These super-crispy keto fried shrimp are coated in seasoned low-carb breadcrumbs and fried to a beautiful golden brown. They're perfect as an appetizer or a main course and are even better than the restaurant variety! Plus, they're gluten-free, paleo, and Whole30-friendly!
Even though shrimp is naturally gluten-free and low-carb, fried shrimp is typically full of carbs and gluten due to the breading.
But by using a simple swap of almond flour and crushed pork rinds for the breadcrumbs (like I did in my chicken nugget recipe!), you can now have gluten-free and keto fried shrimp that's just as good as the restaurant!
If you're a seafood lover, I promise, you're going to love this recipe! The shrimp is fried up to a crispy golden brown and is perfect as an appetizer or main course.
Frequently asked questions
To keep the shrimp crispy, place them on a paper-towel lined plate or cooling rack in a single layer after frying. If you stack them, the bottom ones will get soft.
No, please do not replace the pork rinds. The pork rinds are what make them crispy! However, even if you don't like pork rinds, I promise, you'll love this recipe. I personally don't like pork rinds but love this recipe. When ground up and fried, they just taste like breadcrumbs - no pork rind taste detected!
This recipe works best with raw, large shrimp (with or without the tails). You can buy peeled and deveined shrimp, or do it yourself. I also like to use wild-caught shrimp, but this is just a personal preference.
To peel: Use your thumb to press into the underside of the shrimp where the legs are. Then, peel back from the top to the tail. Leave the bottom part of the outer layer and tail. To devein: Use a sharp knife to make a cut at the top from the front to the tail. You'll see a dark vein to pull out. If it breaks apart, use the knife to scrape the rest out.
Instructions
Start by peeling and deveining the shrimp, if needed. Set them aside.
Then, crush the pork rinds. I like to use a food processor so they are super-finely crushed but you can also put them in a plastic baggie (slightly vented) and crush them with a rolling pin.
If you use the plastic baggie method, be sure they are very finely crushed! If there are large pieces, the breading will not stick well.
Set the pork rinds aside in a large bowl.
Prepare 2 more bowls. One with 4 beaten eggs and the other with a mixture of blanched almond flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Using tongs or your hands, dip each shrimp in the almond flour mixture, beaten eggs, then the pork rind breadcrumbs.
Slightly shake off the excess breading and set them aside on a large baking sheet.
Fry up the shrimp in some hot avocado oil until a beautiful golden brown and set aside in a single layer on a cooling rack or paper towel-lined plate.
Serve with cocktail sauce and maybe a side of blanched broccoli to get in your greens 👍
Cocktail sauce
Most cocktail sauces are full of sugar, making them not keto-friendly. However, I found this unsweetened cocktail sauce from Primal Kitchen and we LOVE it!
I just add a bit of keto sweetener and it tastes just like traditional cocktail sauce!
If you choose to add a sweetener, any sweetener will work. However, erythritol-based sweeteners may leave a grainy texture and slight aftertaste.
I really like allulose or a monk fruit/allulose blend because they dissolve beautifully and have no aftertaste! Powdered is best, but since allulose dissolves so well the granulated variety will work also.
Top tips
- Make sure the oil is as close to 350 degrees as possible when you add the shrimp and be sure not to go over 400 degrees or they will burn! I highly recommend using a frying thermometer to monitor the temperature.
- Use the largest shrimp you can find. Otherwise, it will take forever to bread and fry all those tiny shrimp!
- Depending on the size of your pot, you should only fry around 5 to 7 shrimp at a time to give them plenty of space. If needed, stir them around a bit while cooking to keep them from clumping together.
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📖 Recipe
Keto Fried Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs. Raw, Jumbo Shrimp - deveined and peeled
- 2 3.25 oz Bags of Unflavored Pork Rinds
- ¾ cup Blanched Almond Flour
- 1 ½ tsp. Sea Salt
- ½ tsp. Ground Pepper
- ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
- 4 large Eggs - beaten
- Avocado Oil - as needed, for frying
- Lemon Wedges - for garnish
- Fresh Parsley - for garnish
- Keto Cocktail Sauce - for serving
- Keto Allulose Sweetener - for cocktail sauce, optional
Instructions
- If the shrimp are frozen, place them in a colander in the sink. Allow cold water to run over the shrimp for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once thawed, allow to sit in the sink for another 2 minutes to drain off the excess water and set aside.
- Place as many pork rinds as will comfortably fit in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely crushed. Repeat with the remaining pork rinds and set them aside in a medium to large-sized shallow bowl. *Note- If you don't have a food processor, place the pork rinds in a large baggie and crush with a rolling pin, leaving it slightly vented. Be sure to crush them very finely or they won't stick to the shrimp!
- In another medium to large-sized bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In a third bowl, beat the eggs.
- Using your hands or tongs, dip each piece of shrimp into the almond flour mixture, the beaten eggs, and then the crushed pork rinds. Gently shake off the excess breading and set them aside on a large baking sheet. Repeat until all the shrimp is breaded, rinsing off your hands or tongs as needed.
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep, large pot to 350 degrees. This is right at medium heat on my stove.
- Add as many shrimp as will comfortably fit, around 5 to 7, depending on the size of the pot. Do not overcrowd the pot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes then flip over and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, or until both sides are nicely browned. Set aside in a single layer on a paper towel-lined plate or cooling rack.
- Repeat the frying process with the remaining shrimp.
- Serve with cocktail sauce garnished with lemon wedges and fresh parsley.
Keto Cocktail Sauce:
- For a sweeter, more traditional cocktail sauce, add an allulose sweetener or a monk fruit/allulose blend to taste. I usually add 1 to 2 Tbsp per cup of cocktail sauce.
Notes
- Nutrition information uses ½ cup of avocado oil and does not include the cocktail sauce.
- Make sure the oil is as close to 350 degrees as possible when you add the shrimp and be sure not to go over 400 degrees or they will burn! I highly recommend using a frying thermometer to monitor the temperature.
- Depending on the size of your pot, you should only fry around 5 to 7 shrimp at a time to give them plenty of space. If needed, stir them around a bit while cooking to keep them from clumping together.
- Even if you don't like pork rinds, I promise, you'll love this recipe. I personally don't like pork rinds but love this recipe. When ground up and fried, they just taste like breadcrumbs - no pork rind taste detected!
- This recipe works best with raw, large shrimp (with or without the tails). You can buy peeled and deveined shrimp, or do it yourself. I also like to use wild-caught shrimp, but this is just a personal preference.
- To peel shrimp: Use your thumb to press into the underside of the shrimp where the legs are. Then, peel back from the top to the tail. Leave the bottom part of the outer layer and tail.
- To devein shrimp: Use a sharp knife to make a cut at the top from the front to the tail. You'll see a dark vein to pull out. If it breaks apart, use the knife to scrape the rest out.
- Use the largest shrimp you can find. Otherwise, it will take forever to bread and fry all those tiny shrimp!
- For the sweetener in the cocktail sauce: I really like allulose or a monk fruit/allulose blend because they dissolve beautifully and have no aftertaste! Powdered is best, but since allulose dissolves so well the granulated variety will work also. And while an erythritol-based sweetener can be used, it may leave a grainy texture and slight aftertaste.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary.
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