My Shrimp Oreganata features succulent shrimp baked with white wine and topped with crispy, lemony breadcrumbs. It's a delicious and elegant dish that's deceptively easy to make and bakes in just 10 minutes! It's perfect for the holidays or anytime you're entertaining.
When I'm entertaining, I always look for dishes that have a beautiful presentation but are easy to make. Some of my go-to entertaining recipes are my Blueberry Brie Bites, Marry Me Chicken, and Triple Berry Crisp.
This delicious Shrimp Oreganata definitely fits the bill when it comes to easy entertaining recipes. It's a simple dish with a beautiful, elegant presentation.
It can be assembled a day in advance and popped in the oven right before dinnertime. It cooks in just 10 minutes- it doesn't get much easier than that!
If you're at all intimidated by the thought of cooking a seafood dish, then try this shrimp oreganata recipe. Just like my salmon oreganata, this dish is pretty foolproof.
Shrimp oreganata is perfect for special occasions or any night of the week! When I have company, I like to assemble the shrimp in a large skillet for a lovely presentation. However, on busy weeknights, I often make this dish on a sheet pan and my whole family loves it.
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Why You'll Love This Dish
- Tasty- succulent shrimp, white wine, and lemony breadcrumbs- yum!
- Easy- simple enough for an easy weeknight meal
- Beautiful- the perfect dish for special occasions
- Can be made in advance- prep the whole dish the day before and just pop it in the oven at dinnertime
- Kid-friendly- both kids and adults will love this dish
What Is In Oreganata?
Oreganata is a classic Italian dish that you'll find on the menu at many Italian restaurants. Oreganata style refers to a mixture of breadcrumbs, olive oil, garlic, and oregano (hence the name "oreganata"). Lemon and parmesan cheese are often added as well in some recipes.
The breadcrumb mixture is used to top seafood like fish, shrimp, and clams. Then the dish is baked in the oven until the topping is crispy and golden brown. A final squeeze of lemon on top and dinner is served!
Clams oreganata is perhaps the most traditional oreganata dish. It's commonly eaten during the Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes, which is celebrated on Christmas Eve. Shrimp oreganata is another delicious and popular variation. Fish oreganata is commonly made with mild, white fish like flounder, tilapia or sole. I also make it with salmon.
If you're a fan of shrimp scampi, then try this shrimp oreganata- it's one of my favorite shrimp recipes. It has similar flavors but is even easier to make as you can just bake it in the oven rather than cooking it on the stove. Plus, the addition of the crispy breadcrumbs take this dish over the top!
Doctor's Tips
- This delicious Italian shrimp oreganata fits in well with the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet is a healthy-eating plan that incorporates the traditional flavors and ingredients of the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea.
- The Mediterranean diet emphasizes plant-based foods, olive oil, and seafood, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Read my post about the health benefits of seafood.
- Numerous studies have shown that a Mediterranean-style diet can help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, certain types of cancer, depression, and cognitive decline.
Ingredients
Recipe Notes and substitutions (see recipe card below for complete list and measurements):
- Shrimp- use jumbo shrimp or extra large shrimp that are peeled and deveined; you can use shrimp with the tails on or off. I like the tail on because it's like a little handle, making it easier to pick the shrimp up
- Breadcrumbs- I use plain, dried breadcrumbs rather than seasoned breadcrumbs since we are adding herbs and parmesan cheese to it
- White wine- I use a dry white wine like a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc
- Lemon- you will be using both the lemon zest (in the topping) and the lemon juice (to squeeze on top of the shrimp before serving)
- Grated cheese- I use grated parmesan cheese but you can also use pecorino romano cheese
How To Make Shrimp Oreganata Step-By-Step
Butterfly The Shrimp:
- Step 1- Butterflying the shrimp is optional however, I like to do it so that they stand up nicely in the pan. Also, butterflied shrimp have a larger surface area so you can add more of the delicious breadcrumb topping. Use peeled and deveined shrimp (I like to keep the tails on). Place the shrimp flat on a cutting board. Using a small knife, cut along the back of the shrimp to open it up. Don’t cut all the way through.
- Step 2- Spread the shrimp open and flatten it out. Now you can stand the shrimp upright. Repeat with the remaining shrimp. In picture 2 above, you can see the non-butterflied shrimp on the left and the butterflied shrimp on the right.
Make the Topping and Assemble The Dish:
- Step 3- Toss the shrimp in a large bowl with a pinch of kosher salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Step 4- Mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, fresh parsley, dried oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and olive oil together in a medium bowl until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Step 5- Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in a greased baking dish, tails up. Pour the wine around the shrimp into the dish. I like to arrange the shrimp in concentric circles in a large oven-safe skillet like a cast iron skillet for an elegant presentation. You can really use any large rectangular or oval baking dish or even a baking sheet.
- Step 6- Spoon the breadcrumb mixture on top of each shrimp. Spoon any remaining breadcrumb mixture around the shrimp. Drizzle a little olive oil over the shrimp. Bake at 425°F for 9-10 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. Then, broil on high for 2 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Squeeze a generous amount of lemon juice on top before serving. Serve the shrimp oreganata with lemon wedges on the side.
Chef's Tips
- I like to butterfly the shrimp for this shrimp oreganata so that the shrimp can sit upright in the baking dish. It also gives you a greater surface area to top with breadcrumbs.
- Use plain dried breadcrumbs for this dish rather than seasoned breadcrumbs since we are adding our own seasonings. You can substitute plain panko breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Don't overcook the shrimp otherwise they'll get rubbery. Shrimp cook quickly, they'll be done in 9-10 minutes.
- As the breadcrumbs cook in the wine, a thick sauce will form. Don't forget to spoon this delicious sauce over the shrimp before you eat!
- Don't forget to squeeze fresh lemon juice over the dish before serving for an extra pop of flavor!
What To Serve With This Dish
This shrimp oreganata is a delicious main dish with Italian flavors. I like to serve it with pasta like angel hair or linguini, spaghetti squash, rice, risotto, polenta or mashed potatoes.
I also like to serve a vegetable on the side like a salad, asparagus, butternut squash or string beans.
You can also serve some crusty bread on the side to dip into the wine sauce. If you're watching your carbs, try my cauliflower cheesy bread instead.
Recipe FAQs
Oreganata is a classic Italian dish. Oreganata style refers to a mixture of breadcrumbs, olive oil, garlic, and oregano (hence the name "oreganata"). Lemon and parmesan cheese are often added as well in some recipes. The breadcrumb mixture is used to top seafood like fish, shrimp, and clams and then the dish is baked in the oven until the topping is crispy and golden brown.
Yes, you can use fresh or frozen shrimp in this recipe. Actually the "fresh" shrimp you see at the seafood counter of your grocery store were most likely previously frozen and thawed. Just make sure to fully defrost the shrimp before making this recipe.
Check along the back of the shrimp where the vein was removed. When the shrimp are cooked, the flesh will turn from translucent to opaque. Resist the urge to cook the shrimp too long otherwise they'll get rubbery. Remember, the shrimp will continue to cook after they're removed from the oven because of the residual heat.
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Recipe
Shrimp Oreganata
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup plain dried breadcrumbs (not seasoned breadcrumbs)
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Butterfly the shrimp (this step is optional). To do this, place the shrimp flat on a cutting board. Using a small knife, cut along the back of the shrimp to open it up. Don’t cut all the way through. Spread the shrimp open and flatten it out. Now you can stand the shrimp upright. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
- Toss them in a large bowl with a pinch of salt, pepper, and the red pepper flakes.
- To make the topping, mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, parsley, oregano, lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, and olive oil together in a bowl until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Coat the bottom of an oven-safe skillet, baking dish or sheet pan with olive oil. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the dish, tails up. Pour the wine around the shrimp into the dish.
- Spoon the breadcrumb mixture over each shrimp. Spoon any extra breadcrumbs around the shrimp. Drizzle a little olive oil on top.
- Bake in the oven 9-10 minutes until the shrimp are cooked. Then, broil on high for 2 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Remove from oven and squeeze a generous amount of lemon juice on top before serving. Garnish with parsley. Spoon any sauce from the skillet onto the shrimp.
Notes
- I like to butterfly the shrimp for this dish so that the shrimp can sit upright in the baking dish. It also gives you a greater surface area to top with breadcrumbs.
- Use plain dried breadcrumbs for this dish rather than seasoned breadcrumbs since we are adding our own seasonings. You can substitute panko breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- As the breadcrumbs cook in the wine, a thick sauce will form. Don't forget to spoon this delicious sauce over the shrimp before you eat!
- Don't overcook the shrimp otherwise they'll get rubbery. Shrimp cook quickly, they'll be done in 9-10 minutes.
- Don't forget to squeeze fresh lemon juice over the dish before serving for an extra pop of flavor!
Nutrition
About the author
Dr. Sonali Ruder
Meet Dr. Sonali Ruder aka The Foodie Physician- ER doctor, chef, culinary creator & mom.
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