This Lemon Pepper Shrimp recipe is perfectly seasoned with tangy lemon and the best blend of spices. From there, the succulent shrimp is drizzled in a zesty lemon butter sauce for mouthwatering flavor. Serve it over pasta, salads, or with your favorite side dishes. We provide three different cooking methods to ensure this dish will elevate your next meal.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Bold Flavor: Lemon pepper seasoning adds a burst of zesty citrus flavor and aromatic pepper to the shrimp, creating a bold and delicious taste experience.
- Quick and Easy: This dish is quick and easy to prepare, making it perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute meals.
- Versatile: It can be cooked in a variety of ways, including air fried, baked, or pan seared, and it pairs well with a wide range of side dishes, salads, or pasta.
- Light and Healthy: Shrimp is low in calories and fat but high in protein, making it a nutritious option for those looking to maintain a balanced diet.
- Easy to Customize: You can easily customize the shrimp to suit your taste preferences by adjusting the amount of lemon pepper seasoning or adding other complementary ingredients like garlic, herbs, or vegetables.
What Type of Shrimp to Use
There are several types of shrimp available: raw, pre-cooked, raw and frozen, deveined, tails on, tails off, etc. I grab wild-caught deveined shrimp.
Pre-cooked shrimp lacks quality in terms of overall taste. The shrimp is cooked and then frozen and you have to cook it/warm it up again. This usually overcooks the shrimp.
Deveined shrimp is simple to work with. The black vein that runs along the back of the shrimp is the digestive poop in the intestinal tract. You can buy shrimp with the vein and remove it using a sharp paring knife to make a slit along the back and lift out the vein with the tip of the knife.
Check out tips on How to Peel and Devein Shrimp here. As for sizing, I prefer large shrimp and 15-20 count packages.
Frozen Shrimp
If you want to use frozen shrimp check out my Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp Recipe. You can use the same spices and lemon butter sauce noted in this recipe.
How to Season the Shrimp
You will need to use quality lemon pepper seasoning to actually add flavor to the fish. I also love the Lemon Garlic Seasoning from Trader Joe’s.
Once the shrimp is cooked (you can bake, sear, or air fry it), I love to drizzle it in a lemon butter sauce for even more flavor.
Do You Leave the Tails on the Shrimp?
This is completely up to you and is a matter of preference. Often the tails are left on for presentation purposes only. The shrimp simply looks nicer and will have a nice curve to it when the tails are left on.
Breaded Shrimp
If you want breaded shrimp, you will need fish fry breading mix. You can make your own using 1/2 cup yellow corn meal and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. If air frying, be sure to spritz the shrimp with oil after breading, and spray any white spots to ensure proper crisping.
Shrimp with No Breading
You can make this recipe without breading by adding spices to the shrimp and then air fry, sear, or bake and drizzle the shrimp in lemon butter sauce.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Shrimp
- Pat the shrimp dry.
- Season the shrimp with lemon pepper, smoked paprika, salt, and fish fry breaded (for breaded shrimp).
- Air fry, bake, or sear.
- Combine lemon juice, lemon zest, and butter in a saucepan on medium-high heat.
- Drizzle over the cooked shrimp.
Lemon Butter Sauce
The homemade lemon butter sauce is what takes the fish to the next level. You can dip the cooked fish in the sauce while serving, or glaze the fish in the sauce.
How to Zest a Lemon
I use this lemon zester from Amazon. You can also use a box/cheese grater. If using the zester hold it one hand and the lemon in the other. Graze the lemon over it, away from you and back and forth. You can read more about How to Zest a Lemon here.
Overcooked Shrimp
If your shrimp is dry, rubbery, or mushy, you cooked it too long. Shrimp cooks fast, it’s another reason why it’s one of my favorites for quick meals. The key is to remove them from the heat right when the flesh is uniformly pink. Watch shrimp closely as it cooks, do not wander away, especially if you are cooking it in a pan and searing it on the stove.
How to Reheat
The best way to reheat leftover shrimp is in a pan on medium heat with butter or oil. You can also reheat in the air fryer on 350 degrees until warm. Be careful, because the same rules regarding overcooking apply. If you heat it for too long it will be rubbery. I avoid the microwave for this reason.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge tightly covered and sealed for 3-4 days.
Freezer Tips
You can freeze leftovers tightly sealed and covered for up to 3-4 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and follow the steps above to reheat.
Pair With These Recipes
Roasted Ranch Potatoes
Air Fryer Green Beans
Green Goddess Cobb Salad
Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Broccoli Salad With Cheese
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
Shrimp Burger Recipe
More Lemon Pepper Recipes
Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Hot Lemon Pepper Wings
Lemon Pepper Fish
Lemon Pepper Steak
Lemon Pepper Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw shrimp Peeled and deveined.
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika Regular paprika is fine.
- salt to taste
- cooking oil I use olive oil.
- 1/4 cup buttermilk Only necessary for breaded shrimp.
- 1/4-1/2 cup fish fry breading Only necessary for breaded shrimp. Use enough to fully coat the fish.
Lemon Pepper Glaze
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice For me this was the juice from 1 small lemon.
- 1 1/2-2 teaspoons lemon zest
Instructions
Lemon Pepper Glaze
- Add the butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a saucepan on medium-high heat. Stir and cook until the lemon zest has dissolved.
Breaded Shrimp
- Ensure the shrimp is completely dry.
- Add the shrimp to a bowl large enough to dredge the shrimp with the buttermilk. Ensure the shrimp is coated.Combine the fish fry breading, paprika, lemon pepper, and salt to a separate bowl large enough to dredge the shrimp
- Sprinkle the fish fry onto both sides of the shrimp. Ensure the shrimp is coated with breading. Add additional breading if necessary.
- Air Fryer: Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil. Place the breaded shrimp in the air fryer basket. Spray the shrimp with cooking oil.
- Cook the shrimp for 5 minutes on 400 degrees. Open the basket and flip the shrimp to the other side. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until crisp.
- Top the shrimp with the lemon pepper glaze or use it for dipping. I like to top the shrimp with glaze and then air fry for an additional 1-2 minutes for the glaze to seep in.
- Oven: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Placed the breaded shrimp on the parchment paper. Spray the shrimp with cooking oil.
- Bake on 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Cook time will vary based on the size of the shrimp.
- Top the shrimp with the lemon pepper glaze or use it for dipping.
Non-Breaded Shrimp
- Ensure the shrimp is completely dry.
- Sprinkle both sides of the shrimp with lemon pepper, paprika, and salt to taste. Rub the spices into the shrimp.
- Pan Sear: Add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil or butter to a skillet on medium-high heat.
- When hot, add the seasoned shrimp. Do not overcrowd the pan. The shrimp shouldn't touch. Cook the shrimp in batches if needed.
- Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side until the shrimp is cooked through. It will turn opaque at the center. The shrimp will form a C shape when fully cooked.
- Top the shrimp with the lemon pepper glaze.
- Air Fryer: Add the seasoned shrimp to the air fryer. Air fry on 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through. Cook time will vary based on the size of the shrimp.
- Top the shrimp with the lemon pepper glaze.
- Oven: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Placed the seasoned shrimp on the parchment paper.
- Bake on 400 degrees for 4-6 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through. It will turn opaque at the center. The shrimp will form a C shape when fully cooked. Cook time will vary based on the size of the shrimp.
- Top the shrimp with the lemon pepper glaze.
Ma'Kayla D.
Monday 3rd of October 2022
Very delicious recipe. The lemon glaze is the perfect finishing touch. I’d add it on top of all my breaded shrimp in the future!
staysnatched
Tuesday 4th of October 2022
It’s perfect to use over and over!
Eunice
Sunday 11th of September 2022
This was a great recipe. Very easy and tasted great!
staysnatched
Monday 12th of September 2022
I'm glad you enjoyed them!
Ashley
Tuesday 9th of August 2022
This recipe was incredibly delicious and easy to make. If you’re afraid to make seafood at home, this recipe is the perfect place to start for restaurant quality breaded shrimp! Thank you Brandi for knocking it out of the park as usual. I couldn’t even wait to serve it before eating some!
staysnatched
Tuesday 9th of August 2022
Wonderful! I'm glad you enjoyed it.