Name: Instant Pot Shrimp (Cajun Butter)
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 4 tbsp. butter; 1 lb. frozen raw shrimp large (shells on, heads off); 1 tbsp. cajun seasoning; 1 half lemon (juiced); 1 cup chicken stock; 1 tsp. dried parsley; 3 garlic cloves (minced); 1 tbsp. louisiana hot sauce

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Instant Pot Shrimp with cajun butter are full of flavor from garlic and spices all in a rich buttery sauce. Making frozen shrimp in the instant pot is a quick and simple to prepare seafood dinner.

cajun shrimp with a lemon wedge to the side.

One of Michael and I’s favorite meals is going out to a crab boil. The first time we ever went was on our honeymoon in South Carolina. I remember it vividly, we are SO excited. Most of the others in the restaurant did not seem as impressed as we were, perhaps because they were used to it. But to us, it was a real treat.

We are from the midwest, so we don't get seafood boils often, but when we do I always order crab legs and he always orders shrimp. We love the fun of working to get to our food, and making a mess while doing so. It is certainly not a pretty sight, but it sure is a great time!

I had a shrimp seafood boil in mind when creating this recipe. A paired down version, which is all quickly made in one pot. These Instant Pot frozen shrimp only take a few ingredients, but they are succulent to say the least.

Someday I will make a more full-on shrimp boil version. With potatoes, andouille, and the works! But for now, this works perfectly for satisfying the craving.

Making shrimp in the Instant Pot is super easy, you just have to remember that overcooking is not your friend. Other Instant Pot dishes can be left to cook longer with no problem, but not shrimp. If you're interested in another delicious shrimp instant pot recipe, try these instant pot shrimp scampi. (It is an instant pot shrimp pasta dish where the pasta is cooked right in the pot!).

Tips for Instant Pot Shrimp

Here are a few things to remember when cooking shrimp in the pressure cooker.

Use frozen raw shrimp. Using frozen shrimp in the Instant Pot is going to be your best bet for avoiding rubbery, overcooked shrimp. They take just minutes to cook on the stove, so imagine how fast they cook in the pressure cooker. Which leads me to my next point.
Only set your Instant Pot to 0-1 minutes of cooking time. 0 minutes of cook time may sound counterintuitive, but the Instant Pot takes several minutes to come up to pressure and the food inside is cooking during that time.
Remember to quick release. Similar to the point above, leaving the shrimp to natural release will cause them to overcook.

More delicious shrimp recipes

Ingredients

butter
frozen shrimp raw large, shells on, heads off
cajun seasoning
lemon
chicken stock
dried parsley
garlic
louisiana hot sauce

Cajun frozen shrimp in the Instant Pot

In Instant Pot add chicken stock, lemon juice, cajun seasoning, minced garlic, hot sauce, and parsley.
Add in shrimp, and stir to completely coat.

raw frozen shrimp with tail on added to instant pot.

Set to High pressure for 1 minute if frozen and 0 minutes if thawed. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure.
Once the cook time is up, immediately quick release.
Add butter over top and stir in to melt. Top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Other seasoning options

I made these shrimp cajun, because that most closely resembles a shrimp boil. But, you can do any seasoning you would like and keep the rest of the ingredients the same. Try one of the following.

Italian seasoning
fresh herbs (can be stirred in before or after cooking)
green onions
jerk seasoning

Shrimp are very versatile-- use whatever seasoning blend you like!

Stove Top instructions

In a large skillet, heat butter until melted. Add lemon juice, cajun seasoning, minced garlic, hot sauce, and parsley. (The chicken stock in the Instant Pot version is to help pressurize and is optional in the stovetop version).
Add in shrimp, and stir to completely coat.
Remain on medium-high heat until cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. (shrimp will turn from grey to pink). Stir as needed.
Squeeze half of a fresh lemon over top of cooked shrimp to finish.

instant pot shrimp in a bowl with a lemon wedge.

How to serve

Serve cajun butter shrimp with roasted or boiled potatoes and corn for the full experience! Or try them alongside pasta. We loved them right out of the bowl with a salad on the side for a low carb, high protein meal.