Get ready for some of the most ridiculously delicious homemade EXTRA CRISPY POPCORN SHRIMP you have ever consumed. This Whole30 and Paleo friendly recipe will take your mouth straight to flavor-town!
I have been craving shrimp lately, but I do a lot of the same recipes with shrimp and don’t veer much from the staples…like shrimp fajitas or Shrimp Puttanesca (from my COOKBOOK ). But I love a great new recipe, especially when it is friggin’ easy as can be. I actually considered baking this, but changed my mind since shrimp cooks up so fast. I didn’t think the outside would get crispy enough by the time the shrimp cooked. And you and I both know that rubbery shrimp is gross!
You can use whatever flour you prefer or have on hand. I like Cassava flour the best for recipes like this. To me it is the most like regular baking flour. But you can certainly use almond flour or coconut flour or even a gluten free flour. Just a reminder if you use a gluten free flour it is not Whole30 because it usually uses “rice”
Fair Warning: my kids ate about 40 each of these Extra Crispy Popcorn Shrimp. Okay, okay, maybe not 40,but they definitely were little piggies and left me around 5. So sweet of them, but that’s what I get for running out of the house to run a quick errand at dinner time. Speaking of dinner, this is a great recipe for kids to help make. In fact, they could probably do the entire thing after you show them what’s up!
Let’s talk shrimp size real fast. There is a great blog post on shrimp size that you can check out HERE
I try to look for medium to small…so 36/40, 41/50, or 51/60. But sometimes those sizes are hard to find, you can do this recipe with any size shrimp!
Ingredients
- 1 lb uncooked shrimp (at least 36/40)
- 1 cup+ avocado oil
- 1 cup cassava flour
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 2 tbsp old bay seasoning
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- Cocktail sauce for dipping
- Squeeze of lemon
- OPTIONAL: fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Take 2 bowls. In 1 whisk up 2 eggs. In the other, mix together the cassava flour, old bay seasoning, and pepper.
- Remove the tails from the shrimp.
- Dredge the shrimp by placing in the egg first and then rolling around in the flour mixture. Set the shrimp aside on a parchment lined baking sheet so that they are ready for the oil!
- Heat up 1 cup of avocado oil in a medium skillet. I prefer a cast iron pan and I like avocado oil for its high smoke point.
- Place as many shrimp as you can into the oil. Make sure the shrimp aren't touching.
- Let them cook for 3 minutes, and then flip and let cook another 3 minutes.
- Remove and repeat until all the shrimp are done.
- Lastly, squeeze a bunch of lemon over the top, garnish with fresh parsley and dip into some cocktail sauce!
Whole30: yes
Paleo: yes
This looks incredible!! Any chance there would be an alternative to the egg? We’ve got an egg allergy. 🙁
You can use melted butter or ghee. Just coat the shrimp, then place in the flour mixture, then into the pan.