New Orleans BBQ Shrimp (Printable)

Gulf shrimp cooked in buttery Creole sauce served with crusty French bread for dipping.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 lbs large raw shrimp, shell-on, deveined

→ Sauce

02 - 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
03 - 1/4 cup olive oil
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
06 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 tbsp Creole or Cajun seasoning
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
12 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
13 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
14 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

→ To Serve

15 - 1 large French baguette, sliced

# How To Make It:

01 - Rinse shrimp thoroughly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Keep shells intact for maximum flavor during cooking.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil until fully combined and shimmering.
03 - Add minced garlic to the hot fat mixture and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown or burn.
04 - Stir in Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and dried thyme until well incorporated.
05 - Add shrimp to the skillet, tossing thoroughly to coat with sauce. Cook for 3–4 minutes on each side until shells turn pink and flesh becomes opaque.
06 - Stir in sliced green onions and chopped parsley; cook for 1 additional minute to wilt the onions slightly.
07 - Transfer shrimp and sauce to a large serving bowl or platter. Serve immediately with sliced French bread for soaking up the flavorful sauce.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce alone is worth making—its the kind of rich, spicy, buttery liquid that makes you forget your manners
  • Shrimp cook in minutes, but this tastes like it simmered all day
  • Theres something deeply satisfying about dunking crusty bread into sauce you made yourself
02 -
  • Overcooked shrimp are rubbery and sad—pull them the second they turn pink
  • The sauce will continue to thicken off the heat, so dont panic if it looks a little thin in the pan
  • Some people eat this with their hands, peeling shrimp as they go. Others peel everything first. Both are correct
03 -
  • Marinate the shrimp in half the seasoning for 15 minutes before cooking for extra flavor penetration
  • Have everything measured and ready before you start—this comes together fast
  • Save any leftover sauce (if such a thing exists) and toss it with pasta the next day