No need to defrost shrimp before cooking. Learn how to cook shrimp from frozen, taking them straight from the freezer to the pot. It makes dinners a breeze and they taste so good!
Remember back when I told you that you don’t have to defrost fish or chicken breasts before you cook them? Well, you don’t have to defrost shrimp before cooking them either!
To be honest, I don’t love cooking chicken from frozen. I do that more in a pinch when I forget to take it out. It doesn’t turn out quite as good as when defrosted first. The fish turns out really good, especially thicker pieces. But, the shrimp!?!? They’re amazing cooked from frozen! They turn out even better when not defrosted first. Seriously.
Video: How To Cook Shrimp From Frozen
What Kind Of Shrimp Should I Use?
So, don’t buy the “previously frozen” shrimp at the grocery store. They often cost more and you need to use them up right away. Instead, get a bag of frozen shrimp. Then put them into your freezer and you’ve got the makings of a quick meal on hand and ready to go.
What kind of shrimp work best? Medium to large shrimp. And make sure they’re already deveined. It will say deveined on the bag. The reason you want them deveined is that you won’t be able to take the veins out yourself while they’re frozen and it will be hard, if not impossible to do after they’re cooked as well. So deveined shrimp are required. Other than that, I prefer them to be peeled but with the tail on, or easy peel. Either way, you can cook them from frozen and then serve. People can easily take the peels off after they’re cooked.
Note that the shrimp also need to be frozen separately, not in a big clump. If you shake the bag, you should hear a bunch of frozen shrimp all moving around separately in there. If 2-3 are frozen together here and there, that’s fine. But no bigger clumps than that. If the shrimp are bought frozen from the store, they are usually frozen separately. If they’ve clumped up in the bag a bit, try banging the bag lightly on the counter. This could dislodge them.
How Do You Cook Shrimp from Frozen?
Today I’ll show you my favorite way to cook shrimp from frozen…poaching. Tomorrow I’ll be roasting them (from frozen) on a pan with some asparagus for a one-pan dinner that’s ready in 10 minutes.
Poaching is truly my favorite way to cook shrimp, especially for shrimp cocktail, but for almost any preparation. It’s such a gentle cooking method and it leaves the shrimp plump, juicy, and tender – never tough.
The crazy thing is that to poach the shrimp from frozen, you do everything EXACTLY the same as for poaching thawed shrimp. You just leave them in the water for an extra minute. One minute. That’s all, no need for thawing.
So here’s what you do.
Step #1
Get a medium or large saucepan. This depends on the number of shrimp you’re cooking. 12-15 large shrimp cook well in a 3 quart pot. You’ll need a bigger pot if you’re doing more than that. Fill the pot about 3/4 full of water.
Step #2
Add salt. I use about 1/2 teaspoon for the 3 quart pot.
Step #3
Then you can add other aromatic ingredients if you’d like. Half of a lemon is a great addition. Squeeze the juice into the pot before adding the halved lemon.
Peppercorns and parsley are two other things you can add. These aren’t as important as the salt but are nice additions.
Step #4
Bring the pot to a rapid boil over high heat. (Cover the pot to make it boil sooner).
Step #5
Remove from the heat and let it stop boiling.
Step #6
Add the frozen shrimp.
Step #7
Stir.
Step #8
Cover the pot. And let sit off of the heat for 5-6 minutes, until shrimp are opaque and pink. Yes, this is correct. The pot is not supposed to be on the heat at all anymore. The shrimp are poaching in the leftover heat of the water. If you keep boiling them, the shrimp will not be good at all!
A couple of times when cooking shrimp this way, they looked done but were a tad mushy. I actually think they were not quite ready yet because I ended up leaving them in a little bit longer and then they were perfect. So, if you’re not sure if it’s been long enough, try leaving them for another minute or two. At that point, the water has cooled enough that it’s not going to overcook them, so leaving them longer is a good idea.
If you have more shrimp than the 12 that the recipe calls for, you’ll need more time. I have done as many as 30 in that same pot. They then take about 10 minutes. If you’re going to do more than that, use a bigger pot and more water.
Step #9
If you’re planning to serve the shrimp cold (like for shrimp cocktail) or use them later, prepare an ice bath: In a large bowl, put two cups of ice cubes and fill halfway with cold water.
Step #10
If you want cold shrimp, once they’re cooked, drain off the hot liquid and transfer shrimp (but not the aromatics) to the ice bath. Let them sit in there for a few minutes to fully cool off before draining.
If you want the shrimp to be served warm instead, drain off the hot liquid and serve immediately.
You can add them to a sauce for a pasta dish or squeeze some lemon over them and serve them as is.
I have so many great shrimp recipes for you to try, from my Easiest Shrimp Tacos to the ever popular Shrimp Cocktail.
Step #11
Note that if they had the peels on, you can serve them with the peel or take the peels off before serving.
Podcast Episode: Cooking Frozen Shrimp
Listen to me explain briefly about How To Cook Shrimp From Frozen, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
Print
How to Poach Frozen Shrimp Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
DESCRIPTION
This is the best way to cook frozen shrimp. They end up so tender and juicy.
Ingredients
- 12 large frozen shrimp (21–25 count per pound, deveined and peeled or deveined and easy peel)*
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 of a lemon (optional)
- 8–10 peppercorns (optional)
- a handful of fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Fill a 3 quart saucepan 3/4 full of water.
- Add salt. If using, squeeze the juice of the lemon into the pot and add the peel and flesh once squeezed. Add the peppercorns and parsley if using.
- Bring the pot to a rapid boil over high heat.
- Remove from the heat and let it stop boiling.
- Add the frozen shrimp. Stir. Put the lid on the saucepan. Cover the pot. Let sit off of the heat for 5-6 minutes**, until shrimp are opaque and pink.
- If serving cold, prepare an ice bath: In a large bowl put two cups of ice cubes and fill halfway with cold water.
- When shrimp are cooked, drain off the hot liquid and serve immediately or transfer shrimp (but not the aromatics) to the ice bath. Let them sit in there for a few minutes to fully cool off before draining.
- Serve as is or peel them first.
Love this recipe? I’d appreciate it if you could scroll down and add a *5 star rating* to help others know they’ll love it as well!
Notes
*NOTE: You can do as many as 30 shrimp in that same sized pot with that same amount of water. They’ll just take longer to all cook through, about 8-10 minutes. If you want to do more shrimp than that, use a bigger pot with more water in it and it will work perfectly.
**It is better to err on the side of more time than less time. If the shrimp look done but aren’t quite ready, they will be mushy. So if you’re not sure, leave them a bit longer. And if you try one and it’s a bit mushy, let everything stay in the water a bit longer.
This post originally appeared in January 2018 and was revised and republished in October 2022. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
Joy D. says
I’ve used this method successfully with frozen, peeled, and deveined shrimp. Thank you!
Will this work with prawns as well? Mine are frozen with shell on.
Kate says
Will it work if I poach the shrimps in a’la Criollo sauce instead of salty water?
Christine Pittman says
Kate, I’ve never tried poaching shrimp in anything but water. However, I think any liquid should work. If you try it, come back and let us know how it goes!
Maria says
Just went over my notes. It was actually 8 min poaching time! Cant wait to try your frozen poached chicken! Be well always!
★★★★★
Christine Pittman says
Thanks for letting us know, Maria! So happy you loved this method.
Maria says
This was PERFECTION! THANK YOU!! Finally delicious moist shrimp. I did some calculating ( I can’t eye things because they never come out right) and I used twelve 8 oz cups of water for 24 medium sized shrimp in a stock pot. I let them poach for 10 minutes and they were so tender and moist. This was so easy. Thank you. An absolute keeper!
★★★★★
Carl says
OMG this recipe is spot on. Than You
Christine Pittman says
You’re welcome, Carl!
Rachel says
So simple and delicious!! I love shrimp, but no one else in my family really eats it. Such an easy way for me to enjoy it just for me!
★★★★★
Christine Pittman says
Thanks, Rachel! Hope you get to enjoy shrimp more often now.
Jeff in Ann Arbor says
Just tried this with 16-20 wild caught gulf shrimp at six minutes, and sadly, they were still partially raw. Used 14 shrimp in four quarts of water for six minutes.
Christine Pittman says
I’m sorry, Jeff. Sounds like your shrimp were larger than the ones we used, we used 21/25 count per pound shrimp here. You want to let them cook in the water until opaque and pink.
Sheri says
What if the shrimp is 16-20 per pound? Do they sit for longer than 5 or 6 minutes? Or what if they are smaller, like 26-30? Do the shrimp sit for less time? I am dying to try this but want to make sure that I do it right!
Christine Pittman says
For larger shrimp, add a few minutes of cooking time. Smaller shrimp should be about the same cooking time. This is a really gentle cook since it’s being done off the heat. If you’re not sure, quickly lift the lid to check the color for pinkness. If the shrimp are still a bit gray, continue cooking.
Christopher James says
I’ve had trouble cooking shrimp for years. And subsequently spend inordinate amounts of money eating them at restaurants. I’ll echo what someone else said; this recipe is a game changer. I used apple cider vinegar, half a lemon and rind, peppercorns, salt, pepper, and old bay seasoning. The old bay definitely gave the shrimp a kick in flavor that I would prefer be less pronounced. Going to withhold using it in next batch. I used jumbo, skin on, headless, deveined individually frozen shrimp. Hoping this recipe with a modified cooking time can be adapted to smaller shrimp. Thanks for sharing this recipe and creating simple, clear instructions.
Christine Pittman says
I’m so happy to hear this was a game changer for you, Christopher! Thanks for sharing with us.
Tootie says
Can frozen raw shrimp(no shells) be breaded and baked without thawing?
That would be great if they could be. Your Recipe is wonderful.
Christine Pittman says
We do have an air fryer recipe for that, Tootie! Check out – https://cookthestory.com/air-fryer-breaded-shrimp-from-frozen/
KT says
This was one of the most useful posts I’ve ever pinned! I love shrimp fettuccine dishes, but the idea of remembering to defrost and then cook the shrimp only to get so-so results… it never seemed worthwhile. This is a game changer and I plan to make a habit of picking up a bag of frozen shrimp whenever it’s on sale!!
Christine Pittman says
Fantastic, KT! Now you’ll get to enjoy shrimp more often!
Bri says
Can you sauté them after poaching?
Christine Pittman says
Any cooking after poaching will toughen the shrimp up a bit, Bri. But, if you’re not sauteing them for long, it’s fine. One thing I do is to melt some butter in a pan and add chopped garlic. I let it sit on low on the stove infusing while the shrimp poach. Then once they’re done, I toss them with the garlic butter just to flavor them, not to further cook them.
Patrick says
Never any other way again. Even did the salad shrimp, just reduced the poaching time by a minute. Just make sure they are NOT precooked and do ice bath. Amazing! (Can’t think of anything I would want warm shrimp for.)
Christine Pittman says
Wonderful, Patrick! Thanks for sharing your results!
lee says
Reply to @Mel – Mel the issue wasn’t the way you cooked the shrimp. It was the shrimp. Sounds like a bad batch of farm raised chemical laden shrimp. The chemical causes the shrimp to retain water so sometimes they don’t firm up properly. When you buy shrimp look at the ingredients and make sure it simply says shrimp or shrimp, salt.
Judy Gregory says
Wow! Easy peasy! Such a good idea.
Christine Pittman says
Thanks, Judy!
Jen says
You are awesome! I don’t think I’ll ever cook shrimp any other way, they are perfection! Thank you! ????
Christine Pittman says
You’re so welcome, Jen! Hope it has made your life easier and more delicious!
Saundra K. Warren says
I love shrimp so I’ll have to try this
Christine Pittman says
Yes! Enjoy, Saundra!
Angelica says
You’re a lifesaver! I had no idea you could cook shrimp from frozen! I always put them in the fridge or cold water to thaw and then forget about them, I’ve let so many poor little shrimp go to waste because of it!
Christine Pittman says
Uh oh! No need for that anymore, Angelica!
Cheryl says
You make it sound to easy ?
Christine Pittman says
You can do it, Cheryl!
Michael Coovert says
Frozen shrimp are horrible!! They are one of the worst things you can freeze. Freezing them dramatically alters their taste and physicality. You should always use fresh, unfrozen shrimp whenever possible. In my opinion.
Christine Pittman says
Fresh is wonderful, but not everyone has that readily available, Michael.