Cheesy baked tiger shrimp are the best make ahead appetizer! Plump, juicy shrimp are topped with cheese and baked to melty perfection.

Are you looking for an appetizer that will “wow” and impress your guests? Look no further than these cheesy baked tiger shrimps. Bust out a beautiful platter and be prepared to watch them get gobbled up!
In just 20 minutes, cheesy baked shrimp comes together in a cinch. Just be sure to serve the dip while it’s piping hot!
What Kind of Cheese Goes Well with Shrimp?
For this recipe, I typically use a mozzarella cheese blend. However, feel free to use whatever cheese you fancy most. I have experimented with everything from cheddar, Mexican cheese, goat cheese to bleu cheese and beyond!
What Does it Mean to Butterfly Shrimp?
For this recipe you will need to butterfly the shrimp. But what does that actually mean? Follow these simple instructions:
- Remove the shell from the shrimp without removing the tail. (This is totally optional)
- Insert the knife three-quarters of the way into the shrimp near the head and cut nearly all the way down the shrimp’s back just before the tail. Remove the vein with your knife.
- Using your hands, open the shrimp flesh until it lays flat.

Tiger Shrimp are Your Best Bet
Tiger shrimp are your best bet because they are large and they have a ton of flesh. This makes them easier to butterfly and sturdy enough to hold the weight of the filling.
How to Make Cheesy Baked Shrimp
Follow these step-by-step instructions to get perfect shrimp on the table with no fuss:
- Rinse your shrimp under cool water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Butterfly your shrimp. Place them on a baking sheet.
- Apply a thin layer of mayonnaise to your shrimp, then a sprinkle of parsley salt and a small handful of cheese.
- Bake them at 400 ℉ for up to 12 minutes. Check your shrimps around 10 minutes to make sure they have turned pink (the main sign they are all done!).

Other Seafood Favorites
- Creamy Shrimp Scampi – Every seafood lover knows shrimp scampi. A buttery, rich sauce covers plump shrimp in this classic steakhouse dish.
- Baked Cod – Baked cod is light, flaky and moist! Turn this cheap cut of fish into something fancy with this recipe.
- Air Fryer Salmon – Salmon is made perfectly crispy with the air fryer.
- Air Fryer Cod – In the mood for fish and chips? Make this air fryer version with a fraction of the calories and none of the guilt!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb Raw Tiger Shrimp
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp Garlic Parsley Salt
- 1 cup Cheese
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients for the recipe. Wash shrimps under cold water and wipe dry using a paper towel.
- Butterfly the shrimp and place them on a baking sheet.
- Apply a thin layer of mayonnaise on the inside of the shrimp, season with garlic salt and top off with cheese.
- Bake the shrimp at 400 °F for about 12 minutes and check up at the 10 minute mark. Once they turn pink, it's a sign that they're ready. Serve immediately.
Hi! How do you stock them on freezer? I’m planning to prepare them ahead of time for a birthday party. Thanks in advance!
The best way to make them ahead is by doing all the prep work and the sauce but only bake right before serving.
Can I ask what cheese you used?
You can use Mexican, Mozarella or cheddar.
This shrimp recipe was amazing. Thanks for the detailed step by step!!
Laura, thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
What a great appetizer! It’s so cheesy and juicy and so easy to prepare. I used cheddar cheese and it was perfect!
Awesome 🙂 Makes me smile!
This is so cheesy delicious!! My family enjoyed it!
Yep, very cheesy lol 😉 Glad your family liked it!
What kind of cheese did you use? Is it chedar jack? Thanks in advance.
I used Mexican cheese but cheddar would work.
So I've made these other day and my husband post it on snap chat before I've even got to his parents house, his father calls asks to bring some. But we already where driving with them cuz I know how he loves sea food. They where amazing.. thank u so much for taking this time to make our life little bit easier. May God pour his blessings on u and ur family!!!
Oh this is so sweet! I am so happy you guys loved it! So simple too 🙂
Thanks so much for this awesome simple recipe! I always love to eat them when we go to our local buffet but never even thought to make them at home until now! Thanks again ?
I am so happy you loved them. I still have a good stock of them in a freezer. Your comment just reminded me of them 🙂
We want ideas that are rudiculously easy that are almost not recipes, because we're super busy mom's!! Keep posting those! They are realistic. Thanks.
Ah, thank you for for sweet encouragement 🙂 Sometimes I wonder if someone can even find this kinda stuff useful.
Ууу!!!My favorite Chinese restaurant used to serve them and I always had some and went for seconds when I ate there.They've closed down since then...I am so happy to have this recipe to make at home.Great work!!!
Thank you! I hope it will be exactly what you wanted 🙂 Let me know when you make them.