Fiery Trinidad pepper shrimp is a quick and easy meal that is ready in less than 30 minutes! The classic Caribbean dish features tender shrimp simmered in a bold, spicy gravy infused with vegetables, aromatics, and warm spices.
What is Trinidad Pepper Shrimp?
Chinese influence on Trini cooking is evident in the local cuisine through specific ingredients and cooking techniques. As Chinese immigrants settled into their new home, they shared their spices, sauces, and stir-frying techniques, resulting in meals like this one that have a tasty fusion of flavors.
Key Ingredients
- Shrimp: Peel and devein one pound of large, jump, or colossal shrimp to make Trinidad pepper shrimp. And don’t forget to save the shells and tails in a silicone or plastic bag to make shrimp broth for recipes like soup and shrimp étouffée. You can also leave the head and tails intact for a more traditional preparation.
- Marinade: Marinate the shrimp in fresh lime juice from one lime and apple cider vinegar.
- Butter: Saute the fresh garlic and bloom the tomato paste in butter, or substitute with vegetable oil or olive oil.
- Tomato Paste: Adding a spoonful of tomato paste intensifies the flavor and deepens the color of the flavorful gravy.
- Aromatics: I use four fresh garlic cloves and yellow onions or shallots for the best flavors.
- Scallions: Saute the white parts of the spring onions and garnish the shrimp with thinly sliced scallions greens.
- Spices: Flavor the shrimp with smoked paprika, black pepper, all-purpose seasoning, and Jamaican jerk seasoning.
- Scotch Bonnet Peppers: Add fiery flavor with fresh scotch bonnets. Leave the hot pepper whole or dice them for even more heat. If you can’t find scotch bonnet peppers, use habanero or serrano peppers.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme springs flavor the shrimp with earthy sweetness.
Additions and Substitutions
- Switch up the seasoning. Replace the all-purpose seasoning with a crushed Maggie bouillon cube, MSG, or soy sauce for a similar flavor profile.
- Get your veggies in. Include sweet peppers, diced carrot, bell pepper, or grated ginger with the other vegetables.
- Impart authentic flavor. If you can find it, add a small amount of annatto powder (also called achiote powder) that comes from annatto trees native to Central and South America to give the shrimp its signature red color.
Tools You’ll Need
Simmer the shrimp and the gravy in a heavy-bottomed saute pan, wok, or skillet for even heat distribution.
How to Make Trinidad Pepper Shrimp
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Prepare, rinse, and drain the shrimp. Then, combine the shrimp in a mixing bowl with lime juice and vinegar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Drain the shrimp through a colander and pat them dry.
Step 2: Warm a large saute pan or wok over medium heat. Then, add the butter, tomato paste, and garlic. Saute for one minute.
Step 3: Add the shrimp into the pan in a single layer and cook over medium-high heat until the edges turn pink. Cook for about 1-2 minutes, depending on the size of your shrimp.
Step 4: Combine the onions, scallion whites, smoked paprika, black pepper, all-purpose seasoning, jerk seasoning, annatto powder (if using) and water in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture over the shrimp and stir to combine.
Step 5: Nestle the scotch bonnets and thyme into the pan. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes on low-medium heat until the sauce thickens.
Expert Tips
- I recommend using large, jumbo, or colossal shrimp, as they can simmer in the sauce without becoming tough. Smaller shrimp cook quickly, so start by simmering the sauce first, then add the shrimp and cook for 5-8 minutes.
- If you notice the shrimp cooking faster than the sauce, stir in 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch to help thicken the sauce more quickly.
If you enjoy the flavorful shrimp, try one of these seafood recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Serve Trinidad pepper shrimp with classic side dishes like warm roti, homemade coleslaw with cilantro and minit, coco bread, air fried plantains, or kelewele.
Use Jamaican rice and peas or white rice to soak up the curry, or pair it with grilled zucchini, corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, French fries, or air fryer sweet potato wedges. Complete the meal with callaloo, black beans, pasta salad, or macaroni pie.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
- Freeze: Let the shrimp cool and transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Trinidad pepper shrimp freezes for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the leftovers in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Warm the leftover shrimp curry on the stovetop over low heat so you don’t overcook the shrimp. Happy cooking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use tail-on or tail-off shrimp?
Whether you remove the tails or leave them on is entirely up to you. Leaving the tail on the shrimp is a more traditional way to serve Trinidad pepper shrimp, and it adds extra flavor to the sauce, but you won’t miss it if you leave them off.
How do you clean shrimp?
1. Rinse the Shrimp: Add shrimp to a colander and rinse them under cold running water.
2. Remove the Head: Grasp the heads and twist them off if you aren’t leaving them on.
3. Peel the Shell: Start at the head and peel away the shell, working toward the tail, but you can leave the tail intact. To make this easier, use kitchen shears to cut along the back of the shrimp to split the shell open.
4. Remove the Legs: The legs should come off in one motion with the shell.
5. Devein the Shrimp: Use a paring knife to make a shallow slit along the back of the shrimp. Use the knife to lift out the dark vein and discard it.
6. Rinse and Marinate: Rinse the shrimp under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess water. Then, transfer the shrimp to a mixing bowl with fresh lime juice and apple cider vinegar.
More Shrimp Recipes:
Trinidad Pepper Shrimp
- 1 pound large shrimp
- lime juice, one lime
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely miced
- 2 scallion whites, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
- 1 teaspoon jerk seasoning
- ¼ cup water
- 2-3 scotch bonnets
- 3 thyme sprigs
- 1½ teaspoon annatto powder
- Prepare, rinse, and drain the shrimp. Then, combine the shrimp in a mixing bowl with lime juice and vinegar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Drain the shrimp through a colander and pat them dry.
- Add the shrimp into the pan in a single layer and cook over medium-high heat until the edges turn pink. Cook for about 1-2 minutes, depending on the size of your shrimp.
- Combine the onions, scallion whites, smoked paprika, black pepper, all-purpose seasoning, jerk seasoning, annatto powder (if using) and water in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture over the shrimp and stir to combine.
- Nestle the scotch bonnets and thyme into the pan. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes on low-medium heat until the sauce thickens.
- Transfer the cooked shrimp to a serving bowl and finish with thinly sliced green onions.
- I recommend using large, jumbo, or colossal shrimp, as they can simmer in the sauce without becoming tough. Smaller shrimp cook quickly, so start by simmering the sauce first, then add the shrimp and cook for 5-8 minutes.
- If you notice the shrimp cooking faster than the sauce, stir in 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch to help thicken the sauce more quickly.