What Is the Orange Stuff in Shrimp and Prawns and Can I Eat It?

You purchased fresh prawns and shrimps at the fish counter, and you’re starting to prepare them for a dish by cleaning them, removing the peel, and pulling off the head, and you suddenly notice an orange “paste.” inside. Or maybe you’ve taken a trip to Portugal or Spain, ordered a plate of grilled prawns, and when you pulled back the head and pinched off the peel, you were left wondering, like me, what is this orange paste exactly? And more importantly, can you eat it?

The answer is simple: That orange paste is roe, a fancy word for eggs. And yes, you can eat it.

“Roe is considered a special ingredient when cooking,” says Gill Boyd, culinary arts chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education. In many cultures and cuisines, in fact, roe is a delicacy.

When Will You Find Roe in Shrimp and Prawns?

If you’re used to buying frozen shrimp and prawns, you’re not likely to encounter roe. Buying fresh prawns from a fishmonger or seafood counter is when you’re more likely to see it. “Generally, you’re going to find it in fresh prawns or shrimp with heads-on,” says Boyd. 

Should You Discard the Roe or Leave It In?

Deciding what to do with the shrimp and prawn roe comes down to personal preference and how you’re preparing them. “If it is a shell-on preparation, then it is fine to have the roe in the shrimp,” says Boyd.  “Personally, I'm a fan of leaving the roe in for the flavor alone,” says Steve Chiappetti, executive chef at the Albert restaurant in downtown Chicago. “Roe is also rich in fatty acids, vitamins A, D, and B12, along with other nutrients that support balanced health,” he adds.

Another benefit of  shrimp and prawn eggs is that they are typically more affordable than other types of roe.  “Certain kinds of roe are very limited in availability,” says Chiappetti, “and those tend to be in the highest demand when you get into caviars or sushi-grade roe.”

Dishes to Prepare with Shrimp and Prawn Roe

Roe brings a unique flavor profile to a dish. “You'll sometimes hear it called ’caviar of the Mediterranean’ and with good reason,” says Chiappetti. “It brings with it a delicate sweetness that you won't find in any other ingredient.”

“Shrimp with roe are best used in dishes that call for head-on whole shrimp, whether grilled, sautéed, pan-fried, or deep fried”, says Boyd. “These use a light sauce or marinade, which makes it easier to peel and eat the shrimp.” And because the shrimp isn’t cleaned or peeled, the roe stays intact, he says.

Chiappetti loves shrimp with roe for seafood pasta. “It's best to add the shrimp at the end, lending a natural, sweet seafood flavor at the finish,” he says. Pasta alla bottarga, a Sicilian dish, “is a great example that calls for roe,” he says. “This is a fully robust, earthy dish that utilizes the eggs [and] are dried and salted,” he says. “When added to your cooked spaghetti—in a recipe that also calls for olive oil, garlic, chili flakes and lemon—the freshness of the sea comes to life.”

The options don’t end at pasta. “You can also use shrimp or prawn roe to garnish soups, fold it into deviled eggs, or add to a creole shrimp étouffée,” says Chiappetti.

The Joy of Roe

Eating roe may be a new experience for many people in the United States, while in many other regions of the world, it’s embedded in the gastronomy. “Part of the joy of eating whole crustaceans is uncovering all of the delicious parts of the body, with the roe included,” says Boyd. “This only adds to the experience.”