This is the best seasoning for shrimp because it gives baked, grilled, sauteed, and air fryer shrimp an addictive savory-smoky flavor. Use your perfectly seasoned shrimp in tacos, salads, fajitas, grain bowls, and more!
When you want to take shrimp from good to great, you have to pick the right seasonings. Luckily, choosing the best seasonings for shrimp isn’t hard! Toss them in garlic butter sauce, add some heat with a Cajun seasoning, or, for the best all-around flavor, turn to this easy shrimp seasoning recipe.
Herbs and blends that go well with shrimp are: basil, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, chili powder, chives, cilantro, curry powder, dill, garlic, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, oregano, paprika, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and thyme.
Shrimp has a distinct flavor and texture that sets it apart from other meats. It’s mildly salty with a touch of sweetness. 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!
Old Bay Seasoning isn’t just for crab cakes. This unique blend of 18 herbs and spices tastes just as good on shrimp. Old Bay Seasoning was made for seafood. It’s sweet and spicy with earthy undertones. You can add a dash of it to your breading for fried shrimp or sprinkle it over shrimp on the grill. Old Bay seasoned shrimp tastes wonderful over cheesy grits or pasta.
Shrimp pairs best with spice blends that have a bold flavor from garlic butter to blackening seasoning. Whether you’re making shrimp taco or shrimp pasta, cooking your shrimp in a flavorful seasoning mix will take your meal to the next level.
Garlic butter is a go-to seasoning for many shrimp fans. Butter and garlic are a perfect mix of sweet and savory. Cooking lean meat, like shrimp, in butter is ideal since it gives the meat a richer flavor. Garlic adds a little bite. This seasoning mix is the base for Italian dishes like shrimp scampi and Asian dishes like honey garlic butter shrimp.
You’ve probably seen blackened shrimp or chicken on a menu before. Blackening is the name of both a Cajun seasoning blend and cooking technique. The cooking technique began in Louisiana. Blackened meats are coated with blackening seasoning and cooked in butter in a cast-iron skillet. This technique gives the meat a dark, “blackened” appearance. The seasoning blend includes spices that brown effortlessly, like garlic powder and onion powder, along with classic Cajun spices like cayenne pepper. If you want your shrimp to have a kick, give this seasoning blend a try! Enjoy blackened shrimp on tacos, tossed with rice and vegetables, or over pasta.
What kind of shrimp should I use?
Any kind! Any size or variety of shrimp can be seasoned; it all depends on the dish you plan on making.
Shrimp usually comes in colossal, jumbo, extra large, large, medium, small, and miniature sizes. I typically buy large or jumbo shrimp when I’m serving the shrimp in tacos, salads, or as an appetizer with any of these 20+ dipping sauces for shrimp.
Pro tip: Always remove the vein from larger varieties of shrimp (AKA the shrimp’s digestive tract) before seasoning and cooking as its gritty texture can ruin your dish.
Quick & Easy Garlic Butter Shrimp | How To Make Garlic Butter Shrimp Skillet
FAQ
What brings out the flavor of shrimp?
What flavors pair well with shrimp?
How do you add flavor to cooked shrimp?
Should shrimp be seasoned before cooking?
What seasoning goes with shrimp?
Here are a few other shrimp seasoning ideas: Lemon shrimp: Go basic with just salt and lemon juice (optionally, add a sprinkle of chives, basil or oregano). Honey garlic shrimp: A favorite! Go to Honey Garlic Shrimp. Garlic shrimp: Add raw minced garlic with the shrimp.
What can I add to shrimp?
Lemon shrimp: Go basic with just salt and lemon juice (optionally, add a sprinkle of chives, basil or oregano). Honey garlic shrimp: A favorite! Go to Honey Garlic Shrimp. Garlic shrimp: Add raw minced garlic with the shrimp. Cajun shrimp: Add Cajun seasonings, or for a milder spin go for blackened seasoning.
What herbs go well with shrimp?
It has what many consider to be a lemon flavor, which is why it goes so well with shrimp’s natural brininess. It is a delicate herb, which allows it to enhance shrimp without masking it. Its subtlety also allows it to work alongside most other herbs and spices including those on this list.
What flavor goes well with shrimp?
Garlic and ginger enhance flavor, while veggies bring texture and freshness. Thyme, a tiny, aromatic herb, is often used to flavor seafood, especially shrimp. Shrimp’s sweetness pairs well with this herb’s earthy, lemony flavor. Thyme is flexible and may be used in many shrimp recipes.