The Best Healthy Shrimp Recipes

These healthy shrimp recipes are easy to make, full of flavor, and will make a busy weeknight dinner feel like something special.

If you are craving a succulent dish that makes your mouth drool, then you should try these healthy shrimp recipes. Shrimp are known to be loaded with healthy protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients. Plus, they just taste out of the world delicious.

Another thing that makes my heart go wild for shrimp is how effortless it is to cook. You don’t have to spend hours over a hot stove to make a flavorful meal.

Shrimp goes well with garlic, honey, ginger and a whole lot of other seasonings and flavors. You can really play with your recipes to make them perfect for your family. They can be the star of any dinner, lunch or snack. So take a look at these scrumptious meal ideas, and you will be in food heaven.

Blackened Shrimp is one of my most beloved dishes because it is juicy, goes well with most vegetables and keeps you full. Plus, these little bites of goodness can be cooked in around ten minutes. Imagine all the free time you will have!

Low Carb Shrimp Sushi Bowl can be a light lunch or dinner. It has cauliflower rice, plumb and juicy shrimp, rice vinegar, soy sauce, mayonnaise, sriracha, fresh cucumbers, carrots, edamame, and creamy avocados.

One Pan Shrimp Fajitas is such an easy recipe! You can make this in around twenty minutes with just a few ingredients you probably have around the house already. You can pretty much throw it all in and your dinner will be fabulous! Serve with Mexican rice, and fresh avocado.

Creamy Coconut and Tomato Shrimp is the drool-worthy recipe you need in your life. Serve it at a get-together and your friends will be shocked that you didn’t have to slave away in the kitchen all day. They will be begging for the recipe too.

Garlic Parmesan Shrimp if there are two ingredients that go perfectly with shrimp, it is garlic and parmesan cheese. The combination is legendary! Serve this dish with warm garlic knots and fresh fruit.

Shrimp Scampi Flatbread is loads of fun to make and your kids will want to help too! Plus, it is so scrumptious that every bite gets gobbled up almost as quickly as you tell everyone it is time to eat!

Pesto Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles has a healthy pesto of big and plump shrimp. If you have never had zucchini noodles, this is the perfect recipe to try them with. They add a tastiness you can’t get from anything else.

Chopped Shrimp Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, tastes beyond delicious with its tangy lemon vinaigrette dressing. I love eating this for a light and simple lunch that keeps me full all afternoon. Also, it makes a delightful dinner too.

Garlic Lemon Shrimp Kabobs, are sinfully appetizing, and the presentation is divine! I like to pair these with some sauteed or grilled vegetables and a big fruit salad.

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli, taste delectable and is made in your oven in only 20 minutes! The minced garlic and parmesan cheese are a touchdown in the flavor department!

Fish and Shrimp Stew, is a hearty soup that is fantastic on a cold day because it warms you up, is loaded with tantalizing flavors and keeps your belly full. It only takes around forty minutes to make this flavorful dish. I like to serve with dinner rolls and a garden salad.

Healthy Shrimp Boil Packets, has juicy shrimp, chicken sausage, corn, green beans, mushrooms, onion, chopped red potatoes, and seasonings. You are going to fall in love with this meal idea!

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Avocado Slaw, is one of those meals you will want to add to your weekly recipe rotation. Once you sink your teeth into a taco that is filled with spicy shrimp and creamy slaw you won’t be able to get enough.

Coconut Lime Shrimp, has zesty lime juice with creamy coconut milk with luscious shrimp and seasoned to perfection. I have to warn you that when you taste this, you are going to be in heaven. You will never have leftovers either!

Low Carb Vegetable and Shrimp Alfredo, has garden fresh zucchini, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, cauliflower, juicy shrimp, butter and a few other ingredients. This meal is zesty and packed with yummy flavors.

Honey Lime Shrimp, has a little bit of spice and a lot of sweet! It is tangy and a crowd pleasing recipe that kids and adults all enjoy! Serve with some fresh strawberries, side salad, and breadsticks.

Tips for Making Healthy Shrimp Recipes

What kind of shrimp should I buy? Frozen or fresh?

Even though you are used to seeing both frozen and “fresh” shrimp in the grocery store, it is actually all frozen about 99% of the time. Shrimp is flash frozen after it is caught to preserve the freshness. When you see “fresh” shrimp in the store, it is actually just defrosted shrimp.

So what should you buy? It’s a matter of convenience. If you are planning on cooking the shrimp that night, you can buy the already defrosted shrimp in the store. Otherwise, I would recommend buying frozen. It is more affordable and generally has more flavor since it hasn’t been sitting out on the ice for as long.

Can I cook with already cooked shrimp?

Most stores sell two types of shrimp - raw and cooked. It can come frozen or defrosted. Generally speaking, you don’t want to buy cooked shrimp for any recipe that requires cooking. Raw is best. Additionally, raw shrimp will take on flavors from marinade, sauces, spices, and herbs much better than cooked shrimp.

Cooked shrimp can be a good option for things like shrimp cocktail, salad, and cold shrimp preparations. However, as I mentioned above, raw shrimp is better for adding flavors and most of the time will taste significantly better than cooked frozen shrimp.

What’s the best way to defrost frozen shrimp?

Shrimp is easy to defrost. If you remember, just place it in the fridge the night before you plan to use it and will be ready the next day.

For fast defrosting, place your shrimp in a large bowl in the sink, full of cold water. Let the cold water from the sink drip into the bowl at a very slow flow for about 10-15 minutes until the shrimp is thawed. Drain and dry the shrimp before using.

How long does it take to cook shrimp?

Shrimp is a fast cooking protein and will take 2-3 minutes per side to cook, depending on the size. This is true in a hot skillet, grill, or when broiling. If you are cooking shrimp in the oven, it will take 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees. This time can vary slightly depending on the size of your shrimp.

You know shrimp is cooked when it turns pink and is opaque. It will shrink a bit during the cooking process but should remain plump. It is very important not to overcook your shrimp because it can get rubbery and tough.

Can I cook with frozen shrimp?

Generally speaking, I recommend defrosting shrimp before cooking with them because it is much easier to ensure they cook evenly. May times if starting with frozen shrimp, the outside will overcook and the inside will remain raw or mushy. And since shrimp only takes 10-15 minutes to defrost, it won’t add a lot of cooking time.

One exception to this rule is with broiled shrimp. If you want to cook directly from frozen, broiling is your best friend. Start by preheating your sheet pan in the oven for at last 10 minutes. During that time, add some oil and spices to your shrimp. Then broil the shrimp on the hot baking sheet for 4-5 minutes per side.

Are shrimp healthy? How many calories do shrimp have?

When it comes to calories, shrimp is a great lean protein source with just 120 calories for a four ounce serving. It also has over 20 grams of protein and is high in vitamins and minerals like iodine, iron, and Vitamin B12.

However, there are some health concerns when it comes to shrimp, especially farm raised shrimp. Whenever possible, try to buy wild shrimp instead of farmed shrimp, which tends to have fewer concerns when it comes to safe farming concerns, use of antibiotics, and other issues that have been raised about farmed shrimp.

What is the best way to clean shrimp?

Truth be told, I almost always buy cleaned shrimp to make it easy and not have to worry about cleaning the shrimp. If you buy shrimp that is in the shell and needs to be cleaned, there is a good tutorial here about how to clean and devein shrimp.

Are shrimp and prawns the same?

Prawns and shrimp come from the same family but are different animals. Prawns are larger in size, with larger legs and claws. Shrimp tend to be much smaller.

When it comes to recipes, prawns take longer to cook than shrimp so you can simply exchange one for the other without making some adjustments.

What’s the best way to marinate shrimp?

Shrimp is a great vehicle for flavors and is a great protein for marinades. You can use almost any marinade for shrimp but if it contains acids like lemon or lime juice, the shrimp shouldn’t marinate for more than 30 minutes. For oil based marinades without acids, shrimp can marinate for up 24 hours but should have good flavor after about an hour.

How long does shrimp stay good?

Frozen shrimp will stay good in the freezer for 6-9 months. Once shrimp has been defrosted, it should be used within 1-2 days. Once shrimp has been cooked, it can be stored safely in the fridge for 3-4 days.