New Orleans-Inspired BBQ Shrimp
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Enjoy the bold flavors of New Orleans BBQ shrimp with this easy, weeknight-friendly recipe. Succulent shrimp simmer in a garlicky Cajun butter sauce for a quick, flavorful meal.
New Orleans BBQ shrimp has actually very little to do with barbecue. The Louisiana dish refers to sautéed shrimp in a garlicky, Worcestershire-spiked butter sauce. Typically made with copious amounts of butter, the shrimp are cooked and served with the shell on and then peeled at the table. It’s a rich and delicious dish but not very practical for a weeknight family dinner.
This is my super-simple, easy-to-eat version. Butter is still the main ingredient in the sauce but I’ve scaled the amount way back, and the shrimp are peeled before cooking. If you keep shrimp in your freezer, it’s one of those shrimp recipes you can throw together at a moment’s notice. Bonus: kids love it!
“Quick, easy and delicious. Made with pantry staples. What more could you want?”
What you’ll need to make New Orleans-Inspired BBQ shrimp
Before we get started, a few words on buying shrimp. While fresh seafood is obviously superior to frozen, I always buy frozen shrimp. Unless you live on the coast, it’s near impossible to find truly fresh shrimp. The “fresh” shrimp you see in the seafood case at the supermarket is typically thawed frozen shrimp, and you never know how long it’s been sitting out.
Almost all shrimp are cleaned and flash frozen shortly after being caught, so for the freshest shrimp, you’re better off buying frozen and defrosting it yourself. For this recipe, I buy extra-large frozen shrimp labeled “shell split and deveined.” Come dinnertime, all I have to do is run the shrimp under warm water to quickly defrost and then peel.
Step-by-step instructions
To begin, add the paprika, ancho chili powder, cumin, salt, and sugar to a bowl. Note that ancho chili powder is not the same as regular chili powder. Chili powder is a blend of spices, while ancho chili powder is a pure chili powder made from ground ancho peppers with deep rich flavor and mild to medium heat.
Mix to blend, then add the shrimp and toss with the spices until evenly coated.
Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for about a minute. Do not brown.
Add the shrimp and cook until almost done but still opaque in spots. Keep the heat at medium so the shrimp cook gently; if shrimp are cooked over high heat, they can seize up and become tough. Add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and a few tablespoons of water.
Continue cooking for a few minutes more until the shrimp are cooked, then scatter the thinly sliced scallions over top. Serve with buttered rice or toasted baguette slices.
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New Orleans-Inspired BBQ Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 lb extra large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 scallions, dark green parts, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Mix the paprika, ancho chili powder, cumin, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Add the shrimp to the spices and toss to coat evenly. Set aside.
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a 12-in (30-cm) skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for one minute. Do not brown. Add the shrimp and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are almost cooked but still opaque in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and water and cook until shrimp are done, 1 to 2 minutes more. Scatter the scallions over top and serve.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made this recipe the other day. It was wonderful! So easy and delicious! It will now be part of my menu rotation. Thanks so much for sharing your fantastic recipes! I have shared your site with several family members and friends.
Hi Jenn
I made the New Orleans Style Shrimp tonight and it was quick to make and delicious to eat! Thanks again for sharing.
Lisa
Just read the reviews as well as your notes. Will make when I get the ancho chili powder…I do have cayenned..not sure if that will work..thanks!
Hi Lisa, I think it’s a good call to get the ancho chili powder; it has great flavor. Definitely be careful with cayenne — it cannot be used as a substitute for chili powder, as it’s very hot.
Hi Jenn,
Was going to the New Orleans Styler Barbecue Shrimp recipe today and just realized I have chili powder, not ancho chili powder. Can you use chili powder in place of ancho chili powder?
Thanks.
For many years I have made Paul Prudhomme’s version of barbecue shrimp. It was always a one-in-a-blue-moon treat with 1 1/2 sticks of butter for 1 pound of shrimp (serving 2). It’s fabulous, but I can’t wait to try your lighter version. I bet it’s equally delicous!
This is just about the best thing I’ve ever cooked! Followed the recipe exactly – AMAZING! Thank you!!
These were amazing I made this tonight and my kids loved it!
Needs plenty of black pepper.
If you are lucky enough to live where you can get fresh shrimp that have not been frozen, save the heads and the shells when you peel them. Toss in a Ziploc Freezer bag and freeze. You can use them later to make your own shrimp stock. I do it all of the time. I live in South Louisiana.
This is so good, it is amazing. The first time I made it, used cayenne and the next time I had ancho. The ancho chili powder is milder and worth the trouble of finding. I love this so much that I made up a large batch of the spices to have ready whenever I get the craving for this shrimp.