Cheesy Baked Shrimp (Karides Guvec)

Cheesy Baked Shrimp (Karides Guvec) is a delicious Turkish dish usually served as an appetizer or a hot meze in seafood restaurants.

It is made of fresh plump prawns cooked in a garlicky tomato & mushroom sauce and then topped with cheese.

Jump to:

• What is Guvec?
• Why This Recipe Works
• How to Clean and Prepare the Prawns?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Cheesy Baked Shrimp (Karides Guvec)

Baked Shrimp with Cheese is ready to eat in just 25 minutes.

It is perfect for busy weeknight meals as well as for a romantic dinner.

And the best way to enjoy it is with some delicious Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread) and a bowl of Rocket Salad with Parmesan.

What is Guvec?

Baked Shrimps / Prawns (Karides Guvec) are typically cooked and served in an earthenware pot called guvec.

These clay pots are widely used in Turkey to cook casserole dishes such as Turkish Lamb Stew With Chickpeas, or Guvec (Turkish Lamb Casserole).

Don't worry if you don't have one of these clay dishes as any casserole dish would do the job.

Why This Recipe Works

• This delicious shrimp recipe is very easy to make and ready on the table in just under half an hour!

• It is full of Mediterranean flavors that the whole family would love.

• You can serve this cheesy Baked Shrimp dish on its own as a starter or along with a bowl of Orzo Pasta Salad and a slice of Turkish Pide Bread as a main meal.

How to Clean and Prepare the Prawns?

Remove the prawn head by holding the prawn by the body with one hand and then firmly grasp the prawn's head with your other hand. 
Peel off the shell and then peel off the remainder of the prawn's outer layer.

Pull the legs off using your fingers, from its underside.
Then pull off the tail, firmly holding the body of the prawn with one hand and grabbing the prawn tail with your other hand.

Devein the prawn with the help of a sharp small knife.
Cut a small line that runs down the length of the prawn's back and use the tip of the knife to pull out the vein.

You can also watch the short video attached to the recipe card to show how to peel and devein raw prawns.
Once you have your prawns shelled and deveined, you can keep them in the freezer for up to three months to use later in delicious recipes such as Chorizo and Prawn Pasta, Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta, or Creamy Shrimp Pasta.

There is a also short video on the recipe card that shows how to peel and devein raw prawns.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Best Shrimp for Karides Güveç

Shrimp is the star ingredient for this casserole dish and it is best to try and buy fresh ones.

I personally prefer fresh tiger prawns or king prawns for the chunkier texture. 

Also, they add a luxurious feeling to the dish and they are amazingly juicy.

I buy them in bulks, peel, devein, and freeze for future use.

You can keep shrimp frozen for up to 3 months and defrost fairly quickly which makes them perfect for emergencies.

Alternatively, you can buy good quality frozen shrimp in supermarkets to make things easier.

You can also use smaller-sized prawns if you prefer.

Other ingredients you will need are:

• Mushroom - Button mushrooms or chestnut mushrooms are perfect for the Cheesy Baked Shrimp recipe. You can use any of your favorite mushrooms you like cooking with.

• Tomatoes - During the summer, when the tomatoes are at their best, you can use any tomatoes. However, during the winter or spring, I prefer cherry tomatoes as they are sweeter and tastier.

• Peppers - Although I prefer Turkish chilies for Karides Guvec, any peppers you have in hand would work perfectly fine.

• Cheese - I use a mixture of cheddar and kasar cheese. You can substitute it with mozzarella, gouda, parmesan, or any hard cheese you prefer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This is a very simple, straightforward recipe and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:

Prepare the Prawns

The best shrimp for this recipe are tiger prawns as they are large enough not to get overcooked by the time the cheese is melted.

However, you can use any shrimp available to you.

The cooking time in this recipe is given for tiger prawns so if you use smaller ones, reduce the cooking time.

If you are using fresh shrimp in the shell, twist off the head, peel the shell off, and make a small incision to remove the vein.

A short video is attached to the recipe card to show how to peel and devein raw prawns.

Prepare the Tomatoey Mushroom Sauce

Preheat the fan oven to 200° C (400 ° F) and start cooking the tomato-based sauce.

Melt 20 grams of butter in a frying pan and sauté the mushrooms on high heat for a few minutes, until they are slightly softened.

Add the peppers and then sauté for a couple of more minutes.

Stir in the garlic and then add the tomatoes, chili, black pepper, and salt.

Stir to combine, and then gently cook on low heat for 6-7 minutes.

Bake and Serve

Take the pan from the heat and then add the raw prawns into the tomato-based sauce, and give them a stir.

Spoon the mixture into an oven dish, Güveç dish, or 4 individual ramekins.

Sprinkle on the cheese and thyme.

Cut 30 grams of butter into cubes and then spread them over the cheese.

Cook in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese on the top is melted and the prawns are cooked.

Top Tips From the Chef

• Don't overcook the shrimp as they get rubbery and lose their taste. If you are using small shrimps, reduce the cooking time to avoid overcooking them.

• If you use frozen shrimp for this recipe, make sure they are completely thawed before cooking them.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious seafood recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this Cheesy Baked Shrimp - Karides Güveç as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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