What Is Shrimp and How Can I Use It?
Here's everything worth knowing about shrimp and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 1,229 recipes to cook tonight.
What is shrimp?
Shrimp is also known as "prawns" in many areas around the world and the terms are used interchangeably.
As with other seafood, shrimp is high in calcium, iodine and protein but low in food energy. A shrimp-based meal is also a significant source of cholesterol, from 122 mg to 251 mg per 100 g of shrimp, depending on the method of preparation. Shrimp consumption, however, is considered healthy for the circulatory system because the lack of significant levels of saturated fat in shrimp means that the high cholesterol content in shrimp actually improves the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol and lowers triglyceride.
Preparing shrimp for consumption usually involves removing the head, shell, tail, and "sand vein".
To de-shell a shrimp, the tail is held while gently removing the shell around the body. The tail can be detached completely at this point, or left attached for presentation purposes.
Removing the "vein" can be referred to as "deveining", though in fact shrimp do not have any real veins; they have an open circulatory system.
The "vein" can be removed by making a shallow cut lengthwise down the outer curve of the shrimp's body, allowing the dark ribbon-like digestive tract to be removed with a pointed utensil.
Alternatively, if the tail has been detached, the vein can be pinched at the tail end and pulled out completely with the fingers. The shrimp is then rinsed under cold running water.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 3 oz (85g)Where found
Shrimp is usually found in the seafood section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group
Shrimp is a member of the Finfish and Shellfish Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
How much does shrimp weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 3 ounce | 85 grams |
| 4 large | 22 grams |
Related
Finfish and Shellfish Products
| In Chinese: | 虾 | |
| British (UK) term: | prawns | |
| en français: | crevette | |
| en español: | camarón |
Recipes using shrimp
There are 1229 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Salad Greens with Prosciutto & Shrimp
Elegant mixed greens with crispy prosciutto, sweet shrimp, and crystallized ginger in sesame-rice vinegar dressing. Light yet satisfying salad ready in 20 minutes.
Chipotle Shrimp
Plump shrimp tossed with smoky chipotle butter and piled onto warm corn tortillas. Mexican-style shrimp tacos with creamy avocado and ranchero sauce in 40 minutes.
Shrimp & Fish with Green Vegetables in Orange Sauce
delicate, a bit spicy dish inspired by Asian cuisine, and stir-fried in my favorite old wok..
Pumpkin & Coconut Cream Soup
Thai pumpkin and coconut cream soup blends shrimp, lemongrass, and chilies into a paste, then simmers cubed pumpkin in coconut milk with basil for a fragrant Southeast Asian first course.
Thai Cucumber Salad
A quick yet refreshing Thai cucumber salad accompanies well with most of your summer Barbecue dishes.
King Prawn Butterfly
This is a delicious starter from my book named 'The Curry Crunch' where mildly spiced king prawns are coated with bread crumbs and fried. The king prawns used in this recipe weigh approximately 50g each.
Down-Home Fried Rice
A main dish fried rice packed with plump shrimp, smoky ham with a touch of Asian flare.
Pad Thai Pseudo
An easy homemade pad Thai that skips hard-to-find tamarind, leaning on fish sauce, vinegar, and paprika for that sweet-sour-salty tang. Chewy rice noodles tossed with tofu, shrimp, egg, bean sprouts, and crushed peanuts.
Grilled Tomatillo Shrimp
Smoky mesquite-grilled shrimp with tangy tomatillo-avocado salsa verde. Succulent grilled seafood marinated in chili-lime butter, perfect for summer entertaining.
Seafood in Coconut, Ginger & Lemongrass Sauce
A delightful gourmet recipe brought to you by Real Food Direct
Jasmin's Pad Thai
Authentic Thai street-style pad thai with chewy rice noodles, shrimp, tamarind, and fish sauce. Quick wok-tossed noodles with cashews and lime in 20 minutes.
Shrimp (Chicken) & Sugar Snap Pea Stir Fry
An easy dish that's also very tasty. Quick and easy to make, perfect dinner on a busy week day.
Tom Yum Goong - Savouring Southeast Asia
Tom yum goong, Thailand's hot and sour shrimp soup, built on a fragrant broth of lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime, with Thai chili paste, fish sauce, and lime. Bright, spicy, and deeply aromatic.
Phat Thai (Pad Thai)
Authentic shrimp pad thai: rice noodles stir-fried fast over high heat with garlic, shrimp, egg, and fish sauce, finished with bean sprouts, peanuts, and a squeeze of lime. Thai street food made at home.
Pad Thai Stir-Fried Rice Ribbon Noodles
Authentic Pad Thai with shrimp, chicken, and rice ribbon noodles in a dry-coat sauce of yellow bean, fish sauce, and tomato paste. Finished with peanuts, bean sprouts, lime, and cilantro the way a Bangkok street stall would.
Thai Hot & Sour Shrimp Soup (Tom Yum Goong)
Tom Yum Goong brings tangy lime, fragrant lemongrass, and plump shrimp together in a fiery Thai hot and sour soup that's ready in just 30 minutes. The ultimate comfort bowl for spice lovers.
Shrimp & Lentil Soup
a bit spicy soup.. I found a combination of lentil and shrimp in Sri Lanka's cuisine, however I never found any recipe, and I tried my way..
Thai Pasta & Seafood Salad
Thai pasta seafood salad tosses chilled shrimp and scallops with rice vermicelli, cucumbers, peppers, and cilantro in a peanut ginger dressing. A bright, refreshing summer dinner with a kick.
Cullen Skink with King Prawns
A traditional Scottish soup made with smoked haddock and King Prawns. A Delicious winter warmer.
Crockpot Jambalaya
Crockpot jambalaya layered with chicken, smoked sausage, and shrimp in a Creole-spiced tomato base. Orzo cooks right in the pot, and the shrimp goes in last so it stays plump.
Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms & Shrimp
This versatile recipe features tender shrimp and a rich mushroom sauce poured over a bed of seasoned spaghetti squash, all topped with a crispy breadcrumb topping. Easy to make and endlessly adaptable, this dish is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or a special occasion.
