There’s something about the holidays that make me want to go the extra mile when it comes to recipes. It’s my favorite time to make things special for the ones I love! We always have Shrimp Cocktail and Spinach Artichoke Dip as appetizers on Christmas Day. This year I decided to combine the two and created Shrimp Scampi Spinach Dip. Oh my goodness where has this been all my life??? Even though this isn’t hard at all to make, the shrimp makes it feel (and taste) special and it isn’t something we will have very often. This recipe is definitely a keeper for the holidays!
If you love buttery garlic-loaded shrimp scampi and warm spinach dip, then you’re going to love this! When I was making it, my son came downstairs and said, “It smells like an Italian restaurant in here!” You just can’t go wrong with any recipe that starts out with onions, garlic, butter, and shrimp can you?
Cooking the Shrimp
You can use any size of raw shrimp for this as long as it’s one pound, deveined and the tail is removed. The shrimp is only cooked for 1 minute per side because it will finish cooking in the oven. Overcooked shrimp is the worst so be careful!
Next, roughly chop the shrimp, make the easy cheese sauce and add the shrimp back to the pan. Mix, pour into a baking dish, and bake!
Serve with pita chips, mini melba toasts or a toasted baguette (my fave).
Shrimp Scampi Spinach Dip
This really is the perfect appetizer for Christmas or New Year’s and I hope it makes it onto your holiday tables this year. It is savory, cheesy, and the shrimp simply makes it special. I can’t wait to make it again for NYE when we have our annual appetizer feast!
Sponsored post for Lee’s Marketplace. Items on sale Dec 22-28: frozen shrimp, cream cheese, half-and-half, yellow onions, gruyere, butter, frozen spinach
More Christmas Recipes
Winter Cobb Salad with Citrus Dijon Vinaigrette
Southern Broccoli Rice Casserole
Shrimp Scampi Spinach Dip
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup yellow or white onion, diced
- 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, & tail removed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/4 cups half and half
- 16 oz cream cheese, cubed
- 2 cups gruyere cheese, shredded
- 3/4 cup shredded parmesan, divided
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
- 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Prepare a 1.5-2 quart casserole dish by spraying with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, add butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, add onion and cook until translucent. Add shrimp and cook for 1 minute per side. (Barely pink. They'll cook more in oven.)
- Reduce heat to low, remove shrimp and place on a cutting board. Roughly chop into smaller pieces.
- Add garlic to pan and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium and add half and half, cream cheese, gruyere, 1/2 cup parmesan, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice and spinach. Stir until cheese is melted and everything is combined well. Add shrimp back to pan and stir in.
- Pour mixture into prepared dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly and golden. (Broil for a couple minutes if it isn't as brown as you like on top.)
- Serve hot with sliced, toasted baguette or pita chips.
Notes
- Fontina or Monterey Jack cheese can be used in place of the gruyere.
What an awesome idea! Delicious!
Thank you!
I assume you add the gruyere cheese at the same time as the other cheeses? Making this for tomorrow and can’t wait!
Yes and I’m fixing that in the directions right now. Thanks for catching that! Merry Christmas!