13 Recipes for Leftover Shrimp - Whimsy & Spice (2024)

If you have some leftover shrimp in your refrigerator or freezer that needs to be eaten, you should try these wonderful recipes which will give your forgotten shrimp a new tasty purpose!

1.Shrimp Scampi

This is a simple dish that tastes much finer than it is and will give your leftover shrimp new life.

Shrimp Scampi is a weekday meal that is also classy enough to offer to guests. You’ll be surprised at how simple it is to create this dish at home.

This is a simple dish cooked with shrimp in a scampi sauce, which is a garlic butter and wine sauce. This recipe can be served over pasta or on its own as a first course at a dinner party.

2.Shrimp co*cktail

Shrimp co*cktail is a vintage classic that never goes out of style.

The creamy sauce is created using items that are most likely already in your kitchen, making it ideal for a low-cost appetizer that tastes like a treat.

Layer fresh lettuce, avocado, and cucumber on top of a combination of fresh prawns for a simple appetizer or side.

3.Garlic Butter Shrimp and Rice

This recipe is a one-pot quick meal that is ideal for a weeknight dinner. It’s tasty, filling, and easy to make.

Depending on the availability of fresh seafood, you may substitute prawns or shrimp for this dish, but this gently flavored rice is excellent, dazzling with fresh tastes, and the adding seafood gives it that much-needed flavor boost.

4.Stir-Fry Shrimp

This shrimp stir fry dish is entirely adaptable to your preferences. You only need shrimp and stir fry sauce, and you may use any vegetables you like.

Stir-fries with shrimp are the greatest. One of the most difficult aspects of preparing shrimp is that they may quickly overcook, and overcooked shrimp can spoil the entire dish.

The quickest way to cook them is in a quick fry. This dish, sautéed fast over high heat with a tasty sauce and some vegetables, is almost sure to yield excellent shrimp every time. It’s quick and healthful, but it’s also a fun dish to create for guests.

5.Cajun Shrimp

Cajun shrimp recipes call for homemade Cajun spice, which may be made as spicy as you like. It adds an incredible taste to the shrimp and is quite simple to prepare.

Simply pat the shrimp dry, season with cajun spice combination, add to a heated skillet with a small touch of oil to prevent sticking, and cook for a couple minutes on both sides until done.

6.Shrimp Chowder

This is a thick, substantial soup with crisp potatoes and pieces of shrimp in a creamy blend of stock, milk, and cream.

Traditional chowder recipes use seafood components such as shrimp, clams, or fish, but some use vegetables or carbohydrates like corn instead.

7.Shrimp Alfredo

Fettuccine in a creamy parmesan sauce is topped with sautéed garlic shrimp in this shrimp alfredo pasta. A simple supper that tastes like it came from a fine dining establishment.

This is one of the easiest dinners you’ll ever prepare. It’s also ideal for the warmer months since it requires minimal time over a hot burner while satisfying even the strongest appetites.

8.Honey Garlic Shrimp

This is a pretty simple meal dish, regardless of your skill level. Prepare the marinade, using half to marinate the shrimp and the remainder as the sauce for frying the shrimp.

It’s convenient because the marinade also serves as the sauce.

A robust marinade of honey, soy sauce, and garlic lends a lot of flavor to these saucy shrimp, which is music to everyone’s taste buds.

The sticky-sweet, savory sauce with a little spice is what makes this meal so delectable. The major ingredients are honey and garlic, although there are a few more.

9.Shrimp Pasta Salad

In this shrimp pasta, fresh basil, red bell peppers, red onions, and a lemon and olive oil sauce with just a sprinkling of red chili pepper flakes work so nicely together.

In the time it takes to boil the pasta water and cook the pasta, you may create the entire salad.

The longer the pasta rests, the more the dressing absorbs. Toss in another tablespoon or two of olive oil and lemon juice if your salad feels a little dry when you’re ready to serve.

10.Grilled Shrimp Kabobs

Marinated shrimp with cumin, Italian spice, lemon, garlic, pepper flakes, and fresh herbs, then strung with vibrantly scented vegetables.

This fast dinner is an exciting yet simple and quick evening dish. It’s also simple to personalize.

Shrimp skewers are a convenient supper choice since they are simple to make and can be grilled on the grill or on the stovetop.

11.Shrimp Fried Rice

Once you’ve mastered a solid basic fried rice dish, you can simply switch up the protein based on what you have in the fridge or leftovers from supper the night before, which makes this a wonderful alternative if you have leftover shrimp.

It takes approximately 10 minutes on the stove from the moment the shrimp touches the skillet, so have everything measured out, prepared, and ready to go.

12.Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp tacos go great with a creamy sour cream and avocado salsa and cilantro sauce.

The sour cream sauce is ideal for these tacos since it helps to temper the heat while also adding a great taste.

Corn tortillas are ideal for shrimp tacos. Yellow or white corn tortillas can be used, however white corn tortillas have the finest flavor and texture.

Corn tortillas are also naturally gluten-free, which is always welcomed by folks who have dietary sensitivities.

13.Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup

Thai coconut shrimp soup is a delectable curry-based broth with fresh shrimp and veggies.

Best of all, it’s quite simple to create and doesn’t require any difficult-to-find ingredients.

If you don’t have shrimp on hand, you may simply substitute chicken, pig, or even tofu for a vegetarian option.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between Shrimp and Prawns?

The phrases “shrimp” and “prawns” are frequently used synonymously throughout the world.

They can be divided into groups based on their size, form, or the kind of water they inhabit.

But shrimp and prawns are different from one another scientifically. They are physically distinct and descended from several branches of the crustacean family tree.

You may use them interchangeably without noticing, as they are identical in terms of flavor, texture, behavior in recipes, and all nutritional factors.

This is advantageous when preparing meals at home since, despite what the recipe calls for, shrimp are frequently somewhat less expensive than prawns. As a result, you may select the choice that best fits your budget.

How Long Can You Store Shrimp For?

On the packaging, the sell-by time may lapse during the storage period after shrimp have been purchased, but if they have been stored properly, they will still be safe to consume after that date.

Shrimp can be refrigerated for one to two days after purchase.

Shrimp can be kept fresher for a longer period of time if it is put in the refrigerator as soon as it is purchased.

To keep moisture and other contaminants out, shrimp should be kept in a container that is firmly closed after preparation.

If you use a freezer-safe container, you may freeze your shrimp for a long-term option while maintaining its flavor.

How Do You Tell if Shrimp Is Off?

Your raw shrimp should either have no discernible aroma of salt or just a faint one.

You might wish to avoid them if they have a strong “fishy” odor. Throw them away immediately if they smell like ammonia or bleach since that indicates that bacteria is developing on them.

To the touch, raw shrimp should feel solid and not mushy. Their shells ought to be solid and whole. Throw away the bad shrimp and carefully wash your hands if the shrimp’s shells are cracked and damp or if they even appear slimy (rather than merely wet).

Don’t totally rely on touch, smell, or even taste to identify all germs in shrimp because some of them are not detectable by human senses.

To determine whether you are still within a safe window for ingesting the shrimp, check the Best by Date and/or Sell by Date.

Is Shrimp Good for You?

Shrimp’s antioxidants are beneficial to your health and have the ability to protect your cells and keep them healthy.

According to studies, astaxanthin is an antioxidant that decreases UV damage and wrinkles.

Shrimp are a great option if you’re attempting to lose weight since they are low in calories and carbohydrates and high in nutrients.

This depends on how you prepare it, since adding shrimp to a creamy sauce or deep-frying it would result in a significant increase in calories and fat.

Summary

Now that we know how beneficial shrimp is for our health, it would be a real shame to let the leftover shrimp in your refrigerator go to waste.

Another great thing about shrimp though is that they can be added to lots of different recipes and will make for a delicious addition every time.

13 Recipes for Leftover Shrimp

Recipe by Jenna

Before you give up and throw that leftover shrimp out, you should try these recipes which will show you how versatile shrimp really is. There are plenty of options to choose from so read on.

Course: Seafood

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

• Shrimp Scampi

• Shrimp co*cktail

• Garlic Butter Shrimp and Rice

• Stir-Fry Shrimp

• Cajun Shrimp

• Shrimp Chowder

• Shrimp Alfredo

• Honey Garlic Shrimp

• Shrimp Pasta Salad

• Grilled Shrimp Kabobs

• Shrimp Fried Rice

• Shrimp Tacos

• Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup

Directions

• Pick a recipe from the list above
• Click the recipe name and visit the website
• Collect the ingredients and cook the food
• Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review

Recipe Video