Chef John's 22 Best Shrimp Dinner Recipes

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Chef John

These shrimp dishes cover lots of tasty ground, from Hawaiian-inspired garlic shrimp to Cajun country favorites like étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya; from San Francisco's cioppino to Southern staples like shrimp and grits; from Tuscan fish stew to fra diavolo; gambas al ajillo to paella—they're all here! Take a crack at Chef John's favorite shrimp dinner recipes.

01
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Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp Scampi

Chef John

Here's a Hawaiian-style scampi with extra garlic and a rice flour coating. Serve over rice with fresh lemon wedges. "If you're a garlic lover, you're going to want to pull out your bucket list and add this recipe to it," says Chef John. "I absolutely love this, and I think you will too."

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02
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Chef John's Grilled Garlic and Herb Shrimp

SunnyDaysNora

Here's a classic grilled shrimp recipe that's so easy and so delicious. The marinade and the serving sauce are perked up with fresh herbs and crushed garlic. Chef John recommends the extra-large shrimp here "so they can grill longer and get maximum caramelization."

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03
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Chef John's New Orleans-Style Barbequed Shrimp

Eat

This grill-free BBQ shrimp dish boasts big, big New Orleans-inspired flavor. "An indigenous American shellfish dish, cooked on the stovetop," says Chef John. "It has plenty of big flavors from garlic, rosemary, and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve over hot cooked rice. Use the largest shrimp you can get."

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04
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Chef John's Cioppino

Kevin Tolentino

This spicy seafood stew features white fish and shellfish, like mussels, shrimp, and fresh crab. "When you feel like splurging a little, San Francisco's famous Cioppino is a great choice," says Chef John. "A big red bowl of yummy, and when paired with a loaf of crusty sourdough bread, it's downright otherworldly."

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05
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Spanish Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo)

Chef John

Great for a tapas-style dinner! "Every Spanish restaurant serves this dish of shrimp cloaked in garlic-infused olive oil with smoky hints of paprika and a touch of sweetness from sherry," says our favorite chef. "Make sure you have all your ingredients together before you head to the stove—since start to finish, this cooks in mere minutes."

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06
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Chef John's Sausage & Shrimp Jambalaya

Rochelle

Smoky andouille sausage, spices, and aromatic veggies lay down a very flavorful base here. "While true jambalaya is really more of a thicker rice stew than a soup, it's one of those dishes that more stock can be added to easily make it into a soup recipe," says Chef John.

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07
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Chef John's Shrimp Étouffée

Mart

Another spicy New Orleans-inspired classic. You can also make this tremendous all-purpose gravy with chicken or pork. "Excellent recipe—rich sauce that works perfectly with the shrimp," raves reviewer jdonnellatduedu. "Next time I am going to try chicken—or a chicken-shrimp-sausage mix. In other words, this is a robust recipe that holds up well to lots of fiddling. And the timings on the steps seemed just about perfect. Easy to follow with a great result!"

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08
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Firecracker Shrimp Roll with Crab Aioli

Chef John

This shrimp sandwich is a thinly disguised shrimp po'boy sandwich. "I decided to do an extra spicy version, and give it a 4th of July-friendly name, but the soul of the sandwich is the same, and features an insanely great combination of hot, crunchy shrimp, and cold crabby mayo," says Chef John.

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09
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Chef John's Duck, Sausage, and Shrimp Gumbo

tcali319

"This can be made with hundreds of different combinations of smoked meats, game, poultry, and seafood, and in my opinion, the more the merrier," says Chef John. For this version, Chef John features a flavorful ham hock, aromatic vegetables, andouille sausage, braised duck legs, okra, and shellfish. "The procedure is pretty straightforward, although you're talking about a full day's project. Serve in a large soup plate with a scoop of cooked white rice, a sprinkle of green onion, and a pinch of cayenne."

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10
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Chef John's Shrimp Fra Diavolo

rachel

"This recipe features the devilishly delicious shrimp fra diavolo, or 'shrimp brother devil' if we are being literal for comic effect," says Chef John. "It's really good and turns any pile of pasta or rice into a memorable meal. Some people like to add a little lemon, but I don't think it needs it unless your wine is too sweet."

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11
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Creamy Garlic Shrimp Toast

Chef John

"Sweet, butterflied shrimp in a garlicky cream sauce with a smoky paprika flavor are served over thick slices of buttery, pan-toasted French bread in this simple recipe for two!" says Chef John. " Frying the toast in lots of clarified butter prevents it from getting soggy while it soaks up the garlicky sauce. The sauce would also be good over pasta, rice, or potatoes."

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12
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Chef John's Deviled Shrimp Ragu

Mark MO Love

“This subtly sweet, fairly fiery shrimp ragu served over my creamy corn custard would make a fantastic first course for any dinner, and it’s certainly rich enough to be enjoyed as an entree,” says Chef John. “You can also pour this over rice or noodles with complete confidence.”

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13
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Chef John's Shrimp and Grits

Tyler Mitchell

"Shrimp and grits is a very simple recipe," says Chef John. "But make sure you have everything ready before you start cooking the shrimp. They only take a few minutes to sauté, so you don't have time to run and chop scallions or juice a lemon. Once everything is assembled, this recipe is a snap. To make things even easier, you can make the grits a bit ahead since they stay hot a very long time."

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14
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Grilled Shrimp Louie

Sahara B

The star of the show here is the dressing—Chef John's take on a classic Louie dressing—which combines crème fraîche with mayonnaise, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, ketchup, some minced onion, and spices. "The dressing for this dish is made to use with crab, but I think the smoky grilled shrimp are a great summertime twist," says Chef John. "Make the dressing ahead of time and chill it before you adjust the seasonings."

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15
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Spicy Coconut Shrimp Bisque

catherine.drew

A little coconut milk will temper the heat of this spicy soup. "I loved how this shrimp bisque turned out, and I think you will as well," says Chef John. "I hope you give it a try, and maybe tweak it with some different combinations of seafood and garnishes."

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16
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Tuscan Fish Stew

Chef John

"I spent a few days in Florence about 30 years ago, and while I don't remember much, I do recall my surprise at how delicious the Tuscan fish stew was," says Chef John. "What I found so interesting was how herbs like oregano, sage, and rosemary, which I'd only associated with meat, were also used with seafood. Also, FYI just in case any old-school Tuscans are coming over: I hear that for this to qualify as an official Italian fish stew you need use at least 5 different types of seafood, which is both insane and adorable. Serve with crusty bread."

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17
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Quick and Easy Paella

Angie

"Consider this a gateway paella and the first step to a serious, lifelong addiction," says Chef John. "When I first do a version of a classic dish like paella, I try to use a minimum number of ingredients and steps to focus on technique. After learning the method, you'll ideally use a wider variety of ingredients, like clams, mussels, squid, and chicken, which will make your rice that much more interesting. Garnish with extra virgin olive oil, freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, and lemon wedges."

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18
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Prawns Provençale

Chef John

"I’m not sure these are actually prawns, and I’ve never been to Provence," says Chef John, but that's what they were called when he learned to make them. This delicious dish is easy to prepare ahead of time; just pop them in the oven when you're ready to eat. "You can serve these with any number of dips or just a squeeze of fresh lemon. I like them with lemon aioli."

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19
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The Best Easy Shrimp Enchiladas

Chef John

"I'm calling these the best easy shrimp enchiladas, and they are, without a doubt, the best shrimp enchiladas you will ever taste, thanks to my secret ingredient—canned lobster bisque," says Chef John. "They are rich, meaty, and delicious, have a deeper flavor than most lighter shrimp enchiladas, and you don't have to make the creamy enchilada sauce from scratch." Reviewer colegramling calls it "a genius move. What I love about Chef John is that he has high standards, but if those standards are achievable with less effort, he will find the hack in a heartbeat."

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20
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Simple Garlic Shrimp

catherine.drew

"If you like shrimp and love garlic," Chef John says that this recipe is "easy, fast, and absolutely delicious." The cooking liquid is flavored with caper brine, so don't add extra salt until you've tasted it first.

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21
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Honey-Garlic Shrimp

Chef John

"While it may sound like a plain, generic item you see on a menu at the food court at the mall, honey-garlic shrimp is actually one of the most exciting and delicious garlic shrimp recipes I know," says Chef John." This recipe uses half the honey that typical recipes use and allows the natural sweetness of the shrimp to shine through." Reviewer Parisa Rabbani raves, "Easy to make and unbelievably delicious. I make this dish every week!"

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22
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Deviled Shrimp Tostadas

Chef John

"It’s always been a mystery as to why tostadas aren’t more popular. This deviled shrimp tostada is my favorite version. Not only is this dish texturally thrilling with crispy fried corn tortilla, silky avocado spread, tender shrimp and fresh diced veggies, the flavors of sweet, sour, savory, and spicy really make for a well-rounded dish," says Chef John.

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23
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