructions
6. More delicious ways to cook shrimp
7. Sautéed Shrimp (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

• Simple but satisfying. My go-to spice mix is simple, but the tender and juicy texture of the shrimp speaks volumes. 
• A versatile dish. I could eat this shrimp all by itself, but it does wonders for a plate of pasta, shrimp tacos, or shrimp fajitas.
• Ready in 10 minutes. This dish comes together in 10 minutes flat.
• Customize it. I kept this recipe simple so the shrimp’s natural flavor shines, but you can add or change the seasonings however you like to make this recipe totally your own. 

Ingredients needed

• Shrimp. I prefer using large or jumbo shrimp since they’re juicier and are less likely to overcook. Make sure they’re peeled and deveined (you can keep the tails on if you wish). If you want to use frozen shrimp, thaw them overnight in the fridge and pat dry any hint of moisture before seasoning. 
• Seasonings. I used salt, black pepper, Italian seasonings, and garlic powder.
• Olive oil. For sautéeing the shrimp. 

How to sauté shrimp

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Prep the shrimp. Pat dry the shrimp with a paper towel and place them in a large bowl. 

Step 2- Season. To the bowl, add the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Toss to coat the shrimp in the seasonings.

Step 3- Cook. Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they become opaque and start to curl. Then, remove them from the skillet and serve as desired.

Recipe tips and variations

• Pat dry the shrimp. My #1 tip for sautéeing delicate proteins like shrimp. If there’s any excess moisture, the shrimp will steam instead of fry and dilute the seasonings.
• Saute in an even layer. Crowding the pan will drop the temperature of the oil and make it hard to get both sides of the shrimp nice and crispy. 
• Use a nonstick skillet. I’ve found that nonstick skillets are the best for evenly distributing heat. If you don’t have a nonstick skillet, a cast iron skillet can work just as well. 
• Avoid overcooking. Shrimp are tricky devils that are easy to overcook, so stick to the 2-minute rule and remove them from the heat as soon as they turn pink and curl up. 
• Use different spices. I gave you a basic seasoning blend, but you could make this recipe with all sorts of spices, like curry powder, cumin, paprika, old bay seasoning, or lemon pepper. 
• Make garlic butter shrimp. Inspired by garlic butter steak bites, swap the olive oil for unsalted butter and add a few minced garlic cloves before cooking the shrimp. 

Storage instructions

To store: Leftover sautéed shrimp can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. 

To freeze: Allow the leftover shrimp to cool completely, then store it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the shrimp thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. 

To reheat: Pop the leftover shrimp in the microwave and heat for 15-20 seconds or until warm. 

More delicious ways to cook shrimp

• Hunan shrimp
• Honey walnut shrimp
• Bang bang shrimp 
• Coconut shrimp