Southern-Fried Shrimp with Homemade Cocktail Sauce

This is one of our most popular recipes on the blog, and for good reason. It’s easy and scrumptious.

We love a fine breading for shrimp, similar to the breading for our New England-Style Crab Cakes, but there is something incredibly satisfying about the extra-crunchy batter for this Southern delight. The homemade cocktail sauce and fresh lemon wedges put this basket of deliciousness over the top! And it comes together in no time at all!

How to Make Southern-Fried Shrimp

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The Ingredients You Will Need

When you dig into this fried shrimp, you will be amazed that such a handful of ingredients will produce such amazing flavor and texture. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:

Shrimp – We think large shrimp, even extra-large or jumbo, work best. Go for quality. Gulf shrimp are wonderful!
Seasonings – Salt and pepper is all you need for the shrimp.
Flour – All-purpose.
Cayenne pepper – Add extra for more spice level.
Buttermilk – Well shaken.
Mustard – Whole grain, or Country-Style is recommended. Dijon will work, but not be quite as flavorful.
Oil – Vegetable or shortening, for frying.
Cocktail sauce – Homemade is best
Lemon wedges – For serving.

EXPERT TIP: You don’t need to soak the shrimp in the buttermilk for long. Just for about as long as it brings the oil to temperature. If you marinad=te them too long, they could begin to break down and be mushy.

Tips for Making Perfect Southern-Fried Shrimp

Marinate for Flavor and Tenderness – Soak the shrimp in the buttermilk and stone ground mustard for about 30 minutes (up to 1 hour). This not only infuses the shrimp with flavor but also helps tenderize them, resulting in a juicy and flavorful bite. Don’t marinate for over an hour.

Season According To Taste – We add just enough cayenne pepper to give the shrimp a bit of kick, but not too much. If you prefer things spicier, double the amount of cayenne. Remember the cocktail sauce has a little kick to it, too.

Maintain the Right Oil Temperature – Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy skillet to about 350°F (175°C) before frying the shrimp. This temperature is crucial for achieving a crispy exterior without overcooking the shrimp. Fry in small batches to maintain the oil temperature.

Serve At Once – This shrimp is best fresh out of the fryer, nice and crispy. They are still good once they cool off, but they will lose some of their crispiness. The homemade cocktail sauce is essential for the best flavor.

EXPERT TIP: Be sure to allow most of the marinade to drip from the shrimp before adding to the seasoned flour. You can toss in the flour again as it becomes absorbed by the clinging marinade on the shrimp.

How To Serve

We love to serve them how they do in fried fish shacks all around the country: In plastic food baskets lined with checkered wax paper!

These make a wonderful appetizer before the main course, or as an appetizer at a party or gathering of friends.

To make it a spectacular meal, serve them with homemade french fries and plenty of homemade cocktail sauce and tartar sauce.

EXPERT TIP: Fry the shrimp until they are deep golden color. They only take about 4 minutes. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan and allow the oil to get back to frying temperature (350°F) before frying the next batch.

Other Fried Fish RecipesTo Try

We just love fried fish. It’s comfort food at its very best. Here is a collection of some of our favorites that we are certain you and your family will love, too!

• Classic Fish and Chips
• Fried Oyster BLT
• New England-Style Crab Cakes
• Fried Littleneck Clams and Oysters
• Best-Ever Fried Fish Sandwich
• Fried Catfish Po-Boy
• Fried Calamari with Marinara

These are all amazing in their own way, but in the meantime, are these gems calling your name?

Practically everyone loves fried shrimp, and this version is about as good as they come!

They are fun, festive, and addictively delicious!

Don’t forget to make the homemade cocktail sauce and prepare for rave reviews!

Ready to make the best fried shrimp this side of New Orleans? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

Southern-Fried Shrimp with Homemade Cocktail Sauce

Southern-Fried Shrimp with Homemade Cocktail Sauce is about as delicious as they come. We love using large (or even extra-large) shrimp here. The buttermilk and whole-grain mustard batter make them extra crunchy and SO amazingly delicious!

4.92 from 12 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Seafood

Cuisine: Seafood

Keyword: Fried shrimp, Seafood

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Marinating time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 38 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 458kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Equipment

• Sturdy skillet for frying
• Metal spider or slotted spoon

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 dozen shrimp large, or extra-large, peeled and deveined
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ 1½ cup buttermilk well-shaken
• ▢ 2 tbsp whole-grain mustard
• ▢ 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• ▢ Oil (for frying) I typically use vegetable, for frying
• ▢ Homemade cocktail sauce for serving
• ▢ Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

• Place the shrimp in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper (about ½ tsp each). Toss to coat.
  1 dozen shrimp, Salt and pepper
• Mix the buttermilk and mustard in a bowl (or large measuring cup), and then pour over the seasoned shrimp and stir to combine.
  1½ cup buttermilk, 2 tbsp whole-grain mustard
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour with 1½ tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and the cayenne.
  1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• Heat the oil, in a heavy-duty skillet (about 3 - 4 inches deep, or your deep-fryer to 350°F) - if you don't have a thermometer, test by tossing a pinch of flour onto the hot oil...if it sinks and doesn't sizzle, it's not ready. If it browns too quickly, it's too hot. You can also try a small piece of bread, using the same guide).
  Oil (for frying)
• Working in batches, use a slotted spoon (or your fingers) to remove the shrimp from the buttermilk and transfer it to the seasoned flour. Toss to evenly coat.
• Carefully slip the battered shrimp into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes; drain on paper towels. Do this in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan and let the oil get back to 350°F before frying the next batch.
• Serve at once with cocktail sauce and lemon wedeges.
  Homemade cocktail sauce, Lemon wedges

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

Don't let the shrimp marinate in the buttermilk mustard for more than 1 hour. 

These are best served piping hot but are still delicious after they've cooled down.  They can be re-heated in a low-temp oven (275°F) until heated through and somewhat crispy (they will lose the crispiness after a few hours). 

Leftovers can be kept in an air-tight container in the fridge for a couple of days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 316IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

POST UPDATE: This post was originally published in February 2015, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in October, 2024!