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Home » Recipes » Best Of

Shrimp Dinner Ideas for Families

By Laura Fuentes Updated Feb 4, 2025

5 from 13 votes

Recipe

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Quick & easy dinner recipes using shrimp! These are healthy, kid-approved and delicious. 

If you have a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer, you’re going to love these shrimp dinner ideas.

When I need a light meal, I often use shrimp as the base because it’s high in protein, low in calories, and super versatile for any night of the week.

image collage: four photos of dinner recipes made with shrimp

Shrimp is an excellent ingredient for making delicious mid-week dinners fast. I often use it in stir-frys, pasta, and tacos, all of which are healthy, satisfying, meals I can make in a pinch and include in my meal plans.

If you’re looking for an easy way to make fresh and healthy dinners like the ones below, without spending half the night in the kitchen, grab a free sample of my weekly meal plans. It’s a taste of what we do every week with family-favorite recipes, meal prep tips, and the completed shopping list to go along with it.

Watch this video for a peek of what you’ll find inside!

Got your meal plan for the next week? Perfect. Now let’s back to these amazing shrimp meal ideas!

Shrimp Dinner Recipes

From the Best Chicken Dinner Ideas to Ground Beef Dinner Ideas, it’s about time I did one for shrimp! My kids aren’t thrilled about most seafood options, but shrimp is a different story. 

It is bite-size, takes on different flavors, and cooks in less than 5 minutes, which makes it perfect when you need to put dinner on the table fast. 

As with most of the recipes on my site, these shrimp dinner ideas are a complete meal made with simple ingredients and the busy mom in mind. 

One quick tip before we get started: you can use either fresh or frozen shrimp. If using frozen, be sure to defrost the shrimp in lukewarm water before cooking. Now that’s out of the way, let’s get to the recipes! 

Where to Buy Shrimp Year-Round

I always try to keep my freezer stocked with favorite ingredients that I knew my family will love. From time to time I make an online order to receive high-quality shrimp to stock my freezer for all my favoriote shrimp recipes.

I love that fresh shrimp can come straight to my door all year round with Fulton’s Fish Market. You can check out where I order here.

What To Cook with Shrimp

From pesto pasta to Creole and Cajun dishes, you won’t be running out of ideas to make with shrimp anytime soon.

Shrimp Pesto Pasta
5 from 35 votes
Cooked shrimp tossed with pesto, pasta, and cherry tomatoes for a satisfying meal your family will love. Make it with Homemade Pesto or your favorite storebought version. Either way, you can’t go wrong. 
Make This Recipe
a small bowl of fried cauliflower rice with shrimp
Cauliflower Shrimp Fried Rice
4.99 from 133 votes
A grain-free version of our favorite takeout dish that’s so good you won’t even miss the rice! Not only is it low-carb, but it will satisfy those cravings without giving you an energy crash an hour later. 
Make This Recipe
Corn & Avocado Salad with Shrimp
5 from 33 votes
This salad screams summer with fresh corn, avocado, tomatoes, and lime vinaigrette. The shrimp are a nice bonus and added protein along with the Queso Fresco.
Make This Recipe
pasta bowl of shrimp alfredo
Frozen Shrimp Alfredo
5 from 11 votes
This frozen shrimp Alfredo is a delicious mid-week meal you can pull together in only 20 minutes!
Make This Recipe
overhead view of blue plate with mango shrimp stir fry
Sweet & Spicy Mango Shrimp Stir-fry
5 from 75 votes
I’ve found a new way to use up that ripe mango that doesn’t involve smoothies! This dish is a combination of spicy cooked shrimp with sweet mango that’s irresistible and comes together less than 20 minutes! 
Make This Recipe
large bowl of jambalaya
New Orleans Style Jambalaya
5 from 28 votes
A simplified version of the New Orleans classic jambalaya that’s no less delicious and made with smoked sausage and shrimp. 
Make This Recipe
large bowl of shrimp etouffee
New Orleans Shrimp Étouffée
4.81 from 36 votes
Another New Orleans classic cooked down with shrimp, Cajun seasoning, and veggies. It’s delicious over hot cooked rice, and the leftovers taste better the second day!
Make This Recipe
Bang Bang Shrimp Salad
5 from 16 votes
A crispy, crunchy salad made with fresh cabbage slaw, baked popcorn shrimp, and homemade Creamy Sriracha Dressing. 
Make This Recipe

Shrimp Taco Recipes 

Of course, I can’t make a collection of shrimp dinner ideas without including some of my favorite taco recipes made with shrimp! There are many reasons to love shrimp tacos, the most important being: they’re delicious and don’t require a lot of ingredients to hit the spot. 

Shrimp Fajita Tacos
5 from 29 votes
This recipe has all the bells and whistles without any of the work, just throw everything onto the sheet pan, give a good toss with taco seasoning, and let the oven do the rest. 
Make This Recipe

Make next: 30 Minute Dinners!

Pineapple Shrimp Tacos
5 from 22 votes
Seasoned shrimp and fresh pineapple grilled a folded in a warmed tortilla- it’s light, refreshing, and made in 6 minutes- now, there is no reason you can’t squeeze in a taco night this week! 
Make This Recipe
Easy Cajun Shrimp Tacos
5 from 19 votes
Cajun seasoned shrimp with a black bean and avocado salsa. These tacos are a HIT! I could eat them for days, and the salsa is delicious all by itself, so make extra- you’re going to need it! 
Make This Recipe

How to Meal Prep Shrimp

We often see chicken and beef meal prep ideas but not too many recipes for a shrimp meal prep. So how do you meal prep shrimp?

Simply prepare the recipe as directed, pack it into a lunch container, and allow it to cool down to room temperature before sealing and storing it in the refrigerator.

Out of all the recipes I’ve shared above, there are a few that are best for meal pepping compared to others:

  • Shrimp Pesto Pasta
  • Spicy Mango & Shrimp
  • Shrimp Fried Cauliflower Rice
  • Corn & Avocado Salad with Shrimp

Can you use Frozen Shrimp instead of Fresh?

Absolutely! Frozen shrimp will perform the same as fresh shrimp in any recipe. However, I highly recommend thawing them first, since frozen shrimp tend to hold a lot of water and will make your dish runny.

How to Defrost Shrimp

The best way to defrost shrimp is to let it thaw overnight in the fridge. For a quick thaw, take the shrimp out o fthe package, place them in a strainer, and run cold water into the bowl while the excess water goes down the drain.

From freezer to pan, frozen shrimp should be ready to cook in about 10 to 15 minutes.

I do not recommend thawing out shrimp in the microwave. The microwave will cook your shrimp and make them chewy.

Shrimp Dinner Ideas for Families and Mango Shrimp Stir Fry

overhead view of blue plate with mango shrimp stir fry
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 2 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Quick & easy dinner recipes using shrimp! These are healthy, kid-approved and delicious. 
5 from 13 votes
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha, chili paste
  • 1 pound large raw shrimp, deveined, with tails removed
  • 1 large fresh mango, peeled and cubed
  • Steamed white rice, for serving
  • Unsweetened shredded coconut , for garnish
  • Chopped green onions, for garnish
  • 1 lime, for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, heat up oil. Add onion and sauté, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, sriracha, and stir. Add shrimp and toss to combine. Once the shrimp are pink and cooked, add the mango chunks, and stir to incorporate into the stir fry, until warmed and juices release.
  • Serve over a bed or white rice, sprinkle with shredded coconut, and green onions. Squeeze lime just prior to serving.

Equipment

the taco tuesday cookbook
The Taco Tuesday Cookbook
Shredded Coconut

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 959mg | Potassium: 330mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 770IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1mg

More Easy Dinner Ideas

Before you go, give these other dinner ideas a try, there is something for everyone and every occasion! 

Healthy Chicken Recipes
These quick and easy dinner ideas made with chicken are the perfect go-to meals to have in your back pocket. They are high in protein, easy to prepare, and best of all, kid-approved! 

Dinner Ideas for Tonight
Looking for something quick & easy you can make tonight? Check out these incredible recipes that feature everything from American Goulash to tacos and homemade nachos!

Recipes for Picky Eaters
A collection of recipes made with picky-eaters in mind. Each recipe includes a kid-favorite dish recreated into a wholesome, balanced meal that both parents and kids can enjoy. 

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5 from 13 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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Hi! I'm Laura.
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, mom of three, and the woman behind the world’s best pancakes—here to help you ditch the mealtime drama with recipes your family will actually eat.

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