My authentic Cajun fried shrimp are crispy on the outside and soft, seasoned-to-perfection deliciousness on the inside, y'all! Raw, peeled and deveined Gulf shrimp are covered with a hefty dose of south Louisiana seasonings before being set aside for all of the scrumptious flavors to intermingle. The oil gets heated to the perfect frying temperature. And the two bowls of egg wash and flour lay alongside the shrimp, which take a dip in the eggs and a shake in the flour being fried to blissful, eyes-rolling-into-the-back-of your head shellfish food heaven. Yep and yay...
Authentic Crispy Cajun Fried Shrimp are the perfect appetizer, side dish and party buffet offering, making them one of the most valuable south Louisiana recipes to have in your recipe arsenal.
Sometimes Shrimp is the Only Acceptable Answer to the Question, Y'all...
I almost always have shrimp on hand in my freezer. Mark and I both love it. And since shrimp don't take a long time to cook, it's an easy lunch or dinner protein choice for me to whip up within the hour.
So, when I had a craving for creamy Cajun tartar sauce, the only question that I had to answer next was what to serve alongside of the condiment. And, it didn't take me long to figure out that I wanted to update my Louisiana fried shrimp recipe. It had certainly been a while since I revisited the original. And it was great to look at one of the earliest recipes on my blog with fresh eyes.
I honestly didn't change much, y'all. But, I did use all of my tried-and-tested ingredients and cooking methods. As a home cook, I've grown a lot over the years. So, I'm passing everything I know over to you now.
Partly because I just can't help but share. And partly because more and more people are finding out that they are gluten intolerant or celiac.
So, I'm still here doing the best I can to share recipes like this authentic Cajun fried shrimp. I'm doing my part to preserve the Cajun and Creole culture for those of us who have to be grain and gluten free.
And I Have Just The Right Flour for It, Too...
And, I'm using my favorite flour, cassava, for this recipe. It's sooo amazing, y'all! It's the most wheat-like choice for frying. It's not expensive or hard to find, either. And it gives this grain and gluten free Cajun fried shrimp recipe its super authentic texture, too.
So, even if you've stumbled onto my blog for the first time as a wheat-eater, I think if you give cassava flour a try for Louisiana fried seafood you'll be MORE than pleased. Indeed.
Serve Authentic Cajun Fried Shrimp on a plate with tartar sauce for a filling snack or appetizer.
How to Make Cajun Fried Shrimp
Start the Cajun fried shrimp by grabbing all of the main ingredients. You'll also need a generous amount of your favorite cooking oil, too:
Peeled, deveined shrimp, cassava flour, hot sauce, lemon juice and zest, and south Louisiana seasonings are all you need to make Authentic Cajun Fried Shrimp at home.
Grab the shrimp and the seasonings:
Seasoning the shrimp for just a few minutes injects the finished seafood with just the right amount of spice and heat.
And pour the hot sauce, citrus and south Louisiana spices right over the shrimp:
Just pour the seasonings right on top of the shrimp.
Then, coat the shrimp with the mixture. I like to use my hands to really get as much seasoning as I can on the shrimp:
Then use your clean hands to really saturate each shrimp with the seasonings.
Let the oil in your cast iron skillet heat up to 350 degrees F. While that's going, get two shallow bowls or plates out. Beat the eggs lightly in one bowl, then pour the cassava flour into the other bowl or plate:
Get the Cajun fried shrimp batter ready so that frying goes by easily and breezy.
When the oil is ready, start dipping the shrimp in the egg wash:
Dipping the Cajun popcorn shrimp into the egg wash helps each piece stick to the cassava flour better.
Now, press the shrimp into the flour, turning a few times to coat, then shaking off the excess:
The final stages of making this Louisiana fried shrimp recipe go by pretty quickly.
Finally, fry in small batches until all of the Cajun fried shrimp are golden brown and cooked throughout. A digital thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the shrimp should read at least 145 degrees F before you transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate.
Transfer the prepared shrimp onto a paper towel-lined plate to get the excess grease off them right before serving.
And that's it y'all!
Just as easy to make as they are unforgettable to eat, these grain and gluten free Cajun fried shrimp truly are one of the most versatile recipes you can have.
The first thing you notice about them is the perfect, light-as-air cassava flour batter crunch. Then, you bite into the soft, seasoned shrimp inside. And you relish in the sweetness of the shellfish and the sassiness of the truly authentic south Louisiana flavors.
And, you definitely HAVE to pair these crispy Cajun fried shrimp with my creamy Cajun tartar sauce, y'all. Trust me, I literally made them for one another!!
The combination of the hot, crispy Louisiana fried shrimp and the cool Cajun tartar sauce really do work in perfect harmony together. Yep. It's like music for your mouth, y'all, I promise!!
Share these authentic Cajun fried shrimp with those who love you madly because you're not like ANYONE else they've ever met. And see y'all on the yum side...
Perfect for snacking on its own, these Authentic Cajun Fried Shrimp are the perfect match for creamy Cajun tartar sauce.
Note: This post was originally published on November 9, 2018 and updated on February 8, 2022.
Authentic Cajun Fried Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 batch Cajun tartar sauce, prepared
- 1 pound raw 31 to 40-count shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoons Crystal hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- oil for frying
- ¾ cup cassava flour
- 2 large eggs
- salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Cajun tartar sauce up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until use.
- Pour the raw shrimp into a bowl.
- Cover with the lemon zest and juice, hot sauce, and garlic powder, parsley flakes, paprika and onion powder.
- Coat the shrimp with the seasonings well. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a deep cast iron skillet until 350 degrees F.
- Align two shallow bowls or plates to the left of the shrimp bowl near the stove.
- Pour the cassava flour into the bowl closest to the stove.
- Crack the eggs, then beat them lightly in the middle bowl or plate position.
- When the oil is ready, dip the seasoned shrimp into the egg wash, then into the cassava flour.
- Shake off excess flour, and fry in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the thickest part of them reads 145 degrees F.
- Transfer the cooked shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Serve the Cajun fried shrimp immediately with the tartar sauce.
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