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This Easy Breaded Shrimp makes the perfect holiday appetizer served with crostini or meal paired with pasta or zucchini noodles. Large, plump shrimp is mixed with fresh garlic, shallot, lemon juice, Italian seasoning and fresh parsley to create such a flavorful, juicy shrimp. The shrimp is topped with a panko breading topping to add texture and crunch to the dish.
When I was recently in Columbus for a work event we ate at a delicious steakhouse. One of my favorite appetizers that we ate was a breaded shrimp appetizer served with crostini. It is called Shrimp Dejonghe and was a popular appetizer in Chicago steakhouses at the turn of the 20th century invented by the de Jonghe brothers, who were Belgian immigrants and owners of De Jonghe’s Hotel and Restaurant in Chicago.
This garlicky, herbed casserole is one of the earliest Windy City specialties. It can be served as an appetizer or main course. I had to recreate this Easy Breaded Shrimp recipe to share with you guys. This dish could be used as an appetizer, a side dish or you could serve it as a main dish alongside pasta or zucchini noodles.
You will love the crispy beaded layer on the shrimp that is baked with garlic, shallot, lemon juice, Italian seasoning and fresh parsley. It is finished off with freshly grated parmesan cheese. I love serving this in a cast iron skillet or a beautiful baking dish with crostini, baguette or crackers. It is a perfect idea for your Thanksgiving or Christmas appetizer table. If you like shrimp recipes you also would love this Mediterranean Shrimp Marinade, Lemon Shrimp Orzo, Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe or this Lemon Shrimp Pasta without Cream.
Why You Will Love this Breaded Shrimp
This breaded shrimp is so easy to make. Here are some reasons we love it:
• Easy to Make for a Crowd: You can have this easy recipe on the table in under 25 minutes. It uses simple ingredients and is very easy to make! If you are having a big meal this is an easy appetizer to make to accompany your holiday meal. If you are making this as an easy dinner I suggest serving with a simple pasta, orzo or zucchini noodles. Another great shrimp recipe for a crowd is this Shrimp and Orzo Salad.
• Perfect Holiday Appetizer: If you are looking for a show-stopper appetizer for a shrimp lover try this one! I love it for Thanksgiving, Christmas or even New Years Eve. It works great with crusty baguette or crostini for serving.
Ingredient Notes
For exact ingredient amounts and instructions, see the full recipe card below.
- Shrimp: I suggest using medium shrimp or jumbo shrimp but you can honestly use any size raw shrimp you like. The larger type of shrimp do create a more tender shrimp when baked because they hold more moisture in. I also think the medium or large work best on crostini. I used 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp without the tails on which was about 31-40 medium shrimp
- Lemon juice: Adds brightness, acidity, and just a bit of zest. If you like an extra lemony flavor add some lemon zest also.
- White Wine: I suggest using a white wine like pinot grigio is a great addition to the sauce in this dish. Another option that I often see in this type of dish is a sherry wine.
- Italian seasoning: This seasoning is the perfect addition to the breaded shrimp. There are other options that also work nicely in place of Italian seasoning like paprika, cayenne red pepper or oregano.
- Panko Topping: The panko topping uses breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. It creates such a nice crust.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Cheese: try using shredded mozzarella or goat cheese.
- Spices: mix up the spices try adding other spices like paprika, Greek seasoning or chili powder.
- Spicy: make this more of a spicy baked shrimp by adding sriracha. You could do a Cajun style shrimp by using Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Diced jalapeno peppers could also be a nice addition.
- Mediterranean: make it Mediterranean style by using za’atar or sumac and feta cheese.
- Marinara: layer shrimp in a baking dish with marinara sauce and bake with a cheese topping for an Italian flair.
If you prefer more spice with your shrimp try this Spicy Shrimp with Warm Spices for a quick, flavorful appetizer.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl combine the shrimp, garlic, shallot, lemon juice, white wine, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and mix well.
Step 2: In a large cast iron skillet or large casserole dish pour the shrimp and spread into a single layer and bake for 10 minutes.
Step 3: While the shrimp bake mix the panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper in a medium bowl and stir until combined. Melt the butter.
Step 4: Remove the shrimp from the oven and pour half of the melted butter over the shrimp. Add the other half of the butter to the panko topping and stir well. Pour the panko over the shrimp and spread evenly. Bake another 10 minutes or until the shrimp are bright pink and the breading is golden brown. Optional: Turn the oven to broil and broil for another 1-2 minutes to brown the panko topping {keep an eye on the shrimp while broiling as not to burn them}.
Step 5: Remove from the oven and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan, fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges. Serve with crostini or crusty bread, on toothpicks or over pasta. You also can serve with a dipping sauce like marinara or tartar sauce if you like.
For a warm weather shrimp appetizer try these Mediterranean Shrimp Skewers for summer entertaining.
Storage Tips
- Leftovers: Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: To reheat this Easy Baked Shrimp slowly heat in the oven at 300 degrees until warmed through.
Recipe FAQ
I think fresh shrimp work great and are of course the freshest. If you only have frozen shrimp, make sure to thaw them fully and then pat them dry to avoid excess moisture.
I think this recipe works best when you peel and deveine the shrimp. When you serve your guests it is less messy and they don’t have to spend time taking the tails off of the shrimp.
Of course the time will depend on the size of the shrimp. If you are using medium or large shrimp it will take about 8–12 minutes, depending on their size, until they’re opaque and pink. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery. The recommended internal temperature for cooked shrimp is 145°F (63°C).
Other Shrimp Recipes
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Easy Baked Shrimp Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound of jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided
For the Panko Topping:
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese,, shredded
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Garnishes:
- Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon slices
- Lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl combine the shrimp, garlic, shallot, lemon juice, white wine, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and mix well.
- In a large cast iron skillet or large casserole dish pour the shrimp and bake for 10 minutes.
- While the shrimp bake mix the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper in a medium bowl and stir until combined.
- Melt the butter. Remove the shrimp from the oven and pour half of the melted butter over the shrimp.
- Add the other half of the butter to the panko topping and stir well. Pour the panko over the shrimp and spread evenly. Bake another 10 minutes or until the shrimp are bright pink.
- OPTIONAL: Turn the oven to broil and broil for another 1-2 minutes to brown the panko topping {keep an eye on the shrimp while broiling as not to burn them}.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan, fresh parsley and serve with lemon slices. Serve with crostini or crusty bread, on toothpicks or over pasta.
Notes
- Serving: There are a lot of serving options with this shrimp recipe. If you want it as an appetizer serve it with crostini, baguette, or crusty bread. If you are making this a main dish you can serve over pasta, zoodles, orzo or risotto. You also could serve this over greens, like a salad!
- Leftovers: Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: To reheat this Easy Baked Shrimp slowly heat in the oven at 300 degrees until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfect for a quick and easy shrimp appetizer!