My Grandma’s Baked Stuffed Shrimp recipe is a delicious New England restaurant recipe that dinner guests always rave about! It’s buttery and perfectly seasoned.
Folks, you are in for a special treat with this recipe today because I am sharing with you my grandma’s recipe. My dad used to go nuts whenever she made this Baked Stuffed Shrimp recipe. He describes it as being so delicious that it will make your socks roll down and back up! Ha Ha! I’m not sure exactly what that means but I think it’s safe to say he loved when she made baked stuffed shrimp.
My dad gets nostalgic talking about this dish. It’s fun to sit and listen to him tell stories of going to restaurants as a kid specifically for their family to order stuffed shrimp.
He remembers his mom getting tired of only being able to eat it at a restaurant so she created this stuffed shrimp recipe on her own so they could have restaurant-quality food at home. She would make Baked Stuffed Shrimp on special occasions such as birthdays and New Year’s Eve. He describes this dish as a true labor of love.
I have recreated it to bring a little bit of my Grandma’s New England home cooking into my kitchen and yours. I like to serve this stuffed shrimp with my rice pilaf recipe. This spinach salad would also go really well with this dish. In addition to the salad you could whip up my crispy smashed potatoes and then you’ll have yourself one delicious dinner!
Baked Stuffed Shrimp Questions Answered:
What is baked stuffed shrimp?
Baked Stuffed Shrimp is a classic New England dish found in most restaurants back East. It is made by filling the shrimp with a mixture of butter, crackers, and garlic.
Can you freeze baked stuffed shrimp?
You can freeze the stuffing in an airtight container to use at a later time. You can also freeze shrimp as long as you also store it in an airtight container. Now you have a meal that will be a little bit easier to prepare next time.
What does U-12 size mean?
The numbers you see on a package of shrimp represent the number of shrimp you will be getting per pound. For example, if it were to say 16/20, you would then know there are 16-20 shrimp in a pound in that particular package. When you see a number such as U-12, the U represents the word Under. So for U-12, it means you will be getting Under 12 per pound. The lower the number, the bigger the shrimp which is great for stuffing.
How do you make Baked Stuffed Shrimp?
- First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray it with cooking spray.
- To make the stuffing melt the butter in a skillet and then add in the shallot and saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Then, add garlic and cook for about a minute. In a separate bowl, combine the shallot, crushed Ritz crackers, melted butter, sherry wine, and pepper and stir until it is combined.
- Next to prepare the shrimp, remove the shell and make a shallow cut down the back of the shrimp. Then you will need to remove the vein.
- Next, cut along the length of the inside of the shrimp without cutting all the way through. After this, you can flatten the shrimp with the tail pointing up and place it on the baking sheet with the newly cut side facing up.
- Finally to put the shrimp and stuffing together, scoop a tablespoon of stuffing into a mound on the flat part of the shrimp. Then, bake for about 20 minutes.
Cook’s Note – Baked Stuffed Shrimp Recipe:
- If you’ like to make this recipe ahead of time, I suggest preparing the recipe through step 1 of “Stuff the Shrimp and Bake” in the recipe below. Then freeze the shrimp on a baking sheet. Once it’s frozen solid, place the shrimp in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. When you’re ready to make them, arrange the shrimp on the prepared baking sheet and le them sit at room temperature until thawed about 30-60 minutes. Then proceed with step 2 of “Stuff the Shrimp and Bake” of the recipe below.
- Adding a 1/2 cup of crab meat to the stuffing would be ah-mazing!
Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links.
Cook’s Tools:
Baked Stuffed Shrimp
Ingredients
STUFFING:
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 small shallot minced
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 35 Ritz crackers 1 sleeve, crushed into small crumbs
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter melted
- ¼ cup sherry wine
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
SHRIMP:
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp U-12 size, frozen or fresh (if frozen, defrost them)
SERVING:
- Lemon wedges
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Melted butter for dipping
Instructions
PREP THE OVEN:
- Move oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 375°Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly spray it with noncook cooking spray.
MAKE THE STUFFING:
- In a small skillet or pan add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add in the shallot and saute, stirring frequently, until softened and the edges begin to turn light brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
- In a medium bowl, add the shallot, crushed Ritz crackers, melted butter, sherry wine, and pepper. Stir until combined.
PREPARE THE SHRIMP:
- Remove the shell, leaving the tail section intact. Hold the shrimp in your hand with the inside of the curve facing down. Make a shallow cut with a paring knife down the back to the shrimp. Use the tip of the knife or a toothpick to remove the vein.
- Then, flip the shrimp so the inside of the curve is facing up. Run the paring knife along the length of the inside, cutting about ½-inch into the flesh, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH! You should now be able to flatten the shrimp with the tail pointing up. Place the shrimp, with this newly cut side facing up, on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining shrimp.
STUFF THE SHRIMP AND BAKE:
- Use a 1-Tablespoon scoop to scoop the stuffing into a mound on the flat part of the shrimp. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and the stuffing is golden brown.
FOR SERVING:
- Serve with lemon wedges, a sprinkle of paprika, and melted butter for dipping, YUM!
Nutrition
Jillian
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Andrea
Wow! I’ve never had shrimp stuffed like this before. It sounds delicious!
Jillian
It’s SO good, you need to try it!
Anne LaBell
Do you use cooking red or white sherry wine or regular sherry wine for your grandmother stuffed shrimp?I’m anxious to try this but I want to be right. Thanks
Jillian
Hi Anne,
I used sherry cooking wine for this recipe!
Sapana
I love that this is baked! The stuffing was amazing, thank you!
Jillian
So glad you loved the recipe!
Patty at Spoonabilities
I have never tried stuffed shrimp – where has this been all my life! What a wonderful recipe! Thanks so much for sharing your Grandma’s recipe 🙂
Jenni LeBaron
I don’t think I’ve ever had a stuffed shrimp before, but these look and sound so delicious! I can imagine that they disappear quickly once they hit the table!
Sara
This looks fantastic. I have never tried stuffed shrimp but they look like something I would love!
susan breeden
this is amazing, i also stuff huge muchrooms with the same ingredients. the best ever
Jillian
Yum, this stuffing would be perfect for mushrooms!
Jessica Formicola
I made these for dinner last night and they were fantastic! I already can’t wait to make them again! The best shrimp ever!
wilhelmina
Love these shrimp! The crispy stuffing is SO good!
Katie
I’ve never stuffed shrimp before but this was a hit!
Jillian
So glad you liked it! 🙂