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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Shrimp Grilled Cheese

    Published: Mar 18, 2022 Modified: Mar 18, 2022 by Kristin King / This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe | Pin Recipe
    Close up side view of four halves of grilled cheese stacked on each other garnished with herbs on a white plate on a white surface.
    Side shot of two halves of grilled cheese layered on a white plate, the top on with a bite taken out, all on a blue surface.
    Close up side view of four halves of grilled cheese stacked on each other garnished with herbs on a white plate on a white surface.

    Shrimp Grilled Cheese is an easy and unique way to upgrade your grilled cheese sandwich! You only need to spend 20 minutes in the kitchen to make this great weeknight dinner that your family will love.

    Stuffed with yummy shrimp, gooey cheese, and nutritious spinach, this shrimp melt sandwich is also a great way to get more veggies into your kids. Use hearty multi-grain bread grilled to a crisp for a tasty, filling, and fiber-rich meal!

    Close up side view of four halves of grilled cheese stacked on each other garnished with herbs on a white plate on a white surface.
    Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner, this shrimp sandwich recipe requires only ten minutes of prep and a few simple ingredients!
    Jump to:
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • 🥘 Ingredients Needed
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 👪 FAQs
    • 💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
    • 📖 Substitutions and Variations
    • 🥫 Storage and Reheating
    • ⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
    • 💡 What To Serve With This Dish
    • 🍤 More Seafood Recipes You'll Love
    • Shrimp Melt Sandwich Recipe
    • 📋 Recipe Card
    • 💬 Reviews and Comments

    👩🏻‍🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe

    Perfect for picky eaters, this shrimp grilled cheese takes the classic grilled cheese sandwich and gives it a seafood twist! This simple but tasty shrimp melt sandwich combines zesty seasoned shrimp with creamy grilled cheese.

    With spinach for some added nutrition, this grilled cheese and shrimp is like a whole meal in your hands!

    For a fun twist on this recipe, season your shrimp with Blackening Seasoning.

    Like this Air Fryer Avocado Grilled Cheese, this is a reliably easy recipe that's great for weeknight dinners and is designed to satisfy even the most picky eaters, kids and adults alike!

    And it's even more flavorful than my Grilled Avocado Sauerkraut Sandwich, which is a crispy, yummy, healthy favorite!

    🥘 Ingredients Needed

    Overhead shot of ingredients- bread, shrimp, shredded cheese, spinach, butter, olive oil, old bay spice, and paprika.
    With only these few simple ingredients, you will love this delicious shrimp sandwich recipe!
    • olive oil - you'll use this to cook the shrimp a bit before assembling the sandwiches.
    • shrimp - small shrimp works best for this recipe.
    • Old Bay and paprika - a warm and flavorful spice combo that will bring out the incredible seafood flavors.
    • bread - I like to use some kind of multi-grain bread for an even healthier sandwich.
    • butter - helps your bread get nice and browned.
    • spinach - for added color and a nutrition boost.
    • shredded cheese - a monterey jack/colby jack blend works great with this shrimp sandwich recipe, but you can use whatever cheese you like!

    🔪 Instructions

    Six panel grid of process shots- cooking shrimp, assembling grilled cheese, and baking.
    Ready in about twenty minutes, this grilled cheese and shrimp recipe is perfect any day of the week!
    1. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add shrimp, Old Bay and paprika.
    2. Cook until the shrimp is pink and heated through.
    3. Butter one side of each slice of bread and place 6 face down on a baking sheet. Distribute spinach and cooked shrimp across the bread.
    4. Add the shredded cheese.
    5. Top with the other slices of bread, buttered side up.
    6. Bake at 450 degrees F for 6-8 minutes, then turn the sandwiches over and give them another 6 minutes or so until golden brown and crispy.

    👪 FAQs

    What cheese goes well with shrimp?

    I love using a monterey and colby jack blend, but cheddar and mozzarella are also reliable options to pair with seafood.

    What temperature do you toast sandwiches in the oven?

    Between 425 and 450 degrees F is ideal for toasting sandwiches in the oven; they'll get nice and crispy without having to spend too much time cooking.

    Is mayo better for grilled cheese?

    Most storebought mayonnaise has a higher smoke point than butter, which means it's much harder to burn your grilled cheese. Cooking your grilled cheese in the oven is another way to ensure a perfect cook, so if you like the taste of buttered bread but don't want to risk burning, the oven method is a safe bet!

    Side shot of two halves of grilled cheese layered on a white plate, the top on with a bite taken out, all on a blue surface.
    With minimal time and effort required, you will love this unique and delicious shrimp melt sandwich!

    💭 Expert Tips and Tricks

    • Larger shrimp can be used, just be sure to monitor the cooking times and ensure that they cook all the way through.
    • Adding some garlic or lemon juice to the cooking shrimp is a great way to add more flavor.

    Great as a quick and filling weeknight dinner or even a hearty lunch, this shrimp grilled cheese is a great way to work more seafood into your diet!

    📖 Substitutions and Variations

    • Feel free to use other cheeses like mozzarella, cheddar, gruyere, or pepper jack for other flavor combinations.
    • Add some green onions or parsley for even more flavor.
    • To maximize on the seafood flavor, cook some crab (real or imitation crab meat would both work!) along with the shrimp.
    • Bacon is a delicious addition to this grilled cheese and shrimp sandwich.

    🥫 Storage and Reheating

    If you have leftover sandwiches, wrap them in some plastic wrap or foil and store them in the fridge. To reheat, I recommend popping them in a toaster oven for a couple of minutes--microwaving will often cause your grilled cheese to get soggy.

    You can also freeze these grilled cheese sandwiches for up to 3 months. Place them in plastic bags and use some parchment paper between them if you need to stack in layers. Cook them right from the freezer, adding a couple of minutes to account for the temperature difference.

    ⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions

    The shrimp for this grilled cheese can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until it's time to assemble the sandwiches!

    💡 What To Serve With This Dish

    Serve this shrimp grilled cheese with an Apple Walnut Salad or this delicious and healthy Quinoa Chickpea Salad. For a warm and comforting combination, try it with some Instant Pot Minestrone Soup!

    🍤 More Seafood Recipes You'll Love

    • Shrimp Curry with Broccoli and Rice - A simple and easy meal that's full of nutrition and flavor.
    • Brazilian Fish Stew - Tilapia and lots of veggies make up this quick and easy fish stew.
    • Lemon Dill Tuna with Noodles - A refreshing twist on the classic tuna casserole.
    • Shrimp Scampi Without Wine - No wine is needed to make a delicious and flavor-packed sauce for this seafood pasta dinner!
    • Creamy Lobster Bisque Soup - This gourmet homemade soup from Stay Snatched is a creamy and comforting seafood meal!
    • Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos - You don’t need to head out to Bonefish Grill to enjoy this delicious and flavor-packed dish with crispy fried shrimp and sweet and tangy bang bang sauce.
    Close up side view of four halves of grilled cheese stacked on each other garnished with herbs on a white plate on a white surface.
    Switch up your dinner rotation with this unique and delicious shrimp melt sandwich!

    Shrimp Melt Sandwich Recipe

    Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star ⭐ rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry!

    📋 Recipe Card

    Close up side view of four halves of grilled cheese stacked on each other garnished with herbs on a white plate on a white surface.

    Zingy Shrimp Grilled Cheese

    Recipe Author: Kristin
    Cheesy shrimp with a kick, stuffed between two pieces of multi-grain bread and grilled to gooey goodness!
    4.96 from 21 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email Bookmark Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 12 minutes mins
    Total Time 22 minutes mins
    Course Entree
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 381 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 pound small shrimp
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon Old Bay spice (add more or less to taste)
    • 12 slices of bread (I used a multi-grain variety)
    • Buttery spread or butter
    • 3 cups fresh baby spinach
    • 1 ½ cups shredded monterey jack/colby blend
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
    • Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet.
      1 tablespoon olive oil
    • Add the shrimp, paprika, and Old Bay and cook until the shrimp is pink and cooked. Set aside.
      1 pound small shrimp, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon Old Bay spice
    • Butter one side of each of the 12 slices of bread with the buttery spread.
      12 slices of bread, Buttery spread or butter
    • Place 6 of the slices butter side down on a baking sheet.
    • Distribute the spinach across the 6 slices, then distribute the cooked shrimp, then then the shredded cheese.
      3 cups fresh baby spinach, 1 ½ cups shredded monterey jack/colby blend
    • Place the remaining 6 slices of bread on top, buttered side up.
    • Bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes, then flip the sandwiches and bake about 6 minutes more, until the sandwiches are golden brown and crispy. (Alternatively, you can grill them on the stove top on a griddle or in a skillet).

    Notes

    • Feel free to use different cheese combinations like mozzarella, cheddar, or gruyere.
    • If you use larger shrimp, be sure to adjust the cooking time to ensure proper cooking.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 221mg | Sodium: 1089mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1815IU | Vitamin C: 7.3mg | Calcium: 428mg | Iron: 4.3mg

    Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.

    Want to make cooking even easier?Sign up here to receive FREE DBH exclusive content, including my favorite kitchen shortcuts and hacks, and unlock access to the DBH resource library with many other free downloads!

    Thanks so much for reading! I also invite you to follow me on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, or INSTAGRAM to keep up with what's going on in my kitchen.

    And you might want to check out my Dizzy Busy and Hungry store on Amazon for a whole bunch of great kitchen products I love!

    Happy cooking!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Patty at Spoonabilities

      March 18, 2022 at 7:32 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe seriously takes a grilled cheese to the top-notch level! I love love love the spinach in here as well! Great recipe!

      Reply
    2. Anjali

      March 18, 2022 at 6:41 pm

      5 stars
      I had literally never thought to add shrimp to my grilled cheese before I came across your recipe but I'm so glad I did! This turned out to be so tasty and was the perfect lunch!

      Reply
    3. Kate

      March 18, 2022 at 6:02 pm

      5 stars
      You were right, the whole family loved them! Thanks so much for another great recipe.

      Reply
    4. Gina

      March 18, 2022 at 3:55 pm

      5 stars
      I can't believe I never thought of adding shrimp to a grilled cheese before! This was so delicious and a nice little spin on a traditional grilled cheese!

      Reply
    5. Julia

      March 17, 2014 at 12:30 pm

      Hello! I am featuring your Zingy Shrimp Grilled Cheese on my Tasty Tuesday hop tomorrow! Make sure you come back over and grab a featured button and link up some more great recipes!

      Julia @ Mini Van Dreams

      Reply
    6. Sarah Fuller

      March 14, 2014 at 8:00 pm

      5 stars
      I sure love shrimp, so I am definitely intrigued by this recipe. Pinning.

      Reply
    7. Jess

      March 13, 2014 at 10:09 pm

      This looks amazing!!

      Thanks for joining the Link Up this week!

      Reply
    8. Angel

      March 13, 2014 at 9:55 pm

      5 stars
      WoW! I want one now. This sandwich looks awesome. I've got to make this! Thanks for sharing your recipe at Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party.
      Angel

      Reply
    « Older Comments

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    👋 Hey there, I'm Kristin! As a full-time working wife and mom, my life is such a whirlwind, it makes me dizzy sometimes! So I have been working to develop quick, easy, family-friendly recipes for 20+ years, and this site is where I share them with you! Happy cooking!

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