Baked Shrimp Scampi is an easy dinner idea but looks gorgeous enough for a dinner party. The shrimp bake in a yummy lemon garlic sauce with a crispy bread topping. If you love shrimp, you have to try this recipe!
We had a couple dinner guests join us on Wednesday night. My husband was out of town (surprise, surprise!), but not a big deal. I love having people over and flying solo has become the new normal over the past year.
Only problem….I completely forgot they were coming. 100% spaced it. Luckily, what I had in the oven was enough to feed us all. To add to the craziness that evening, the kitchen drain decided to detach right as they got there. Dirty water was everywhere.
The cherry on top for the evening: my children were not on their best behaviorHORRIBLE! I sat them down afterward to talk about expectations…and how I would feed them all ramen for a week if they ever behaved that way again.
So, I certainly wasn’t the entertainer/hostess I like to be, but we all survived. Though, I don’t know if our guests will ever cross the thresh hold of our home again. If I can convince them to give me another chance, I will serve them this extraordinary shrimp dish. As I devoured it last night, I began planning my next dinner party that would feature this dish as the star.
This is divine enough to convince anyone that they love shrimp. Have I mentioned yet how scrumptious this was? I felt guilty dumping out the extra juices that formed on the bottom of the pan. Next time, I will prepare some pasta, pour the extra juices on top and add a grating of fresh parmesan cheese. I can taste the perfection already…
The recipe calls to butterfly the shrimp, mainly so they will stand up beautifully in the casserole dish. To butterfly them, simply run a paring knife down the back of each shrimp and cut a bit over half way through the thickness.
If you are short on time, or patience, butterflying certainly isn’t necessary. Just spread the shelled, deveined shrimp in the bottom of the pan. You might need to cook it a couple minutes longer though, since they will be thicker.
If you want the stellar presentation for your baked shrimp scampi, be sure you find a beautiful dish to use. I love my oval baking dish for many reasons, but presentation is definitely one of them.
2 pounds extra large shrimp in the shell (15-18 per pound)
3 Tb olive oil
1 Tb white wine vinegar
1 Tb water
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
Topping:
1 C butter, room temperature
4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 C minced shallots
3 Tb minced fresh parsley
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 Tb fresh lemon juice
1 large egg yolk
2/3 C panko bread crumbs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel, de-vein and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, vinegar, water, salt and pepper. Set aside while you make the topping.
In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the topping. It helps to use a fork to mash the butter a bit. Set aside.
Arrange the shrimp cut side down with the tails curling up, in a casserole that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick spray. Pour any liquid left from the bowl of shrimp over the top.
Using your fingers, dot the topping evenly over the arranged shrimp. Bake for 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you would like the top browned more, place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving Size:1/8th
Calories:422
Sugar:0g
Sodium:612mg
Fat:31g
Saturated Fat:16g
Unsaturated Fat:13g
Trans Fat:0g
Carbohydrates:11g
Fiber:1g
Protein:25g
Cholesterol:256mg
Carole Jones
Carole Jones is an Arizona-based cookbook author & food blogger. She's authored The 30 Minute Cooking From Frozen Cookbook and the self-published Take 5: Chicken e-cookbook. For the past 15 years, Carole has shared her culinary adventures cooking and baking for her six brutally honest children here on My Kitchen Escapades. Hot, crusty bread is Carole's love language, but her two adorable grandchildren are a close second. Yes, second. Don't judge.
37 comments
Melissa
4 years ago
I’ve used this recipe multiple time and always is a hit. Thank you!
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37 comments
I’ve used this recipe multiple time and always is a hit. Thank you!
You are very welcome Melissa!