Beer Battered Shrimp Recipe

These beer battered shrimp are seasoned to perfection and coated in a light breading that is super crispy. They're just addictive, and you'd never guess that you can make this beer battered fried shrimp with 6 basic ingredients in only 20 minutes!

The Best Beer Battered Shrimp

I'll be honest, fried food has a special place in my heart. And while I'll never turn down a plate of onion rings, this crispy beer battered shrimp has to be my favorite fried food ever, so I just knew I had to share it!

Honestly, this is the best fried shrimp recipe you'll ever make, and it's even better than something you'd get from a restaurant! This beer batter shrimp recipe makes incredibly tender and crispy shrimp that have the most delicious flavor, and after your first bite, you'll understand why it's my favorite appetizer to make when I have guests over.

I mean, from the tender fried shrimp to the savory golden brown coating and tangy sweet and sour sauce for dipping, what's not to love?!

Plus, in addition to tasting great, this recipe is so, so easy to make. You basically just make the beer batter, dip the shrimp in it, and fry 'em up until they're crisp and golden. And as I mentioned, from start to finish, you'll only need 20 minutes tops!

By the way, since this fried shrimp is so easy to make, you'll have plenty of time to make some other appetizers to pair with it. If you're looking for what to serve with beer battered shrimp, this calamari steak, these cream cheese sausage balls, or this crab dip are all really delicious pairs. 

INGREDIENTS

One of my favorite things about these crispy batter fried shrimp is how simple the ingredients are. And odds are, you have all of them ready to go!

Anyway, here are all of the beer battered shrimp ingredients: 

• 500g shrimp, deveined, peeled & tail off
• 1 ½ cup beer
• 1 cup flour
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for frying
• Sweet and sour sauce to serve

See what I mean by simple?!

Now, when it comes to the oil, any neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point will work. I personally like vegetable oil, but you could also use canola oil or peanut oil.

Oh, and when it comes to the dipping sauce, you really don't have to only use sweet and sour. I like to switch it up every now and then with this seafood boil sauce or sweet chili sauce. 

By the way, if you buy frozen shrimp, then I highly suggest you buy a little extra so you can make this delicious firecracker shrimp next!

How To Make Beer Battered Fried Shrimp

Now it's time to get into the good stuff and make some delicious beer battered fried shrimp!

As I mentioned earlier, when it comes to shrimp recipes, this is about as easy as it gets. You just have to do a little mixing, coat the shrimp in the batter, and then let them fry to perfection.

So, with that said, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!

STEP 1: PREP WORK

First things first, take out a large bowl and add the flour, salt, and pepper to it and give it a mix. Then you can add the beer to the bowl, and you'll want to mix these ingredients together with a fork or whisk to combine them.

Next, you can heat the oil in a pot, deep fryer, or deep frying pan until it reaches a medium-high temperature of around 350°F (180ºC).

STEP 2: FRY THE SHRIMP

While the oil is heating up, you can prepare the shrimp by submerging them in the beer batter. After they've been fully coated in the batter, lightly shake 'em off to remove any excess batter and transfer them to the hot oil.

Now you can fry the breaded shrimp for a minute or so until they're golden and crisp, then carefully remove them from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. 

STEP 3: SERVE

Finally, once all of the shrimp are fried, you'll want to serve 'em warm with the sweet and sour sauce or your dipping sauce of choice.

Enjoy!

HOW TO STORE BEER BATTERED SHRIMP

This recipe for beer battered shrimp makes about 4 servings, so it's perfect for a party appetizer or to kickstart dinner. That said, I wouldn't expect to have many leftovers since everyone is going to want to run back for seconds and thirds!

Now, if you do end up with leftovers, you can store the shrimp by transferring the shrimp to an airtight container. Stored this way, they'll last in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.

And if you want to keep the shrimp for longer, you can freeze it in a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container for up to 3 months.

HOW TO REHEAT BEER BATTERED SHRIMP

When you're ready to enjoy your fried shrimp again, reheating them is definitely the way to go.

So, to reheat your beer battered shrimp, I suggest using either the oven or air fryer. For the oven, transfer the leftover shrimp to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and heat 'em at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or until they're warmed through.

For the air fryer, transfer the shrimp to the air fryer basket and heat 'em at 350°F for 3-4 minutes or until they're crispy again and warm.

FAQS ABOUT THIS BEER BATTERED SHRIMP RECIPE

HOW DO YOU KEEP BATTER FROM FALLING OFF SHRIMP?

The best way to keep the batter from falling off shrimp is to make sure they're completely dry before dipping them in the batter. Then after you fry the shrimp, you'll want to drain the excess oil off them by putting the shrimp on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. 

DOES BEER BATTERED SHRIMP HAVE BEER?

Yes, beer battered shrimp does have a small amount of beer in it for the shrimp breading. Now, the alcohol cooks away when you're frying the shrimp, so kids can safely eat them. With that said, if you'd rather not use alcohol, then you can swap beer for ginger ale or sparkling water.

WHAT BEER IS BEST FOR BEER BATTER?

The best beer for beer batter is any light beer. This will keep the breading nice and light and extra crispy when it's fried. The light beer will also give the shrimp the most delicious flavor.

WHAT DOES BEER DO IN FRYING BATTER?

When beer is added to the batter, it creates effervescence from the bubbles and imparts a subtle malty flavor to the shrimp that is just delicious. The beer also helps create a crispy and airy breading with a nice golden color.

WRAPPING IT UP

Well, that's how to make beer battered shrimp!

Between the savory, crispy beer coating and the perfectly cooked shrimp, this honestly might take the cake for being the best deep fried shrimp recipe! No matter where you serve it, I guarantee these perfectly seasoned fried shrimp will be the talk of the party.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this breaded shrimp recipe as much as I/we do.

As always, if you give it a try, be sure to leave a comment below and let us know how it went!

More Shrimp Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe for beer battered fried shrimp, we have plenty more shrimp recipes on the blog you can try out next!

Check all of these out:

• Olive Garden shrimp alfredo
• Blackened shrimp
• Shrimp scampi without wine
• Pan seared shrimp
• Shrimp soup

Oh, and for even more deliciousness, be sure to follow us on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. We post new recipes every day!