Here’s an incredible way to cook shrimp in the oven – baked in a lemon garlic butter white wine sauce, finished with a golden crunchy parmesan breadcrumb topping. People call it Magic Baked Shrimp – because it’s so simple to make, yet it tastes like a million bucks. It’s basically an oven baked Shrimp Scampi!
Baked Shrimp (Prawns)
When you bake shrimp in the oven, you simply can’t achieve that same caramelisation that you get from searing prawns on the stove or grill, which means less flavour.
And frankly, shrimp is pricey compared to other day-to-day proteins. So when I cook it, I’m not going to compromise!
So here are the two things in this recipe that adds an extra edge to compensation for loss of flavour because we can’t caramelise shrimp in the oven:
White wine reduction flavour base – white wine is the “secret ingredient” that gives many sauces a flavour edge to take them from fine to soooo tasty!! It’s used in the classic recipe for Garlic Prawns/Shrimp and it’s essential to include for Baked Shrimp to make a seriously amazing sauce!!
That crunchy parmesan breadcrumb topping – Texture! Flavour!
This is an effortless, utterly incredible way to cook shrimp in the oven that’s worthy of company!
What you need to make GREAT baked shrimp
There’s not that many ingredients required – part of the Magic of this recipe!!
For convenience, I use store bought grated parmesan and frozen prawns/shrimp.
Note: The prawns/shrimp shown below ARE raw! They are from Costco and they’re a particular type that are pink when raw.
How to cook prawns / shrimp in the oven (and make them really tasty!)
So here is how I cook prawns / shrimp in the oven:
Start with a white wine reduction in an empty pan in a hot oven. This creates an exceptional flavour base that’s usually missing from baked shrimp recipes!!
Toss shrimp (prawns) with lemon, garlic, butter, salt and pepper;
Top with parmesan panko breadcrumb topping;
Bake just 12 minutes.
Yep, it’s that easy. No stirring, no stove splatters, all done in one pan!
And here’s what you end up with:
Juicy, tender shrimp that are perfectly cooked;
A pool of incredible lemon-butter-garlic-white wine sauce with an extra flavour boost from the shrimp juices; and
The crowning glory – a golden crunchy parmesan topping. It just doesn’t get any better than this!!
The sauce that comes with this Baked Shrimp really is amazing. Even if it was just lemon and butter, it would be delicious. But with the white wine reduction, it’s INCREDIBLE!!!
Simple, effortless yet amazing
Recipes like this Baked Shrimp are my jam. It’s incredibly simple, yet utterly delectable.
It’s got it all! Flavour, juiciness, texture, depth of flavour, tang from lemon, savoury from parmesan.
So few ingredients, so effortless.
It’s like…. MAGIC!!! – Nagi x
PS I presume you figured it out from the outset, but just to clarify: prawns = shrimp. 🙂 I’m in Australia, and we call them prawns here. So most of my recipes are titled “prawns (shrimp)” but from time to time, depending on the recipe and given I have a large proportion of US readers, I will title a recipe “shrimp” rather than prawns. 😇
Watch how to make it
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Crispy Baked Shrimp in Lemon Butter Sauce (Prawns)
Ingredients
- 500g/ 1 lb jumbo prawns/shrimp , peeled and deveined (Note 1)
- 3/4 cup dry white wine (sub chicken broth)
- 75g/ 5 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Crunchy Topping:
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 2)
- 1/4 cup parmesan , finely shredded
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
Garnish:
- Finely chopped parsley
- Lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220°C/430°F (all oven types).
- Pour wine and half the butter into 9 x 13" / 22 x 33cm baking pan (see Note 3 if using glass). Place in oven for 10 minutes to reduce.
- Toss prawns with remaining butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Butter may harden – that’s ok.
- Mix Crunchy Topping ingredients.
- Remove pan from oven. Add prawns – spread out in single layer, but snug.
- Top with Crunchy Topping. Bake 12 minutes.
- Flick to broiler/grill on high, broil for 1 – 2 minutes (max) to brown top a bit more.
- Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread to mop up the incredible sauce!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published August 2019. Tidied up for some housekeeping matters July 2020 – no change to recipe!
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Life of Dozer
Too much garlic in this Baked Shrimp for Dozer. So I offered him something else to taste test instead (this Bacon and Egg Muffin – with a whole egg baked inside!) – and he seemed totally ok with it. 😂
You must have read my mind because I was searching for a baked prawn dish and this looks like a winner! Looking forward to trying it in the near future.
Hope you get a chance to try it Maria! N x
Hi Nagi – I can’t wait to make these. They look so good. Will have to go to Costco tomorrow I guess. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re so welcome Kathi! N x
Nagi, the star ratings system is not working.
Oh no! Thanks for the heads up, I’ll look into it! N x
Any way to edit reader comments to get rid of various errors?
Hmm! I’m actually not sure, I will look into it! Or – if you tell me what you want me to change, I can do it for you 🙂 N x
Nagi, I imagine this dish would destroy anyone’s diet routine. Fortunately, I don’t worry about such things. This dish will be on my table often.
I used a Pyrex dish a little smaller than 9×13 and had to stack a few shrimp to get the 16 jumbos to fit. No matter. The all cooked nicely, and the sauce was, as you told us was delicious.
On the side was sauteéd baby portobello mushrooms and onions, tossed with thin spaghetti.
Thank you for posting yet another excellent recipe.
Oooh! I love your sides 🙂 What a feast! N xx
The sautéed mushrooms also included some garlic, white wine for deglazing, lots of evoo, and a sprinkle of parsley.
I love it when a dish comes together like magic but if you put this in front of me it will magically disappear 🙃
I hope you’re recovering from your travels. Can’t wait to hear all about it.
Thanks Dahn! I hadn’t planned on doing a post but I guess maybe I should! I certainly have enough material for a post 🙂 N xx
Of course a wine reduction makes SO much difference ! I am so oft saddened to read some people don’t use it for everyday cooking as all alcohol evaporates in the process and only necessary taste remains. Must admit I rarely bake PRAWNS but this recipe with its delightful panko coverlet will make me try 🙂 !
I AGREE 100%!!!!!!
Love your wonderful recipes and have cooked a few that were fabulous, however a lot of your recipes use a lot of garlic. I am one of those unfortunate, elderly? people that has a digestive disorder that excludes me from garlic, ugg, do you have any suggestions for a really super substitute? As a BTW there are a LOT of people in my predicament that cannot use garlic, we search for Garlic free recipes or just leave it out with a loss of flavor…………..
Hi Ron! I’m sorry to hear that. Can you tell me if onion is ok? What about garlic chives, eschallots, green onions?? 🙂 N x
Hi, Nagi, thanks for the reply.
I have found using a little Cumin in lemon butter sauce makes for a yummy finish for
many of your chicken/fish recipes that call for it!
Hi Ron, yes garlic is a no no for some people. I have my moment with it too. May I suggest something like chives, maybe a little garlic chives or the plain ones. Maybe parsley or some appropriate herb that compliments the dish. Ginger works a treat with some dishes. Best of luck and good cooking….Madeleine
Chives is a great idea Madeleine! N xx
could you add or sub scallops and cook the same way? or would that not be good?
I don’t have shrimp at the moment, but would like to try this. Could I use tilapia as a test?
100% absolutely! And actually, you read my mind, I want to share this using fish in the near future!!! N xx
The tilapia came out wonderfully. I will probably try this recipe with different kinds of fish and shrimp when I get some in the house thanks again for great food!
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it Claudia! I will share the fish version soon – I have a simple baked fish coming up which is a bit similar 🙂 N xx
I made this with cod, as I didn’t have any shrimp in the freezer. I followed the instructions exactly and it was fabulous! Hope you are feeling better, Nagi. Dozer is doing a great job, as usual!
Oooh! I love that you made this with cod! Glad you enjoyed it Barb, thanks for letting me know! N xx PS Thanks for well wishes, feeling much better now, just playing catch up!
Love shrimp. I always have a pound or two in the freezer. You can bet I’m gonna try this recipe. It sounds scrumptious!!
Do it do it!! 😂
I intend to try your recipe when my son comes to visit this weekend – but with changes. I have had a Pyrex glass baking dish shatter when I used it at 450 degrees and recommendations are to never place glass pans under a broiler. Please be careful if you do this regularly – better yet, use metal
I checked this and Pyrex is fine at 450 degrees. But I lost my nerve – so to be conservative, I’ve reduced to 430F!!
I would use corningware for this recipe. I have had pyrex dishes explode on me in the oven, especially with liquid.
Pyrex must be put in a preheated oven. If you put cold food or liquid in a Pyrex dish and then put it in an oven that has not been preheated, you run a risk of the dish exploding. The extreme heat from the oven preheating on one surface of the dish with the cold food on the other surface is what causes the problem. The heat on the outside of the dish is far less intense in a preheated oven.
I understand your hesitation Susan! If I’d had problems in the past I would too! N xx
Incredible flavor and ease of preparation! Yum!
Woah! You tried it already?? 🙂 N xx
This looks delicious
Thank you Carol! N x