How to Reheat Shrimp (4 Easy Methods)

Have a bunch of leftover shrimp? Let me show you multiple methods to reheat shrimp to ensure you’re reheating them safely without overcooking them into a rubbery mess. I tested many pounds of leftover shrimp in various ways to find the best way to properly reheat steamed shrimp, breaded shrimp, grilled shrimp, and even shrimp in a sauce. 

The following methods below reflect shrimp that are both peeled and unpeeled in extra large sized (26/30 shrimp per pound). The USDA recommends reheating all leftovers to at least 165 °F for safety purposes, so we warmed up the shrimp to this internal temperature before consuming. 

How to Reheat Shrimp in a Pan

My favorite way to reheat shrimp is in a pan over medium-low heat. This method is great for reheating shrimp that already has sauce or if you want to add additional flavors like butter because you can warm up all the ingredients in the same pan. 

To reheat shrimp in a pan, heat the pan to medium-low heat, and add butter or the sauce. Add the shrimp and try not to crowd the pan. This method takes about two minutes with occasional stirring to prevent the sauce or shrimp from burning. 

How to Reheat in the Oven

Reheating shrimp in the oven is the best option for breaded shrimp. Preheat the oven to 300 °F and place the breaded shrimp in an even layer on a sheet pan on the middle rack. Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until the breading is crispy and the center of the shrimp is hot. 

How to Reheat Shrimp in the Air Fryer

While we prefer using an oven to reheat breaded shrimp because the low and slow method gives you crispy and tender shrimp, you can also use an air fryer if you don’t have access to an oven or want a faster-reheating option. 

To reheat breaded shrimp in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 300 °F and place the shrimp in a single layer without any shrimp covering another. For breaded shrimp, cook each batch for seven minutes, flipping them halfway. Remove the shrimp when they’re crispy and hot in the center. For plain shrimp in the air fryer, cook for four minutes total and flip them halfway. 

How to Reheat in the Microwave

Since using a microwave can be a bit precarious with larger volumes of food, it’s my least favored way of reheating shrimp. Using the microwave to reheat shrimp is often the fastest and least troublesome way; however, there’s a high chance that your shrimp can become rubbery and chewy quickly. 

To prevent rubbery shrimp, place your shrimp in a bowl with a few tablespoons of sauce, butter, or water and cover with a towel. Set your microwave to 50% power and heat in multiple 30-second increments (until about one minute) or until the shrimp is hot. Mixing, flipping, and rotating your container of shrimp often will ensure the evenest heating, but yes it can be a lot of work.

How to Reheat Steamed Shrimp

Reheating shrimp in the steamer is one of the gentler ways of heating shrimp, but we would only recommend steaming as a method of reheating if your shrimp is plain without sauce or breading. If you have a double-decker steamer, this is also a great method to reheat large amounts of plain shrimp. 

To reheat shrimp in a steamer, add two inches of water to the pot and cover the steamer with a lid. Once steam appears, add one layer of shrimp to the steamer so that the shrimp heats evenly. Steam over medium heat for about two minutes until they reach 165 °F. 

My Favorite Method to Reheat Shrimp

The best way to reheat shrimp is in my opinion using a pan because you can control the heat better and add additional flavors like butter or pasta sauce. If you want to reheat breaded shrimp, use the oven and a sheet pan to get the crispiest texture and soft center. 

FAQ

Can shrimp be reheated the next day?If the food is stored correctly and in an airtight container in the fridge, you should be safe to eat leftover shrimp and reheat it the next day. The USDA states all leftovers should be reheated to approximately 165 °F to prevent any sicknesses and only reheat food once.

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How to Reheat Shrimp

Learn five different methods to reheat shrimp properly to get plump and tender shrimp with your leftovers.

Course Appetizer, Ingredient, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword air fryer, reheating leftovers

Prep Time 1 minute

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 16 minutes

Servings 2

Equipment

• saute pan
• steamer
• air fryer
• oven
• microwave
• tongs
• sheet pan
• foil

Ingredients

• shrimp
• butter or avocado oil
• water for steamer or microwave
• pasta sauce optional for microwave or saute pan

Instructions

Saute pan on the stove

• Remove the shrimp from the fridge for at least 10 minutes to ensure they cook evenly and aren’t cold inside.
• In a pan over medium-low heat, add butter (or avocado oil or sauce) for about 30 seconds.
• Add the shrimp and cook for about one to two minutes or until the shrimp is hot, flipping halfway through. Note: if you use peeled shrimp, these will cook faster (about 30 seconds) than shrimp with the peels on, so watch these carefully.
• Remove from the pan and serve immediately.

Steamer (best for plain shrimp)

• Remove the shrimp from the fridge for at least 10 minutes, so they cook evenly.
• Add two inches of water to a steamer and heat on medium until you see steam from the top of the steamer.
• Add the shrimp in one even layer and close the lid. Steam for two minutes and test the shrimp for even heating. Once it’s hot, remove it from the steamer and serve.

Air fryer

• Preheat your air fryer to 300 °F.
• Breaded shrimp: Place the breaded shrimp in the air fryer in a single layer so that no shrimp cover each other. Cook for seven minutes, flipping halfway. Remove once the shrimp is crispy and hot. Serve immediately.
• Plain shrimp: Place the shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basked. Cook for two minutes and then flip the shrimp. Cook for another two minutes. Remove the shrimp and serve.

Oven (best for breaded shrimp)

• Preheat the oven to 300 °F.
• Place the breaded shrimp on a sheet pan in a single layer so that none of the shrimp cover each other. Place the sheet pan in the middle rack.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway or until the shrimp are crispy.
• Serve immediately.

Microwave (best for quick reheating)

• In a bowl, add the shrimp (and optional 2 tablespoons sauce, butter, or water for every 6-8 shrimp) and cover with a hand towel.
• Close the lid and set the microwave to 50% power for 30-second intervals until the shrimp is hot. Our microwave took about one to one and a half minutes to reheat shrimp thoroughly. Make sure to stir the shrimp around in between each interval. 
• If the shrimp is still cold, add 30 seconds until it’s hot and ready to serve.