Cheesy Baked Shrimp Dip

Cheesy, creamy, hot, and delicious! This Cheesy Baked Shrimp Dip is sure to become a new favorite for all your holidays and gatherings.

Cheesy shrimp dip was the hit of our New Year’s Eve party this year, and I’ve been using any excuse I can come up with to make it again.

Football Sunday? Perfect.
Awards shows? You bet.
Valentine’s Day? It works.
It will definitely make an appearance at all of our future holiday gatherings.

Piping hot and bubbling, this cheesy shrimp dip is like a creamy version of shrimp scampi. Tons of garlic and bright lemon flavor balance out the natural sweetness of the shrimp really beautifully.

Making Cheesy Baked Shrimp Dip

To make this shrimp dip, start by sautéing tons of fresh garlic in a little olive oil. Be sure to use low heat, since you don’t want the garlic to burn! Then, stir in the zest and juice from two lemons and a pound of shrimp.

For the best flavor and texture, I like to use roughly chopped raw shrimp. You can definitely substitute precooked shrimp if you prefer though. Once the shrimp is cooked through, stir in a block of cream cheese, some mayonnaise, and shredded mozzarella. Everything will melt together and it will already start to look amazing, but it only gets better from here.

Pour everything into a buttered casserole dish and bake the dip until it’s hot and bubbling, with slightly golden brown edges. Then sprinkle it with paprika and serve it with your favorite dippers. I love the bright flavor of this cheesy shrimp dip paired with buttery Ritz crackers, but it’s also fantastic served with toasted baguette slices or stuffed into celery. Whatever I serve it with, I can’t stop dipping!

Make It In Advance

To save time, this cheesy shrimp dip can also be made the night before you plan to serve it. Once you transfer it to the casserole dish, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and stick it in the refrigerator. The next day, remove the plastic and pop the dish in the oven. Since you’re starting with a cold dip in this situation, it will take a little extra time in the oven – plan for 30-40 minutes.

Cheesy Baked Shrimp Dip

• Author: Christine Pittman
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 servings
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

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DESCRIPTION

Cheesy, creamy, hot, and delicious! This Cheesy Baked Shrimp Dip is sure to become a new favorite for all your holidays and gatherings.
Serve with crackers.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb. medium uncooked shrimp
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 16 oz. cream cheese
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 and ½ cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
• Paprika, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 350°F. Grease a casserole dish.
2. Remove and discard the shrimp tails. Roughly chop the shrimp.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic; cook 2-3 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Stir in the shrimp, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, 4-5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream cheese and mayonnaise until melted. Fold in the mozzarella.
5. Pour the dip into your prepared casserole dish. Bake 15-20 minutes, until the dip is bubbling and golden brown around the edges.
6. Garnish with paprika. Serve with crackers.