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This Salt and Pepper Shrimp is perfect for home cooks—easy, quick, and no deep frying! The shrimp is lightly coated in tapioca starch and pan-seared until crisp outside and juicy inside. Tossed with garlic, scallions, and a bit of chili for warmth, it’s flavorful but not too spicy.
You’ll learn how to get the best texture with less oil, how to serve this Asian street food like a local, plus my Taiwanese twist on salt and pepper seasoning—it works great on my Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Tofu too!
Table of Contents
About this dish
Inside this recipe with ChihYu
Whenever I think about salt and pepper shrimp, I picture Taiwanese night markets. People sit around small tables along busy streets, eating delicious street food and drinking ice-cold beer.
Traditional Chinese salt pepper shrimp usually comes with shells on it and is deep-fried. To make it easier (and lighter!) at home, I use peeled shrimp and quickly pan-sear them instead.
My homemade salt and pepper seasoning has a tasty Taiwanese spin—I add five-spice powder (cinnamon, star anise, cloves, fennel, and Sichuan peppercorns) to give it extra flavor and a wonderful, lingering aroma.
Ingredient highlights
For this no-shell salt pepper shrimp recipe, selecting the right shrimp is key for a tender and juicy dish. When it comes to taste, a good salt and pepper seasoning should be bold, aromatic, and perfectly balanced.
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The Shrimp
Use medium-sized white shrimp (26–30 count per pound), peeled and deveined. You can leave the tails on or off. Avoid very small shrimp—they overcook easily and turn rubbery—and jumbo shrimp, which aren’t as sweet or tender. Frozen shrimp works too! Just thaw them overnight in the fridge before cooking.
Neutral-flavored, high smoke point oil
I use avocado oil, but rice bran oil or peanut oil also work well. Since this dish isn’t deep-fried, you’ll only need about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons.
Salt and Pepper Seasoning
Salt and white pepper are the classic base of Chinese-style salt and pepper dishes. They’re often paired with garlic powder. My version adds a Taiwanese twist with five-spice powder and Sichuan peppercorn powder for extra depth and aroma.
Sichuan peppercorn powder adds a floral, citrusy note and a mild, tingly sensation—not spicy, but it gives the dish a warm, buzzy kick.
TIP: Using whole Sichuan peppercorns? Toast them in a dry pan until fragrant (don’t burn!), then grind for the freshest flavor.
Tip
Salt and Pepper Seasoning Ratio: I use a 2:1 blend—2 parts sea salt and garlic powder, 1 part each of five spice powder, white pepper, and Sichuan peppercorn powder.
How to make salt and pepper shrimp
My Chinese pepper shrimp recipe is made for home cooks—no messy deep-frying or batters, and it’s ready in under 30 minutes! Get your ingredients in place and your pan nice and hot, because this dish comes together fast.
- Prep Seasonings (Mise en Place): Prep your fresh aromatics and spices before you start cooking. The spring onion, garlic cloves, and Fresno chili peppers (with the seeds removed) should all be diced into small bits—this way you can scoop them up with each bite of shrimp!
- Preparing the Shrimp: We butterfly the shrimp on the back side to help them cook faster. It also gives them a better texture. After cutting the shrimp, coat them well in starch with all sides covered. This will help them to crisp up nicely without a lot of oil.
- Get Your Pan Hot: To achieve a fried result without deep-frying, your pan and oil must be nice and hot. To check if your oil is hot enough, stick the point of a chopstick into the oil. When you see little bubbles forming around it, your pan is ready.
- Pan Sear the Shrimp: Cook the shrimp in a single layer in a large skillet so they don’t steam. For medium shrimp, cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes on one side and 1 minute on the flip side. Transfer to a wire rack over a sheet pan to drain excess oil so they stay crisp.
- Saute Aromatics: Use the remaining oil to cook the aromatics, or add a bit more oil if needed. Be careful not to add too much. You want to keep them on the dryer side so they don’t make the shrimp soggy once they’re combined.
- Combine and Season: Add the fried shrimp back into the pan with the aromatics. Sprinkle half of the salt and pepper mixture and toss to combine the ingredients.
- To Serve: Transfer your salt and pepper prawns to a serving plate and top with the white scallion parts and diced chili. Sprinkle with more of the seasoning mix and serve the rest on the side. For the crispest texture and best flavor, eat it right away!
Common question
Can you air fry the shrimp instead?
Yes! The process is slightly different but it’s doable – Dip the shrimp in starch, then whisked egg, and finally coat with panko. Air fry them in a single layer at 400°F (200°C) for about 3 minutes for medium-sized shrimp. Check out my Bang Bang Shrimp Salad for detailed step-by-step instructions!
More Ways to Use Salt and Pepper Seasoning
Salt and pepper seasoning is super versatile. Besides these salt chili prawns, try it with crispy pork chops, fried tofu, or even squid. It’s delicious sprinkled over Taiwanese popcorn chicken and Taiwanese fried chicken cutlets or used as a tasty spice rub for grilled chicken.
Storage Tip: Keep your salt and pepper seasoning in an airtight container in a cool, dark, and dry pantry cupboard. This helps it stay fresh and flavorful.
What to serve with pepper shrimp
In Asia, salt pepper prawns are a popular bar food or street food. Serve it with light sides, noodles dishes, and a cold beer (or drink or choice) for the full Asian market dining experience!
- Light Sides: Especially in the warmer months, I love it with an Asian cucumber salad or this Chinese smashed cucumber salad. Cucumber roll ups are great as a shareable option!
- Noodle Dishes: Nothing says Asian market food like some tasty noodles! My scallion oil noodles or Taiwanese cold sesame noodles are easy, light, and refreshing.
- Drinks: Not into cold beer? Give my watermelon peach mocktail or iced matcha mango tea a try!
More Chinese shrimp recipes
If you love this Chinese peppercorn shrimp, don’t miss out on these other popular Asian shrimp recipes!
Salt and pepper shrimp recipe
Ingredients
For the aromatics:
- 3 bulb spring onions finely chopped
- 0.7 oz garlic cloves finely minced, 4 large cloves
- 2 whole fresh red Fresno chili pepper seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1.5 to 2 tbsp avocado oil divided
For the shrimp:
- 0.75 lb shrimp 26-30 count per pound, peeled and deveined (with tail on or off)
- 1.5 tbsp tapioca starch
For the salt and pepper seasonings:
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- ¼ tsp five spice powder
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder
Instructions
- Aromatics and seasoning: Chop the spring onions, garlic, and chili pepper in a bowl. Reserve some spring onions and chili pepper aside for garnish. Prepare salt and pepper seasoning in a separate bowl.
- Prepare shrimp: Butterfly the shrimp on the back side by making a shallow slit, using a small paring knife. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with starch and coat it well on all sides.
- Preheat the pan and oil: Preheat a large non-stick saute pan with 1.5 tbsp oil over medium heat until hot. You can test this by putting a chopstick into the oil and if it has small bubbles around it that means the oil is hot.
- Pan sear the shrimp: Add the shrimp and spread them out into a single layer. A slight overlap is okay. Pan fry the shrimp over medium-high heat for 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the flip side.
- Transfer them out and set aside over a wire rack lined sheet pan, leave the oil and juice in the pan, so that the shrimp won’t turn soggy.
- Saute aromatics: Use the same pan, if the pan looks dry add the remaining half tablespoon of oil, if not, skip adding more oil. Saute the aromatics over medium heat for 30 seconds. Using too much oil will make the dish soggy, so keep it on the drier end.
- Combine and season: Return the shrimp to the pan. Turn heat up to medium-high. Sprinkle in half the salt and pepper seasoning. Toss to combine for 10-20 seconds.
- How to serve: Transfer them to a serving plate. Garnish with reserved scallions and chili pepper. Sprinkle in more salt and pepper spice and serve with extra on the side. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Homemade Sichuan Peppercorn Powder: If you only have whole Sichuan peppercorns, toast them in a dry pan over medium-low heat until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Let cool slightly, then finely grind them using a spice grinder.
- Hot Pan is Key: Make sure your pan and oil are hot before adding shrimp. Don’t cook them too long, or they’ll turn rubbery.
- Aim for a Crisp Texture: This dish tastes best with a crisp, dry texture. Restaurants typically deep-fry shrimp to achieve this. At home, use these tips for similar results:
- Use hot oil for a quick sear.
- Avoid cooking shrimp too long.
- After cooking, transfer shrimp onto a lined wire rack so they don’t get soggy on the bottom.
- Keep each cooking step short and quick.
- Storage and Reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3 days. Reheat shrimp quickly in a hot wok for the best flavor and texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
