These perfectly crunchy and delicious panko shrimp are an easy side and a great addition to the dinner table! Pair this panko fried shrimp recipe with sriracha aioli or your favorite dipping sauce!
These panko fried shrimp are a bit like the panko shrimp, or "ebi fry", you'll often see in Japanese restaurants, but with the addition of some Southern-inspired seasoning.
This panko shrimp recipe is easy to make. Battered shrimp can be fried to crispy golden-brown perfection in only a matter of minutes!
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🧐 Why This Recipe Works
- This is a simple side dish that's easy to make!
- This panko shrimp recipe is quick and can be made in under 20 minutes.
- If frying them in oil is intimidating, you can air fry the shrimp (see instructions below).
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Shrimp: Jumbo shrimp or prawns work best.
- For the batter/coating: You'll need all-purpose flour, eggs, and panko bread crumbs.
- Seasonings: I use old bay, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper, but feel free to add paprika, Italian seasoning, or your go-to spices.
- Oil: I use corn oil but you can also use vegetable oil, peanut oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.
🍤 How To Make Panko Shrimp
Step 1: Defrost jumbo shrimp (tail on or off) in a bowl of cold water. Once defrosted, remove from water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Pro Tip: If you want to straighten out the shrimp you can make one shallow cut down the middle along the bottom and 2-4 small horizontal cuts across.
Step 2: In a small bowl, combine flour, old bay seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In another bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Pour panko crumbs into a third bowl.
Sep 3: Evenly coat the shrimp in the flour mixture. Next, dip shrimp in the eggs and allow excess egg to drip back into bowl. Finally, dip the shrimp into panko crumbs, packing them on until shrimp is evenly coated.
Step 4: Heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350℉. Fry breaded shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from oil and set on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Pro Tip: If you don't have a thermometer, heat oil for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, then turn down to low and fry one of the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side. If it burns, turn the heat off, wait a few minutes, and try again on low heat. Alternately, if it doesn't cook through properly, wait until the oil gets a bit hotter.
Step 5 (optional): Garnish with parsley flakes and fresh lemon juice, and serve with spicy mayo for extra flavor.
♨️ Air Fryer Instructions
Follow steps 1-3 as listed above, then place shrimp along air fryer basket and spray with cooking spray. Cook for 8-10 minutes at 385℉, flipping halfway and spraying the other side with cooking spray.
I recommend cutting one in half before digging in just to make sure the shrimp is cooked through all the way!
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
While these panko shrimp are tasty on their own, they're even better when served with a dipping sauce! I recommend serving them with sriracha mayo, cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or lemon garlic aioli.
Enjoy your shrimp alongside gluten-free soba noodles, spicy coleslaw, french fries, air fryer Cajun potatoes, or atop a bowl of Japanese spicy kani salad.
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
Assuming the oil is about 350 defrees F, it will take 1-3 minutes to deep fry shrimp, depending on the size.
While panko breadcrumbs are often used to coat shrimp, vegetables, and other fried foods, it is different from tempura, which is a light and flaky batter that is also used in frying foods.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- If panko crumbs aren't clinging to the shrimp, you can re-dip them in the flour mixture and egg before getting another coat of panko.
- Always make sure shrimp are cooked through before digging in!
- You may need more than 1 cup of oil, depending on the size of the pan you're using.
- I like to cook with chopsticks but you can use a slotted spoon, fork, or whatever utensils you feel comfortable with.
- Store leftover panko shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, or 3 months in the freezer.
- Use the remaining shrimp to make shrimp tacos, risotto, or shrimp scampi.
🥢 Related Recipes
📖 Recipe
Crispy Panko Shrimp
Ingredients
- ½ lb jumbo shrimp (peeled and de-veined)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon old bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup panko crumbs
- 1 cup corn oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Defrost jumbo shrimp (tail on or off) in a bowl of cold water. Once defrosted, remove from water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, old bay seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In another bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Pour panko crumbs into a third bowl.
- Evenly coat the shrimp in the flour mixture. Next, dip shrimp in the eggs and allow excess egg to drip back into bowl. Finally, dip the shrimp into panko crumbs, packing them on until shrimp is evenly coated.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350℉. Fry breaded shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from oil and set on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Garnish with parsley flakes and fresh lemon juice, and serve with spicy mayo for extra flavor.
Notes
- See post for air fryer instructions.
- If you want to straighten out the shrimp you can make one shallow cut down the middle along the bottom and 2-4 small horizontal cuts across.
- If panko crumbs aren't clinging to the shrimp, you can re-dip them in the flour mixture and egg before getting another coat of panko.
- Always make sure shrimp are cooked through before digging in!
- You may need more than 1 cup of oil, depending on the size of the pan you're using.
- I like to cook with chopsticks but you can use a slotted spoon, fork, or whatever utensils you feel comfortable with.
- Store leftover panko shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, or 3 months in the freezer.
- Use the remaining shrimp to make shrimp tacos, risotto, or shrimp scampi.
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