This recipe for baked breaded shrimp makes jumbo shrimp that are juicy and crunchy. You can serve it as an appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce or as a main dish with a salad or just french fries. Clean and effortless way to make crispy shrimp, that does not involve deep frying.
This Baked Breaded Shrimp recipe is perfect for a year round appetizer. You can make it in the summer with your favorite drink or serve it as an appetizer at the holidays with sparkling wine. Serve with fries, chips, salads and vegetables. Very easy to make, foolproof and mess free.
I’m a little intimidated by (deep) frying foods. I understand that it’s not hard to fry potatoes or chicken, but you need to do it the right way for them to taste good. One more cons of deep frying at home – the smell and cleanup are not fun. I’d rather eat outside and order a bunch of deep fried foods like fish, shrimp, calamari and chips.
But sometimes I do make fried dishes at home. And I rarely fry in oil on the stove top. I prefer using my convection oven or my favorite Philips Air Fryer.
Crispy breaded shrimp baked in the oven is a delicious way to enjoy tender, juicy shrimp encased in a light, crunchy coating Knowing how long to cook breaded shrimp in the oven is key to achieving the ideal texture Undercooking leaves a soggy, unappealing breading. Overdoing it risks drying out the shrimp. With the right timing, you’ll pull shrimp from the oven with a perfect golden crust and moist, flavorful shrimp inside every bite.
Factors That Affect Oven Baked Shrimp Cook Times
Several key factors impact how long breaded shrimp needs to cook in the oven
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Shrimp size – The cooking time can vary significantly depending on whether you are using small, medium, large or jumbo shrimp. Jumbo shrimp around 16-20 per pound may need 12-14 minutes while smaller shrimp require less time.
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Breading thickness – A light dusting cooks faster than a heavy, multilayered breading. Thick coatings insulate the shrimp, slowing down cooking.
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Oven temperature – Higher heat crisps up the coating quickly. Standard baking temperatures around 400°F work well.
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Pan or dish – Densely crowded shrimp require more time than a single layer. Dark metal pans absorb more heat compared to glass.
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Ingredients – Fresh breadcrumbs cook faster than panko. Eggs help adhere the coating. Seasonings and cheese can extend baking time.
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Doneness – Cook 2-3 minutes less for softer shrimp. Cook longer for extra crispy breading.
How Long to Bake Breaded Shrimp Based on Size
As a general guideline, these oven bake times for breaded shrimp based on size produce ideal doneness:
- Extra small (36-45 per pound): 7-9 minutes
- Small (31-35 per pound): 8-10 minutes
- Medium (26-30 per pound): 9-11 minutes
- Large (21-25 per pound): 10-12 minutes
- Jumbo (16-20 per pound): 12-14 minutes
These times are for a standard breading at a typical oven temperature of 400°F. Adjust times up or down based on the factors above. Always check doneness early and continue cooking if needed.
Oven Baked Breaded Shrimp Step-by-Step
Follow these simple steps for foolproof crispy oven baked shrimp:
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Prep the shrimp – For even cooking, shrimp should be peeled, deveined, patted dry and similar in size. Leave the tails on for a built-in handle.
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Make the coating – Combine breadcrumbs, flour, and seasonings like salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, or oregano.
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Dip in egg wash – Beat eggs with milk or water. Dip shrimp in egg mixture to help the coating stick.
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Bread the shrimp – Press shrimp into the breading mixture to completely coat.
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Arrange on a baking sheet – Place breaded shrimp in a single layer on a parchment lined pan.
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Lightly spray oil – Mist shrimp with oil to promote browning and crisping.
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Bake at 400°F – Cook according to shrimp size, flipping halfway through, until golden brown.
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Check doneness – Cut to ensure the center is opaque.
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Serve and enjoy! – Pair with cocktail sauce, lemon wedges, or your favorite dipping sauces.
Troubleshooting Oven Baked Breaded Shrimp
Having trouble getting your breaded shrimp to come out just right? Here are some common issues and solutions:
Problem: Breading falls off during baking
Solution: Ensure shrimp are dry before breading, use egg wash, press coating on firmly, and avoid overcrowding.
Problem: Shrimp dry out in the oven
Solution: Don’t overcook, test doneness early, and bake at 400°F or below to prevent moisture loss.
Problem: Breading is soggy or soft
Solution: Allow shrimp to rest after baking to crisp coating. Increase oven temperature for faster browning.
Problem: Shrimp curl as they cook
Solution: Use fresh or properly thawed shrimp, and keep them flat on the pan while baking.
Problem: Uneven cooking between shrimp
Solution: Arrange in a single layer and flip halfway for even exposure to oven heat.
Cooking Breaded Shrimp to Perfection
Crispy breaded shrimp right out of the oven makes for an impressive appetizer or entree. Now that you know approximately how long to cook breaded shrimp in the oven based on size and other factors, you can achieve the ideal texture every time. Aim for a light golden coating with a slightly translucent, opaque center. Test doneness early and continue cooking if the shrimp is underdone. In just 10-15 minutes, you can enjoy the satisfying crunch of the exterior combined with the juicy, savory shrimp inside. Crispy oven baked breaded shrimp is sure to become a go-to recipe for special occasions and busy weeknights alike.
How long to bake breaded jumbo shrimp in the oven for at 400 F?
Bake for 8-12 minutes, turning once, until the shrimp is cooked through and golden on the outside. Cooking time may vary, depending on the types of ingredients used, size of shrimp, oven and baking trays.
- Panko breadcrumbs, homemade breadcrumbs, or seasoning? You can use Panko, which is a Japanese-style flaky breadcrumb, regular breadcrumbs, or seasoning. Pretty much any breadcrumb will work. You could even season plain breadcrumbs with your favorite mix of spices. Can’t get to the store and don’t have any breadcrumbs? Put some old bread in a food processor and run it until you get fine crumbs. Use these in the recipe. When I bread shrimp, I mix the seasonings (salt and pepper) with the breadcrumbs. Leave the eggs and cornstarch unseasoned. This keeps the shrimp’s natural flavor and moisture inside, and the breading on the outside is nice and crunchy.
- How do you make sure the breading doesn’t fall off the shrimp? It’s easy, but please be careful with each shrimp so they are all baked perfectly. Put all the shrimp in the batter at once and put it in the oven or fryer. That’s not how this recipe works. First, make sure each shrimp is dry, then cover it in cornstarch (flour). Next, dip it all the way through in beaten egg, and finally, coat it in breadcrumbs. The breading will not fall off, I promise!.
- It’s possible to make breading without cornstarch if you don’t have any on hand. Just use plain white flour. There is a small difference, though, which is why I usually use cornstarch for “fried foods.” Cornstarch is a little better at “locking in the moisture” of foods. It also helps make foods crispier and gives them a nice “golden” color.
- Cooking with very little oil—this breaded shrimp is baked in the oven with very little oil to make sure the breadcrumbs stay on top of the shrimp and get golden and crispy. I think you should use a cooking spray (olive oil spray works well) and put shrimp on top before you bake it. After flipping the shrimp over to cook the other side, do it again and lightly spray the top to cook the other side.
There is an option to use an air fryer for this Baked breaded shrimp recipe because air fryers have been very popular for a while now because they are easy to use and make great food.
Prepare the shrimp as you are going to oven bake it.
Preheat your air fryer for 3 minutes at 375 F.
Arrange the breaded shrimp in a single layer inside the basket.
Spray with cooking spray on top. Cook for 4 minutes. Carefully turn all the shrimp, spray with cooking spray again. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, until crispy.
How to make breaded shrimp, that is crispy on the outside and juicy in the inside in the oven?
Ingredients:
- jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- cornstarch
- eggs, beaten with 1 tbsp cold water
- breadcrumbs (could be Panko)
- salt
- black pepper
- seafood seasoning like Old Bay, Zatarain’s (optional)
- garlic powder (optional)
- paprika (optional)
Type of shrimp
I like to use Jumbo shrimp (21/25 Shrimp Count per Pound), which is 5–6 shrimp per 3-oz serving for this kind of recipe. Because of its size, it’s easy to work with and hard to overcook. But is it still “bite-sized” food?
Other types of shrimp, like “extra large,” could be used, but the cooking time would need to be cut by at least 3–4 minutes.
Directions:
Place the cornstarch in a shallow bowl.
Beat eggs with water and place in another shallow bowl.
Combine breadcrumbs and seasoning and add to a third shallow bowl.
Using kitchen tongs, dip shrimp to coat in the cornstarch.
Next dip in the eggs and last toss into the breadcrumbs.
Arrange on a baking sheet, covered with parchment paper. Spray shrimp on top with cooking spray. Flip and spray the other side.
Turn the shrimp over once and bake at 400 F for 8 to 12 minutes, until the inside is golden brown and the shrimp is done.