Shrimp poppers are going to be your new favorite appetizer for any occasion. Classic jalapeno popper ingredients and flavors are combined with chopped shrimp, then formed into balls, coated with seasoned panko, and fried to perfection. These crispy, bite-sized seafood poppers are so easy and such a crowd pleaser!
I’m a social butterfly, and I love being a part of my community. Of course, being part of the community means I go to a lot of potlucks and events. I keep a big collection of appetizer recipes in my rotation, so nothing starts feeling stale, but there are some that people specifically request.
Lately, my shrimp poppers have been getting a lot of play. I’m fine with that because they’re simple to make, so it’s easy to bring a big batch of these favorites to any party I’m attending.
Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Poppers Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe is made with classic jalapeno popper ingredients with just a few simple additions.
- Easy: It only takes a few simple steps to make this recipe, and you’ll be all done in about an hour and a half. About 30 minutes of that time is chilling, so it’s even less actual cooking time.
- Classic Flavor: The cream cheese, jalapenos, onions, and seasonings give these poppers that classic flavor we all love about poppers. The shrimp gives them a nice seafood twist.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: These are great for everything from gameday parties to church potlucks.
Ingredients
- Jumbo Shrimp: Chopped jumbo shrimp give these poppers a delicious seafood flavor.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese makes the creamy base for the filling.
- Jalapenos: Jalapenos add the classic vegetal flavor and heat we expect from poppers.
- Panko: Panko makes the popper coating extra crispy when fried.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk and eggs help bind the coating to the poppers and add a tangy flavor.
- Seasonings: A bold blend of seasonings adds big flavor and a touch of heat to the breading.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
Flavor Variations
- Seafood: You can use chopped shrimp, crab, or even lobster if you’re feeling fancy.
- Mild: Reduce the amount of jalapenos used in the poppers and omit the red pepper flakes from the seasonings for less heat.
- Cheese: Try mixing some cheddar cheese into the popper mixture for more cheesy goodness.
How to Make Shrimp Poppers
For the Filling
1: Sauté the jalapenos in oil over medium heat until soft. Set aside.
2: In the same pan, cook the shrimp until they’re firm and pink. They should be C-shaped.
3: Cut off the tails and chop the shrimp into small pieces.
4: Beat the cream cheese until fluffy, and add the remaining filling ingredients and stir until combined.
5: Roll the filling into balls, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze them until firm.
For the Coating
1: Whisk the flour and cornstarch together in a shallow container.
2: Whisk the buttermilk and eggs in a second shallow container.
3: Lightly crush the breadcrumbs into smaller crumbs in a plastic baggie. Then, mix them with the seasonings in a third shallow container.
4: Preheat the oil in a large frying pan on medium-high.
5: Roll each ball in the flour mixture, the egg mixture, and finally, the breadcrumb mixture.
6: Fry 6 to 8 balls at a time in the hot oil until golden on all sides. Then, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate line with paper towels.
7: Repeat until all the poppers are fried and enjoy!
Hint
It’s important to freeze the balls well. This allows them to keep their shape while they’re coated and fried. You CANNOT skip this step.
Storage
Refrigerate these shrimp poppers for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating them.
To reheat the poppers, add a bit of oil to a frying pan and cook them over medium heat until heated through and crisp. Be aware that they’ll never be as crisp as fresh.
What to Serve with Shrimp Jalapeno Poppers
Serve these poppers with dipping sauces like cocktail sauce, aioli, bleu cheese, or almost any of your other favorites.
These poppers are also a great addition to any party with other appetizers like air fryer pigs in a blanket, Philly cheesesteak egg rolls, or coconut shrimp.
Tips for the Best Fried Shrimp Poppers
- Fully soften your cream cheese so all the ingredients incorporate well.
- Chill the popper balls until they’re fully solid. This allows them to hold their shape while being coated and fried.
- Work in small batches to avoid cooling down the oil too much.
- Wash your hands thoroughly and NEVER touch your face when working with hot peppers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shrimp poppers are an appetizer made with a filling of classic jalapeno popper ingredients and chopped shrimp. The balls are coated in seasoned panko and then fried until golden.
Shrimp poppers are great with a variety of sauces. Try ketchup, ranch, cocktail sauce, honey mustard, bleu cheese, and even BBQ.
Preheat your oil over medium-high heat until it glistens. Then, work in batches, only frying a few pieces at a time to ensure the oil stays hot. Finally, remove them as soon as they’re golden and let them sit for a few minutes on paper towels. This absorbs extra oil and gives the fried exterior time to fully harden and crisp.
Try These Delicious Shrimp Poppers Today
These shrimp poppers are loaded with a variety of delicious flavors and textures, and they’re so easy to make you’ll be looking for reasons to whip up batches of them. With so much deliciousness and so little effort, this is one recipe you have to try. Make it just once, and you’ll be hooked.
More Delicious Shrimp Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Shrimp Poppers
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen jumbo shrimp, thawed, deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- (2) 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
- 3 jalapenos, seeds removed, diced and sautéed until soft
- ⅓ cup green onions, sliced and diced
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs (see note)
- 2 teaspoons slap ya mama seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1-2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
Shrimp Poppers
- Add olive oil to a large frying pan and heat over medium heat when ready to deep fry poppers.
- Add diced jalapenos. Sauté over medium heat until soft. Remove and set aside.
- Add shrimp to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
- After shrimp is cooked, cut off tails and chop into small pieces. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add cream cheese and beat until fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add shrimp, jalapenos, and green onions to cream cheese. Stir until combined.
- Roll into small balls and place on a small baking sheet.
- Flash freeze for 30-45 minutes.
For the Dredge
- Set up a dredging station with 3 shallow containers.
- In the first container whisk flour and cornstarch together.
- Then whisk buttermilk and eggs together in the second container.
- And the third container, add the breadcrumbs and all the seasonings.
- In a large frying pan or skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
- Roll each ball into flour mixture, then egg mixture, and finally in breadcrumb mixture.
- Place about 6-8 bites at a time into the hot oil. Cook until golden on all sides.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Work in batches.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
- *Place breadcrumbs in a sealable baggie and slightly crushed into smaller crumbs.
Video
Notes
- Fully soften your cream cheese so all the ingredients incorporate well.
- Chill the popper balls until they’re fully solid. This allows them to hold their shape while being coated and fried.
- Work in small batches to avoid cooling down the oil too much.
- Wash your hands thoroughly and NEVER touch your face when working with hot peppers.
Nutrition
Do you mean leave the shrimp frozen from the start? Or defrost?
Hi Joni,
It’s thawed. I added that to the recipe. Thanks so much for catching that. :)