Succulent Baked Stuffed Shrimp Casserole Recipe

If you're looking for a delicious seafood casserole recipe to make for dinner that's sure to please a crowd, then look no further than this succulent baked stuffed shrimp casserole dish from recipe developer Jason Goldstein of Chop Happy. It's certainly a winner, and your family is sure to ask you to make it again and again.

"I love stuffed shrimp," Goldstein says of his nostalgic creation. "Growing up spending every weekend at the Jersey Shore, I ate this all the time." As everyone knows, the shore and fresh seafood dishes for dinnertime go hand in hand. Summer is a really great time of year for a great seafood recipe. It's also an easy time to get some fresh fish to use in any dish.

To prepare this casserole, you'll need to first butterfly the shrimp and then stuff them with a combination of buttery breadcrumbs and aromatics. The dish is then briefly baked in a 400 F oven until the shrimp are tender and the topping is crispy and golden brown. Not only will your kitchen smell completely delicious when this shrimp is ready to be served, but your guests or family will enjoy eating them.

"We eat it as a main with a big salad," says Goldstein. (Try this simple combo of tomato and cucumber or a shaved asparagus salad for something a little more out of the ordinary!) This casserole would also make a lovely hot appetizer or even an hors d'oeuvre for a cocktail party.

To get started, you'll need to pull your ingredients together. Most of them are standard things you already have. To make this succulent baked stuffed shrimp casserole, you will, of course, need shrimp. They will be seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then topped with an aromatic blend of breadcrumbs. The topping will be seasoned with dried oregano, garlic powder, scallions, and fresh parsley and basil for loads of flavor. It will be wonderfully convenient if you have those herbs in your garden. Parmesan, butter, and a nice amount of even more extra-virgin olive oil will add moisture and richness to the casserole. A smattering of some additional butter over the top — and some more Parmesan cheese if you're feeling extra daring — ensures the topping bakes up nice and crisp. It's no secret that everyone tries to grab a piece of more of the crisp topping in a dish like this!

To get started in preparing this casserole now that you have your ingredients organized, first preheat the oven to 400 F. While the oven is heating up, melt the stick of butter and add the breadcrumbs as well as the oregano, garlic, Parmesan cheese, scallions, fresh herbs, and a tablespoon of the olive oil. Mix all of these ingredients well to combine them. While you're mixing, make sure that all of the breadcrumbs are nicely coated in the butter and oil, and then you will set this mixture aside until you're ready to stuff the shrimp later in the recipe.

The shrimp for this succulent baked stuffed shrimp casserole recipe need to be butterflied before they can be stuffed. But don't worry, because this technique isn't too complicated to master if you've never done it before. You're going to use a small knife like a paring knife to cut into the shrimp all the way from the head to the tail, being very careful not to cut the shrimp all the way through.

"I do it from the inside part of the shrimp," notes Goldstein, which, he says, makes it easier to wrap the tail around the stuffing. "But it does not really matter."

When all of the shrimp have been butterflied, season them with the remaining teaspoon of oil, salt, and pepper, and arrange them in the baking dish in a few rows.

Now that the shrimp are ready in your casserole dish, it's time to stuff them! Grab the breadcrumb mixture you prepared, and pour it all over the shrimp, making sure your coating is even. Then, pull each of the tails up so that they stick out of the breading slightly. Dollop the remaining butter over the top of the breadcrumbs, and sprinkle the top of your dish with a bit more Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Now that everything is put together, place the succulent baked stuffed shrimp casserole into the preheated oven, and bake it for 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the shrimp are cooked through. That's it! 

You've just prepared a really cool dish, and the process was pretty simple. All that's left is to serve and dig into this flavorful dish. This a great casserole to serve buffet style with other sides, or you can easily put some on each plate. 

Consider grabbing a bottle of your favorite wine and perhaps a loaf of garlic bread to enjoy alongside this tasty dish. If you would like to toss a fresh, green salad, it's a nice addition to the meal as well. Your overall presentation for the evening will be an impressive one, so pat yourself on the back, because you did a great job!