How to Reheat Shrimp

From One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach to Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fajitas, there are so many delicious, healthy ways to eat shrimp. When you find yourself with leftover shrimp, you may wonder what's the best way to reheat it. Here's what you need to know.

How to Reheat Shrimp

Shrimp cooks quickly, which means it can also overcook quickly. When shrimp is overcooked, the texture turns rubbery and tough (and that's not appetizing!). To help you reheat shrimp properly, we asked Sean Brady Kenniff, EatingWell's senior digital food editor, for his expert advice. Read on to learn how to reheat shrimp with these four tips.

Tip #1: Turn Down the Heat

Whether the shrimp was cooked on the grill or in a skillet on the stove, Kenniff recommends reheating cooked shrimp with the same method they were originally cooked with—but with one major adjustment: the heat level. Because shrimp can overcook easily, you want to be gentle when reheating, and not blitzing the shrimp with heat is key. So, when you reheat, be sure to use a lower temperature. For example, "If you use a microwave, the power level should be lower," explains Kenniff.

Tip #2: Let Leftover Shrimp Come to Room Temperature

One way to avoid overcooking shrimp when reheating it is to let it come to room temperature first. As Kenniff explains, "Shrimp straight out of the fridge or freezer will take longer to reheat than room-temperature shrimp." Letting the shrimp come to room temperature helps remove some of the chill from the fridge.

If you don't want to risk overcooking the shrimp while it reheats, there's an alternative. Let shrimp come to room temperature and then toss it with the rest of your warmed-up meal. The residual heat will gently warm the shrimp.

Tip #3: Add Liquid to Avoid Drying It Out

When reheating shrimp, there's a risk of the crustacean drying out. To help combat this potential issue, add liquid to the pan while you warm up the shrimp. Kenniff suggests using a little water or whatever fat or liquid the shrimp were originally cooked in. If the recipe has a sauce, like in our Chicken & Shrimp Alfredo, you can reheat the shrimp directly in the sauce (plus, it saves time if you reheat things simultaneously). Only a small amount of liquid is needed, submerging about one-quarter of the shrimp itself.

Tip #4: Check Shrimp Frequently

Reheating shrimp should be a fast process, one that shouldn't take more than five to six minutes, according to Kenniff. Anything longer and you risk overcooking the shrimp. As such, check shrimp frequently while reheating. Remove the shrimp from the heat as soon as they are hot to the touch.

With these simple tips, you can easily reheat cooked shrimp. For more on shrimp, find out how long shrimp can last in the fridge.