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This Fried Butterfly Shrimp Recipe (Easy and Crunchy) is superb! The shrimp are lightly coated in panko breadcrumbs and seasoning blend, then pan-fried to a perfectly crunchy golden brown. Add a squeeze of lemon, or serve with your favorite cocktail sauce. This is the most delicious fried shrimp recipe you’ve ever tasted!
These easy-fried shrimp are juicy and crunchy on the outside, wrapped in seasoned panko bread crumbs. The batter doesn’t overcoat the shrimp, which gives it a light and crisp texture. It’s delicious just like our Pan Fried Shrimp Recipe!
They are great for a party appetizer or a light main dish with a simple salad or homemade french fries. These shrimp will become a family favorite.
You will also love Crispy Baked Cod with Panko Recipe, Easy Crab Cakes Recipe (no egg), Crispy Calamari Air Fryer Recipe, Shrimp Salad, and Baked Eggplant Slices.
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
- Large Shrimp peeled, deveined, tails on
- Panko breadcrumbs*
- Old Bay seasoning
- Salt
- Pepper
- Eggs
- Water
- All-purpose flour (you can use cornstarch)
- Vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil for frying**
For Serving
- Lemon wedges
- Cocktail sauce
- Tartar Sauce
- Fresh parsley, chopped
*You could try using plain bread crumbs for the recipe. I find that panko works the best and creates a nice crunchy texture.
**You can use plain vegetable oil, peanut oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil. I prefer a nonflavored oil for frying the butterflied shrimp, so save your avocado oil and olive oil.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Butterfly Shrimp
This is an easy recipe for crispy shrimp!
In a medium bowl, add flour, salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning. Mix to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and water.
How to cut shrimp for butterfly shrimp
Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels and set aside to use for the cooked shrimp.
Butterfly each shrimp by carefully slicing through the center of the shrimp, making a lengthwise incision. Our Exclusive Cutting Board is featured.
Coat all sides of the shrimp in flour mixture, shaking to remove excess flour.
Hold the shrimp by the tail then dip it into the egg mixture bowl, allowing the excess egg to drip back into the egg bowl.
Place panko bread crumbs in a medium bowl or shallow dish.
Place flour and egg-coated shrimp into panko bread crumbs, cover with panko, and press lightly, ensuring the shrimp is coated with panko on both sides and the butterflied shrimp stay open at the top.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or deep fryer over medium until shimmering and hot, about 350 degrees F.
Place shrimp into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan and cook in batches of about 2-7, depending on the pot size.
Cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Place the cooked shrimp on the baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Serve hot with fresh lemon wedges, your favorite tartar sauce, or cocktail sauce. Sprinkle a little chopped parsley, if desired. Enjoy.
Variations
- Add garlic powder to the flour mixture for added flavor.
- Use gluten-free Cup 4 Cup flour and Gluten Free Panko Breadcrumbs to make this dish gluten-free.
Storage
Store leftover butterfly shrimp in an airtight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days—Reheat in an air fryer or on a baking sheet in the oven set to 300F to crisp.
How to Freeze Breaded Butterly Shrimp
Freeze breaded butterfly shrimp before deep frying them for the best results. To freeze the shrimp, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lightly coated with panko breadcrumbs and place them in the freezer.
Allow shrimp to freeze completely, then remove from the baking sheet and place in a freezer bag.
You can cook the breaded shrimp from a frozen state, like the ones from the grocery store! To cook homemade frozen shrimp, fry them the same way you would on the day you made them.
Top tips
- The shrimp will cook quickly. Do not overcook them, or they will become rubbery.
- When dipping the shrimp in the coating, hold them by the tail and shake off any excess as you dip them.
FAQs
Butterfly shrimp or butterflied shrimp refers to how you cut the shrimp before baking or frying them. To butterfly the shrimp, you’ll carefully slice down the center of the shrimp to ensure even and quick cooking. This process is usually done on large or jumbo shrimp but can also be done on regular-sized shrimp.
The main difference between a butterfly shrimp and a regular shrimp is the way ot is prepared before cooking. The term butterfly shrimp in culinary terminology means splitting a shrimp lengthwise so a thin strip keeps it whole. When the shrimp is spread open, the two sides are symmetrical, resembling a butterfly.
The reason for butterfly shrimp is for better cooking and a pretty presentation. Butterflying shrimp before frying helps the shrimp cook evenly and gives a fancy presentation. Cut the flesh along the back to butterfly shrimp, ensuring not to cut through the shrimp.
Yes, you can make fried butterflied shrimp ahead of time. Once all shrimp have been coated and placed on the plate, place the plate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to 5 hours. When ready to fry, take out the fridge and heat the oil.
Yes! You can make this recipe for breaded butterflied shrimp in an air fryer. After the shrimp is coated in the breadcrumb mixture, preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray the tops with nonstick cooking spray and cook for 2-3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the shrimp over and spray the tops with nonstick cooking spray. Cook for 4 minutes more or until desired crispness.
Large shrimp work best for frying these fried butterfly shrimp. Buy the largest shrimp you can find. 15 count size whenever possible but 16/20 and 21/25 sizes both work well too.
You can use frozen shrimp if you allow them to thaw entirely beforehand. Rinse and pat them dry once thawed so the breading and seasonings can stick. I do not recommend pre-cooked frozen shrimp for this recipe, only raw frozen shrimp.
To devein the shrimp, slice alongside the vein just enough to reveal the vein and remove it. The vein, or shrimp digestive tract, is not harmful if eaten; it’s unpleasant.
What to Serve with this Recipe
Served butterfly shrimp with Italian Fennel, Citrus, Pomegranate and Salad, Shredded Zucchini and Cheese Pasta (easy), Easy Soft Italian No Knead Bread you have a meal that tastes like an Italian restaurant!
Also, try Sautéed Green Beans Recipe (Easy), or Crispy Brussels Sprouts Recipe.
Don’t forget dessert. Try Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl), or Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe (Authentic).
More Easy Shrimp Recipes
- Squid Ink Pasta Recipe with Shrimp and Cherry Tomato Sauce
- Stuffed Salmon Recipe with Shrimp and Crab
- Trottole Pasta Recipe with Tomato Sauce and Shrimp
Butterfly Shrimp Recipe
This Fried Butterfly Shrimp Recipe (Easy and Crunchy) is superb! The shrimp are lightly coated in panko breadcrumbs and seasoning blend, then pan-fried to a perfectly crunchy golden brown. Add a squeeze of lemon, or serve with your favorite cocktail sauce.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled, deveined, tails on
- 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (you can also use cornstarch)
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil for frying
For Serving
- Lemon wedges
- Cocktail sauce
- Tartar Sauce
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
-
Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels and set aside to use for the cooked shrimp.
-
Butterfly each shrimp by carefully slicing through the center of the shrimp, making a lengthwise incision. Do not cut all the way through. Place butterflied shrimp on a large or medium serving platter coated with a bit of oil.
-
Place panko bread crumbs in a medium bowl or shallow dish.
- In a medium bowl, add flour, salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning. Mix to combine.
-
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and water.
-
Coat all sides of the shrimp in flour mixture, shaking to remove excess flour.
-
Then, dip the shrimp into the egg mixture bowl, allowing the excess egg to drip back into the egg bowl.
-
Place flour and egg-coated shrimp into panko bread crumbs, cover with panko, and press lightly, ensuring the shrimp is coated with panko on both sides and the butterflied shrimp stay open at the top.
-
Place breaded shrimp on the plate and continue this process until all shrimp are breaded.
-
Optional: Once all shrimp have been coated and placed on the plate, place the plate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 hours. This helps the crunchy topping stick to the shrimp better, but you can still cook them right after coating them.
-
Heat the oil in a large skillet or deep fryer over medium until shimmering and hot, about 350 degrees F.
-
Place shrimp into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan and cook in batches of about 7.
-
Cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon. Place the cooked shrimp on the baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Serve hot with fresh lemon wedges, your favorite tartar sauce, or cocktail sauce. Sprinkle a little chopped parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- The shrimp will cook quickly. Do not overcook them, or they will become rubbery.
- When dipping the shrimp in the coating, hold them by the tail and shake off any excess as you dip them.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Savory
- Method: American
- Cuisine: American
Light, crispy, crunchy, and super tasty!