How to thaw frozen shrimp and avoid a watery, soggy mess

Frozen shrimp are perfect for delicious, easy dinner recipes. Learn how to thaw them properly so they don’t get waterlogged or rubbery.

It is so tempting to toss frozen shrimp right into your saute pan or onto your baking sheet when you want a quick and easy dinner.

In a pinch, there’s nothing wrong with using shrimp direct from frozen, but with just a few more minutes of time and a teeny-tiny bit of effort, you can ensure your shrimp are properly thawed and recipe-ready while preserving their delicate texture and delicious taste.

How to easily thaw frozen shrimp quickly:

STEP 1: Place the frozen shrimp in a large bowl. Add COLD water from the tap until the shrimp are covered. Let sit for 20 minutes.

STEP 2: Drain the shrimp from the bowl into a wire strainer. Gently rinse them with COLD water from the tap for 5 – 10 seconds.

STEP 3: Lay a double layer of paper towels on a plate. Pour the shrimp onto the paper towels and carefully pat dry. Removing this additional moisture ensures that your dinner recipe won’t have excess water which can ruin the sauce or prevent the shrimp from proper browning.

Be sure to avoid these simple mistakes:

Do NOT use hot water to thaw the shrimp. They are so delicate, this could actually begin the cooking process. You want to keep them cold the entire time.

Do NOT let the shrimp soak in the cold water bath longer than 20 minutes or they will begin to soak up the water and become chewy.

Do NOT skip the patting-dry step if you plan to roast the shrimp or use it in a stir fry pan with veggies. The extra water on the shrimp will cause steaming in your recipe and make the rest of your dish overly soggy.