How Long Does Cooked Shrimp Last in the Fridge? Cooked, Raw and Thawed

Cooked shrimp lasts 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Raw shrimp, including frozen shrimp you've thawed, lasts only 1 to 2 days. Those are the figures for cooked fish and for fresh shrimp in FDA's refrigerator and freezer storage chart, and they assume a fridge that holds 40°F or below.

Shrimp is one of the quickest proteins to cook, which also makes it easy to cook too much of it. Here's how long each kind keeps, how to store and freeze it, and how to use up the rest before the clock runs out.

The short answer

Cooked shrimp, fridge: 3 to 4 days. NTRLY's kitchen tracker, which follows USDA FoodKeeper guidance, counts 3 days for cooked shrimp, the cautious end of that range. Raw shrimp, fridge: 1 to 2 days. Thawed raw shrimp, fridge: 1 to 2 days from when it finished thawing; cook it within that window. Raw shrimp, freezer: 3 to 6 months for best quality, per FDA. Cooked shrimp, freezer: FDA's chart gives cooked fish 4 to 6 months; for shrimp, plan on about 3 months, because it gets dry and rubbery the longer it sits. On the counter: no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.

How long does cooked shrimp last in the fridge?

Three to four days, counted from the day you cooked it. That's the same window as most cooked leftovers, from cooked chicken to cooked rice. It doesn't matter much whether the shrimp was boiled, grilled, sautéed in garlic butter or tossed into a stir-fry: once it's cooked, the clock is the same. If it's mixed into a dish, go by the most perishable ingredient, and treat a creamy shrimp pasta or a shrimp salad dressed with mayo as a 3-day leftover.

Store-bought cooked shrimp and shrimp rings

The ready-to-eat cooked shrimp sold in rings, trays and bags is a different case until you open it. A sealed package carries a use-by date from the producer, so go by that date. Once it's open, treat it like any other cooked seafood and finish it within 3 to 4 days.

For a party, keep the shrimp ring in the fridge until people arrive. FDA's seafood safety page says to serve cold seafood on ice if it will be out longer than 2 hours, and never to leave seafood out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when it's above 90°F. Shrimp that sat out all evening goes in the trash, not back in the fridge.

How long does raw shrimp last in the fridge?

One to two days. Raw shrimp is one of the most perishable things you can buy, which is why most shrimp in U.S. stores is sold frozen, and the "fresh" shrimp at the seafood counter has often been frozen and thawed already. FDA's advice is to put seafood on ice or in the refrigerator or freezer soon after buying it, and only to keep it in the fridge if you'll use it within 2 days. If your plans change, freeze it the same day.

How long does shrimp last after thawing?

Thawed raw shrimp gets the same 1 to 2 days as fresh raw shrimp, counted from when it finished thawing. How you thaw it matters. FDA recommends thawing seafood in the refrigerator overnight. If you need it faster, seal the shrimp in a plastic bag and submerge it in cold water, or use the microwave's defrost setting and stop while it's still icy but pliable. Shrimp thawed in cold water or the microwave should be cooked right away, not put back in the fridge for later. Never thaw shrimp on the counter.

How to store cooked shrimp

Get it cold fast. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. Spread a big batch out in a shallow container so it cools quickly rather than sitting warm in a deep bowl.

Use an airtight container. A container with a lid or a zip-top bag keeps the shrimp from drying out and keeps the smell off everything else in your fridge.

Keep it on a shelf, not in the door. The door is the warmest part of the fridge. FDA recommends a refrigerator thermometer to check that your fridge really holds 40°F or below.

Keep raw and cooked apart. Store raw shrimp on the bottom shelf in a sealed container so its juices can't drip onto cooked shrimp or anything else you'll eat without cooking.

Label it. Write the date you cooked it on the container. By Thursday, nobody remembers whether the shrimp was from Sunday or Monday.

Can you freeze cooked shrimp?

Yes. Let it cool, pat it dry, then freeze it in a single layer on a tray before moving it to a freezer bag with the air pressed out. That way the shrimp freeze separately and you can take out a handful at a time. Frozen food stays safe indefinitely at 0°F, but quality fades, so date the bag and aim to use it within about 3 months.

Thaw frozen cooked shrimp in the fridge overnight. It works best in dishes where it's warmed through briefly, like fried rice, pasta, soup or tacos, rather than served cold, where the softer texture is more noticeable. For more on what freezes well, see our freezer storage guide.

How to reheat cooked shrimp

Shrimp turns tough when it's heated too long a second time, so warm it gently and briefly. Add it to a hot pan of sauce, fried rice or pasta for the last minute or two, or microwave it covered, in short bursts, stirring in between, until it's steaming hot all the way through. Leftover shrimp is also good cold: in a salad, a wrap or a grain bowl, straight from the fridge.

How to tell if shrimp has gone bad

Throw it out if you notice a sour, ammonia or strongly fishy smell, a slimy or sticky surface, gray, yellow or black patches on the flesh, or mold. FDA notes that spoiled raw seafood can smell sour, rancid, fishy or of ammonia, and that these smells get stronger after cooking. Fresh raw shrimp should look clear, with a pearl-like color and little or no smell.

Don't use a sniff test to stretch the window, though. The bacteria that cause food poisoning usually don't change how food looks or smells, so shrimp that's past 3 to 4 days cooked, or 2 days raw, should go even if it seems fine. When in doubt, throw it out.

Cooking shrimp safely

FDA says most seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F. Without a thermometer, shrimp is done when the flesh turns firm, pearly and opaque. It only takes a few minutes, and overcooked shrimp is rubbery, so pull it from the heat as soon as it changes color.

Shrimp and protein

Shrimp is almost pure protein. USDA's FoodData Central lists cooked shrimp at 24 grams of protein and 99 calories per 100 grams, so a 3-ounce serving gives you about 20 grams of protein for around 85 calories. That makes leftover shrimp an easy way to add protein to a salad or a bowl of noodles. For daily targets, see how much protein you need.

Quick ways to use up leftover shrimp

The easiest way to beat a 3-day window is to plan the leftovers the day you cook. Ideas from our recipe collection: microwave lemon garlic shrimp or microwave shrimp and broccoli for a fast dinner, microwave shrimp tacos or microwave prawn fajitas, a Mexican shrimp rice bowl, soba noodles with shrimp and spinach, or something cold for lunch, like a chickpea and shrimp salad or a zesty shrimp and avocado wrap. For more two-minute ideas, see our easy microwave mug recipes.

Keeping track without remembering dates

Three days goes by fast when the container is behind the milk. NTRLY's Kitchen keeps your fridge, freezer and pantry in one list. Add cooked shrimp and you get a countdown based on food safety guidance, with a reminder before it runs out of time, so the leftovers become tomorrow's lunch instead of trash.