How to Cook Instant Pot Shrimp Frozen

Instant Pot shrimp frozen or fresh are easy to cook! We’ll teach you how to cook frozen shrimp in your pressure cooker + share other easy seafood recipes too. If you love to add these to alfredo for dinner, as a high protein snack or as an appetizer this recipe will work great for them all.

Instant Pot Shrimp Frozen

We started with this Instant Pot fish recipe where we made both vegetables and white fish in stackable pans inside our pressure cooker, that was yummy. Now we’ve made lots of Instant Pot shrimp recipes to share. Surprisingly there isn’t really a difference in cook time whether they start out rock hard or defrosted first.

Last weekend I was craving shrimp so I sent my husband out to buy a few pounds so I could figure out how to cook shrimp in the Instant Pot. You can make Ninja Foodi shrimp this same way too using the pressure cook function and the lid that isn’t attached.

Of course he followed directions to a tee (not) and brought home two bags of frozen shrimp instead of fresh from the meat counter so I had to think of what to do with them. My IP was new to me at the time and I was furiously creating new one pot meals for my family, and to share with all of you.

I started with the simplest of them all, just how to cook them all by themselves. As time went on and I got the hang of how to get them done perfectly I added other items too. That is when the Instant Pot shrimp boil was created.

Frozen Shrimp Instant Pot

• We figured this out!
• This is the size I was working with, extra jumbo. They shrink quite a bit and become bite sized when they’re done so don’t let the size scare you.

Guaranteed you too can find this in your grocery store in the freezer section too so you can make shrimp in the Instant Pot like we did.

How to Cook Raw Shrimp

You can do this in the oven, grill or the stovetop too but we are focusing on an electric pressure cooker right now. First I used the cooking times printable linked above to figure out about how long it would take. Adjustments I made to cook fresh and frozen shrimp in the Instant Pot.

Should you peel shrimp before cooking in a pressure cooker?

If they are frozen you won’t be able to do that, and it is not necessary anyway. Once done they will peel right off. Makes it even easier and cheaper since shell on is less expensive than without them.

How long do you steam frozen shrimp?

Unless you were adding a TON of shrimp into your pressure cooker, like to the 3/4 fill line I wouldn’t cook fresh or frozen, small to medium sized shelled, longer than 0 minutes.

• I got the cook times off the Instant Pot website but ended up adjusting the shrimp cook times after I experimented with them on my own.
  • There’s stated that shrimp took 1-2 minutes if they were fresh, I found it took 0 minutes on my Instant Pot
  • It said frozen shrimp took 2-3 minutes, once again they took 0 minutes to be pink like you see here below
  • Fresh fish was said to take 2-3 minutes, my 3/4 lb. fillet of salmon took 4 minutes to be cooked through so I increased the time to 4

Instant Pot Shrimp and Vegetables

This is possible too, you just have to choose those that have the same quick cook time. Broccoli is the best of the best for this duo. Just 1 minute will work for them both and then just top. with your butter, salt and pepper for a virtual fat free dish.

What is the best shrimp to cook in your pressure cooker?

I’m specific in showing you what I used here. I took a photo of the bag, size, etc because these are the best shrimp to use. Use shrimp with the shells still on so they don’t cook quite as fast as if there were no shells. You do NOT want to overcook shrimp or they’ll be hard and rubbery.

Extra jumbo size is best. – Once again, they cook FAST so this size enables them to not be overcooked even at 0 minutes you wouldn’t want them more done than this.

What do you need to cook shrimp in Instant Pot?

1. Instant Pot steamer basket – I like the one with little feet on the bottom because it has a hook attached and a piece for easy lifting out too
2. Instant Pot or any other brand of pressure cooker like Crock Pot Express – this is the pretty one I have

That is literally all you need. From there you can shell them and enjoy your cooked shrimp as is or add them to your favorite Instant Pot shrimp recipe, we will share a few of our favorites and share pressure cooker garlic shrimp below.

How do you cook frozen Instant Pot shrimp?

Pour 1.5 c water into your pressure cooker. Open your vegetable steamer basket and place 10-20 jumbo frozen raw shrimp into your basket. Spread them out as much as you can so they’re overlapping the least amount possible

• Close your lid and steam valve.
• Set to high pressure cook for 0 minutes they cook quickly so stand by!
  • do 1 minute if adding broccoli in your pot together
• Do a quick release
• Lift out steamer basket immediately so they don’t continue to cook
• Remove shells and enjoy or add to shrimp pasta recipe.

So quick and easy, we do this all the time just for a snack!

How to set your Instant Pot to cook for 0 minutes?

1. Add items into your pressure cooker – if you’re brand new here’s basics on how to use an Instant Pot
2. Press manual (if you have that button)
3. Then pressure, high
4. Adjust using – button until it says 0
5. Allow it to start
6. It will beep as soon as it reaches pressure
7. That is what it means to cook for 0 minutes in your Instant Pot
8. Do a quick release (for shrimp anyway, or follow the recipe you’re reading for further instructions)

Note: When you follow these steps your frozen shrimp will come out cooked, not just thawed and still raw. Here they are after just zero minutes in the Instant Pot!

How to make Instant Pot shrimp scampi

1. 12 jumbo shrimp – if frozen first follow instructions to thaw them
2. Butter
3. Minced garlic
4. Diced chives – optional

We are working on other Instant Pot shrimp recipes but for now here are others you can try:

• We love defrosting our shrimp using the method above and then adding them on top of our Instant Pot fettuccine alfredo
• Pressure cooker curried shrimp paella
• Use your defrosted shrimp in these pressure cooker asian steamed dumplings

Our new Instant Pot shrimp alfredo pasta is so good and a new family fave!!

How do you thaw shrimp in the Instant Pot?

You aren’t really thawing, that would be done inside a freezer bag, zipped closed and set inside a bowl filled with cold water. This way will cook them. I made the garlic butter shrimp dish below using jumbo frozen shrimp initially with the shells on. I like this size because smaller ones tend to get overcooked. Yes, even with a 0 minute cook time.

• You could make these garlic shrimp with fresh pcs. as well, they will just get more done.
• They only take about 2 minutes to cook with the butter and garlic. Alternatively you can remove and just pour those items over the top.

Either way they become a delicious protein packed meal! If they’re still frozen make air fryer frozen shrimp with parmesan or Instant Pot bang bang shrimp for dinner some time.

Printable recipe below so you can keep it handy. Use directions to make shrimp plain, or use butter and garlic instructions if you want to add a bunch of flavor with just a few simple ingredients.