Popcorn Shrimp

This homemade popcorn shrimp recipe is dredged, dipped, and deep fried to crunchy-tender perfection. Dunk these bite-sized golden nuggets into your favorite sauces for a delicious appetizer or main course!

Why this recipe works

Popcorn shrimp are a classic restaurant favorite, but you can easily make them at home with a little help from a deep fryer or cast iron skillet. Basically, you’ll be dredging the shrimp in flour followed by a mixture of egg and milk, and finally, cornmeal for that delicate crunchy bite. Lastly, pop them in the fryer until they’ve reached a crispy golden brown.

This is a time-consuming process between dredging and frying, but a fun one! If you enjoy cooking, you’ll enjoy this recipe.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

SHRIMP – Use raw, medium to small shrimp that have been deveined and had the tails removed. We used 2 pounds of shrimp that still had shells and tails and removed them ourselves. You can purchase peeled, deveined shrimp instead but may want to adjust the amount to 1.5 pounds or increase the batter ingredients. It’s preferable to use raw shrimp over pre-cooked or even frozen shrimp for this recipe, however, frozen shrimp will work if you allow them to completely thaw first and pat them dry really well.

BREADING – Cornmeal will give you an even crispier coating compared to breadcrumbs, but if you prefer breadcrumbs then feel free to use them instead. If you don’t like any kind of breadcrumb/cornmeal coating, you’ll probably enjoy our crispy shrimp recipe instead.

OIL – Use either vegetable oil, canola oil, or even peanut oil for this recipe. It’s important to keep an eye on the temperature of your oil throughout the cooking process. If the oil is too hot it will burn the shrimp, and if it isn’t hot enough the shrimp will absorb the oil and will be soggy and unappetizing. It’s best to use an instant read thermometer clipped to the side of your pan if you do not have a deep fryer that shows you the temperature of the oil.

How to Make Popcorn Shrimp

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Dredge shrimp in flour, placing them on a wire rack as you work. You can do as we did and place the flour into a bag or you can use bowls as your dredging stations.
3. Place egg and milk in a medium bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and mix it with the egg and milk.
4. To the remaining flour, add cornmeal, Old Bay, pepper, salt, and paprika.
5. Dip a handful of the dredged shrimp into the egg mixture at a time and gently shake off excess. Then dip shrimp immediately into the cornmeal/flour mixture to coat. Place battered shrimp on a wire rack as you work.
6. Heat oil in deep fryer to 370 F. Amount of oil should be per manufacturer’s instructions. You may need to cook in batches.
7. Place shrimp into basket of deep fryer without crowding. Fry for 2 minutes.
8. Lift basket and shake to ensure shrimp do not stick together. Replace basket in oil and fry for another 2 minutes.
9. Remove basket and allow to drain.
10. Dump cooked shrimp onto a paper towel lined baking pan.
11. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Popcorn shrimp is best served right away but can be stored in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in an air fryer or in the oven. The longer the shrimp are stored, the soggier they will get.

If you don’t have a deep fryer, you can simply use a cast iron skillet to fry popcorn shrimp. Heat the oil to 370F gauged by an instant-read thermometer. The amount of oil you will need will vary on the size of your pan. Add enough oil so that the shrimp will be submerged when added.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with remoulade, Alabama white sauce, cocktail sauce, ranch, or marinara for dipping with lemon wedges on the side. Popcorn shrimp is a tasty appetizer but can also be enjoyed as a main course.

If you plan on doubling this recipe or all of your shrimp do not fit in the deep fryer at once, place the already fried shrimp on a paper towel-lined baking pan in a single layer to rest as you fry the others. Do not stack them while they are hot otherwise they will become soggy.

More Shrimp Recipes

• Shrimp Tacos
• Grilled Shrimp
• Shrimp Po Boy
• Air Fryer Shrimp
• Honey Walnut Shrimp
• Shrimp Scampi Pasta
• Citrus Pepper Shrimp
• Butterfly Shrimp

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