Baked Cheese Shrimp is topped with cheese and mayo and baked until golden and bubbly are sure to be everyone's favorite appetizer. They're so creamy, cheesy, and deliciously addictive that it's hard to stop at one!
One of the many restaurants my daughter and I used to frequent was Hokkaido, an all-you-can-eat Japanese seafood place in the city of Long Beach. The university she went to is a few blocks from the restaurant, and we would often come for dinner when I picked her up from school. In fact, this was where we celebrated her college graduation with a few of our family and friends.
The restaurant costs about $25 per head, and you get a full bang for your buck. Their menu is extensive, from a wide array of Chinese dishes, carving stations, sushi and salad sections, and made-to-order teppanyaki.
But even with the wonderful variety and choices, there were only two things we always beelined for: King crab legs and baked cheese shrimp! Freshly cracked crab meat slathered in lemon butter? Woe to my ever-expanding girth. And this succulent shrimp topped with creamy cheese? Nom heaven!
If you're looking for a simple yet elegant appetizer for your next get-together, you can try my rellenong alimango recipe or these cheesy baked shrimp to level up your party food game. They're easy to make yet look so fancy and taste amazing.
They're creamy, cheesy, and seriously addictive. You'll have everyone fighting over the last piece and begging you for the recipe.
You can pretend you spent all afternoon slaving away in the kitchen when they took all but 20 minutes to make. Butterflying the shrimp is most of the work involved, and with a good pair of kitchen shears and a sharp knife handy, you'll be done in a breeze.
What you'll need
And not only are these baked cheese shrimp ready in minutes, but they also have a short list of ingredients. Only four things separate you from the yummiest seafood appetizer ever!
- Shrimp- Use large to jumbo size for this recipe, as they are easier to prep. I was lucky to find 31-40 sizes on sale this weekend at our neighborhood supermarket, and they were just right for the job.
- Creamy topping- a simple mixture of mayonnaise, shredded Cheddar, and a little sprinkling of sugar to balance the savory note with a hint of sweetness. You can swap the sugar with sweet chili sauce for a kick of heat, like in this baked tahong recipe.
Helpful tips
- If you'd like to switch up the type of cheese, I recommend Monterey Jack, Mexican blend, or processed-filled cheese food (Eden), as they melt quickly and are creamy. DO NOT use mozzarella cheese, as it's very stringy when melted.
- To boost color and flavor, add some herbs or spices such as chives, parsley, and garlic (fresh or powder).
- To keep from overcooking the shrimp, bake at a high temperature of 400 F so the cheese will be golden and bubbly by the time the shrimp are perfectly done.
These creamy butterflied shrimp are going to knock your socks off! You'll be surprised how something so simple can be so good!
I suggest doubling the batch, especially if you're serving a crowd. Your guests are guaranteed to love the succulent shrimp and the gooey, cheesy topping; they'd be hard-pressed to eat just one.
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp (31-40 size )
- ยฝ cup mayonnaise
- ยผ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Twist the head to remove and discard. Using a pair of scissors, cut the shell starting from the head along the middle of the body all the way to the tail. Using a small, sharp knife, make an incision on the length of the shrimps but not cutting through.
- Pry open to butterfly, making sure to leave shell intact. Gently rinse in cold running water to remove intestinal tract. Drain well.
- In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, and sugar. Stir together until well-distributed and sugar is dissolved.
- Arrange shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spoon about a teaspoonful of the cheese-mayo mixture on each shrimp and spread to cover exposed flesh.
- Bake in a 400 F oven for about 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through and theย top is golden and bubbly.
- Remove from heat and serve hot.
Notes
- If you'd like to switch up the type of cheese, I recommend Monterey Jack, Mexican blend, or processed-filled cheese food (Eden), as they melt quickly and are creamy. DO NOT use mozzarella cheese, as it's very stringy when melted.
- To boost color and flavor, add some herbs or spices such as chives, parsley, and garlic (fresh or powder).
- To keep from overcooking the shrimp, bake at a high temperature of 400 F so the cheese will be golden and bubbly by the time the shrimp are perfectly done.
Video
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Eugene says
I used large 16-20 per pound shrimp so it would be less labor. I used sweet chili sauce in the mix and to make it spicier I added cayenne pepper. And then sprinkled dry basil on top before I put in the over for 8 minutes. It came out better than in the restaurant and I could not stop eating it so thank you. A pound went down very easy. Next time I will make 2 pounds so my wife can enjoy it too.
Andrea Grace Tomines says
Aside from Cheddar cheese, what other cheese can I use?
Lalaine Manalo says
You can use any cheese you like, except maybe mozzarella as it gets really stringy.
Rhio Chico says
ok po ba din gamitin ang Eden Cheese natin?
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes, pwede po ๐
ALChan says
In your recipe, for the ingredient mayonnaise you have left out the volume, Is it 1/2 cup of mayonnaise?
Lalaine Manalo says
I am so sorry about that; I corrected the recipe. Yes, it's 1/2 cup ๐
Melodie says
I am a non-cook. What happens if I try this with cooked frozen shrimp??
Lalaine says
Unfortunately, for best results, I don't recommend using cooked frozen shrimp, I think the shrimps will turn tough and rubbery. ๐
Erick Tajanlangit says
Hi Lalaine
Can we invite u to guest GMA 7 for cooking show? Wats ur cntact number?
Mary says
Hi! 1/2 CUP mayonnaise po ba ito? it only says 1/2 sa recipe. thank you!
wengtotz says
looks so yummy. fave pa naman namin ng anak ko ang shrimp. I will definitely cook this ngayon new year. thanks. lovely blog btw.
Lalaine says
Thank you!
Shannon says
I was very disappointed in this recipe. It was not the "gooey, cheesy topping!" you said it would be. I followed the recipe exactly as written. I only use real mayonnaise and fresh cheddar cheese. I had to triple the cheese to get that gooey cheesy topping. Once I tripled the cheese, the recipe was awesome! I look forward to trying more of your posted recipes!
Jacq De castro says
I came across your blog while looking for a shrimp recipe. Thanks for this. Looks so yummy! Yung likod ba ng shrimp ang i-cut? How about yung mga paa ng shrimps, kelangan din ba i-remove?