One of the many restaurants my daughter and I used to frequent was Hokkaido, an all-you-can-eat Japanese seafood restaurant 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 is not exactly cheap at about $25 per head but you really get the full bang for your buck. Their menu is pretty extensive, from a wide array of Chinese dishes, a carving station, sushi and salad section to made-to-order teppanyaki. But even with the wonderful variety and choices, there were only two things I always beelined for: King crab legs and baked cheese shrimp! Freshly-cracked crab meat slathered in lemon butter? So help me, God! And this succulent shrimp topped with creamy cheese? Nom nom heaven!

If you are looking for a simple yet elegant appetizer for your next get-together, this baked cheese shrimp won’t fail to please. It’s so easy to make and takes less than 10 minutes to cook, the butterflying is most of the work. Just have a good pair of kitchen shears and a sharp knife handy and you’ll be done in a breeze. 🙂

Make sure to use large shrimp for this recipe as they are easier to prep. I was lucky to find 31-40 size shrimp on sale this weekend at Seafood City and they were just right.

The creamy topping is a simple mixture of mayonnaise, shredded Cheddar, and a little sprinkling of sugar for a touch of sweetness. You can, if you want, use the sweet chili-mayo topping I like on my baked mussels for a kick of heat. Both equally delicious!

My friends, this baked shrimp is seriously addicting 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.

One important thing to remember, bake at a high temperature of 400 F as you don’t want to overcook the shrimps. They should be perfectly done by the time the cheese is golden and bubbly.

5 from 1 vote

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Baked Cheese Shrimp

Prep Time

15mins

Cook Time

10mins

Total Time

25mins

Baked Cheese Shrimp topped with cheese and mayo and then baked until golden and bubbly are sure to be everyone's favorite appetizer! So addicting and delicious, it's hard to stop at one!

Course:Appetizer

Cuisine:Asian

Servings: 4Servings

Calories: 146kcal

Author: Lalaine

Ingredients

• 1poundlarge shrimps (31-40 size )
• 1/2mayonnaise
• 1/4cupcheddar cheese, shredded
• 1teaspoonsugar

Instructions

1. 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.

2. Pry open to butterfly, making sure to leave shell intact. Gently rinse in cold running water to remove intestinal tract. Drain well.

3. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, and sugar. Stir together until well-distributed and sugar is dissolved.

4. Spoon about a teaspoonful of the cheese-mayo mixture on each shrimp and spread to cover exposed flesh.

5. Bake in a 400 F oven for about 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through and the top is golden and bubbly. Remove from heat and serve hot.