Name: Blackened Shrimp
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 1 pound large shrimp, tail on and deveined (we like 26–30 per pound size); 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons blackened seasoning*; Lemon, for serving

Here’s how to make the best blackened shrimp, full of Cajun flavor! It’s fast to cook on the grill or stove for an easy, healthy dinner.

Here’s a way to cook shrimp that you’ll find yourself coming back to again and again: blackened shrimp! Blackening is a Cajun cooking technique that’s all about the spices. Combine homemade blackened seasoning with grilled or pan-fried shrimp, and you’ve got a mix of savory, herbal, and salty flavors that makes it over the top irresistible! You can grill it or cook on the stove, so it works for easy weeknight meals or grilled dinners on the patio.

What’s blackening?

First of all, what’s blackening? It might sound like it’s all about the color of the outside (blackened), but that’s only part of it! Blackening is a style of cooking in a cast iron skillet with special spices until the outside is crispy and blackened. It’s a Cajun style technique that was popularized by celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme of Louisiana.

Chef Paul created a recipe for blackened redfish in this 1980’s cookbook that took the world by storm. Since then, thousands of Cajun and Creole chefs have been influenced by his style of cooking. The technique has gone on from fish to be used on shellfish, meat and poultry as well. The key to it all is the blackened seasoning, a blend of spices used to get that Cajun flair.

Homemade blackened seasoning: what you need!

This blackened shrimp recipe uses our homemade Blackened Seasoning to infuse Cajun flavor into the shrimp. While it might sound like it’s spicy, it’s more about the complexity of the ingredients and nuance of the flavors. If you’re looking for a spicy Cajun hit, use our Cajun seasoning instead. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for blackened seasoning:

Smoked paprika or sweet paprika
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Oregano
Celery seed
Allspice
Cloves
Cayenne
Salt and black pepper

How to make blackened shrimp: grill or stove!

This blackened shrimp recipe can be made in a few different ways: on the grill or on the stove! Either way, you’ll want to get a nice blackened char on the outside. Here’s a bit more about each:

Stovetop shrimp: Cooking it this way is most classic: especially if you use a cast iron skillet! You’ll want to get the pan very hot and keep the shrimp in a single layer so that each gets charred. Don’t overcrowd the pan!
Grilled shrimp: This method easily picks up the blackened char on the grill and infuses a little smokiness in the flavor. It’s a little easier than the stovetop method, and great for summer.

Variation: try spicy Cajun shrimp

This blackened shrimp is fairly mild: it’s not full of heat! While the seasoning blend does have a little cayenne, it’s not too noticeable in this shrimp. If you’d like it to be spicy shrimp, you can do one of two things:

Double the cayenne in the blackened seasoning. This brings more heat to the party.
Try Cajun seasoning instead. Use 1 tablespoon of our Cajun seasoning, and it’s got a nice back-end burn.

Best shrimp to use: frozen or fresh?

Either frozen or fresh shrimp work for this blackened shrimp. In fact, sometimes frozen shrimp can be even fresher, if it’s frozen right when it’s caught. Alex and I try to keep a bag of frozen on hand for quick and easy dinner recipes. The only hard part about frozen shrimp is…you have to make time to thaw it! Here are a few options depending on when you think of it:

Day before: Place the frozen shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.
Day of: Place the frozen shrimp into a large bowl with very cold water. Stir the bowl every 5 minutes to break up clumps of shrimp that freeze together. The shrimp should be defrosted in about 15 minutes.

What to serve with blackened shrimp

Want to make a meal out of blackened shrimp? Here are a few ideas on how to serve it. While they aren’t all authentically Cajun in vibe, they work for an easy, healthy dinner:

Rice. Try it with white rice or brown rice.
Grilled or sauteed veggies. Try Grilled Peppers and Onion, Sauteed Broccoli, Perfect Grilled Corn, or Crispy Brussels Sprouts.
Cornbread. Try our Best Homemade Cornbread or Easy Vegan Cornbread.

This blackened shrimp recipe is…

Pescatarian, gluten-free, and dairy free