The Ultimate Guide: How to Make Restaurant-Style Salt and Pepper Shrimp That’ll Blow Your Mind

Hey there, fellow food lovers! I’ve been obsessing over perfecting salt and pepper shrimp lately, and lemme tell you – this dish is a total game-changer. Whether you’ve had it at Chinese restaurants or Vietnamese spots (where it’s called Tôm Rang Muối), I’m gonna show you how to nail this crispy, flavor-packed dish right in your kitchen.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Super crispy exterior with juicy shrimp inside
• Perfect balance of salt, pepper, and aromatics
• Ready in under 30 minutes
• Way cheaper than restaurant versions
• Impressive enough for guests but easy enough for weeknight dinners

Key Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Shrimp:

• 1 pound shrimp (head-on preferred, but shell-on is fine)
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1-2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1-2 teaspoons white pepper
• Neutral oil for frying (vegetable or avocado oil works great)

For the Seasoning Mix:

• 2 tablespoons good quality salt
• 1-2 tablespoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar

For the Aromatics:

• 7-8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 jalapeños or serranos, sliced
• Half white onion, sliced
• 2-3 green onions (optional)

Let’s Make It!

1. Prep Your Shrimp

   • Clean and devein shrimp, keeping shells on
   • Pat them dry really well with paper towels
   • Pro tip: Head-on shrimp gives amazing flavor, but shell-on works too!

2. Make Your Coating

   • Mix cornstarch, garlic powder, and white pepper in a bowl
   • This is what’ll give us that super crispy exterior

3. Get Your Oil Ready

   • Pour about 1 inch of oil in a deep pan
   • Heat to medium-high (around 350°F if ur fancy and have a thermometer)

4. Fry Those Bad Boys

   • Coat shrimp in cornstarch mixture
   • Fry in batches (don’t overcrowd!) for 2-3 mins per side
   • They’re done when pink and golden crispy
   • Drain on paper towels

5. The Flavor Bomb Finish

   • Save about 2 tablespoons of oil in pan
   • Sauté onions for 2 mins
   • Add chilies, cook another 2 mins
   • Throw in garlic, cook 1 more min
   • Add fried shrimp back
   • Sprinkle with salt/pepper/sugar mix
   • Toss everything together

Tips for Success

1. Keep the shell on! I know it’s tempting to peel em but trust me – the shell protects the meat and adds SO much flavor.

2. Don’t skip drying the shrimp well Wet shrimp = soggy coating = sad times,

3. Get your mise en place ready (fancy way of saying prep everything before starting). This dish moves fast once you start cooking!

4. Got leftovers? Reheat in a pan with a little oil – skip the microwave unless you want rubber shrimp.

Serving Suggestions

Personally, I love serving these bad boys with:

• Hot steamed rice
• Cold beer (not optional lol)
• Simple stir-fried vegetables
• Extra chili sauce on the side

Common Questions

Q: Can I use peeled shrimp?
A: You can, but you’ll miss out on lots of flavor and that awesome crispy shell texture.

Q: How spicy should I make it?
A: Totally up to you! Adjust chilies to taste. Start with less – you can always add more.

Q: What’s the best oil for frying?
A: Any neutral oil with a high smoke point works. Vegetable, canola, or avocado oil are perfect.

There you have it, friends! Your ticket to making restaurant-worthy salt and pepper shrimp at home. Once you try this version, you might never order it out again (okay, that’s a lie – but at least now you have options!).

Give it a shot and lemme know how it turns out in the comments. And hey, if you mess up the first time, no biggie – more excuse to eat more shrimp, right?

Happy cooking! ✨

#cooking #seafood #asianfood #homecooking #shrimp