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Instant Pot Steamed Shrimp

Learn how to cook shrimp perfectly every time, from raw or frozen, using the Instant Pot! Faster than an oven & you can cook with the shell for shrimp cocktail! :: DontWastetheCrumbs.com

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Instant Pot shrimp turn out perfectly cooked every time, whether you’re using frozen shrimp or fresh raw shrimp. Faster than the oven, you can cook these Instant Pot steamed shrimp with the shell for a shrimp cocktail or add them to your favorite salad or pasta dish!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup of water (237g)
  • 12 pounds of shrimp (908g)
  • Lemon juice, lime juice, and/or Old Bay Seasoning, if desired (optional)

Instructions

  1. Pour water into the Instant Pot. Place the shrimp in a steaming basket, and place the basket in the Instant Pot. Place a glass lid on top. 
    Note: You can either buy the official Instant Pot glass lid, or you can check to see if one of the glass lids from your cookware set works. The glass lid from my 5-quart pot fits my Instant Pot perfectly!
  2. Press the “steam” function and set the timer for 5 minutes.
  3. When the timer goes off, check the shrimp. If your shrimp are small or medium, they may be done. The shrimp is considered done when they are pink and slightly curled. They do NOT need to be fully curled in order to be considered done. (In fact, if they’re fully curled they’re likely overdone.)
  4. If you’re cooking large shrimp, you will need to stir the shrimp and add an additional 4-5 minutes to the timer. Check the shrimp after 4 additional minutes, and add 1-2 minutes, if needed.
  5. Serve immediately or keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Cooked shrimp can also be frozen for 3-6 months if wrapped well.

Notes

  • The cooking time for shrimp in Instant Pot will depend greatly on the size of your shrimp. I’ve written this recipe for large shrimp (approximately 16-20 per pound) because that’s what I usually buy. For smaller shrimp, reduce the cooking time to 3 minutes and watch the shrimp to prevent overcooking. Make note of the total cook time for the size of shrimp you bought so you can set the timer correctly the next time.
  • Keep in mind this is not pressure cooker shrimp. We’re using the Instant Pot to steam the shrimp. Even using pressure cook with quick release to the steam valve would too easily overcook the shrimp!