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Italian-Style, Pan Fried Butterflied Shrimp is crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and full of flavor! Plump shrimp are dipped in flour, egg and highly-seasoned, cheesy breadcrumbs then fried gently until crispy and golden brown. There’s not much to not love about this Italian style fried shrimp recipe that your whole family will love.
It’s always a great time for this Fried Butterflied Shrimp! Salty, crispy, savory, and robust with a mouthwatering aroma, this classic Italian American dish may just rival its chicken cutlet and fried eggplant cousins. Maybe . . .
With only a few, significant ingredients, this recipe is mostly about ingredient quality and technique and is fairly straightforward and easy. Making the seasoned breadcrumbs yourself makes all the difference here! Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the final product and serve it with some tomato basil sauce, tartar sauce, saffron aioli or cocktail sauce for dipping and you might just have a perfect bite.
Plus, butterfly fried shrimp are a super-fun party appetizer and a real crowd pleaser. Let’s face it, almost everyone loves shrimp! Double or even triple this recipe and bread them in advance and you’re all set. Or just pair this recipe with a simple green salad and some roasted potatoes for a weeknight family meal.
More Shrimp Recipes: Spicy Garlic Shrimp, Baked Shrimp with White Wine, Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Arugula
This gamberi fritti recipe would be a great addition to your Feast of the Seven Fishes menu for Christmas Eve (La Vigilia di Natale) and can be breaded and held in advance, making last minute prep easier. They can also be baked as an alternative to frying (instructions in recipe below) and leftovers make the most incredible shrimp parm heros that you’ve ever had. Mangia bene!
Ingredients
We’ll need the following ingredients for this crispy butterfly fried shrimp recipe:
- Shrimp: Use extra-large or jumbo shrimp in this recipe. Ideally, use shrimp that are U15 or larger. This means that there are approximately 15 shrimp in one pound. Do not use very small shrimp for this dish. The shrimp must be peeled and deveined but you can either leave the tail on or off, depending on how you’re planning on using/serving them. Also, butterfly the shrimp. (More on this in the Frequently Asked Questions below.) If starting with frozen shrimp, be sure to fully defrost them in the refrigerator before using. Do not defrost them in cold water as they will get water-logged.
- Breadcrumbs, Pecorino Cheese, Dried Herbs and Spices: With so few ingredients in this recipe, the quality of each item is very important. And, one of the main reasons why this Italian fried shrimp is so delicious is the homemade seasoned breadcrumbs. (And, the cheese, which makes the breading more crunchy and tasty.) Try not to be tempted to purchase already seasoned breadcrumbs that have been sitting on a grocery shelf for who knows how long. While I admit that I rarely make the actual fine breadcrumbs itself from scratch (my food processor doesn’t seem to be strong enough), I always purchase fresh breadcrumbs from a local bakery and then turn them into seasoned breadcrumbs myself. It’s so easy and can be made with ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Once you make your own, you will likely never go back to store-bought! My main advice–use good quality spices and dried herbs. If they have been in your cupboard for several years and look sketchy–replace them! Having said all this, you can, of course, use store-bought seasoned Italian bread crumbs rather than make them from scratch, but the taste will not be the same.
- Flour: We use a standard breading procedure for these pan fried shrimp which includes flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs. Lightly dredging the shrimp initially in flour helps the egg to stick better to the shrimp’s surface.
- Eggs: The role of eggs in this recipe is to act as a binder during the breading process and give the breadcrumbs something to hold onto.
- Oil: Use either a pure or virgin olive oil or a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil or a vegetable oil, for the pan-frying. You can certainly use extra-virgin olive oil for the frying, but it is not necessary.
How to Make Pan Fried Butterflied Shrimp
- Prep and gather all ingredients according to specifications above. Place the flour and beaten eggs in medium-sized bowls, separately. Then, make the seasoned breadcrumbs by mixing all the breadcrumb ingredients together in a large bowl until well-combined.
- Prepare the shrimp. Peel and devein them, if necessary. You can leave the tail on or off.
- PRO-TIP: Alternatively, buy already peeled and deveined shrimp.
- PRO-TIP: Use extra-large or jumbo shrimp in this recipe.
- PRO-TIP: If starting with frozen shrimp, be sure to fully defrost them in the refrigerator before using. Do not defrost them in cold water as they will get water-logged.
- Butterfly the shrimp: use a knife to carefully slice around the back curve starting from the head area. Do not cut all the way through. Then, spread the shrimp open like a book and flatten it out.
- PRO-TIP: If you have not purchased already peeled and deveined shrimp, you can combine the deveining procedure with the butterflying procedure as shown in this video.
- After patting the shrimp dry, sprinkle both sides of the shrimp lightly with salt and pepper. Then, set up a standard breading station by arranging the following in a row: raw, butterflied and seasoned shrimp, then bowl of flour, bowl of beaten eggs and bowl (or sheet pan) of seasoned breadcrumbs, then a sheet pan.
- Using either your hand or a fork/tongs, lightly dredge/coat the seasoned shrimp in the flour, shaking off extra. Then, dip it fully into the egg, then coat it thoroughly with the seasoned breadcrumbs, patting it down to ensure that the breadcrumbs adhere. Continue until all shrimp is breaded.
- PRO-TIP: If you’re using your hands for this, use one hand for the wet egg mixture and the other for the dry flour and breadcrumb mixtures to keep things neater and more streamlined.
- Meanwhile, add enough oil to a large nonstick or stainless-steel skillet to cover the bottom of the pan by about ½”. Heat the oil over medium heat until bubbles form around a wooden spoon inserted in the oil.
- PRO-TIP: If the breaded shrimp is placed in the pan before the oil is hot enough, it will absorb too much oil, become soggy and the breading may fall off.
- Gently shake off any excess breadcrumbs from each piece of breaded shrimp. Then transfer each piece to the hot oil, one at a time, making sure to not crowd the pan or pile the shrimp on. Fry a few pieces at a time–only as many as will fit in one layer.
- PRO-TIP: Shrimp cooks very quickly and will only need about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Once golden brown and finished, transfer the fried shrimp to a rack placed over a sheet pan. This will help the shrimp to maintain their crispiness rather than placing them on a paper towels. Sprinkle the fried shrimp very lightly with some salt, if desired. Then, they’re ready to eat! In fact, I would be surprised if you didn’t try the first one that was ready–they are so good!
Frequently Asked Questions
Deveining shrimp means removing the digestive tract/intestine of the shrimp. It’s the brownish/black vein that runs along the back of the shrimp. While it won’t hurt to eat it, it’s a bit unpleasant to think about.
To devein shrimp, first peel the shrimp (leaving the tail), then place it on a cutting board or other flat surface. Then, make a shallow slit along the back of the shrimp, stopping at the last section before the tail, and lift or scrape out the vein. You can use a small paring knife to devein shrimp, or use this nifty shrimp deveiner. As we are also butterflying the shrimp in this recipe, you can combine these steps. (See next question.) Alternatively, buy already peeled and deveined shrimp with the tail on for this fried butterflied shrimp recipe.
Butterflying the shrimp is optional, but it is so easy to do, doesn’t take long, and makes the overall dish appearance and texture so much better, in my humble opinion. Plus, butterflied shrimp have a larger surface area so you can add more of the delicious breadcrumb topping to them, making them extra crispy.
To butterfly shrimp, first peel and devein them, but leave the tail on. (See previous question.) Then, use a knife to carefully slice around the back curve starting from the head area. Do not cut all the way through. Next, open up the shrimp like a book. (See photos above and click here for a short video demonstrating this technique.)
Note that if you have not purchased already peeled and deveined shrimp, you can combine the deveining procedure with the butterflying procedure as in the linked video above.
No, you cannot use already cooked shrimp in this recipe as the shrimp will become rubbery and tough if they are cooked again.
It could be because of a few reasons, which include not starting with a patted dry shrimp (i.e., shrimp is too wet/moist), using too much flour, not using enough breadcrumb coating and not patting it down to ensure it adheres, placing the shrimp in oil that is not hot enough and/or turning the frying shrimp pieces over too soon or too many times.
Yes, to cut down on the amount of oil, you can bake the shrimp instead of frying it. To do this, rub or spray a parchment-lined sheet pan thoroughly with olive oil, then arrange the breaded shrimp in a single layer on the parchment. Spray the tops of the shrimp thoroughly with olive oil as well, then place in a 425°F oven for approximately 5 minutes. Turn over all the cutlets, then continuing baking until the shrimp is crispy, another 5 minutes or so.
More Seafood Recipes You’ll Love
If you like this Fried Butterflied Shrimp recipe, check out these other Italian-inspired seafood recipes:
Serving Suggestions
Italian Fried Shrimp is a great appetizer or entree year-round. I especially like to include this dish on my Christmas Eve menu for the Feast of the Seven Fishes celebration–either a la carte or as part of a larger Italian fried seafood platter (fritto misto).
It can be a tasty part of a hot antipasto along with crispy baked calamari, baked artichoke hearts and shrimp oreganata or an entrée paired with Tuscan panzanella or roasted potatoes and a mixed green salad. I suggest serving it with both lemon wedges and some tomato basil sauce as a dipping sauce (or arrabbiata sauce if you like things spicy!). Tartar sauce and cocktail sauce are also popular with breaded butterfly shrimp.
I have to admit, though, that my favorite way to enjoy butterflied fried shrimp is layered with shredded mozzarella, grated pecorino romano cheese and lots of marinara sauce then baked into a cheesy and saucy shrimp parm which may or may not be put into a crusty roll like this meatball parm hero.. Shrimp parmesan is truly an American dish through and through, and I wholeheartedly embrace it! Paired with a simple spaghetti aglio e olio, it’s Italian American comfort food perfection in my humble opinion.
Fried butterfly shrimp also are great added to a classic BLT, fyi.
TOP TIPS FOR PAN FRIED BUTTERFLIED SHRIMP
- Oil: Use either a pure or virgin olive oil or a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado or vegetable oil, for the pan-frying. You can certainly use extra-virgin olive oil for the frying, but it is not necessary.
- Pay attention to oil temperature. The oil in the pan should be hot enough before you add shrimp, but not excessively hot, which could cause the breadcrumbs to burn before the shrimp is cooked.
- Use a wide, shallow vessel such as a pasta bowl or a baking sheet to do the breading. Make it easy on yourself.
- Pat the breading onto each piece of shrimp to make sure it sticks.
- Use a large skillet! Don’t use a small pan as it will make you miserable. Give yourself enough space to fry. Nonstick will make you happier as well.
- Work in batches and don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Use a rack to drain the fried shrimp to keep them crispier.
- Make extra! You will be happy you did. Leftover pan fried shrimp can be held in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Recipe Variations: If you prefer to keep this butterfly shrimp recipe dairy free, you can definitely leave out the grated cheese. Just switch out the cheese for additional breadcrumbs. Also, panko bread crumbs can be used in place of fine.
- Leftovers: To store, refrigerate Italian fried shrimp in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze them in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months. The shrimp will lose is crispiness once refrigerated or frozen but will still be delicious.
More Great Recipes to Try
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Pan Fried Butterflied Shrimp, Italian-Style
Equipment
- Shrimp Deveiner (optional)
- Cheese grater (optional)
Ingredients
- About 2 pounds large shrimp (raw; See NOTES.)
- Pinch salt and black pepper
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 2½ cups Seasoned Breadcrumbs (see below)
- Olive or other oil as needed for frying (See NOTES.)
- Salt, for finishing (salt flakes or coarse salt is preferred; optional)
- Heated Marinara/Tomato Basil (optional, for serving)
- Lemonwedges (optional, for serving)
For the Seasoned Breadcrumbs:
- 1½ cups plain breadcrumbs (fine texture)
- 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1½ Tbsp dried oregano
- 1½ Tbsp dried basil
- 1½ Tbsp garlic powder
- 1½ Tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Prep and gather all ingredients according to specifications above. Place the flour and beaten eggs in medium-sized bowls, separately. Then, make the seasoned breadcrumbs by mixing all the breadcrumb ingredients together in a large bowl until well-combined. These can be made several hours or days in advance and held in the refrigerator in an airtight bag or container. Set up a wire rack over a sheet pan.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)2 cups all-purpose flour, 4 large eggs,, 1½ cups plain breadcrumbs, 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 1½ Tbsp dried oregano, 1½ Tbsp dried basil, 1½ Tbsp garlic powder, 1½ Tbsp onion powder, 1 tsp black pepper
- Next, prepare the shrimp. Peel and devein them, if necessary. You can either leave the tail on or off, depending on how you’re planning on using/serving them. (I actually took the tails off here as I was planning on turning these fried butterflied shrimp into shrimp parm.)About 2 pounds large shrimp
- Then, butterfly each shrimp and pat them down of any moisture with a paper towel. To butterfly shrimp, use a knife to carefully slice around the back curve starting from the head area. Do not cut all the way through. Then, spread the shrimp open like a book and flatten it out. (See photos above.)
- After patting the shrimp dry, sprinkle both sides of the shrimp lightly with salt and pepper.
- Then, set up a standard breading station by arranging the following in a row: raw, butterflied and seasoned shrimp, then bowl of flour, bowl of beaten eggs and bowl (or sheet pan) of seasoned breadcrumbs, then a sheet pan.2 cups all-purpose flour, 4 large eggs,, 2½ cups Seasoned Breadcrumbs
- Using either your hand or a fork/tongs, lightly dredge/coat the seasoned shrimp in the flour, shaking off extra. Then, dip it fully into the egg, then coat it thoroughly with the seasoned breadcrumbs, patting it down to ensure that the breadcrumbs adhere. Ensure that both sides of the shrimp are breaded well. Transfer breaded shrimp to sheet pan and continue until all shrimp is breaded. This can be done a few hours in advance of frying and held in the refrigerator.(NOTE: If you’re using your hands for this, use one hand for the wet egg mixture and the other for the dry flour and breadcrumb mixtures to keep things neater and more streamlined.)
- Meanwhile, add enough oil to a large nonstick or stainless-steel skillet to cover the bottom of the pan by about ½”. Heat the oil over medium heat until bubbles form around a wooden spoon inserted in the oil. If the breaded shrimp is placed in the pan before the oil is hot enough, it will absorb too much oil, become soggy and the breading may fall off.
- Gently shake off any excess breadcrumbs from each piece of breaded shrimp. Then transfer each piece to the hot oil, one at a time, making sure to not crowd the pan or pile the shrimp on. Fry a few pieces at a time–only as many as will fit in one layer. Note that shrimp cooks very quickly and will only need about 1 to 2 minutes per side. You’ll need to work in batches and may need to add additional oil during the frying process. (Once you’ve fried one or two, you’ll likely know exactly how much time to fry the shrimp.)
- Once browned and finished, transfer the fried shrimp to a rack placed over a sheet pan. This will help the shrimp to maintain their crispiness rather than placing them on a paper towel.
- Sprinkle the fried shrimp very lightly with some salt, if desired. Then, they’re ready to eat! In fact, I would be surprised if you didn’t try the first one that was ready–they are so good! Serve them as is or use them in any number of ways. See Serving Suggestions above for some great ideas. A favorite way is to simply enjoy them with lemon wedges and some heated marinara sauce for dipping. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- Ideally, use shrimp that are U15 or larger. This means that there are approximately 15 shrimp in one pound. Do not use very small shrimp for this dish.
- If starting with frozen shrimp, be sure to fully defrost them in the refrigerator before using. Do not defrost them in cold water as they will get water-logged.
- You may have extra seasoned breadcrumbs left over. They can be held for a couple weeks in the refrigerator in an airtight bag or container ONLY IF THEY HAVE NOT TOUCHED THE SHRIMP! If they have touched the shrimp, then you cannot reuse these breadcrumbs. If you use seasoned breadcrumbs frequently, I suggest making a double or triple batch and then you will have them whenever you need.
- Panko breadcrumbs can be substituted for the regular fine breadcrumbs.
- If you prefer to keep this recipe dairy free, you can definitely leave out the grated cheese. Just switch out the cheese for additional breadcrumbs.
- The amount of egg/milk and breadcrumb mixtures is an approximation and may vary based on the actual size, and therefore surface area, of the shrimp.
- If you’d like some picante, sprinkle a pinch of cayenne pepper into the egg mixture.
- Use either a pure or virgin olive oil or a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil, (or a combination thereof) for the pan-frying. You can certainly use extra-virgin olive oil for the frying, but it is not necessary.
- If you have made a double batch and/or have been frying for awhile, the oil may become cloudy and sludgy from the residual breadcrumbs and seasonings that have fallen off the shrimp and have burnt. Use your judgment, but, at some point, you may need to clean the pan and start with a fresh amount of oil. Alternatively, you can let the oil cool completely, and then drain it through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a clean container. By doing this, you can reuse the oil.
- To store, refrigerate the fried shrimp in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze them in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months. The shrimp will lose is crispiness once refrigerated or frozen but will still be delicious.
- To reheat the fried shrimp and crisp them up, place them in an oven proof baking dish or on a sheet pan and bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until crispy and heated. Frankly though, one of my favorite things to do is eat leftovers right out of the fridge standing up. Yum! Or, turn the fried shrimp into a dreamy shrimp parm by layering it with lots of tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella and grated cheese and baking it uncovered at 375°F until heated and bubbly.
- You can bake the breaded shrimp instead of frying it. To do this, rub or spray a parchment-lined sheet pan thoroughly with olive oil, then arrange the breaded shrimp in a single layer on the parchment. Spray the tops of the shrimp thoroughly with olive oil as well, then place in a 425°F oven for approximately 5 minutes. Turn over all the cutlets, then continuing baking until the shrimp is crispy, another 5 minutes or so.
