Baked Shrimp Scampi With Bread Crumbs

Baked shrimp scampi is easy to make and is going to make you feel like a combination of Ina Garten, Julia Child, and the kind of person who calmly greets guests with a glass of wine in hand because she had dinner prepped hours ago. If you are asking yourself if what is effectively a gussied up, garlicky baked shrimp casserole really accomplish all that, the answer is OMG YES. You see, when you toss shrimp with lemon, then top said shrimp with a thick layer of panko bread crumbs that have been tossed with garlic and butter and more lemon, then bake the whole shebang until the top is gloriously golden and crisp and the shrimp are pink and juicy, you realize that—at least in this brief, beautiful moment—there is nothing in the kitchen you cannot accomplish. I’m always looking for dinner ideas that I can prep in advance, both for busy weeknights and for dinner parties. Shrimp are one of my favorite proteins for quick dinners (shrimp takes mere minutes to cook), and they feel special enough for entertaining too. While I’m a huge fan of my similarly-flavored Garlic Butter Shrimp and Garlic Shrimp Pasta recipes, this oven baked shrimp scampi is the show off.

How to Make Baked Shrimp Scampi

I love shrimp scampi (especially this popular Healthy Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles), but prior to this recipe (my mini-scampi revelation), I assumed it needed to be cooked on the stovetop and at the last minute. It turns out, all you need to do make shrimp scampi in advance is to bake it instead! This recipe is loosely based on Ina Garten baked shrimp scampi, with a few of my healthy twists.

The Ingredients

Shrimp. You can use fresh, but 99.9% of the time I buy raw, easy-peel frozen shrimp and let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Once the shrimp is baked in our luscious lemon, garlic, and olive oil mixture, you’ll never suspect it didn’t arrive fresh.

Olive Oil. Instead of tossing our shrimp in a hefty amount of melted butter exclusively, I found that swapping it for a more moderate amount of olive oil still tasted fantastic. The topping has all the butter the recipe needs to taste rich and indulgent.Lemon Juice. A shrimp scampi essential.

Once you have the shrimp arranged in this dish, it’s time for the topping! Shrimp scampi needs three core ingredients: Note: While you can bake frozen cooked shrimp, I do not recommend baking precooked shrimp in this recipe or any other, as it will become tough and overdone. Be sure to purchase raw frozen shrimp.

Butter. For us, half a stick was the right amount for a rich, buttery scampi. We felt like we were eating restaurant baked shrimp scampi, but with the added benefit that we didn’t need a nap afterward.Lemon. Light and bright.Garlic. Don’t even think about skimping here! Big garlic = big flavor.

From here, we transition to baked shrimp scampi with BREADCRUMBS.

Panko Breadcrumbs. They’re extra crispy, larger than regular bread crumbs, and exactly what this healthy baked shrimp recipe deserves.Egg Yolk. The egg yolk adds richness and helps the bread crumb topping transform into buttery, crispy baked shrimp “clumps” you’ll want to steal more than your fair share of.Shallot. I love the way the bits of shallot crisp in the oven as the topping bakes.Parsley. Freshness + color.Red Pepper Flakes. For a pop of spice. If you’re a fan of spicy baked shrimp, you can use a little extra.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Refrigerate baked shrimp in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days. To Reheat. Very gently rewarm leftovers in an oven-safe skillet or baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F. I don’t recommend freezing this dish, as it can negatively impact the texture of the shrimp.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Oven-Safe Skillet. An investment piece you’ll use for a lifetime. Citrus Juicer. Juicing lemons is so much easier with this tool. Mixing Bowls. Great for melting the butter and mixing the topping ingredients.

Do you have any favorite make-ahead dishes for a special dinner or easy entertaining? I’d love to hear about them in the comments section below.

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