Description
Succulent shrimp baked in garlicky butter and topped with golden, crispy Parmesan cheese. This restaurant-quality dish comes together in just 22 minutes with minimal prep and delivers maximum flavor. Perfect for busy weeknights or elegant dinner parties, these tender shrimp are naturally low-carb and incredibly delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ pounds large shrimp (16-20 count), peeled and deveined, tails on or off
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1½ tablespoons)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for subtle heat)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. If using frozen shrimp, ensure they’re completely thawed and patted thoroughly dry with paper towels—this is crucial for proper texture.
- Make the Garlic Butter: In a small saucepan over low heat (or in a microwave-safe bowl), melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Mix well to combine.
- Arrange the Shrimp: Place the shrimp in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. They can touch but shouldn’t overlap—this ensures even cooking and proper browning. If your shrimp are particularly large, arrange them with tails pointing up for attractive presentation.
- Add the Butter Mixture: Pour the garlic butter mixture evenly over all the shrimp, making sure each piece gets coated. Use a spoon or your hands (wash thoroughly afterward) to toss the shrimp gently, ensuring they’re well-coated on all sides.
- Add First Layer of Cheese: Sprinkle about ¼ cup of the freshly grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the shrimp, reserving the remaining ¼ cup for later.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes. The shrimp should be starting to turn pink and opaque.
- Add Final Cheese and Broil: Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese over the shrimp. Return to the oven and switch to the broiler setting (or increase temperature to 450°F if your oven doesn’t have a broiler). Broil for 2-4 minutes, watching carefully, until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly and the shrimp are completely cooked through and opaque.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven immediately to prevent overcooking. The shrimp should be pink, opaque, and slightly curled—they’ll continue cooking slightly from residual heat. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side. Spoon that gorgeous garlic butter sauce over everything!
Notes
- Shrimp Size Matters: Larger shrimp (16-20 count) are ideal. If using smaller shrimp (31-40 count), reduce cooking time by 2-3 minutes total to prevent overcooking.
- Don’t Overcook: Shrimp cook very quickly and become rubbery when overdone. They’re done when pink, opaque, and slightly curled into a “C” shape (not a tight “O”).
- Fresh Parmesan is Key: Pre-grated Parmesan won’t melt and brown properly. Take the extra minute to grate it fresh for best results.
- Watch the Broiler: Broilers vary significantly in intensity. Stay nearby and check frequently to prevent burning the cheese.
- Tail On or Off: Leaving tails on makes for prettier presentation, but removing them makes eating easier. Your choice!
- Butter Sauce: Don’t discard that flavorful butter left in the pan—it’s perfect for dipping bread or drizzling over pasta or rice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American, Seafood
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 6 ounces shrimp with sauce (¼ of recipe)
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 895mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 295mg