Shrimp Parmesan & Homemade Marinara

This Shrimp Parmesan is a quick, easy French style dish that’s perfect for a date night dinner. The lightly breaded and fried shrimp are nestled in a homemade spicy marinara sauce over linguine pasta, perfected only by a side of homemade garlic bread or focaccia.

What does Shrimp Parmesan taste like?

As you would guess, shrimp parmesan is a mix of shrimp marinara and chicken parmesan. The shrimp is lightly breaded in a mixture of flour and grated parmesan, then lightly fried in a hot skillet and set aside. The breading adds a light, airy crunch to the smooth and slightly sweet shrimp, complemented by a hint of salt and nuttiness from the Parmesan cheese.

The homemade marinara sauce is arguably the star of the show. Deep flavors from the stewed tomatoes and tomato paste pair well with a burst of spice from the red pepper flakes. The sweet smell and taste of white wine and garlic add a fresh, vibrant, semi-floral and herbaceous tang to the sauce. Chunky in texture for bites of tomato, this sauce can be pureed once reduced for those that prefer a smooth consistency.

What Shrimp to use?

Choose a raw, de-vained, medium to large shrimp, tails removed. I know that’s a lot of information there but this will make it easiest for eating. Choose a raw shrimp since we are breading and frying it. This will ensure your shrimp doesn’t get overcooked and tough. The size of the shrimp will also help. Choosing a larger shrimp will mean you have more time to achieve that crisp breading on the outside with a golden color without cooking the moisture completely out of the shrimp.

Choosing de-vained and tails removed saves you prep and cleaning time. De-vaining removes the poop line from the shrimp. Tails on a shrimp are for no other reason than to make it look good. So ahead and skip having to remove them and get ones that are without tails already.

When at the store, look for a bag that is displaying 26/30 or 21/25. This fraction on a shrimp bag represents how many shrimp you can expect per pound. The larger the shrimp, the smaller the fraction you’ll see because you will get less shrimp per pound.

How to dethaw shrimp?

The safest way to dethaw shrimp quickly is by adding the frozen shrimp to a large bowl with cold water. Set the bowl in the sink and allow a constant stream of cold water to dribble into the bowl, with the overflow going down the sink. If you happen to think the night before, you can also place the bag of frozen shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.

Place the bag on a plate or pie dish to collect and water or condensation that may release during the thawing process. This will save you from having to clean up a mess on the bottom of your refrigerator.

Shrimp Parmesan and Marinara Ingredients

Pasta – Feel free to use linguine , fettuccini, ziti, or any pasta you have on hand. Those with “pockets” like ziti will prove to be an additional vessel for the homemade marinara. But if you want classic presentation, a linguine or fettuccini is perfection!

Shrimp – about 16 ounces of shrimp will be needed. The more shrimp you have, the less you have to share!

Flour – all-purpose or gluten-free 1:1 flour can be used.

Parmesan – use good quality Parmesan and grate yourself if possible. If you’re in a rush, shaker cheese will work just fine. Parmesan adds a nutty and salty flavor to the shrimp coating.

Butter & Oil – use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in your final dish. Using butter and salt will control the smoke point as well as impart flavor and color to the shrimp.

Vegetables – onions, garlic, canned stewed tomatoes, and tomato puree. These are signature flavors in Italian cooking. Basic, robust, and complementary to any pasta dish. You could also add in carrot puree for extra veggies or small chopped bell peppers.

Seasonings & Herbs – fresh parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves all work together to bring a robust flavor to the finished sauce.

White Wine – white white is again a staple in Italian cooking. The depth of flavor, sweetness, and floral, fruity aromatics offer a balance to an otherwise hearty and acidic dish. If you prefer to leave out the white wine opt for white grape juice or a chicken or vegetable stock. The white grape juice will bring the sweet notes, while the stock will just help to loosen the final sauce.

How to Make Shrimp Parmesan

Start by thawing the shrimp. Once thawed, drain the water and pat dry with paper towels. Next, dredge the shrimp in a shallow pie plate or rimmed plate of flour and grated parmesan cheese. Set the shrimp to the side until you’re ready to fry.

In a Dutch oven or a 12-inch skillet, add the oil and butter. Allow to melt over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbles are starting to form, add the shrimp to the skillet. Add them in a clockwise pattern similar to how you would fry scallops. Taking care to do this extra step will help you turn them in sequence so all get the same cooking time.

Once the shrimp have cooked on both sides, remove them from the skillet and set aside on a paper towel lined plate so any excess oil will drain, keeping them crispy.

To the skillet now add chopped onion. As you allow the onions to sweat out and soften, any bits on the bottom of the skillet will loosen and stick to the onions. Add in the seasonings, garlic, and tomato paste to the softened onions. Stir and cook out for about a minute just to get the raw flavor out of the ingredients.

Next add in the white wine and stewed tomatoes. I used whole tomatoes and crushed them myself. But you can use pre-diced tomatoes as well to save yourself an extra step. Add the bay leaves on top and simmer the sauce while cooking your pasta, about 10 minutes.

Serve the pasta with sauce and the shrimp placed on top. Adding the shrimp back to the skillet with the sauce would compromise the crunchy texture we’ve achieved frying it. So placing on top is the best option for a variety of texture. Sprinkle with fresh parsley for a fresh and vibrant finish.

Leftovers & Reheating

While leftovers can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for about 4 days, or even frozen for up to 4 months, a key tip is storing the shrimp separately. To reheat the shrimp you’ll want to do so in an air fryer or a 350F oven to get that crisp coating again. Storing with the leftover sauce and linguine will result in a mushy mess you cannot re-crisp. Likewise, do not microwave for reheating and expect the shrimp to crisp back up – it will not.