Abracadabra…Cajun Crusted Shrimp!

Presto dinnero. These shrimp are so easy to prepare, they cook in about 5 minutes, and they are as tasty as can be. I felt like a dinner magician. The shrimp take on a very light, crispy crust that is packed with flavor. Oddly, they remind me a lot of a bloomin’ onion from Outback Steakhouse.

There are a lot of spices that make up the crust for these shrimp, but the flavors work so well together that it’s worth including them all. If you’re as overrun with spices as I am, check out my spice storage method. This spice mixture will coat 1 pound of shrimp, so adjust the measurements accordingly if you’re using more or less. To make the spice crust, mix together 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of dried rosemary, and 1/4 teaspoon of cumin. Phew! Try not to breathe in too much while you’re mixing these spices or else you are sure to sneeze!

Pat your shrimp with a towel until they are mostly dry, and toss them in the spice mixture until they are fully coated. Thinly slice 1 small onion.

In a heavy skillet, melt 5 tablespoons of butter over high heat.  Add the shrimp and onion slices into the pan in an even layer. Let the shrimp cook for 3 minutes, and then flip them to the other side and let them cook for another 3 minutes. The shrimp will be cooked when they are opaque, pink, and the spice mixture has formed a nice crust.

I loved the onions in this dish because the extra spice mixture clung to them and turned them into onion straws! We ate our shrimp over couscous with a side of broccoli. I can’t believe how delicious this very easy meal turned out to be. These shrimp are the new rabbit in my hat.

This recipe is from Tasty Kitchen.

Shopping list:

  • Shrimp- 1 pound
  • Small onion- 1
  • Butter- 5 tablespoons
  • Paprika- 1 teaspoon
  • Kosher salt- 1 teaspoon
  • Black pepper- 1 teaspoon
  • Cayenne pepper- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Onion powder- 1/4 teaspoon
  • Garlic powder- 1/4 teaspoon
  • White pepper- 1/4 teaspoon
  • Dried thyme- 1/4 teaspoon
  • Dried rosemary- 1/4 teaspoon
  • Cumin- 1/4 teaspoon
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Comments

Abracadabra…Cajun Crusted Shrimp! — 3 Comments

  1. I made the shrimp tonight and it was a hit. Mine did not crust up (used frozen shrimp) but that was ok since I served them over spinach salad with onions, strawberries, blueberries, bacon bits and lemon/olive oil vinaigrette.

    The crust/breading for the shrimp was zesty but we loved it. Thanks for sharing.

  2. I used this as a base adding tomato, okra and a little left over sausage , served over rice delicious!

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