Can You Reheat Shrimp? – The Best Way
Shrimp is one of the most popular foods around, whether it’s a beautiful and tantalizing appetizer or the best part of a hearty, zesty, or crispy meal.
Even people who are not big fans of seafood sometimes like shrimp. There are so many ways you can enjoy shrimp and so many different types of dishes you can make.
Whether you simply sauté shrimp with butter and seasoning or you add it to a dish of some sort, you have to handle it properly. Shrimp should be handled with care from purchasing to storage to cooking and even to reheating.
So, can you reheat shrimp? Yes, you can reheat shrimp. It’s best to use the oven or stovetop, but you can also use a steamer and even a microwave if you follow the right steps. The latter options, however, are not the best solutions for breaded shrimp, as they will ruin the texture.
In this guide, we will walk you through how to reheat shrimp using 4 different methods. We also have some reheating tips for a few different varieties of shrimp dishes that we will share while we’re working through the guide.
How to Reheat Shrimp – A Complete Guide
There are several different ways to reheat shrimp. Rest assured, all of the methods are pretty simple.
Here are the methods you will see in this guide:
- Stovetop
- Oven
- Microwave
- Steamer
Some people would tell you that you can’t reheat shrimp once it has been cooked, but this is simply not true. These reheating methods are safe and effective as long as you safely store your shrimp in the meantime.
How to Reheat Shrimp on the Stovetop
The stovetop is our favorite way to reheat shrimp, but it certainly isn’t the only way.
Reheating your shrimp in a skillet only takes about 7 minutes from start to finish. This process is quite simple and really effective if you like to wake your shrimp up with extra flavors and seasonings.
If you originally sautéed your shrimp, this is a great way to reheat it, and it works wonderfully. The flavor and texture will remain as it should be.
You don’t have to worry about your shrimp turning rubbery or tough, as long as you stored it properly and follow the steps.
Here are your steps for reheating shrimp on the stovetop:
- Use a skillet and heat it up on medium heat until the skillet is hot.
- Add a small amount of oil to the skillet for moisture.
- When the oil is heated, add shrimp to the skillet in a single layer. Spread them out evenly throughout the pan.
- Allow the shrimp to cook without stirring for about 3 minutes.
- Flip your shrimp and cook for 2 more minutes or until they are heated through.
- Let them cool, serve, and enjoy!
This process is super simple! Even though it’s on the stovetop, it takes very little time and not a lot of effort. You’ll only dirty up your skillet and your serving or stirring spoon.
You can’t go wrong with this method, and it can be used for just about any type of shrimp, from skewered to breaded. It may not be the best method for some whole dishes that have shrimp in them, like pasta, but it all depends on what they are.
If you are just looking to reheat shrimp by itself, this is definitely the best method.
How to Reheat Shrimp in the Oven
Another great reheating method that you can use for your shrimp is the oven. The oven works really well if you don’t want to mess with the stovetop.
It can also be a great tool for various dishes that have shrimp in them or if you’re trying to reheat a lot of shrimp at one time.
The thing you have to be most cautious about with the oven is its potential to dry your shrimp out.
While this method works simply and easily and doesn’t take a lot of time, there are some steps you will want to follow to avoid dry, hard, or rubbery shrimp.
A good way to combat this is to use foil in your reheating process. It’s really kind of amazing what that simple layer of foil can do to protect the shrimp and ease your worries.
You will also notice that we don’t use high heat for this reheating process. This is just another part of the process designed to protect your shrimp and give you the very best results.
Follow these steps to reheat your shrimp in the oven:
- Preheat your oven to about 300°F.
- Spread your shrimp out evenly across a baking sheet or pan of some sort. Try to spread the shrimp out so it is in a single layer. It’s ok if they are touching; you just don’t want them piled on top of each other if you can avoid it.
- Cover your baking pan with aluminum foil. You can also just wrap your shrimp in aluminum foil completely, if you prefer.
- Place your covered pan in the oven and bake at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes. You can stir half way through if you like, just be sure to replace the foil after doing so.
- Remove your shrimp from the oven, allow them to cool down enough, then serve and enjoy!
The trick here is that you don’t want to overcook your shrimp. This is why we use a low temperature.
Remember that you already cooked your shrimp once, so you are just using this process to warm it back up without ruining the taste or texture.
How to Reheat Shrimp in the Microwave
Next up, we have the microwave! The microwave is a good option if you want something quick and simple or you simply don’t have a stove or oven at your disposal to reheat your shrimp.
Perhaps you took leftovers to work or on the go. The microwave is a great solution if you’re looking for the fastest reheating method available.
In the microwave, you have to be careful not to dry out your shrimp or overcook it. Either of these issues could cause your shrimp to become rubbery or tough and that is what we are really trying to avoid.
In fact, if the shrimp you’re reheating have been fried or breaded, it’s best not to use this method. Check out our article on whether or not you can microwave frozen popcorn shrimp for more information.
Otherwise, if you follow the right process, you should be abele to avoid disaster.
Here are the steps for microwaving your shrimp:
- Place your shrimp in a microwave-safe dish. Be sure they are in a single layer, spread out in the dish.
- Splash a tiny bit of water over the shrimp.
- Cover your bowl using a lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap.
- Cook the shrimp on high for 1-2 minutes. We recommend starting with 1 minute and checking it then. You may need longer if you are heating more shrimp.
- Remove your shrimp from the microwave and allow it to cool just slightly.
- Serve and enjoy!
Be sure to splash a couple drops of water and to cover your dish in the microwave.
How to Reheat Shrimp in a Steamer
Finally, you can reheat shrimp in a steamer. Steaming can be pretty easy, and it works for just about every type of shrimp out there, except for any shrimp that was breaded at preparation.
Follow these steps to reheat shrimp in a steamer:
- Prepare your steamer or a double boiler with water.
- Place your shrimp in the steamer in a single layer, if possible.
- Place the steamer or double boiler on high heat on the stove.
- Let boil for several minutes or until the shrimp is heated through. Boiling should last about 5 minutes, typically.
- Drain the shrimp, serve, and enjoy!
This process does take the longest overall to complete, but it’s still a good option.
Related Questions
We hope that you find this guide to reheating shrimp to be a valuable and informative resource. Check out the following question and answer section for some additional details that just might be helpful for you.
Can You Reheat Shrimp Scampi?
You most certainly can! We recommend reheating shrimp scampi in the oven. You can add a little butter or water to the pan and cover it with foil. It just needs to heat for about 10-15 minutes.
Can You Reheat Shrimp Alfredo?
You can reheat shrimp alfredo using the stovetop for the best results. You may need some additional sauce or moisture added, but the stovetop will give you the best flavor when reheated.
Can You Reheat Fried Shrimp?
Fried shrimp is relatively easy to reheat! It is perhaps one of the most versatile shrimp for reheating consistently.
You can use the oven, stove, or microwave and they all work well. We prefer the oven for crisp and flavorful shrimp when it was fried.
Can You Reheat Shrimp and Grits?
Shrimp and grits can be challenging to reheat, but it can be done. This is one of those foods that might be easiest to reheat in the microwave.
You can also try the stovetop as well. Be prepared to add some water or milk for the best results.
Up Next: Recipe – Shrimp Wonton Soup
