Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Cheese Roll-Ups tuck whole shrimp into slices of provolone or mozzarella. The cheese softens around the shrimp in the oven, and a quick broil gives the edges a light golden finish. Minced garlic, Parmesan, and a splash of lemon juice make a buttery topping you’ll want to spoon up from the baking dish.
Quick Overview
- Flavor and texture · Tender shrimp, melted cheese with golden edges, and buttery garlic with a touch of lemon.
- Difficulty · Easy. Each bundle takes one slice of cheese and a toothpick.
- Best for · A warm party appetizer or a weeknight dinner with a simple side.
- Method · Roll, bake, and briefly broil in a single baking dish.
- Time · 15 minutes to prep, 13–17 minutes to bake and broil, and 3 minutes to rest. Allow 31–35 minutes total.
- Yield · 8 roll-ups, or 4 servings of 2 each.
- Estimated nutrition per serving · 430 calories and 38 g protein. The estimate varies with the size and type of cheese slices.
What This Is and Why You’ll Love It
- The cheese slice does double duty as the wrapper and the topping that browns under the broiler.
- Whole shrimp give each roll-up a tender, substantial center.
- The grated Parmesan gives the garlic butter a savory, nutty flavor and clings to the tops as they bake.
- Italian seasoning flavors the butter, while paprika and black pepper season the shrimp directly.
- A little lemon juice brightens the rich cheese and butter in every bite.
- The bundles are easy to portion on a party platter alongside crispy shrimp and cheese egg rolls.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Toothpicks, for securing
Key ingredients
- Large shrimp. Look for shrimp that are similar in size so the bundles finish cooking around the same time. The shrimp go into the oven raw.
- Sliced cheese. Full-size deli slices are wide enough to fold around the shrimp. Choose slices that bend easily and feel sturdy enough to pin with a toothpick.
- Grated Parmesan and minced garlic. Finely grated Parmesan and evenly minced garlic spread easily through the melted butter and over the cheese.
Substitutions
- Choose provolone for a sharper flavor or low-moisture mozzarella for a milder, stretchier finish.
- Salted or unsalted butter both work. Unsalted butter lets the measured salt and Parmesan set the seasoning.
- Fresh-squeezed or bottled lemon juice both work in the same amount.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Cheese Roll-Ups
- Prepare the oven and shrimp. Heat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a broiler-safe metal baking dish. Remove any remaining tails. Pat the shrimp dry, then season with the paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Shape the roll-ups. Lay the cheese slices flat and place 2 to 3 shrimp along one end of each slice. Roll the cheese snugly around the shrimp and secure each bundle with a toothpick.
- Mix the garlic butter. Stir together the melted butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, Parmesan, parsley, and lemon juice until the garlic and cheese are evenly distributed.
- Coat and bake. Arrange the roll-ups seam-side down in a single layer. Spoon the garlic-Parmesan mixture over the bundles and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Check a shrimp in the thickest bundle. The outside should look pink and the flesh should be opaque all the way through. The cheese should be melted and bubbling.
- Brown and rest. Gently twist out the toothpicks. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely for light golden spots on the cheese. Let the roll-ups rest for 3 minutes so the cheese can settle.
Pro Tips
- Let the cheese slices lose their chill while the oven heats so they bend more easily.
- Stagger the thick ends of the shrimp inside each wrap to keep the bundle even and easier to pin.
- Choose a dish that holds all eight roll-ups with a little space between them. Give the cheese room to melt around each bundle.
- Stir the garlic butter again halfway through spooning it over the shrimp. The Parmesan and garlic settle as the butter sits.
- Start checking the thickest bundle at the 12-minute mark. An open end makes it easy to see the shrimp under the cheese.
- Follow your oven’s directions for broiler rack placement. The cheese and minced garlic can brown in seconds once they start to color.
- Slide a thin spatula under the browned cheese to lift each roll-up in one piece.
Variations
- Lemon butter finish. Stir the measured lemon juice into the warm pan juices after the rest, then spoon them over the roll-ups for a brighter lemon flavor.
- Fresh parsley finish. Set aside half of the chopped parsley before mixing the butter. Sprinkle it over the finished rolls for a fresh herb bite.
- Tortilla-wrapped roll-ups. For a flour tortilla version with chopped shrimp and a garlic butter dip, try these creamy garlic Parmesan shrimp roll-ups.
What to Serve With It
- Crisp romaine, croutons, and homemade Caesar salad dressing.
- Steamed jasmine rice to soak up the lemon garlic butter.
- Roasted asparagus with lightly browned tips.
- Warm sourdough for dipping into the buttery pan juices.
- Angel hair pasta tossed with a spoonful of the garlic butter from the dish.
- Blistered green beans for a snappy bite.
- Cucumber and cherry tomato salad for a cool, crisp side.
- Soft polenta as a base for two roll-ups and a spoonful of Parmesan butter.
Storage
Refrigerate. Move leftovers to a shallow, airtight container within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if they’ve been out above 90°F. Eat them within 3 to 4 days. FoodSafety.gov leftovers guidance
Reheat. Warm the roll-ups in a covered oven-safe dish at 325°F until the center reaches 165°F. Reheat the portions you plan to serve. FoodSafety.gov cooking temperature chart
Freeze. These are best fresh or refrigerated. The melted cheese can release moisture after thawing.
Troubleshooting
- The cheese slice splits as you roll. Overlap the torn edges and slide the toothpick through both layers to hold the wrap together.
- The roll-ups melt into each other. After the rest, trace a line between the portions with the edge of a spatula to lift each one with its browned cheese.
- The shrimp still look translucent. Give the dish another minute in the oven and check the thickest shrimp again before switching to broil.
- The topping darkens quickly under the broiler. Pull the dish as soon as a few golden spots appear. If you want more even browning on the next batch, follow your oven’s rack guidance and use a position farther from the element.
- The pan juices look watery. Drain thawed shrimp well before blotting them dry, and choose low-moisture cheese slices to reduce the liquid in the dish.
FAQs
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes. Thaw them in the refrigerator, then drain and pat them dry before seasoning.
How many shrimp fit in each roll-up?
Two to three fit inside a full-size deli slice. You’ll use 16 to 24 shrimp for the eight roll-ups. If your 1 lb package has more, bake the extras beside the bundles and lift them out once the flesh is opaque.
Can I assemble the roll-ups ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble them earlier the same day and refrigerate them covered. Spoon on the garlic butter just before baking.
Can I skip the broiler?
Yes. Once the shrimp are opaque through the center, take the dish out and give it the full 3-minute rest. The cheese will stay softer on top.
Can I use fresh mozzarella?
Deli-sliced, low-moisture mozzarella works best for wrapping. Fresh mozzarella releases more liquid as it bakes, and a wet slice can slip around the filling.
Can I use precooked shrimp?
Start with raw shrimp for the timing in this recipe. Precooked shrimp can become rubbery during the bake and broil.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Use two baking dishes and leave space around the bundles. Broil one dish at a time so you can watch the cheese brown.
Conclusion
Make these Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Cheese Roll-Ups for your next get-together and tell us which cheese you used.
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Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Cheese Roll-Ups
These Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Cheese Roll-Ups tuck whole shrimp into provolone or mozzarella and bake them under garlic butter with Parmesan and lemon juice. A quick broil gives the melted cheese lightly golden edges. Serve the eight roll-ups warm as a party appetizer or divide them into four portions for dinner with a simple side.
Equipment
- Oven with broiler For baking at 400°F and browning the cheese.
- broiler-safe metal baking dish Holds all eight roll-ups in one layer for baking and broiling.
- toothpicks Secure the cheese around the shrimp during baking.
- mixing bowl For combining the garlic-Parmesan butter.
- spoon For stirring the topping and spooning it over the roll-ups.
- thin spatula For separating and lifting the roll-ups after resting.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 8 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- toothpicks, for securing
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a broiler-safe metal baking dish. Remove any remaining tails and pat the shrimp dry. Season with the paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Lay the cheese slices flat and place 2 to 3 shrimp along one end of each slice. Roll the cheese snugly around the shrimp and secure each bundle with a toothpick.
- Stir together the melted butter, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, and lemon juice until the garlic and cheese are evenly distributed.
- Arrange the roll-ups seam-side down in a single layer in the prepared dish. Spoon the garlic-Parmesan butter over the bundles and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Check a shrimp in the thickest bundle for a pink exterior and flesh that is opaque all the way through. The cheese should be melted and bubbling.
- Gently twist out the toothpicks. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely for light golden spots on the cheese. Let the roll-ups rest for 3 minutes so the cheese can settle.
Notes
Preparation Tips: Use similarly sized raw shrimp. Thaw frozen shrimp in the refrigerator, then drain and pat them dry. Let the full-size deli cheese slices lose their chill while the oven heats so they bend easily. Stagger the thick ends of the shrimp in each wrap and leave space between the bundles. If a slice splits, overlap the edges and pin through both layers. Bake any extra shrimp beside the roll-ups and lift them out once the flesh is opaque.
Baking and Broiling Tips: Stir the garlic butter halfway through spooning it over the bundles to redistribute the Parmesan and garlic. Check the thickest bundle at the 12-minute mark. If the shrimp still look translucent, bake for another minute and check again. Follow your oven’s guidance for broiler rack placement and watch for light golden spots. After the rest, use a thin spatula to separate and lift the roll-ups.
Substitutions: Use provolone for a sharper flavor or deli-sliced, low-moisture mozzarella for a milder, stretchier finish. Salted or unsalted butter works. Use the same amount of fresh or bottled lemon juice.
Optional Variations: For a brighter lemon finish, add the measured lemon juice to the warm pan juices after the rest and spoon them over the roll-ups. For a fresh parsley finish, reserve half the parsley to sprinkle over the cooked roll-ups. For softer tops, skip the broiler once the shrimp are opaque and keep the full 3-minute rest.
Serving Suggestions: Serve two roll-ups per portion with a spoonful of the pan butter. Pair them with Caesar salad, steamed jasmine rice, roasted asparagus, warm sourdough, or soft polenta.
Make Ahead: Assemble the roll-ups earlier the same day and refrigerate them covered. Spoon on the garlic butter just before baking. For a double batch, use two baking dishes and broil them one at a time.
Storage and Reheating: Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow, airtight container within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if they have been out above 90°F. Eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the portions you plan to serve in a covered oven-safe dish at 325°F until the centers reach 165°F. The roll-ups have the best texture fresh or refrigerated because the cheese can release moisture after freezing and thawing.
Recipe times: Prep takes 15 minutes. Cook time is 13 to 17 minutes, followed by a 3-minute rest. Total time is 31 to 35 minutes. The card uses the upper ends of the ranges, 17 minutes for cooking and 35 minutes total.
Nutrition: The article estimates 430 calories and 38 g protein per serving of two roll-ups. The other values are estimates based on raw shrimp with no added salt, provolone slices of about 24 g each, about 50 g of grated Parmesan for the batch, unsalted butter, table salt, and the full garlic-butter topping divided among four servings. Values can vary with the cheese, shrimp, and amount of pan butter served.
Nutrition
Calories: 430kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 38gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7.6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 255mgSodium: 1050mgPotassium: 410mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1100IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 580mgIron: 1.2mg
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
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