This easy smoked paprika shrimp appetizer comes together in just 10 minutes and is full of delicious flavors. It’s buttery, garlicky, smoky and mildly spicy.
This recipe shares many ingredients and flavors with my cajun chicken marinade, like garlic, oregano and smoked hot paprika. These three ingredients taste amazing together and turn plain shrimp into a gourmet treat.

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What’s in smoked paprika shrimp?
You only need a few ingredients to make paprika shrimp. Use raw, peeled and deveined shrimp. (Jumbo shrimp (21 to 25 shrimp per pound) work best for this recipe but you can use smaller or larger shrimp as well.)

How to make the shrimp:
This recipe comes together in minutes and is very easy. Simply fry the shrimp in mild olive oil in a cast iron or non-stick pan. Take the shrimp out, then add butter to the pan, add fresh garlic, then oregano, paprika and salt. Add the cooked shrimp back to the pan and sprinkle with lemon juice.
How to serve the shrimp:
Serve the shrimp hot along with crusty bread to soak up the sauce. You can add a sprig or two of cilantro as garnish if you like.
More shrimp recipes with smoked paprika:
- Shrimp and Chorizo Tacos20 Minutes
- Shrimp and Sausage Pasta Red Sauce30 Minutes
See all paprika recipes→
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Full Printable Recipe

Smoked Paprika Shrimp
Equipment:
- measuring spoons
- paper towels
- cast iron or non-stick pan
- kitchen tongs
- bowl
- garlic press or knife and cutting board
Ingredients:
- ½ tablespoon mild olive oil
- ½ pound raw jumbo shrimp (10-12 shrimp)*, thawed, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked hot paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 lemon wedges
- cilantro (optional) as garnish
Instructions:
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Heat the oil in a cast iron or non-stick pan until shimmering.
- Add the shrimp and cook until opaque in the center (1 to 2 minutes per side).
- Move the shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the butter to the pan and melt.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant (a few seconds).
- Stir in oregano, smoked paprika and salt, then add the shrimp back to the pan and heat through.
- Squeeze lemon wedges over the shrimp, then serve with bread.
Notes:
Nutrition Information (Estimated):
Nutrition values provided on this website are generated from a nutrition database and are estimates only. The accuracy of the nutrition information for any recipe on this website is not guaranteed. Nutrition values can vary quite a lot depending on which brands are used.
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