These easy fried shrimp recipe will go as fast as it took to make them, so prepare to make extra of this oh-so-tempting salt and pepper shrimp recipe with an easy dry batter of potato starch, salt and pepper, and tons of wow factor. Why eat out when you can bring the same level into your own home, and in less than half an hour?
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I’m all about low-fuss and very simple and crispy fried shrimp. If it saves time and brings all the extras like a beautiful presentation, and most of all delicious tongue-hugging flavor, sign me up.
You’ll love discovering how to make a satisfying salt and pepper shrimp recipe without any batter and few ingredients!
The key is in the potato cornstarch and frying temperature, and you come out with the yummiest, lightly crispy, addictive seafood dish that for me, makes a great meal with a heaping side of steamy jasmine rice and sawsawan (a Filipino dipping sauce of vinegar with garlic, onions, and chili).
In this recipe, I’ll go over how to create the easiest salt pepper shrimp with the sawsawan dipping sauce. Super easy, I promise.
What is Salt and Pepper Shrimp?
I especially love that this salt and pepper shrimp recipe is versatile enough to be a stand-alone dish, work as an appetizer, and showcase as a party food.
Make this at your next gathering, and I assure you it’s the food that the people are flocking to the kitchen for, striking up a conversation about, and even getting in the action to help.
I can recall so many memories of holiday celebrations and birthdays where it was the fried shrimp and lumpia making that got people to always congregate and help out in the kitchen.
I love that, and I hope you find a recipe somewhere in my blog that makes your next get-together a little more meaningful, and maybe even start some traditions cooking together.
Do you fry shrimp with the shell on or off?
Yes, you can absolutely fry shrimp with the shell on and in fact, it’s loaded with shrimp-tastic flavor if it’s fried with the shell.
Some recipes are just dedicated to fried shells and I love the bolder flavor of shrimp with shells. It’s completely edible and crunchy good.
If you are using shell-on shrimp, get fresh shrimp, not frozen.
Make sure your shrimp are intact, the shells are not broken or spotted black, the body is firm, and the shrimp smells completely fresh with a brownish or greyish tint. Then just trim the legs off before proceeding with the recipe.
As a time saver, and because I had de-shelled shrimp already at hand, I have used shrimp without shells for this recipe.
You can use either shell on, or shell off and the rest of the recipe is the same. I will cater to both choices in this recipe.
If you fry shrimp with the shell, let it cook for a minute longer.
Ingredients to make Salt and Pepper Shrimp
- Shrimp – thawed
- Potato Starch – for the dry batter
- Oil – neutral oil for frying (I use vegetable oil)
- Salt and Pepper for shaking the crispy shrimp in it
- garnish with Thai Chilis and Scallions
Sawsawan Ingredients for Dipping
- red wine vinegar
- fine chopped white onion
- finely minced garlic
- Siling labuyo (Filipino red chili pepper finely cut or Thai chili – optional)
Equipment
- Thick Bottom Pot or Dutch Oven for Frying
- Candy Thermometer with clip
- Slotted Metal Ladle or Spider Ladle
- Paper Towels
- Wire Rack
How to Make Salt and Pepper Shrimp
Instructions
- First, clean the shrimp. Give a quick cold water rinse and pat dry with paper towels. It’s imperative the shrimp is dry so the frying doesn’t splatter and the shrimp gets crispy.
- Devein. A must for the best fried shrimp recipe. You can’t do without it.
- It goes by easily using a toothpick to pull out the vein from near the tail. Get the toothpick under the vein, lift it out, and then grab and pull the rest out.
- Pat dry with paper towels again and let the shrimp air dry for a few minutes.
- Even pat dry one last time before you dip in potato starch. You can find potato starch at most Asian food grocery stores. It makes the shrimp crispy without being heavy from wet batter. It’s so easy and spares tons of time.
- Just put potato starch in a mixing bowl and shake your shrimp around in it. Nothing else. Be sure your shrimp are still cold…if not, then put them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. (Also during this time, you should be heating your thick-bottomed frying pot with a good amount of oil. The shrimp need to be completely immersed in the frying oil.)
- Pull the shrimp out, dusting off any extra potato starch. You will want the shrimp to be well dusted, not have globs or overly coated areas. Use your hands to shake off excess dry batter.
- Lay your coated shrimp out on a plate with paper towels underneath.
- Once the oil is at 380 F then drop them in, frying shrimp in small batches to ensure they can move around in the oil and evenly fry for about 2-3 minutes. The oil temperature will drop so adjust your flame so the oil temperature can stay high.
After Fry Finishing Process
- Scoop them out with a metal slotted spoon and here’s a little extra move, put them on a paper towel and blot the oil off (do it very quickly), then put them on an elevated wire rack with lots of room for cooling down and retaining crispiness.
- Elevating the wire rack is important so air can circulate all around the shrimp so they stay crispier.
- Once the shrimp are crispy but not completely cool, put them in a metal mixing bowl, dust salt and pepper all over, and give a few tosses to incorporate.
- Garnish with chilis and scallions.
- Put a side of sawsawan for dipping (a must-have for bringing this recipe to the next level of tastiness). Enjoy!
DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT
Notes and Variations
- Different Types of Shrimp: Feel free to experiment with different types of shrimp, such as Tiger, King, or even smaller varieties like Prawns. Each type will bring its own unique flavor and texture to the dish.
- Keep it Cold: Be sure to use fresh and cold shrimp, thawed of water, patted dry, and cold temperature. This helps the shrimp be crispy and also not overcooked.
- Flavor Enhancement: Marinate the shrimp in a bit of salt, pepper, and your favorite spices for about 15-30 minutes before coating them in potato starch. This will enhance the flavor and make them even more delicious.
- Other Battering Options: Instead of potato starch, you can use cornstarch or a combination of both potato starch and cornstarch for an even crispier texture.
- Adding Seasoning: Consider adding other seasonings to your potato starch, such as garlic powder, onion powder, or a touch of cayenne pepper, to give your shrimp an extra kick of flavor.
- Spicy Version: For those who enjoy heat, increase the amount of Siling labuyo or even try incorporating a spicy seasoning blend into the batter.
- Storage Tips: If you have leftover batter, you can store it in the refrigerator for later use, but it’s best to make it fresh for optimal crispiness.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve your salt and pepper shrimp with a variety of dipping sauces like sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, or even a spicy mayo for added flavor combinations.
- Presentation: For a stunning presentation, serve your shrimp on a large platter garnished with fresh herbs, lemon wedges, or lime slices to add a splash of color.
Common Questions
Can I freeze this? Not recommended.
Can I store leftovers? Yes, but they usually get eaten all up haha! The leftovers will not be crispy.
Is this gluten free? Yes, salt and pepper shrimp is gluten free. Potato starch is gluten free.
Quick and Easy Salt and Pepper Shrimp
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Thick Bottom Frying Pot
- Spider Ladle or Slotted Metal Ladle
- paper towels
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds fresh shrimp deveined
- neutral cooking oil I use vegetable oil. Use enough to completely submerge the shrimp when frying.
- potato starch
- ¾ tsp sea salt add more to taste
- ¾ tsp black ground pepper add more to taste
- scallions
- Thai Chilis
Sawsawan for Dipping
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp finely chopped onion
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ tsp siling labuyo or Thai chili finely sliced
Instructions
- First, clean the shrimp. Give a quick cold water rinse and pat dry with paper towels. It’s imperative the shrimp is dry so the frying doesn’t splatter and the shrimp gets crispy.1½ pounds fresh shrimp
- Devein. A must for the best fried shrimp recipe. You can’t do without it.
- It goes by easily using a toothpick to pull out the vein from near the tail. Get the toothpick under the vein, lift it out, and then grab and pull the rest out.
- Pat dry with paper towels again and let the shrimp air dry for a few minutes.
- Even pat dry one last time before you dip in potato starch. You can find potato starch at most Asian food grocery stores. It makes the shrimp crispy without being heavy from wet batter. It’s so easy and spares tons of time.
- Just put potato starch in a mixing bowl and shake your shrimp around in it. Nothing else. Be sure your shrimp are still cold…if not, then put them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. (Also during this time, you should be heating your thick-bottomed frying pot with a good amount of oil. The shrimp need to be completely immersed in the frying oil.)potato starch, neutral cooking oil
- Pull the shrimp out, dusting off any extra potato starch. You will want the shrimp to be well dusted, not have globs or overly coated areas. Use your hands to shake off excess dry batter.
- Lay your coated shrimp out on a plate with paper towels underneath.
- Once the oil is at 380 F then drop them in, frying shrimp in small batches to ensure they can move around in the oil and evenly fry for about 2-3 minutes. The oil temperature will drop so adjust your flame so the oil temperature can stay high.
After Fry Finishing Process
- Scoop them out with a metal slotted spoon and here’s a little extra move, put them on a paper towel and blot the oil off (do it very quickly), then put them on an elevated wire rack with lots of room for cooling down and retaining crispiness.
- Elevating the wire rack is important so air can circulate all around the shrimp so they stay crispier.
- Once the shrimp are crispy but not completely cool, put them in a metal mixing bowl, dust salt and pepper all over, and give a few tosses to incorporate.¾ tsp sea salt, ¾ tsp black ground pepper
- Garnish with chilis and scallions.scallions, Thai Chilis
- Put a side of sawsawan for dipping (a must-have for bringing this recipe to the next level of tastiness). Enjoy!1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp finely chopped onion, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup soy sauce, ½ tsp siling labuyo or Thai chili
Notes
- Soy Sauce and Lemon
- Chili Garlic Sauce
- Spicy Schiracha Mayo
- Hot Chinese Mustard
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