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Cajun Shrimp is an easy weeknight dinner that’s full of flavor! This recipe includes homemade Cajun seasoning that you can make as spicy as you want. It gives the shrimp an amazing flavor – you would never guess that it only takes 10 minutes to make.
Do you ever hear the name of a dish and think it must be really complicated to make? I felt that way about Cajun Shrimp until I tried making it myself and, guess what, you don’t need a bunch of ingredients to make it and it only takes 5 minutes. Fast, easy and simple – my favorite kind of dinner! It’s the perfect recipe to serve on pasta or with a side of focaccia bread!
How to Make Cajun Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (The cayenne pepper is what gives this mix its spicy kick, so feel free to increase the amount if you want your shrimp spicier.)
If you make a bigger batch you can simply double or triple the recipe and store the extra Cajun seasoning in an airtight container. Keep it in a cool, dry place and it will last up to six months. I love having my own spice mixes on hand – they are so much cheaper than buying the premade ones at the store.
Toast the Spices for the Best Flavor
One step that makes a big difference in this recipe is toasting the spices first. It’s very easy to do and it brings out the aromatic oils in the spices to give them a depth of flavor that you wouldn’t get if you skipped the step. The process creates a more complex taste by layering in warm and toasty flavors.
How to Make Spicy Shrimp
- Toss the spices in a bowl. Toast the spices in a large frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil or butter.
- Add shrimp to the pan and stir with spice blend.
- Cook until the shrimp are done. You can drizzle with some lemon juice if you like.
Tips for Cooking Shrimp
- What’s the best shrimp to use? I always use EZ Peel shrimp, either medium or large shrimp. The easy peel makes it, well, easy to peel, and you don’t have to detain the shrimp.
- While I cooked this in a frying pan on the stove, you could also grill it on skewers.
- You know shrimp is done when it turns a whitish pink color and is more opaque and a bit shinier. Cooked shrimp should never have any gray color.
Different Ways to Serve Cajun Shrimp
- Serve the shrimp on a bed of white rice or brown rice.
- Make Cajun shrimp pasta with penne, fusilli, rotini or other pasta you like.
- Serve them with veggies like air fryer broccoli, roasted potatoes, bell peppers and red onion, or asparagus.
- A simple green salad on the side is always great, too.
Cajun Shrimp Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper use up to ¼ teaspoon for spicier shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound uncooked shrimp peeled and deveined
Instructions
- Add smoked paprika, thyme, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and oil to a large skillet. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and sauté over medium-high heat until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve hot plain or over rice or pasta.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Nutrition
Cajun Shrimp is an easy dinner recipe – done in less than 15 minutes with a homemade cajun seasoning – and it’s perfect served with rice or pasta!
I upped the cayenne and added a bit of ancho pepper powder. Then used this rub as a quick marinade for the shrimp, threw them on the grill for a quick and tasty dinner. Awesome flavor! Definitely a keeper.
Just finished this great dinner. Thank you. I used liquid hot sauce instead of the cayenne. It had a great bite.
I’m not sure what “Laura” and “nora” are smoking here in the comments section, because this recipe is absolutely delicious. My husband and I actually triple this recipe when we make it. We use it for our shrimp and grits recipe and it’s a favorite in our home. It’s amazing! Flavors fire on all cylinders. My taste buds do the tango – what more could you want from a recipe?! Thank you for providing such a quality recipe. I lack in the culinary creativity department and rely on delicious finds like this. Keep on making to-die-for delights like this.
WAY too much seasoning! Ugh.
Easy and delicious! Put the leftovers over grits for breakfast the next day. Fabulous!
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