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    Home » Appetizers

    Buffalo Shrimp

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on March 19, 2023, updated January 9, 2024 - Leave a Comment

    Total time: 10 minutes minutes
    Prep time: 2 minutes minutes
    5 from 1 vote
    Jump to Recipe
    Buffalo shrimp on a blue plate.

    Make this quick, easy and tasty buffalo shrimp recipe for a delicious appetizer, all done in less than 10 minutes. It's healthy and made with just a few ingredients, and is so packed with flavor you will find yourself coming back to it again and again!

    Buffalo shrimp on a blue plate.
    Jump to:
    • Why you will love this recipe
    • What you need to make it
    • How to make Buffalo Shrimp
    • Tips & tricks
    • Recipe FAQ
    • More quick & easy buffalo recipes
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    If there's two things I love, it's Shrimp Scampi and Buffalo sauce. So I decided to combine them, and the result is my version of Buffalo Shrimp.

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    If you're a Buffalo sauce lover like me - I promise this will become your new favorite recipe.

    Why you will love this recipe

    • It's quick and all done in under 10 minutes!
    • It's easy - just a few simple steps
    • So tasty with garlic and all those spicy Buffalo sauce flavors
    • A healthy dish that tastes super indulgent

    What you need to make it

    Ingredients for buffalo shrimp.

    Ingredient notes & substitutions

    • Butter: I used salted butter, but you can also use unsalted butter. Just add an extra pinch of salt!
    • Shrimp: I recommend using raw, peeled, deveined, jumbo shrimp without the tail, but you can also use pre-cooked shrimp. Since they are already cooked you will just need to heat them up thoroughly in the sauce, which will be quicker. However, this also means there will be less flavor.
    • Garlic can be skipped, but adds nice depth of flavor
    • Hot sauce: I always use Frank's Red Hot or Cholula. Any similar type of hot sauce will work.
    • Pre-made Buffalo wings sauce also works, and since it is already mixed with butter it is a bit milder

    How to make Buffalo Shrimp

    Collage showing how to make buffalo shrimp.
    1. Sauté garlic in butter
    2. Add salt, pepper and hot sauce
    3. Add shrimp and cook on one side until pink on the bottom
    4. Flip the shrimp, and cook until the other side is also pink

    Tips & tricks

    • Don't overcook the shrimp! Cook them until just done, not more.
    • Make it more or less spicy by using more or less hot sauce
    • This dish is best eaten straight away but it is possible to save leftovers
    • Store leftovers in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 3 days
    • Do not freeze leftovers - the consistency after reheating will not be good
    • Reheat leftovers on the stove: add a bit more butter and sauté for a few minutes
    Buffalo shrimp on a blue plate.

    Recipe FAQ

    How do you make super tender shrimp?

    The number one trick to making super tender shrimp is to not overcook them. Cook them until pink on one side, flip them, and cook until pink on the other side. And then they're done.

    How do I know if the shrimp are done?

    The shrimp are done when they are pink on the outside, and the flesh is white and opaque inside.

    How can I make it less spicy?

    To make Buffalo Shrimp less spicy, use less hot sauce. Another option is to swap hot sauce for a pre-made wing sauce. Since this already contains butter it will be less spicy.

    Buffalo shrimp on a blue plate.

    More quick & easy buffalo recipes

    Looking for more quick & easy buffalo recipes like these Buffalo Shrimp?

    • Buffalo Chicken Pasta
    • Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
    • Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos
    • Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
    • Easy Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

    Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
    ...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.

    Recipe

    Buffalo shrimp on a blue plate.

    Buffalo Shrimp

    5 from 1 vote
    Print Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: North American
    Servings: 4 as an appetizer
    Calories: 161kcal
    Prep time: 2 minutes mins
    Cook time: 8 minutes mins
    Total time: 10 minutes minutes
    Author: Emmeline Kemperyd
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb raw jumbo shrimp peeled and thawed
    • 3 tablespoon salted butter or unsalted + an extra pinch of salt
    • 1 garlic clove minced
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ½ cup hot sauce Frank's RedHot, Cholula, or similar

    To serve

    • 4 pieces crusty bread optional
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Melt butter in a pan over medium heat.
      3 tablespoon salted butter
    • Add minced garlic and sauté 1 minute, without browning the garlic.
      1 garlic clove
    • Add salt, black pepper and hot sauce. Mix and simmer 1 minute.
      ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ cup hot sauce
    • Add shrimp and cook 2-4 minutes on one side, until the bottoms of the shrimp are pink. Then flip and cook until the other side is pink as well, this will take about 1-2 minutes more, depending on their size.
      1 lb raw jumbo shrimp
    • Make sure the shrimp are cooked (white and opaque) through, then remove from the heat and serve with a side of bread.
      4 pieces crusty bread

    Equipment (may contain affiliate links)

    • Skillet or frying pan*
    • Garlic press*
    • Measuring spoons*
    • Measuring cups (metric or US)*

    Video

    Notes

    Ingredient notes & substitutions

    • Butter: I used salted butter, but you can also use unsalted butter. Just add an extra pinch of salt!
    • Shrimp: I recommend using raw, peeled, jumbo shrimp without the tail, but you can also use pre-cooked shrimp. Since they are already cooked you will just need to heat them up thoroughly in the sauce, which will be quicker. However, this also means there will be less flavor.
    • Garlic can be skipped, but adds nice depth of flavor
    • Hot sauce: I always use Frank's Red Hot or Cholula. Any similar type of hot sauce will work.
    • Pre-made wing sauce also works, and since it is already mixed with butter it is a bit milder
     

    Tips & tricks

    • Don't overcook the shrimp! Cook them until just done, not more.
    • Make it more or less spicy by using more or less hot sauce
    • This dish is best eaten straight away but it is possible to save leftovers
    • Store leftovers in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 3 days
    • Do not freeze leftovers - the consistency after reheating will not be good
    • Reheat leftovers on the stove: add a bit more butter and sauté for a few minutes
     
    Nutritional information excludes bread.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 165mg | Sodium: 1793mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 516IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 0.4mg

    Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.

    Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!

    More Appetizer Recipes

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      Crispy Air Fryer Fried Chicken Tenders
    • Air fryer nachos.
      Air Fryer Nachos With Tajin
    • Baked brie.
      Air Fryer Baked Brie
    • Baked brie topped with nuts and cranberries,
      How to Bake Brie

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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