Description
This Magic Crispy Baked Shrimp recipe delivers perfectly tender shrimp coated in a flavorful garlicky butter sauce, topped with a crunchy parmesan-panko crust. It’s quick to prepare and bake, making it an ideal weeknight dinner or appetizer that’s both impressive and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Marinade
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Crispy Topping
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the shrimp evenly and getting the breadcrumb topping crispy.
- Prepare Shrimp Mixture: In a bowl, combine the melted butter, minced garlic, red pepper flakes if using, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Toss the peeled and deveined shrimp in this mixture until they are fully coated, allowing the flavors to infuse.
- Make Breadcrumb Topping: In a separate bowl, mix together the panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley. This mixture will provide a crunchy and flavorful crust.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Lay the butter-coated shrimp in a single layer on the sheet, then sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over each shrimp.
- Bake Shrimp: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink, opaque, and cooked through, and the breadcrumb topping has turned golden brown and crispy.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve the shrimp warm, ideally with lemon wedges on the side to add a fresh citrus finish.
Notes
- For extra heat, leave the red pepper flakes in the marinade; omit if you prefer milder flavors.
- Make sure not to overcrowd the baking sheet to ensure even crisping of the shrimp and topping.
- You can substitute fresh parsley with dried parsley if fresh is unavailable, but reduce the amount by half.
- Use peeled and deveined shrimp for the best texture and ease of eating.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated in the oven to maintain crispiness.
