How to Cook Frozen Shrimp

Make boiled frozen shrimp the quick and easy way! Learn how to cook raw shrimp from frozen using our simple technique before using them in shrimp cocktail or other recipes. They're a whole lotta yum!

Boiling Shrimp from Frozen is so helpful!

Did you forget to defrost the shrimp for a recipe and you don't have time to defrost them?

If you've been wondering if can you steam frozen shrimp on the stove without thawing them first, the answer is definitely yes!

But let's get real, being able to cook meat or seafood from frozen is truly a life saver whether it's boiling them like we're doing here or air frying them.

You can use shrimp for making shrimp cocktail (probably their most popular use!), for an easy seafood boil recipe, or use them in our Mexican shrimp salad.

Ingredients you'll need

While it might seem like you could just boil water and add the frozen shrimp, you want to give them a little more care so they turn out juicy and flavorful.

• raw frozen shrimp, tail on - buying the raw shrimp that's already been peeled and deveined saves you time, however, if preferred you can also use this method for cooking the shell-on variety.
• sea salt or kosher salt - it's critical to at least add salt to the water or your shrimp will taste like nothing. Salt helps to bring out the natural flavors of the shrimp.
• pepper - we added a pinch of black peppercorns to help season the boiling water, you can also add in ground black pepper or skip the pepper.
• lemon, cut into slices - lemon and seafood go hand in hand
• bay leaves- we added a couple for flavor, this is an optional ingredient

** Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact quantities **

Recipe variations

Adding Old Bay - Boiling seafood in Old Bay is a terrific alternative to adding salt and some of the other seasonings we've suggested. The rule of thumb with Old Bay is ¼ cup per 2 quarts of water. This is the same amount of seasoning we use to make our easy seafood boil.

Cooking frozen shrimp

Season the water. Add 8 cups of cold water (2 quarts) to a large pot. Add seasonings if desired such as ½ lemon sliced, 1 Tablespoon sea salt or kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black peppercorns. You can also add a couple of bay leaves, or use garlic salt in place of the sea salt. The salt is critical, the rest are optional but things we like to add.

Bring it to a boil over high heat.

Steam the shrimp. Turn the heat down to medium and add a pound of frozen large shrimp. Simmer them for 2-3 minutes or until they're just cooked through to a light pink color. Right before they're done cooking, get a water bath ready by filling a large bowl with a mix of cold water and 2 cups of ice cubes.

Ice bath. Quickly remove the shrimp from the hot water and place them in the ice bath to stop them from cooking. Peel and devein the shrimp if they didn't already come that way.

Serve these cold as an appetizer alongside shrimp cocktail sauce or use them in other shrimp recipes. Enjoy!

Helpful tips

• Buying peeled and deveined shrimp is a time saver! If you only have the shell-on variety you'll need to boil it from frozen and remove the shells afterwards.
• Cook the shrimp until it just turns pink. Even 1-2 minutes too long can overcook the shrimp and make it tough and rubbery.
• Fresh shrimp uses the same method, just cook them for 2 minutes.
• Adding seasoning to the pot of water isn't essential, but we at least suggest adding the salt since it helps to bring out the natural flavors of the plus helps to keep them tender and juicy.
• Leftovers will last for up to 2 days in the fridge, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

How to know when shrimp is done

The main way to know when shrimp is done cooking is their change in color. Most raw shrimp varieties are translucent and gray in color. When they cook, they turn pink, plus they form a loose "C" shape when they're cooked. If they keep cooking, they'll curl into a tight "O" shape and might be overcooked. Remove the shrimp when they just turn pink.

Reader FAQs

More frozen shrimp recipes

• Cajun air fryer shrimp
• Air fryer frozen shrimp
• Shrimp Zucchini noodles with pesto
• Mexican shrimp salad
• Air fryer shrimp with Old Bay