Shrimp are an excellent addition to any seafood platter, snack plate, or everyday dinner. High in protein and low in both carbs and calories, they’re delicious and healthy to boot. They’re also incredibly versatile in how they can be used and cooked.
As someone who enjoys seafood, I’ve often ended up with a lot of leftover shrimp. The good news is that you don’t need to throw it away as you can reheat fried shrimp.
In this article, I’ll be covering the 6 ways you can reheat your shrimp to maintain its delicious, crispy texture.
Can You Reheat Fried Shrimp?
So as I mentioned, yes, fried shrimp can be safely and effectively reheated.
When stored and reheated correctly, shrimp can be reheated without concern of sickness. Done right, it can be reheated without compromising any of its spectacular crunch or texture, too.
Additionally, fried shrimp can be reheated in a variety of different ways, ensuring that you’ll have access to one or more of them so that you’re able to enjoy your leftover shrimp for lunch the next day.
What Is The Best Way To Reheat Fried Shrimp?
The best way to reheat fried shrimp is by using the oven.
When you reheat shrimp in the oven, you have the best chance of retaining its crunchy coating and maintaining its textural appeal.
In addition, using the oven you have fine control over the temperature and cooking position (i.e rack position) to achieve your desired level of doneness.
To top it all off, using the oven for reheating is convenient as it keeps the stovetop free for other sides and purposes simultaneously. Plus, you don’t have to stand in front of the oven to frequently stir anything!
When reheating in the microwave, you have an especially high risk of your shrimp turning out soggy from the moisture that the microwave creates during the reheating process.
How To Reheat Fried Shrimp
On the Stovetop
This method is easy and effective. However, the drawback is that it’s particularly easy to overcook your shrimp when reheating them on the stove.
This is because the heat isn’t as evenly distributed as it is when it comes from the inside of an oven or an air fryer.
In addition, you must carefully monitor your shrimp as they reheat, which isn’t the most convenient thing.
- Put a medium saucepan on the stovetop and heat it using a medium setting. Ideally your pan should have deep sides, as you’re going to be using oil.
- Pour a drizzle of olive oil into the pan and rotate it so that the oil spreads out across the surface.
- Add the fried shrimp.
- Heat the shrimp for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and flipping so that both sides of the shrimp get heated as evenly as possible.
- Remove the reheated shrimp from the pan and serve.
Here, you can use either a saucepan or a frying pan with deep sides.
In the Oven
The oven is, as we said, the best way method for reheating shrimp. Not only does the oven ensure that your fried shrimp maintains its texture, but it also heats it slowly so that it doesn’t dry out.
The downside of this method is that it takes longer than most of the other methods in this article. But, if you have the time and patience to wait for your shrimp to heat up, we’d recommend this method.
- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or a reusable, oven-safe pan liner and place shrimp on the pan. Arrange in a single layer and be sure to leave space between each one.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Heat for 10 minutes, checking halfway through.
- Remove cooked shrimp from the oven once they are warm enough and serve.
In the Microwave
If you’re not opposed to using the infamous and ever-ill-reputed microwave, then there’s no reason that you can’t throw your fried shrimp inside for reheating. Using the microwave is convenient and quick, which are its two greatest benefits when it comes to reheating just about anything.
Be mindful, though, that the microwave increases the chances that your fried shrimp’s batter will come out soggy and soft as opposed to crisp and crunchy. This is because the microwave’s heat causes condensation, which then soaks into the outside batter of the shrimp.
To minimize this, you can try covering your shrimp with a paper towel to absorb some of the excess moisture.
Just be sure to frequently check on the paper towel to make sure it hasn’t started to melt or catch fire. Most paper towels are microwave safe but it’s always best to be safe than sorry.
- Place shrimp on a microwave safe plate for reheating.
- Cover the fried shrimp with a damp paper towel.
- Heat on a medium heat setting for 5 seconds and check the shrimp’s temperature. If they aren’t heated through, heat for another 5 seconds and repeat this process until they’re warm.
- Uncover and serve.
In A Steamer
The steamer is a health-conscious method for reheating fried shrimp. It doesn’t use any additional oils or grease and helps the shrimp retain its moisture.
The problem with this method is that it’s easy for the shrimp to become soggy, if the basket isn’t properly in place and the steaming basket is touching the water. Be sure to take care with this method for best results.
- Fill a pot with water and place your steamer basket inside.
- Place the shrimp inside the basket in a single layer and cover.
- Wait for the water to boil and then set a timer for 2 minutes.
- If the shrimp aren’t ready yet, cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove steamed shrimp from the pot and serve.
In An Air Fryer
If you have an air fryer that you aren’t sure what to do with, you’re in luck – reheating fried shrimp in an air fryer is a great way to reheat them.
Air fryers maintain the shrimp’s texture while reheating, unlike the microwave or a pan that has too much oil added to it. This is one of the major benefits of this method.
Of course, to utilize this method, you must have an air fryer, which is a downside for anyone that doesn’t have one.
- Set the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the fried shrimp inside the air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Check if they are warm enough after this time. If not, continue to fry them for 1 to 2 additional minutes.
- Once they are golden and crispy, remove from the air fryer basket and serve.
In the Toaster Oven
Using the toaster oven is unconventional when it comes to reheating fried shrimp. However, it’s very effective – especially when you’re reheating a large amount of leftover shrimp as it takes minimal time and can be used in tandem with other methods.
When using this method, the texture of your shrimp may change slightly, becoming a little softer.
- Preheat the toaster oven to 359 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Insert a wire rack into the middle of the toaster oven.
- Cover a baking pan with aluminum foil and place the fried shrimp on top.
- Set the baking pan onto the wire rack and bake for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Remove reheated shrimp from the toaster oven and let stand for 1 minute to cool off.
- Serve and enjoy!
