20 Ways to Cook Shrimp, The Easiest Seafood

If only we all had a friend with a love of shrimp as pure as Bubba, Forrest Gump’s Army-training buddy. Bubba might think shrimp is the fruit of the sea, but, as it’s a bottom-dweller like lobster, some like to refer to it instead as “the cockroach of the sea.” We believe in no such slandering of the little crustacean here at MUNCHIES, and we collected some of our favorite recipes where shrimp is the main player for you. (That said, please buy good shrimp, and don't support seafood producers who rely on slave labor. You can do better, y'all.)

It’s kind of hard to stop the word “grits” from coming out of your mouth right after “shrimp,” the two get along so famously. Nina Compton, inimitable chef-owner of Compère Lapin in New Orleans, offers a version with a distinct brightness from vinegar and ginger in her shrimp “ragout.”

Wylie Dufresne, master of the culinary fake-out at his lauded WD~50, will both delight and confuse your taste buds with these “shrimp grits.” You are reading that correctly, we did not forget the “and.” HEAD SCRATCHER, AMIRIGHT?

LA might be on your radar for good tacos or maybe cold-pressed juice. But this menu staple from Koreatown’s Commissary will give any NoLa po’boy a run for their money.

Even if your dumpling folding technique isn’t great, you'll still want to make these shrimp dumplings. The apricot dipping sauce fixes pretty much any flaw.

Okay, yes, technically, there are anatomical differences between shrimp and prawns (the latter have more claws), but they can be prepared in basically the same ways, and shrimp are way easier to find. Char ‘em up with this smoky chipotle and mezcal sauce from Hartwood in Tulum.

Meyhem Lauren is not fucking around with this shrimp parm. Don’t swap the oregano-and-basil-heavy sauce for jarred stuff, either. “The sauce is important,” he says. “It’s pointless to serve shrimp parm without an amazing sauce.”

Not all noodle dishes need to be served hot, and this slightly-spicy shrimp salad proves it.

Look, lobster rolls can become an expensive summertime habit. But shrimp rolls can be just tasty for a lot less $$$. (Plus, these ones fueled an adorable long-distance romance. You could say these shrimp rolls helped their co-creators “find their lobster.”)

This seafood “bowl” has all manner of shellfish represented, including shrimp. The first time the guys from Trap Kitchen met Kobe Bryant (and Martha Stewart), this is the dish they served. You can watch the whole wild assembly on their episode of How-To over on Vice Video.

Sure, half the fun of getting dim sum is the experience of all the carts rolling by your table and the carefully orchestrated chaos of the scene. But these pork and shrimp shumai are so easy to make at home, you’ll be cool with sacrificing the ambience.

Kris Yenbamroong’s menu at Night + Market Song is all about simple, but super-flavorful foods that are made for sharing over drinks with friends. These shrimp skewers come together in just 20 minutes, so you’ll be cracking open some beers with friends in no time.

Spot prawns are British Columbia’s sustainably-fished alternative to the controversial commercial shrimp industry. This recipe highlights their briny, sweet nature by marinating them simply.

The best part about using sugar cane skewers to grill these shrimp is that any leftover cane can be turned into dessert: munch away on the sweet, juicy fibers while sipping some rum.

You know you already love egg rolls, and we’re here to affirm that love by adding bacon and shrimp into the mix. You’re going to be so happy together.

There’s absolutely no reason why you have to use Cristal to make this curry, but it sure does make you feel fancy, doesn’t it?

The saltiness of the seasoning, augmented by onion and garlic, contrasts perfectly with the natural sweetness of the shrimp and the unmistakable fragrance of xaoxing rice wine. It's snack food taken to the nth degree.

This wouldn’t be a MUNCHIES round-up if there wasn’t something fried in here, right? This beer batter features the winning brew from our Beerland craft brewers competition for a perfect seaside bite.

Travis Lett, darling of the LA dining scene and chef at Gjelina, offers this recipe for head-on shrimp that has all of the flavors you could possibly want on good, fresh seafood.

Toasted marcona almonds add a nutty richness to this gazpacho to make it more than just cold tomato soup.

Ahhh, everyone’s favorite oxymoron. Some of these ingredients might be harder to come by, but you could substitute a few tomatillos and a little extra lemon juice for the cocona.