Skip to Content

How to reheat shrimp in 4 easy ways

How to reheat shrimp in 4 easy ways

Do you have an inexplicable love for shrimp?

If you do, then this is just the perfect article for you!

My passion for cooking and devouring shrimp is so strong that I simply can’t express it in words.

I just can’t help but cook shrimp in various ways and enjoy it with my family.

Whether it’s garlic shrimpshrimp stuffed avocado, shrimp salsa salad, baked shrimp, or tequila lime grilled shrimp, I always make sure to cook extra helpings so that I can refrigerate the leftovers so I can enjoy them later. 

However, before I knew how to reheat shrimp the right way, my leftover reheated shrimp would always turn out to be too rubbery and bland, which was a real shame!

That’s when I vowed to learn the right ways to reheat shrimp so that I can reheat delicious, juicy, and tender shrimp every single time.

So, if you want to learn the various methods of reheating shrimp and how to do it correctly, then read on!

Can You Reheat Shrimp? 

Yes, you can absolutely reheat shrimp!

When reheated correctly, shrimp can taste just as good as when you first prepared it. Just make sure that you don’t overexpose it to heat or the shrimp will become rubbery. 

How Long Will Cooked Shrimp Last in the Fridge?

Cooked shrimp will easily last in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

However, make sure to refrigerate the shrimp within two hours of cooking it.

Put the shrimp in a Ziploc bag or wrap it in aluminum foil and put it in your fridge.

How to Reheat Shrimp

There are various ways in which you can warm up shrimp.

You can reheat it in an oven, a microwave, a frying pan, and a steamer.

Let’s take a look at how you can reheat shrimp in these 4 different ways. 

Reheating in the Oven

If you want your reheated shrimp to be crispy and golden brown, then you need to reheat it in the oven.

Even though this method is time-consuming, the end result is well worth it!

Here’s how you can reheat leftover shrimp in the oven:

  1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.  
  2. Cut out a piece of aluminum foil and loosely wrap the leftover shrimp in it.
  3. Take a baking sheet and arranged the wrapped shrimp in a single layer on top of it.  
  4. Put the baking sheet in your preheated oven.
  5. Let the shrimp bake for about 15 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on the shrimp so as not to overcook it.
  6. Remove the tray from the oven and serve the hot shrimp!

Reheating in the Microwave

Reheating in the Microwave

If you’re short on time, then microwaving the leftover shrimp is your best bet.

When microwaving the shrimp, make sure to reheat it gently; otherwise, it will turn rubbery.

Here’s how to reheat shrimp in a microwave:

  1. Put the shrimp in a microwave-safe bowl or platter and make sure to arrange them in a single layer so that they don’t pile on top of one another.
  2. Sprinkle some water over the shrimp and then cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid or a plastic wrap. This will ensure that the reheated shrimp remains tender and doesn’t become rubbery.
  3. Put the dish in the microwave and adjust the heat setting to high. 
  4. Let the shrimp reheat for about 2 minutes.
  5. Take one shrimp out of the dish to see if it’s hot enough; if it isn’t, then microwave the shrimp for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.  

Reheating in the Frying Pan

Another way to warm up shrimp is by sautéing it in a frying pan. Sautéing allows moisture to seep into the leftover shrimp, which results in a delectably juicy dish.

The shrimp readily absorbs the flavor of the juices and turns a nice golden brown color in no time.

Here’s how you can reheat shrimp in a frying pan:

  1. Heat your frying pan over medium heat.
  2. Add a bit of oil to the pan, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. This will ensure that the shrimp doesn’t drown in oil. 
  3. Carefully spread out the shrimp in the pan and make sure that you don’t pile it up. Spreading the shrimp out in a single layer ensures that it cooks evenly.  
  4. Let the shrimp reheat for about 2 to 3 minutes and then flip it over to ensure that it’s cooked evenly on both sides.
  5. Cook the shrimp for another 2 to 3 minutes before taking it off the stove.  

Reheating in the Steamer

You can also reheat shrimp in a streamer.

However, this method is ideal only for grilled shrimp and not breaded shrimp.

So, here’s how to reheat shrimp in a steamer:

  1. Fill a pot with water and place the steamer insert on top of it. Make sure that the insert isn’t coming into contact with water. This will ensure that the shrimp gets steamed and not boiled.
  2.  Put the shrimp inside the steamer and make sure to arrange it in a single layer.
  3. Cover the pot so that the water can boil. Once the water reaches its bling point, it’ll only take about 2 to 3 minutes for that signature whiff of shrimp to disperse through the air. Once you smell that distinct shrimp aroma, take the shrimp out of the streamer. 

Check out these articles:

Tips and Tricks

Here are some tips and tricks that you can use to reheat shrimp perfectly:

  • The first step to remember is to bring the refrigerated shrimp to room temperature before you reheat it. If the shrimp is cold during the reheating process, it won’t reheat evenly and will have some unappetizing cold spots. 
  • Always make sure that the shrimp you’re about to reheat is safe to eat. The telltale signs of a shrimp that’s gone bad are a rancid smell and a slimy texture. If any of these two signs persist make sure to discard the shrimp right away. 
  • This is a universal tip for all reheated foods; you should only reheat shrimp once. This is because reheating it more than once will significantly compromise the quality of your shrimp. Moreover, it can also contaminate your food. So, only reheat as much of the shrimp as you want to eat in one go. 
  • A neat trick to enhance the flavor or leftover refrigerated and frozen shrimp is to add some butter to it. So, instead of opting for oil to reheat your shrimp via the frying pan method, you can add some butter to the pan and enhance the shrimp’s flavor. 
  • Make sure to stick to the amount of time that I’ve recommended in these methods so as to not overcook the shrimp. If you reheat the shrimp for a long time it can become too chewy and dry rather than becoming juicy. 
  • Make sure that you don’t use the steaming method for breaded shrimp. This is because the steam will only soften the bread crumbs, which will result in an overall soggy and unappetizing dish.

The bottom line

I hope you enjoyed reading this guide on how to reheat shrimp.

Make sure to try the various methods that I’ve detailed above to see which one works for you the best.

If you follow the tricks that I’ve mentioned, you will end up with delectably juicy and fresh reheated shrimp.

How to reheat shrimp

How to reheat shrimp

This process shows the proper way to reheat shrimp in an oven. Follow this guide to keep your shrimp crispy and golden brown. 

Ingredients

  • Shrimp
  • Aluminum foil
  • Baking sheet
  • Oven

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.  
  2. Cut out a piece of aluminum foil and loosely wrap the leftover shrimp in it.
  3. Take a baking sheet, arrange the wrapped shrimp in a single layer on top of it, then put the baking sheet in your preheated oven.
  4. Let the shrimp bake for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the shrimp so as not to overcook it.
  5. Remove the tray from the oven and serve them hot.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Skip to Recipe