Escovitch Shrimp

By Ashley Lonsdale

Updated August 10, 2026

  • Andrew Bui for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Liberty Fennell.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
35 min
Rating
4(11)
Comments
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Traditionally, escovitch fish is made by deep-frying whole snapper, tucking it under spicy, pickled tangles of carrot and onion and leaving it undisturbed for hours or even overnight. This recipe calls for smaller, highly permeable shrimp instead, which benefit from a mere 10-minute swim in the assertive vinegar mix. Escovitch fish in Jamaica has a lineage that can be traced back to the 16th century, when Jewish settlers fleeing persecution in Spain brought a pickled fish dish with a similar inflection, escabeche, across the waters. To serve, drape the shrimp and pickled vegetables over rice and peas or scoop it up with plantain chips as a shared appetizer.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil or butter

  • 1 ½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off, patted dry

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice (optional)

  • 2 medium carrots, peeled into thin strips 

  • 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced

  • 1 (½-inch) piece of ginger, cut into thin matchsticks

  • 1 whole Scotch bonnet chile, pierced

  • 1 cup white distilled vinegar

  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

9 grams carbs; 274 milligrams cholesterol; 284 calories; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 11 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 754 milligrams sodium; 35 grams protein; 4 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium-high. Add the shrimp and season with salt, plenty of pepper and allspice. Cook for 3 to 6 minutes, tossing occasionally, until they just turn pink. Transfer to a plate.

  2. Step 2

    Add the carrots, onion and ginger and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions just begin to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Add the Scotch bonnet and vinegar, and scrape up browned bits on the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, until the liquid is slightly reduced and saucy. 

  3. Step 3

    Return the shrimp to the skillet, tossing and turning to coat in the pickled vegetables and sauce. Cover, remove from heat and set aside for at least 5 minutes but ideally 10 for the flavors to meld. Remove the Scotch bonnet and garnish with scallions to serve.

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4 out of 5
11 user ratings
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Comments

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Sarah

I did a combo of the other NYTC Snapper and Fish Escovitch to get a crust on the shrimp (allspice/pepper seasoning and flour) and liked very much. I found just piercing the habanero to actually not be hot enough!

DAVID

use a jalapeno

Maria Isabel

Any suggestions to replace the scotch bonnet with a milder pepper?

Linda Weaver

@Maria Isabel This is what I found. A habanero is very hot. I might try a poblano, mild heat and very good flavor. The absolute best substitute for a Scotch bonnet pepper is the habanero pepper, which matches its intense heat (100,000–350,000 Scoville units) and fruity flavor profile. Use habaneros in a 1:1 ratio. If you need milder or alternative options depending on what you have, other substitutes work well too.

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