Craving something crispy and satisfying on your keto journey? These keto fried shrimp are just the answer. Juicy on the inside and golden on the outside, they deliver the crunch you want without the carbs you don’t.
The secret lies in the breading. Instead of using flour or breadcrumbs, this recipe uses a mix of almond flour and grated Parmesan cheese, seasoned with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. This low-carb coating gets wonderfully crisp when fried, offering all the texture of classic fried shrimp but keeping things keto-approved.
Start with peeled and deveined shrimp, large or jumbo shrimp work best here. Pat them dry, dip them in beaten egg, then coat them in your almond-Parmesan mixture. Heat your oil (avocado oil or coconut oil are both great options for keto) and fry the shrimp until golden and crispy, just 2–3 minutes per side.
Once they’re cooked, lay the shrimp on a paper towel to drain any excess oil. Serve immediately with a side of sugar-free cocktail sauce, spicy mayo, or garlic aioli. These are perfect for dinner, as a party appetizer, or even tucked into lettuce wraps for a fun keto twist on shrimp tacos.
What makes this recipe even better is how fast it comes together. From prep to plate, you can have a hot batch ready in under 20 minutes. And since the ingredients are simple, it’s easy to whip up any night of the week.
If you’re meal prepping, you can bread the shrimp ahead of time and store them in the fridge until ready to fry. They taste just as good reheated in the air fryer or oven.
Whether you’re deep into keto or just cutting back on carbs, these fried shrimp hit the spot. Crispy, flavorful, and totally satisfying, they’re proof that eating low-carb doesn’t mean giving up your favorites, it just means making them smarter.
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails intact.
- In a bowl, combine the almond flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Dip each shrimp into the beaten eggs and then coat it in the almond flour mixture. Set aside.
- In a deep frying pan or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Fry the shrimp in batches for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the shrimp from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Serve the keto fried shrimp hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
So instead of regular flour we use almond flour? Seems odd but I guess it works.
Ain’t nobody got time for all this! Just fry ’em in regular batter! What’s the point?
I get it, but this recipe is for those who wanna keep it low carb! It’s a great twist on the classic fried shrimp.
bad, burnt em all, didn’t realize oil needs to be hot… 😡
Burnt? How can you burn shrimp? Just cook ’em like 2 min each side, duh! Sounds like you just weren’t paying attention! 😒
I’m sorry to hear that! Maybe next time let the oil heat up longer before frying? It really makes a difference! 🦐
Tried this tonight—super crispy and the shrimp cooked up perfectly in those 2–3 minutes. The almond flour coating actually holds together. Will make again!
Keto fried shrimp is life. This is exactly the kind of easy comfort food I can do without blowing my macros. Would 100% make again.
Yes!! Keto comfort food that actually tastes good is the best. I made something similar and this sounds spot on—love that it uses almond flour.
I tried keto fried shrimp before but my breading always slid off. Do you think the eggs are enough to keep it crispy, or should I pat the shrimp dry more?
Tried this tonight—super crispy and the seasoning tastes legit. I used a little extra garlic powder and it was perfect.
Yum!
Isn’t shrimp supposed to be fried in like bread crumbs? This almond flour seems weird.
That sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Wow, these turned out amazing! Perfect crunch and flavor. Definitely making again!
Couldn’t get them “golden brown” like the post says. They were more pale and kinda soft. Maybe my shrimp were too wet? I’m not sure.
Way too salty for me. I think the 1/2 tsp salt is fine for some shrimp but mine were already seasoned from the store.
Shrimp was crunchy, but I had no paprika so I used chili powder instead. Still good!
I tried this recipe but I don’t know if it’s just me, but it felt too greasy. Maybe less oil next time?
I think you might be right about the oil! I usually pat my shrimp dry before frying to help with that greasiness. Give it a try next time!
Mine stuck to the pan a bit, and I think my oil wasn’t hot enough. Otherwise flavor was great. Next time I’ll go a little hotter and not overcrowd the batches.
Totally hear you—almond flour can stick if the oil isn’t properly hot. Medium-high and don’t crowd the pan usually helps a lot. Glad the flavor still hit!
SUPER YUM! I’m not even on a keto diet but I loved it. Great flavor with the seasoning. 😋
Not sure about keto fried shrimp… almond flour gets kinda brown but not the same as regular breading. Flavor is ok but texture wasn’t totally there for me.
Totally hear you. Almond flour can toast/brown fast, but it doesn’t always crisp like regular breading. I’ve found frying a bit hotter and letting the coating “set” for a few seconds after egg helps, and a light dusting of extra almond flour right after dipping makes a difference.
DELICIOUS!!! Best shrimp I’ve ever made at home!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It really is a game changer for keto meals. 👍
The instructions are straightforward, but I wish it said what temp the oil should be. I just guessed and it’s hard to nail.
These were AMAZING! Just like the ones I used to have at my favorite restaurant. Totally worth it!
Mine came out a little darker than I wanted. Maybe my oil was hotter than medium-high. Also, I didn’t devein super well so that part mattered—lesson learned.
Turned out super crispy! I used a little more garlic powder than it says and it still tasted amazing. Definitely making this again for game night.
I tried this and… mine got kinda soggy. Next time I’ll fry in smaller batches and make sure the oil is actually hot. Garlic powder doesn’t hurt tho 😅
Nice! Crispy shrimp with almond flour is the move. Did you use tails-on the whole time—still works great for presentation.
Mine stuck to the pan even though I had enough oil. Also, 2–3 minutes on each side feels long for my stove? Next time I’ll try medium heat and maybe pat the shrimp dry.
Ugh, that’s frustrating! If it stuck even with enough oil, it might be the pan not fully heated yet or the coating wasn’t set. I usually let the shrimp hit the oil once it’s really shimmering, and I also give the coated shrimp a quick rest (1 minute) before frying.
2-3 min each side is defo stove dependent 😅 I’d start checking at like 1.5-2 min. Also patting shrimp dry is huge—if they’re wet the almond flour coating just won’t crisp right. Medium heat sounds smart though.
I was skeptical about almond flour frying, but it worked. Flavor is simple but solid—would love a squeeze of lemon though.
Totally agree—almond flour frying surprised me too. Mine stayed crispy as long as I didn’t overcrowd the pan. I also threw in a little lemon zest at the end and it really brightened it up.
I’ll be honest, almond flour can go kinda greasy if the oil temp is off. Did you let it get properly hot first? Lemon makes sense but I kinda skipped it and used hot sauce instead 😅
I’m skeptical of almond flour for frying, but it actually works. Mine was a tiny bit dry after 3 minutes each side, so I’d cut the time slightly for smaller shrimp.
I was also skeptical about almond flour frying, but yeah—it really does crisp up. Thanks for the heads-up on the timing; I’ll probably do closer to 2 minutes per side for smaller shrimp so they don’t turn dry.
So easy and quick! I made them for my kids and they devoured it. Will definitely make again!
I messed up and used pre-cooked shrimp… not the recipe’s fault, but it got rubbery. Next time I’ll follow instructions with fresh shrimp.
I accidentally used too much paprika and they turned out spicier than I thought 😅 but still good.
Barely browned for me and the crust fell off when I flipped. Maybe my oil temp was low? I’m not sure. Would try again with a thermometer.
Not bad, but I’ve had better. I think next time I’ll try with coconut flour instead.
I dont know about almond flour, i used regular flour by mistake and they was soggy. 🤷♂️
Great weeknight idea. I used pre-peeled shrimp and it was still good. Next time I’ll make the coating a little thicker.