Are you a shrimp lover? We have come up with a delicious recipe for shrimp. You can serve this item as an appetizer, main course, and a side dish. We have named this item the spicy shrimp recipe. This article will present how you can easily make spicy shrimp at home.
Moreover, you will know how to make the best seasoning for spicy shrimp. Additionally, we will provide 5 best items to pair with spicy shrimp, according to our experts.
Furthermore, we will try to give you pro tips to make the cooking process easy and effective. Therefore, we recommend reading this article with intensive concentration. Now without any further delay, let’s start the recipe.

How to Make Spicy Shrimp at Home?
Preparing spicy shrimp can be quite smooth if you have a proper guideline about the recipe. Therefore, we are here with our experts’ guidelines on how to prepare the best spicy shrimp dish. You can follow our recipe if you want to make the perfect homemade spicy shrimp.
Ingredients
- Shrimp (Peeled & Deveined) – 1 lb.
- Olive Oil – 2 tablespoons (Alternatively, butter)
- Garlic (minced) – 3 cloves
- Onion Powder – 1 teaspoon
- Cumin Powder – 1 teaspoon
- Chili Powder – (1 – 2) tablespoons (Suggested to use according to your heat preference)
- Smoked Paprika – 1 tablespoon
- Cayenne Pepper – 1 teaspoon
- Salt – ½ teaspoon (Suggested to use according to your salt preference)
- Black Pepper Powder – ¼ teaspoon
- Lime Juice – 1 piece lemon
- Fresh Cilantro for garnish (Optional)
Instructions
You already know about all the required ingredients and their measurement. We will tell you the processing method of easy spicy shrimp in this section. Our experts have divided the whole recipe into 5 simple steps. Let us describe each step one by one.
Step 1: Prepare the Shrimp
Shrimp is the main ingredient of this spicy shrimp recipe. At first, you have to prepare the shrimp for cooking.
- Remove the peel and devein the shrimp.
- Wash them nicely.
- Then, place them into a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Note: If you are using peeled and deveined shrimp, you can skip this step.
Pro Tip 1: Shrimp contain a single vein of waste product that you need to remove. It is quite hard to remove this vein. But, you can easily devein the shrimp using a fork. To avoid the hassle of deveining, you can use a shrimp deveiner knife.
Step 2: Season the Shrimp
The shrimp is ready. Now, you have to season them using the seasoning ingredients.
- Take a bowl and put the shrimp into it.
- Combine chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne powder, cumin powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt into the bowl of shrimp.
- Now, toss the shrimp and ensure that all the shrimp as evenly coated.
- The seasoning of the shrimp is done.
Note: You can adjust chili powder, and cayenne powder to achieve your preferable heat profile. Additionally, resting the shrimp for 30 minutes after seasoning could enhance the flavor profile.
Pro Tip 2: The amount of seasoning ingredients needs to be precise to get the authentic taste. So, you should use specific measuring spoons for the precise measurement.
Step 3: Cook the Shrimp
After seasoning the shrimp, it’s time to cook them.
- Take a skillet or pan.
- Heat olive oil or butter over medium-high heat.
- Now, add the shrimp and sauté for 2 – 3 minutes each side until they turn pink.
- Make sure that the shrimp are properly cooked.
Pro Tip 3: Flipping the shrimp is quite difficult because of its shape. So, our professionals suggest using tongs to flip them easily.
Step 4: Add Minced Garlic & Lime Juice
Now, you need to add minced garlic and lime juice to prepare garlic chili shrimp.
- Add minced garlic to the pan of spicy shrimp stir-fry.
- Cook until garlic releases fragrance. It may take only 30 – 40 seconds.
- At last, squeeze fresh lime juice over the cooked shrimp.
- Quickly toss them for a few seconds.
- The fiery shrimp dish is ready to serve.
Pro Tip 4: Lemon squeezing can be easy if you use a lemon squeezer. Using a squeezer will help to get more juice easily.
Step 5: Garnish & Serve the Spicy Shrimp
The spicy shrimp recipe is ready. Pour them into a bowl from the pan.
- Chop the fresh cilantro and garnish the shrimp using the freshly chopped cilantro.
- Then, serve the hot chili lime shrimp.
Best Seasoning for Spicy Shrimp
The magic of the spicy shrimp recipe depends on the seasoning. To achieve a balanced heat and flavors, you need the best seasoning. In this section, we will tell you about an amazing seasoning for preparing spicy shrimp.
Ingredients for Preparing the Seasoning
- Chili Powder – 2 tablespoons
- Smoked Paprika – 1 tablespoon
- Cayenne Powder – 2 teaspoon
- Onion Powder – 1 teaspoon
- Garlic Powder – 1 teaspoon
- Cumin Powder – 1 teaspoon
- Black Pepper Powder – 1 teaspoon
- Salt – ½ teaspoon
- Sugar – 1 pinch
How to Prepare the Seasoning?
Preparing the seasoning is very easy. You just need to combine them nicely, nothing else. Let us explain how to prepare the best seasoning for spicy shrimp.
- First, collect all the required ingredients.
- Secondly, take a bowl.
- Then, measure them precisely one by one and put them into the bowl.
- After combining all the ingredients in the bowl, mix the ingredients using a spoon or whisk.
- The best seasoning for spicy shrimp is ready.
- You can store the seasoning for further use.
What to Serve with Spicy Shrimp?
You can serve the spicy shrimp with versatile styles. Here, we will mention 5 best foods to pair with the fiery shrimp.
- Rice
Steam rice is a great combo with spicy shrimp. You can serve a bowl of rice with toppings of spicy shrimp. Besides, if you add some hot sauce to the spicy shrimp recipe, you can enjoy a restaurant-like hot sauce shrimp rice bowl at home.
- Vegetables
You can pair the spicy grilled shrimp with roasted vegetables. Bell peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, and zucchini are the best vegetable options for pairing with the shrimp.
- Tacos
Serving tacos using spicy shrimp is a great idea. After trying the spicy shrimp tacos, it could be your favorite appetizer.
- Pasta or Noodles
Pair the spicy shrimp with pasta or noodles and enjoy a delicious dinner dish. Spicy shrimp pasta or noodles are famous and you may find this recipe in any 5-strat hotel.
- Salad
The addition of spicy shrimp to a fresh green salad can convert it to a high-protein salad recipe. You can eat this spicy shrimp salad as your main course if you want to eat healthy.

Spicy Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Shrimp (Peeled & Deveined)
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 Cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 – 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder Suggested to Use According to Your Heat Preference
- 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- ½ Teaspoon Salt Suggested to Use According to Your Salt Preference
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
- 1 Piece Lime Juice
- Fresh Cilantro for garnish Optional
Instructions
- First, check the ingredient list and collect all the required ingredients
- Secondly, remove the peel and devein the shrimp, if you are using unpeeled shrimp
- Let the shrimp be dry on the paper towel
- After that, take a bowl and put the shrimp into it
- Now, measure the seasoning ingredients one by one and put them into the bowl of shrimp
- Toss the shrimp for a few minutes for evenly coat of the seasoning ingredients
- You can rest the seasoned shrimp for about 30 minutes
- Then, take a skillet or sautéing pan
- Heat the olive oil or butter over medium heat and fry each side of the shrimp for 2 – 3 minutes
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Then, squeeze a lime over the shrimp
- Pour the spicy shrimp into a bowl and garnish it using freshly chopped cilantro
- Finally, your spicy shrimp is ready to enjoy
Nutrition
Conclusion
You can easily prepare a 5-star hotel-like dish at home with the spicy shrimp recipe. Spicy shrimp are a flavorful and desirable dish for the spicy lovers. Achieving the proper balance of spiciness is mandatory to get an authentic taste.
We hope you have learned the recipe properly with our recipe. Besides, you have gotten some ideas about how you can serve the shrimp. Now, prepare this shrimp recipe at home and enjoy. Be with us for more useful recipes like this.
FAQs
A. Can You Make Spicy Shrimp Without Hot Sauce?
Yes, of course, you can make spicy shrimp without hot sauce. Though using hot sauce in a spicy shrimp recipe is a go-to way to add heat, there are many other ways to do so. Here, we have attached 5 alternatives to hot sauce.
- Chili powder
- Paprika (Spicy)
- Cayenne powder
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Fresh chopped chilies
B. Spicy Shrimp vs. Cajun Shrimp: What’s the Difference?
Aspect | Spicy Shrimp | Cajun Shrimp |
Flavor Profile | Hot and fiery flavors | Bold, smoky, and savory flavors |
Heat Level | Mild to very hot | Moderately spicy |
Origin | Asian, Mexican, or Mediterranean | Southern U.S. |
Color | Red to brownish hues | Reddish brown |
Cooking Method | Sautéed, grilled, or stir-fried | Grilled or pan-seared |
How Can I Make Spicy Shrimp More Flavorful?
If you follow our recipe, you can easily prepare flavorful spicy shrimp at home. Let us give you 3 magical tips to make spicy shrimp more flavorful.
- You can add chili powder, cayenne powder, or paprika according to your heat preference. Our experts suggest using a pinch of sugar to balance the spiciness of spicy spices and the tanginess of lime juice.
- The second pro tip is marinating the shrimp with seasoning ingredients for about 30 minutes before cooking. It will allow the shrimp to be more flavorful.
- The third pro tip is to use fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley to bring a fresh flavor and brighten the dish.
Essential Kitchen Tools
You can make the spicy shrimp recipe at home using some common kitchen tools. They are;
- Skillet or Sauté Pan: To stir fry the shrimp.
- Measuring Spoons: To measure the seasoning ingredients precisely.
- Tongs: To flip the shrimp during frying.
- Cutting Board & Knife: To remove the peel and vein of the shrimp and mince the cloves of garlic.
- Bowl: For mixing the seasoning ingredients with the shrimp.
Lemon Squeezer: To squeeze the lemon.