Magic Crispy Baked Shrimp

If you like a dish that tastes fancy without any difficult cooking techniques, then this easy magic crispy baked shrimp for beginners is right up your alley! Shrimp has a delicate and sweet flavor with a tender texture that contrasts nicely with a crispy Panko topping. This best magic crispy baked shrimp recipe gets its flavor from white wine, lemon and garlic, which should give the dish a flavor of haut cuisine while being simple enough for any beginning cook.

 The Parmesan cheese topping has a nutty flavor but has melted to create a soft and mild texture that pulls everything together. The butter in this dish contributes to a succulent flavor and texture that will have people asking for more. The whole thing cooks in less than 20 minutes, so it’s a great dish if you want a meal for a busy weeknight that feels like something that took a long time. You can make this dish as a family meal or as a cozy date night for two. Either way, it’s a delectable flavor sure to impress any diner with minimal effort.

It’s as easy to throw together as any casserole yet tastes like something fancy. If you like seafood but are just starting to learn how to prepare it, this simple magic crispy baked shrimp meal is for you. 

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Why You’ll Love the Recipe:

Very easy to make. Just layer the ingredients and pop it in the oven. 

Simple to make and inexpensive yet affords an elegant sense of umami.

It only needs 12 minutes to bake. A couple more minutes on broil will make the top golden and crispy. 

All the taste and texture of fried shrimp with none of the heavy oils. 

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Jumbo Shrimp: If you get them by the bag, it should be marked “21-25” or “26-30”. That’s how many make a pound. Go for something as fresh as possible with no preservatives. If it smells like ammonia, it’s gone off. 

Dry White Wine: Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with shrimp whether for drinking or cooking. Alcohol burns off in the cooking process so that the dish will be safe for children and anyone who doesn’t drink. Avoid anything marked “cooking wine”.

Melted Unsalted Butter: Melted margarine or olive oil will do, but for that rich and delicate flavor, butter is really the best. 

Minced Garlic Cloves: For a bit of zing! Garlic powder can be substituted. Use 1/8 of a teaspoon of garlic powder in place of each clove.  The flavor won’t be as strong as fresh but should work well. 

Parmesan Cheese: It adds a rich and nutty umami flavor while helping the Panko stick to the meat. For a robust flavor, get a block to grate yourself, as pre-packaged grated cheeks come with anti-caking agents. 

Panko Breadcrumbs: This is what gives the shrimp that crispy texture! In a pinch, you can use anything crispy that is crushed up, such as pretzels, crackers or cornflakes. 

Ingredients:

• Jumbo shrimp
• Dry white wine
• Melted unsalted butter
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Juice of a lemon
• Minced garlic cloves

For the Topping:

• Grated parmesan cheese
• Melted butter
• Salt
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Parsley

How to make Magic Crispy Baked Shrimp:

First, preheat the oven to 425°F.

Put half a cup of dry white wine and 2 tablespoons of melted butter in a 13×9-inch baking dish and spread it evenly so that your shrimp will be infused with flavor. 

Put it in the oven as it’s heating up for ten minutes as this will enrich the flavor while burning off the alcohol content. While that’s going on, stir together the juice of one lemon (about two or three tablespoons), 3 minced garlic cloves, half a teaspoon of salt, a quarter teaspoon of black pepper and 2 tablespoons of melted butter.  

Toss your shrimp in this mixture and make sure it’s all good and coated to get that rich, tart and zingy flavor.

In another bowl, mix the panko with 2 tablespoons of melted butter, half a teaspoon of salt, and a quarter cut of freshly grated Parmesan to make the topping. 

Add the shrimp to the hot baking dish. Spread them out evenly for even cooking. The layer of Panko and Parmesan should likewise be distributed equally to ensure even cooking at that every bite is coated with crispy, cheesy goodness. 

Bake for about 12 minutes. If you like a crispy, golden top (who doesn’t!) broil it for a couple of minutes.

Broil for a couple of minutes or until golden and crispy on top.

And a sprinkle of parsley for color and let it set for five minutes before serving to enhance the flavor and texture. 

Tips for Success:

Shrimp is a common ingredient in haut cuisine and even fast food places that serve shrimp will charge an extra dollar for it. Because shrimp is such a premium meat, many people feel intimidated by the idea of cooking it. But there’s no reason for feeling that way! Shrimp is actually really easy to cook. The trick is to start with a fresh product, wild caught if at all possible. Yes, this means people in the Gulf region are going to have better luck with shrimp. If you live further inland, invest in shrimp that was frozen as soon as it was caught. For this particular dish, plump jumbo shrimp are best. Do not thaw them in the microwave. You’ll have to do this overnight in the refrigerator. While shrimp is easy to cook, the meat is very delicate. Of course, that’s where the flavor comes from! Shrimp cooks rather quickly so take care not to overdo it. And don’t forget to de-vein your shrimp before cooking. 

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Storage Instructions:

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 2 days. A couple of minutes in the microwave should reheat it enough to eat. Shrimp goes bad quickly, even with cooking, so eat it while you can. Unfortunately, refreezing shrimp after cooking damages the texture and so that is not recommended. 

Serving Suggestions

You can make a family friendly magic crispy baked shrimp by serving it with tots or french fries. Though made with wine, the alcohol cooks off, making it safe to serve to children. For a healthy magic crispy baked shrimp version serve with sauteed spinach, green beans or steamed broccoli. You can’t go wrong with a tossed salad as a side. For a meal for the adults, you can pair shrimp with white wine. A light to medium-bodied white is generally served with shrimp such as a Sauvignon Blanc or a Fiano. Aged chardonnay will enhance the flavor of the Parmesan topping. If you must have red, try a light Sangiovese. 

FAQs

Can I make ahead of time?

While reheated crispy shrimp makes a serviceable lunch, it’s best made fresh. 

Can I use another cheese? 

Romano or Asiago works if you prefer. 

Notes:

For a good side dish: Italian Green Beans – Sweet Pea’s Kitchen 

For another shrimp based entree: Shrimp Kebobs – Sweet Pea’s Kitchen