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Baked stuffed shrimp is a timeless restaurant favorite that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. A popular choice in upscale steak and seafood houses in the 1960s and 70s, and sometimes offered in place of lobster in a classic surf and turf dinner, the dish is considered to be a little bit retro these days, but it never fails to make a hit with friends and family.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
Having spent a lot of years dining out in Rhode Island, the New England version of baked stuffed shrimp I was most familiar with was topped with a Ritz cracker-based stuffing. While delicious, it’s a pretty rich dish, so when we worked on this recipe, we wanted something a bit lighter and fresher. Our recipe has a bit of an Italian flair, too, as the stuffing is made with fresh breadcrumbs from Italian bread, butter, extra-virgin olive oil, grated Parmesan, garlic, and parsley, which is why we always include it in our Italian-style Christmas Eve dinner.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- SHRIMP: You’ll want to buy the biggest shrimp you can find for this dish. We try to find U/10 shrimp, a sizing term that refers to shrimp that come 10 or fewer to the pound. You can get away with slightly smaller ones, but bear in mind that smaller shrimp can get overcooked in the time it takes to cook the stuffing.
- BUTTER AND OLIVE OIL: We use a combination of unsalted butter and extra-virgin olive oil to sauté the garlic for the stuffing and serve as the binder for the breadcrumbs.
- GARLIC: How much garlic you want to use in the stuffing is really up to you. We call for 1-1/2 teaspoons, but you could add an extra 1/2 teaspoon if you like. For a more subtle garlic flavor, thinly slice a couple of cloves, sauté them until fragrant to scent the butter-oil combination, then remove them and discard.
- WHITE WINE: We call for a dry white wine and generally use an Italian variety like Pinot Grigio or Soave. If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, you can replace the wine with a combination of low-sodium chicken broth and lemon juice (instructions in recipe notes).
- FRESH BREADCRUMBS: We buy a loaf of Italian bread to make fresh breadcrumbs (instructions below) for this recipe. It has a relatively light, but not too airy texture that absorbs the butter and olive oil well. It’s also fairly easy to mold to the top of the shrimp.
- PARMESAN CHEESE: A small amount of grated Parmesan cheese adds subtle flavor and helps to bind the breadcrumb mixture. If you would like a slightly more predominant taste, add an extra tablespoon.
- SEASONINGS: Along with salt and pepper, we use a combination of fresh parsley (adds both color and flavor), dried oregano, and a pinch of crushed red pepper to season the stuffing.
How to Make Baked Stuffed Shrimp
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
PREHEAT THE OVEN: Heat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
PREP THE SHRIMP: Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tail intact. To butterfly them, make a slit along the outer side of the body, taking care not to slice all the way through. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer, split side down on the prepared baking sheet, and gently flatten them out to form a base for the stuffing.
MAKE THE STUFFING: Melt the butter over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, soft, and barely golden. Be careful not to let it brown. Stir in the wine and simmer long enough to eliminate the alcohol flavor. Remove from the heat, and let cool, then add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Combine thoroughly.
TOP AND BAKE THE SHRIMP: Spoon even portions of the breadcrumb mixture over each of the butterflied shrimp and using your fingers, gently mold each portion of stuffing around the shrimp. Bake the shrimp for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they turn pink and opaque, and the crumbs are lightly toasted. Remove from the oven, drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice, and garnish with additional parsley before serving.
How to Make Fresh Breadcrumbs
TYPE OF BREAD: You can use your food processor to make fresh breadcrumbs from Italian bread, French bread, sourdough, or even English muffins. We recommend Italian bread for this recipe. How many slices of bread you need will depend on the diameter of your loaf, but if you make too much, you can always freeze the extra in zip-top freezer bags.
PREPARING THE BREAD: If you can, use stale bread to make breadcrumbs. If you don’t have any, simply put a few slices in the oven at 275°F and bake until dry and lightly crisped. Times will vary depending on the type of bread you use, so keep a close eye on it and don’t let it get toasted, as it will likely be too dry and crumbly. Cut or tear the bread into small cubes. Note that it’s not necessary to remove the crust, but if you are using rustic-style bread with a very chewy crust, it might be harder to process it into crumbs as a chewy crust tends to get caught on the blades of the food processor.
MAKE THE BREADCRUMBS: Put the bread cubes in the work bowl of your food processor and process them in short pulses until you get a medium-sized crumb. Some larger pieces are inevitable and that’s okay.
Serving Suggestions
SIDE DISHES: Simple vegetables like steamed green beans with butter, roasted cauliflower or zucchini, and roasted potatoes go well with baked stuffed shrimp. Or, try a pasta side dish like our Garlic Butter Shells or a simple Caesar salad.
WINE: As for wine pairings, look for varieties that are described as crisp with flavors of lemon, citrus, and apple. Pinot Grigio, unoaked Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc are all good possibilities.
Baked Stuffed Shrimp
Ingredients
- 12 U-10 shrimp, (under 10 per pound, colossal or extra-colossal)
- 4 tablespoons melted butter, unsalted
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic, about 2 medium cloves
- 1/3 cup dry white wine, (see notes for substitutions)
- 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs, (see notes for instructions)
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed if possible
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tail intact. To butterfly them, make a slit along the outer side of the body, taking care not to slice all the way through.
- Arrange the shrimp on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, split side down, and gently flatten them out to form a base for the stuffing.
- Melt the butter over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, until fragrant, soft, and barely golden. Be careful not to let it brown.
- Stir in the wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to eliminate the alcohol flavor. Remove from the heat, and allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Combine thoroughly. Note: If the mixture seems dry, you can add a little more olive oil or melted butter.
- Spoon even portions of the breadcrumb mixture over each of the butterflied shrimp and using your fingers, gently mold each portion of stuffing around the shrimp.
- Bake the shrimp for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they turn pink and opaque, and the crumbs are lightly toasted.
- Remove from the oven, drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice, and garnish with additional parsley before serving.
Notes
How to Make Fresh Breadcrumbs
Type of bread: You can use your food processor to make fresh breadcrumbs from Italian bread, French bread, sourdough, or even English muffins. We recommend Italian bread for this recipe. How many slices of bread you need will depend on the diameter of your loaf, but if you make too much, you can always freeze the extra in zip-top freezer bags. Preparing the bread: If you can, use stale bread to make breadcrumbs. If you don’t have any, simply put a few slices in the oven at 275°F and bake until dry and lightly crisped. Times will vary depending on the type of bread you use so keep a close eye on it and don’t let it get toasted, as it will likely be too dry and crumbly. Cut or tear the bread into small cubes. Note that it’s not necessary to remove the crust, but if you are using rustic-style bread with a very chewy crust, it might be harder to process it into crumbs as a chewy crust tends to get caught on the blades of the food processor. Make the breadcrumbs: Put the bread cubes in the work bowl of your food processor and process them in short pulses until you get a medium-sized crumb. Some larger pieces are inevitable and that’s okay.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have to admit I had my doubts when I saw how wet the stuffing was. I followed the stuffing part of the recipe to the tee but used 16-20 count shrimp because that’s what I had so I had twice as many shrimp and just used less stuffing per shrimp. Oh my gosh I was so pleasantly surprised at how these turned out! Amazing, will definitely make again!, thanks for the recipe!
Hi Susan,
We’re so glad to hear you liked the shrimp, and you’re right, the stuffing may seem a little wet, but it bakes up perfectly. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts!
Great recipe! Thank you again, it turned out great! I’ve tried other stuffed shrimp recipes but this one was the best! Yum!
Hi Regina,
I’m so happy to hear this recipe worked out well for you. We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
Can you substitute anything for the dry wine wine in this recipe? How would it be if I just omitted that ingredient?
Hi Patricia,
I wouldn’t recommend omitting the liquid completely as that added moisture helps the crumb topping hold together. You can replace the wine with 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth combined with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. You might also want to cut the salt to a scant 1/2 teaspoon to compensate for the salt in the broth.
I have some White cooking wine. Would that be the same thing as dry white wine?
Hi Patricia,
I wouldn’t recommend using cooking wine as it often contains salt, preservatives, and sweeteners and could alter the flavor of the dish. Depending on the brand, it could be fine, but those big shrimp are too pricey to take a chance. The general rule of thumb is to never cook with wine you wouldn’t drink. If you’re not a wine drinker, I would opt for the chicken broth/lemon juice option. Hope this helps.
Hi, what do you think about adding some lump crab, lobster claw meat, bay scallops to the stuffing mixture to make it extra special? Would that work and be tasty? If so should I do anything differently from the directions? Thank you!
Hi Trisha,
I think adding seafood to the stuffing would be delicious, but I haven’t experimented with the ratios myself. I would start by cutting the breadcrumb quantity down to 1-1/2 cups and adding no more than 3/4 cup of seafood that’s been chopped into really small pieces. I think that ratio could still be formed on top of the butterflied shrimp. I would also add an extra tablespoon of butter and an additional teaspoon of lemon juice. I don’t think any adjustment would need to be made to the baking time. Hope this helps. Let us know if you give it a try.
Thanks for your help and quick response! I will definitely let you know how it turns out. Do you suggest sautéing the bay scallops to cook them before adding to the stuffing mix? The crab and lobster meat I purchased is already cooked. Sorry if this is a silly question, I am new to cooking something like this!
Hi Trisha,
Not a silly question at all. If you chop bay scallops into fairly small pieces they should cook in the same amount of time it takes to bake the shrimp once stuffed. If you’re concerned, you could add them to the pan in step 5 of the instructions just after you remove it from the heat. That will take any chill off and give them a little bit of a boost in cooking.
These are so buttery and delicious – a huge hit in our house! Thank you!
How long can the prepped stuffed shrimp stay refrigerated before baking?
Hi Joe,
I’ve never prepared these more than a few hours in advance, but I wouldn’t want to keep thawed or fresh uncooked shrimp in the refrigerator for more than a day. It’s also possible they could give off some liquid as they sit, affecting the stuffing. I advise making the stuffing in advance and refrigerating it separately, then top the shrimp with it right before you cook them. Hope this helps.
Hi,
I plan on making his for supper tonight. I learned a simpler and similar recipe from my fish monger years and years ago. Instead of bread crumbs for the stuffing he used crushed ritz crackers (I cannot use them, they are made too sweet these days) but the big secret was a very small piece of raw flounder chopped up quite small equaling about 1/2 cup that was incorporated into there stuffing before baking. Wow, kept everything nice and moist but still crunchy on the outside. I recommend it. Plus a drizzle of garlic flavored olive oil over stuffing before baking. Delicious.
Adding the minced fish is a great idea. So is the drizzle of garlic-flavored olive oil. Thank you for sharing.
Excellent! I added a few chopped up shrim to the stuffing. Have made it many times.keep these recipes coming!!!
Hi MaryBeth!
I’m so thrilled to hear that you’ve made this recipe multiple times. I think adding some chopped shrimp to the stuffing is a great idea. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.