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Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Name: Salt and Pepper Shrimp
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1/4 teaspoon white peppercorns; 1/4 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (also called Szechuan peppercorns); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 cup avocado oil (or other high heat oil); 1 pound medium shell-on shrimp (recipe note #1); 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 2 small cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon seeded and minced serrano chili pepper (or jalapeño); cilantro leaves (for garnish, optional)

Published: Jan 26, 2021 · Modified: Jan 26, 2021 by Marissa Stevens · 30 Comments

Gluten Free Quick Meals Pescatarian

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Salt and Pepper Shrimp are tender and buttery with a crisp salt and pepper crust. They're easy enough for a weeknight meal and fancy enough for a dinner party! Make them start to finish in less than 30 minutes.

Salt-and-Pepper-Shrimp-served-on-a-stainless-steel platter

It's the flavor combination in this salt and pepper shrimp recipe that makes these so irresistible! A quick coat of cornstarch before stir frying gives the shrimp a crispy crust without deep-frying. Then they're tossed in the wok or skillet with toasted and ground white and Szechuan peppercorns, kosher salt, garlic and minced fresh serrano pepper. The recipe is so simple that I know it by heart!

I've been making these crispy salt and pepper shrimp for years because it's an easy recipe to make and always spectacularly good. I started with this recipe from Tom Douglas, but swapped in standard shrimp for spot prawns and peeled them (his recipe calls for leaving the shell on).

Salt-and-Pepper-Shrimp-served on a metal platter photo-from-above

Pair these as a main dish with cooked rice or Mashed Red Potatoes and Chinese Cucumber Salad for a knock-out meal! Serve as a crowd pleasing appetizer. Or pile them into charred corn tortillas for the best Shrimp Tacos you've ever tasted!

How to Make Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Step 1: Toast peppercorns (white and Szechuan) in a small, dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and popping, taking care not to let them burn. Coarsely grind in a spice mill and then combine with kosher salt.

Mixing Ground Toasted Peppercorns and Salt

Step 2: In a large bowl, coat peeled and deveined shrimp in cornstarch.

Step 3: Heat oil in a wok or large skillet until nearly smoking. Add shrimp; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing occasionally to cook evenly. Add garlic, minced chili and peppercorn / salt mixture and toss until shrimp is coated and spices are fragrant. Serve.