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The Cajun shrimp is delicious but the Parmesan dipping sauce can also stand on it’s own as a dip for veggies or chips. This is a 2-in-1 football party food!
Cajun Shrimp Is Simple
These shrimp with a Cajun flavor are exceptionally good.
They are pretty easy to make and the coating only contains two ingredients. One you may have to buy if you don’t already have it on hand; Cajun seasoning. But if you don’t want to buy it, then my Creole Seasoning blend can be used in a pinch. They’re not the same, but they’re similar. If you use my recipe, make sure to check out the great recipe I made it for (because I didn’t want to go out and buy seasoning!!) from Creole Contessa.
Ohhh…That Parmesan Sauce!!
If these Cajun shrimp weren’t good enough, the Parmesan dipping sauce is even better!
I would suggest making the sauce a day ahead so the flavors really meld. It was OK tasting right after I made it, but I made it ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge overnight. The taste after it sat was spectacular. Absolutely delicious.
You might find that using this sauce for a dip for chips and raw veggies is in order. So you might want to double the recipe especially if you’re making this for a Super Bowl party. I’m telling you it’s THAT good!! You might like it so much that you substitute it for tartar sauce for all your seafood dishes.
Deep Fry/Air Fry
Since these shrimp are breaded and not battered, they will work well in the air fryer. I deep fried mine so the instructions in the recipe card are for deep frying.
If you want to do them in the air fryer, you could use the shrimp preset and turn mid-way through the cooking. If you want to do it manually, I’d do 400F/200C for 8-10 minutes, turning mid way. But keep in mind that air fryers differ due to wattage. Mine is 1800W so food will cook in less time than a 1500W model. Make sure to spray with a little oil so the crumbs brown and will get crispy.
The Recipe
Cajun Shrimp With Parmesan Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb large/extra-large shrimp peeled and deveined
- Oil for frying
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 2 tbs water
Coating:
- 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
- 2 tbs Cajun seasoning like Slap Yo Mama
Sauce:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbs roasted red peppers chopped
- 2 tbs green onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate while preparing shrimp.
- Pat shrimp dry. Mix Panko crumbs and cajun seasoning.
- Heat about 1-in/2.5 cm of oil in a large heavy skillet to 350F/180C.
- Dip shrimp in beaten egg. Let excess drip off. Dredge in the crumbs. Repeat for all the shrimp.
- Fry for 2 minutes each side or until crumbs are golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve with sauce.
