Old Bay Steamed Shrimp

This Old Bay Steamed Shrimp is seasoned to perfection and then steamed in beer and lemon juice for a flavorful dish you can't get enough of. It's irresistible!

You are going to love these Old Bay Steamed Shrimp. This simple recipe packs so much amazing flavor and it's really easy to make. The shrimp are steamed with fresh lemon juice and light beer, infusing them with citrus and enhancing their natural flavors. Beer might be a surprising pairing, but its crisp taste does wonders for seafood.

This dish is so incredibly versatile. You can serve it on grains or add it to pasta dishes. Soups and salads also benefit from these seasoned shrimp for added flavor and protein. Serve them with drawn butter and bread, or some cocktail sauce for a great party appetizer. Whatever you choose, these Old Bay Steamed Shrimp will make any meal better. Let's take a look at what you'll need to make them.

Video Tutorial

Ingredient List

• Shrimp. I find it's best to use tail-on, peeled, and deveined shrimp (large, extra large, or jumbo size). I think it's best to use peeled shrimp, so the seasonings stick nicely and spread out evenly. That said, unpeeled shrimp would also work, just add some extra seasoning in this case.
• Beer. It adds a very nice flavor. If beer is not available, use a combination of water (1 cup), red wine or apple cider vinegar (½ cup), and lemon juice (½ lemon).
• Olive Oil. Or another oil of your choice.
• Old Bay Seasoning. It's sold in most grocery stores as well as online.
• Lemon Juice. Fresh lemon juice is best.
• Salt.
• Parsley. To garnish.

How to make Old Bay Steamed Shrimp

1. Pour the beer, water, and lemon juice into a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

2. In the meantime, place the shrimp into a medium-sized bowl, and add the Old Bay seasoning, salt, and olive oil. Mix well.

3. When the beer starts boiling, set up the collapsible steamer inside. Place the shrimp evenly on top.

4. Cover with a tight lid and cook for 5-7 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp.

How long to steam shrimp

How long it takes to steam shrimp depends on how big your shrimp are. Extra large and jumbo shrimp will steam in 5-7 minutes. Smaller shrimp will take 4-6 minutes. The best way to tell when your shrimp are done is when they turn pink and opaque and have curled into a C shape. They are firm to the touch but with some give.

Tips for the best Old Bay Steamed Shrimp

• Use fresh ingredients. From the fresh parsley to the freshly squeezed lemon juice, your dish gets its best flavor from fresh ingredients.
• Choose shrimp that are already prepped. Save yourself time and effort by buying your shrimp already peeled and deveined.
• Don't overlap the shrimp. Evenly spread the shrimp out in the steamer. Overfilling or overlapping too many results in unevenly cooked shrimp.
• Don't overcook the shrimp. Shrimp can get very rubbery when they are overcooked, so keep an eye on their color and shape to make sure they are taken out of the heat before then.

Variations to this Recipe

• Use unpeeled shrimp. If you decide to use unpeeled shrimp, that will work fine. Just add extra seasonings as they don't stick as well as they do to peeled shrimp.
• Add other herbs. Try these steamed shrimp with fresh rosemary, thyme, or chives.
• Make it spicy. Add some red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or jalapeno slices to the shrimp and steam them to infuse some heat into the seafood.
• Substitute another beer. I prefer the taste of light beer in this recipe, but you can use a darker beer, like a Guinness stout, or an IPA.

How to Store and Reheat it

Store these Old Bay Steamed Shrimp once they have cooled in an airtight container. Refrigerate them for up to 4 days. You can reheat them on the stovetop or steam them again until warmed through. Use a lower temperature and check them often to avoid overcooking.

What to Serve this with

• Grains. Put these shrimp on a bed of rice, quinoa, bulgur, sorghum, or millet. Enjoy them with this Rice with Mushrooms, Quinoa with Eggs and Vegetables, Tabouli Salad, or Rice with Cabbage.
• Pasta. Serve them with pasta, like this Easy Angel Hair Pasta, Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Garlic, Radiatore Pasta in Creamy Sauce, or Quick Zucchini Pasta.
• Salad. Top your salad with some of these shrimp. Try it with this Amazing Kale Salad, Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, Spring Mix Salad, or Cabbage Salad with Corn.
• Soup. Add these Old Bay Steamed Shrimp to your favorite soup, such as this Hearty Mushroom Soup, Lentil and Kale Soup, or Quick Orzo Soup.

I hope you love these Old Bay Steamed Shrimp as much as I do. They're flavorful, simple, and great with any meal. Enjoy!

More tasty shrimp recipes:

• Crunchy Baked Shrimp
• Easy Shrimp and Vegetable Skillet
• Shrimp Fajitas
• Crispy Fried Shrimp