The 10 Most Incredible Leftover Shrimp Recipes - The Rusty Spoon (2024)

Cooked shrimp is such a tasty food to cook, and the beauty of shrimp is that if you cook enough, you can keep some as leftovers in your refrigerator to eat at a later date. This is particularly useful when it comes to meal prep and saving money.

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Typically, the shrimp can remain in the refrigerator for up to 4 days after cooking, which provides you with plenty of time to reuse it when needed.

However, if you’ve already consumed a meal with shrimp in it, it’s unlikely that you will want to recreate the same recipe again.

The 10 Most Incredible Leftover Shrimp Recipes - The Rusty Spoon (1)

Given this, you may be looking for a tasty and suitable recipe that allows you to use the leftover cooked shrimp in the best way.

To help you along, in this article we have discussed the 10 most incredible leftover shrimp recipes to follow. We have tried these recipes out for ourselves and can confirm that they taste as great as they sound!

How to Make Quick and Easy Creole-Style Shrimp Recipe

If you’re a fan of spicy shrimp recipes, this is the perfect recipe to use for your leftover shrimp. While it is spicy it’s not overpowering, and it tastes delicious. Being quick and easy to make, it’s the most suitable option to consider if you don’t want to spend too much time cooking.

The preparation time for this recipe is only ten minutes, then you will need to plan for 10 minutes of cooking time on top of this. The ingredients are all easy to source, which is important when looking for a simple recipe to follow.

The instructions are all straight forward too.

Depending on the amount of shrimp you have left over, this recipe can make up to 4 servings, which is enough for all the family.

Shrimp Fried Rice

One of the more basic leftover shrimp recipes to follow is shrimp fried rice. However, while it may be more basic in comparison to some of the other recipes featured in this article, this doesn’t mean that it isn’t just as tasty.

This is one of our personal favorites because shrimp and fried rice always work so well together, especially when you add egg and other vegetables to the rice too. It’s a hearty and filling meal to have, that will keep you satisfied after eating it.

The preparation and cooking time is minimal, which is important for a leftover shrimp dish. This recipe in particular contains green onions, carrots, and peas that are cooked with the rice in sesame oil.

However, if you’re not as keen on these ingredients, you can switch them out for vegetables you prefer instead.

This Bang Bang Shrimp recipe is Better Than Bonefish!

If you enjoy shrimp, then it’s likely you have heard of the famous Bonefish Grill. It’s super tasty, and their Bang Bang Shrimp recipe is mouth wateringly good. It’s one every shrimp lover needs to try at some point.

However, it’s not the cheapest restaurant to eat at. Given this, we have the perfect solution to this, a recipe that arguably tastes better than the recipe served at Bonefish Grill.

While we have tasted this recipe and can confirm that this is true, we will leave you to be the judge of that!

This recipe is fairly easy to follow, and doesn’t take up too much time to recreate and cook. The ingredients are not too expensive to source and purchase, and the recipe is worded in a simple to understand way.

Easy Garlic Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Garlic and shrimp are a match made in heaven and this easy garlic shrimp scampi recipe is the perfect way to use up any leftover ingredients you have.

As the recipe states, it’s super easy to follow, and the preparation time is minimal, which is great if you don’t want to spend long preparing and cooking the food.

It’s the best kind of comfort food, and one of our favorite leftover shrimp recipes to cook. The meal is bursting with flavor, and it tastes great when served with garlic bread or pasta.

Alternatively they can be eaten alone or on top of a salad if you’re looking for a lighter, lunch time snack, rather than a more filling evening meal.

Garlic Butter Shrimp and Rice

This garlic butter, shrimp, and rice recipe is the ultimate indulgence food. We love how well the garlic butter compliments the shrimp, and it’s a surprisingly easy recipe to follow.

The instructions are straight forward, rather than being overly complicated.

What we love the most about this recipe is that the garlic butter soaks into the rice well.

While it’s a rice option to choose, it’s not overpowering in any way. It’s delicious and the preparation time is minimal, making it a great option to serve if you’re in a rush.

Easy Shrimp Scampi Linguine

If you’re looking for a more substantial evening meal to create with the leftover shrimp you have, this easy shrimp scampi linguine is the perfect choice to consider.

Not only does it only take 20 minutes to cook and prepare, but it tastes fantastic too!

It’s an option that will be popular with the entire family, and the recipe serves a good number of people.

We love serving this recipe with cheesy garlic bread, and this provides the ultimate combination. It’s a comforting and filling meal, making it perfect for the colder, winter months.

Lemon Pepper Shrimp – Super Easy Recipe!

As the name of the recipe states, this lemon pepper shrimp recipe is super easy to follow and recreate. This is great news for people that struggle to follow more complicated recipes, or are maybe not as skilled at cooking.

As this recipe contains lemons it’s refreshing and light. The pepper adds a hint of spice, and works well alongside the lemon.

You can either eat this recipe alone, or you can serve it with rice, pasta or vegetables. We prefer it with rice the most when served as an evening meal.

For a lighter option, you can substitute the rice and pasta for a side salad instead. This recipe only contains a small amount of ingredients, and it has a quick preparation and cooking time.

Honey Soy Shrimp

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/454230312426855493/

This is another recipe that is delicious. Not only is it easy to recreate, but it’s full of flavor too. The honey and soy create the perfect glaze for the shrimp.

The shrimp is intended to be eaten alone, however, we like to use it to top salad or rice in particular. It’s a great recipe to incorporate into a larger meal.

It takes less than 15 minutes to cook, which is perfect if you’re short of time, and don’t want to spend too long cooking!

Honey Garlic Shrimp Skillet

This is one of the most popular recipes we have included in this article, and it’s easy to see why. Not only is it easy to recreate and follow, but it tastes incredibly good too!

Can you believe that this recipe only contains 5 ingredients in total? We were shocked at how great it was when we made it!

The honey and the garlic complement each other and the shrimp perfectly, and this is one of our favorite ways to use up leftover shrimp. The glaze is super tasty.

Shrimp Noodle Stir Fry (Tossed in Leftover Drippings)

Last, but certainly no least, we have this shrimp noodle stir fry. This is another super tasty recipe that makes the most out of not just the leftover shrimp, but the leftover drippings too!

This adds to the overall flavor of the recipe, and provides a good amount of flavor for the noodles.

Stir frys are filling, and easy to recreate. What we love about them is that you can choose to incorporate a wide variety of different vegetables. This recipe is a great way to use up other ingredients you have leftover in your fridge too!

Summary

We hope you have found this article useful. As you can see, there are a number of different leftover shrimp recipes to choose from. While these are all different to each other, they’re just as tasty and easy to make.

The most important thing to remember is that the cooked shrimp needs to be reheated thoroughly before you consume it. This will help to ensure it’s safe to eat and any lingering bacteria has been eliminated.

Which one of these 10 incredible leftover shrimp recipes will you pick to recreate first?

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Shrimp Make Good Leftovers?

Yes, shrimp is a great option to use as leftovers. There are many fantastic recipes to follow that use shrimp, and it’s an easy food to reuse.

It is safe to eat for a few days after cooking; you will just need to ensure it is cooked correctly.

How Long Is Leftover Cooked Shrimp Good For?

On average, cooked shrimp is typically good to keep in the refrigerator for around 3 to 4 days after cooking.

However, care needs to be taken to ensure that the cooked shrimp is placed in the refrigerator up to two hours after cooking.

It needs to be kept refrigerated until you are ready to eat it. However, if the shrimp tastes off, we wouldn’t recommend reheating and eating it as this can potentially cause food poisoning.

Can I Reheat Cooked Shrimp?

Yes, you can reheat cooked shrimp. When doing so, you will need to ensure the shrimp is reheated thoroughly and is piping hot.

This will help to prevent any potential food poisoning. After 4 days, the cooked shrimp will be unsafe to eat.

When reheating the cooked shrimp, you can choose to do this in a steamer, oven, frying pan or microwave. While steaming is the best option, the other options are just as successful.

The 10 Most Incredible Leftover Shrimp Recipes - The Rusty Spoon (2)

The 10 Most Incredible Leftover Shrimp Recipes

Do you have leftover shrimp in the refrigerator? Here are the 10 most incredible recipes to follow to use up the leftover shrimp in the best way.

Directions

  • Pick a recipe from the list above
  • Click the recipe name and visit the website
  • Collect the ingredients and cook the food
  • Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review

Recipe Video

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Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!

Latest posts by Jess Smith (see all)

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The 10 Most Incredible Leftover Shrimp Recipes - The Rusty Spoon (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook frozen already cooked shrimp? ›

If you want to cook already cooked shrimp, start by thawing the shrimps in cold water for 15 minutes. Then, place them on a microwavable plate and cook them on high heat for 1-2 minutes.

How to make cooked shrimp more flavorful? ›

Make a Cajun spice blend for the shrimp.

Place the salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, thyme, oregano, and cayenne in a large bowl and stir to combine.

How do you make frozen shrimp taste better? ›

Add salt, pepper, lemon wedges, Old Bay seasoning, and bay leaves to the water and stir. Add thawed shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the shrimp turns gray to pink. Turn the heat off, and transfer the shrimp into an ice bath to stop the cooking.

How long do you microwave frozen shrimp? ›

Shrimp take about 3-4 minutes to steam in the microwave for a 1000w microwave. Cook times can vary based on the size and amount of shrimp in the dish. When cooking shrimp, stir periodically to ensure even cooking. If any portion is gray, continue cooking until pink and opaque.

What happens if you cook frozen shrimp without thawing? ›

Frozen shrimp is mega-nutritious, filling, delicious, and quick to prepare—even if you forget to thaw it. Yes, readers, that's right: You can cook frozen shrimp without thawing it overnight. All you need is a splash of ice-cold water and an oven with a broiler function.

Do frozen shrimp have to be thawed before cooking? ›

Cooking frozen shrimp won't harm you, but the texture won't be as appetising as if you cook from thawed. If time allows, leave your shrimp in the fridge overnight to thaw. Avoid thawing at room temperature, as this also impacts the texture.

Why add baking soda to shrimp before cooking? ›

Alkaline baking soda slightly alters the pH of the shrimp, making them as plump and succulent as lobster and resistant to overcooking. The brine also causes the meat to pull away from the shells while cooking, so you get all the great flavor of shell-on shrimp without the hassle.

What brings out the flavor of shrimp? ›

These savory little crustaceans taste best with seasoning that complements their unique umami flavor. The top three spice blends for shrimp are garlic butter, Old Bay Seasoning, and blackened seasoning, and they are easy to make at home!

What not to do when cooking shrimp? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Shrimp
  1. Mistake #1: Buying the Wrong Shrimp.
  2. Mistake #2: Improper Thawing.
  3. Mistake #3: Overcooking the Shrimp.
  4. Mistake #4: Not Deveining.
  5. Mistake #5: Throwing Away the Shells.
Jul 1, 2020

What does soaking shrimp in milk do? ›

Some prefer to soak seafood in milk before cooking to keep it from tasting too fishy. If you choose to soak your shrimp, you should do so with whole milk for at least 10 minutes.

Why is frozen cooked shrimp rubbery? ›

Shrimp cook real quickly and overcooking them is a common mistake to occur. Hence, overcooked shrimp can become rubbery in texture and lose their natural sweetness. The solution here is to keep a close eye on your shrimp while cooking. Remember that they are done when they turn pink and opaque.

When should you not use frozen shrimp? ›

While shrimp can last for up to one year in the freezer, it's best to use it within three months for optimum taste and texture. Be sure to label and date the bag so you know when it was originally frozen.

How long to microwave shrimp? ›

Set timer for microwave for 3 minutes, and cook. Make sure to use a plastic wrap to cover dish, venting on one side for air. After 3 minutes, check to make sure the shrimp are cooked through. If not put back into oven for 30 second intervals.

Is it OK to microwave frozen shrimp? ›

You don't want them out of the fridge overnight because if they get too warm this can cause them to go bad before you even cook them. Microwaving the shrimp to thaw them is also not an ideal process. The microwave can harbor bacteria to build up on the shrimp, and it can start to cook them which you don't want either.

How long to microwave already cooked shrimp? ›

Step 1: Place the shrimp in a microwave-safe dish and cover with a damp paper towel to retain moisture. Step 2: Reheat the shrimp on medium power in 30-second increments, checking after each interval until they are warm, which usually takes about 2-3 minutes.

How do you know when frozen cooked shrimp is done? ›

Look at the color of the shrimp

However, after shrimp has been cooked, it should do a 180-degree turn and be white with pops of pink or red. You also shouldn't be able to see into the shrimp anymore. If your shrimp still have a tinge of gray or translucency to them, chances are they are not done cooking.

How long to grill precooked shrimp? ›

Grilling the Shrimp

Now it's time to fire up the grill! Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. Place the already cooked shrimp on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. You'll know they're ready when they develop a light char and are heated through.

Can you boil shrimp with the shell on? ›

Depending on how you are serving your shrimp, you can leave the shells on or off. I peel and devein first and keep the shells for the shrimp boil. Place the shells from the shrimp in a large sauce pan along with 1 Tbsp garlic salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and bay leaf.

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