These Are the Shrimp Recipes We’d Krill For (Sorry for the Pun, but They’re That Good)

Poaching big, plump shrimp in a seasoned broth gives them lots of flavor—but if you’re pressed for time, you could get away with buying cooked (don’t skip the final seasoning of oil, lemon, chile, and chives, though).

Small, juicy shrimp in plenty of garlicky olive oil show up on countless tapas menus across Spain.

Our take on a Chinese-restaurant favorite uses the same ingredients, but skips the heavy batter and deep frying. If you can’t get jumbo shrimp, use 1 pound of the largest shrimp you can find.

Grilling watermelon adds a smoky note to the fruit and gives it a slightly meaty texture that matches well with shrimp.

Light, lively green garlic and a little cream make this a perfect winter-into-spring pasta dish. The thin noodles soak up the sauce fast, so serve it immediately.

Fried until crunchy, these shrimp look a little like firecrackers, with the tails being the fuses. See make-ahead details for ways to prep them before a party.

We’d like to say that they’re just as good baked, but honestly, they really are best fried. The Sriracha mayo puts it over the top.

Rich, spicy, and irresistible, this shrimp recipe packs a punch and a crunch.

Serve these noodle bowls warm, at room temperature, or even chilled. Harissa, a North African spice paste, is available at well-stocked grocery stores, but if you can’t find it, use hot sauce.

When you don’t have much time to cook, the right condiment can add layers of flavor in a flash. Oil-packed Indian mango relish (not chutney, which is too sweet) combines earthy turmeric and fenugreek with the tang of mustard and green mango.

Serve these kebabs with a sweet rosé, plus crusty bread and grilled or roasted small potatoes to dip into the extra aioli.

“On a trip to Auckland to visit my cousins, we decided to rent out a bach (a beach house) and spend Christmas at the beach,” wrote Nik Sharma. “We grilled all week and ate a lot of ice cream, as one does in New Zealand. Because shrimp cooks quickly, it became the appetizer of choice to eat while our food cooked on the grill. This dish brings back fond memories of that special holiday.”

“I grew up with this recipe in northeast Brazil,” says Perlla Fonvielle. These days, she makes it with wild Oregon shrimp.

“Any food cooked on an open flame has big potential to be delicious,” shared Kiano Moju. “Shrimp are simple—just do not overcook them! Butterflied shrimp are great for two reasons: It’s easy to devein the shrimp, and butterflying gives you maximum surface area for any seasoning. The star here is the garlicky, spicy peri-peri butter that gets basted on top of the salty, charred shrimp. Well, I guess the only other misstep here is not having some bread to mop up all the delicious butter off the plate.”

Ripe summer tomatoes meet a hearty helping of seafood for a soup that’s substantial enough to call dinner. Grill up slices of country bread brushed with olive oil to eat on the side.

Héctor Palacios, chef at Casamarte, in La Paz, Mexico, imparts an elevated take on the classic ceviche by presenting it playfully in oyster shells, then topping it with yet another piece of shrimp to garnish. The addition of sesame oil and plenty of acid makes this dish so much more than Insta-food, and worthy of the finest seafood spreads.

Spaghetti and Shrimp Scampi has become a classic combo in the line-up of American pasta dishes. The addition of spring peas adds a touch of seasonality. Finishing with a generous amount of fresh chopped herbs at the end helps cut through the richness of the pan sauce.

Portland gastropub Pacific Standard uses Oregon bay shrimp in this zippy, creamy take on the lobster roll, but any small shrimp will be equally delicious. This dish is another example of why you need more than one style of mayo in your fridge if you want to up your sauce-making game.