Florida Shrimp Pie Delights

This is my cozy-coastal comfort bake: a creamy, herby shrimp pie with a citrusy whisper and a buttery, crackly top. It tastes like a Florida fish shack decided to put on a nice shirt and come to dinner. The filling is shrimp, bell pepper, celery, green onion, and a swoop of creaminess that melts together under cheddar and a Ritz-style crumb. It’s bright from lime, a little spicy, and ridiculously comforting tucked into a flaky crust.

My husband calls this “seafood mac-and-cheese in a pie crust,” which is… not accurate, but also not wrong? The first time I made it, we ate half the dish standing at the counter, whisper-fighting about who gets the last edge piece. Now it’s the thing I make when my little family needs something warm and celebratory but the week has been chaos. The kid dunks hers in ketchup (I avert my eyes), he douses his with hot sauce, and I sneak a cold slice at midnight because I’m a raccoon in a bathrobe.

How to Make It

Start by blind-baking your crust a few minutes so it doesn’t go sog-town. While that’s in the oven, I melt butter in a skillet and do a quick sizzle of celery, bell pepper, and green onions till they’re soft and a little glossy. Toss in the shrimp with garlic—like, for barely two minutes—because shrimp overcook faster than my patience at the DMV. Stir in a dollop of cream cheese and a spoon of mayo or Greek yogurt, splash in a squeeze of lime, some Old Bay, a kiss of hot sauce, and a handful of cheddar so it goes melty and binding. The filling should be scoopable, not soupy; if it’s too loose, let it hang out for a minute to thicken. Pile it into the crust, top with crushed buttery crackers and a sprinkle of Parmesan, and bake till the top is golden and the edges are bubbly. Let it rest (yes, really) so you get clean slices instead of delicious mush.

✔Ingredient Notes

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– Florida pink shrimp: Sweet, tender, and quick-cooking. Use raw, peeled, deveined. If frozen, thaw and pat very dry so the filling doesn’t go watery.
– Pie crust: Store-bought is great—blind-bake 8–10 minutes so it holds up. Homemade? You win. Just don’t skip the chill.
– Cream cheese + mayo/Greek yogurt: Gives body and creaminess. I like half-and-half so it’s lush without being heavy.
– Bell pepper, celery, green onion: Classic shrimp-boil vibes. Cook till soft to avoid a crunchy, wet filling situation.
– Cheddar or pepper jack: Cheddar is cozy; pepper jack = zippy. Don’t overdo or it’ll get greasy.
– Old Bay + hot sauce: The soul of the seasoning. Cajun works in a pinch, but go light on salt if you swap.
– Lime zest/juice: Florida flair. Lemon works too. Zest gives more aroma than juice—don’t skip it.
– Buttery crackers + Parmesan: That crispy topper. Panko works if crackers are MIA; add a drizzle of melted butter.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and blind-bake a 9-inch pie crust for 8–10 minutes; set aside.
2. Sauté 2 tablespoons butter with 1 cup diced bell pepper, 1 cup diced celery, and 4 sliced green onions until softened, 5–6 minutes.
3. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 pound chopped raw shrimp; cook just until pink, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir in 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup mayo or Greek yogurt, 1 cup shredded cheddar, 1 teaspoon Old Bay, 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon lime zest, and 1 tablespoon lime juice; taste and adjust salt/pepper.
5. Spoon filling into crust; top with 1 cup crushed buttery crackers mixed with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan.
6. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbly; rest 10 minutes before slicing and shower with fresh parsley.

What to Serve It With

– Crispy green salad with a lemony vinaigrette.
– Charred corn or quick slaw with cabbage and cilantro.
– Roasted asparagus or blistered green beans.
– Potato wedges or a pile of kettle chips for zero shame nights.
– Cold sauvignon blanc, a light beer, or iced tea with lime.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t overcook shrimp. Pull them as soon as they blush pink; they’ll finish in the oven.
– Blind-bake the crust or hello soggy bottom.
– Sweat the veggies. Raw peppers will leak water and make the filling sloshy.
– Season last. Cheese and crackers add salt—taste before you dump in more.
– Let it rest. Ten minutes makes the difference between slices and crumble-town.
– If using frozen shrimp, thaw in a colander under cold water, then pat dry like you mean it.

✔Storage Tips

Fridge it: Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat at 350°F for 12–15 minutes, loosely tented with foil so the top doesn’t scorch. It’s weirdly excellent cold—the citrus and Old Bay wake it up—so I fully endorse a cold slice straight from the pan. Breakfast? Toss a fried egg on top and live your truth.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Mini pies: Press crust into a muffin tin, fill, and bake 12–15 minutes. Cute and party-proof.
– No-crust casserole: Pour the filling into a greased dish, top with crumbs, bake. Lower carb, same cozy.
– Gluten-free: Use a GF crust and GF crackers or panko. Works great.
– Dairy-light: Swap some cream cheese for Greek yogurt, use part-skim mozzarella. Not as rich, still tasty.
– Extra seafood: Fold in lump crab or chopped crawfish—reduce salt since seafood is naturally briny.
– Spice lane: Cajun seasoning instead of Old Bay, or add smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne.
– Citrus swap: Lemon for lime is totally fine; add a micro pinch of sugar or honey if it tastes too sharp. Honey ↔ sugar both work for balancing.
– Herb it up: Dill for a Northern-coast vibe, cilantro for a brighter finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Florida Shrimp Pie Delights

A golden, buttery crust filled with succulent Gulf shrimp, sweet peppers, and creamy cheese, brightened with lemon and a touch of Old Bay—classic Florida comfort in every slice.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 8

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1 each 9-inch pie crust store-bought or homemade
• ▢ 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped fresh or thawed
• ▢ 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 cup yellow onion, diced
• ▢ 0.5 cup celery, diced
• ▢ 0.5 cup red bell pepper, diced
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• ▢ 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ 0.75 tsp kosher salt to taste
• ▢ 0.5 tsp black pepper
• ▢ 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper optional, for heat
• ▢ 1 tsp lemon zest
• ▢ 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 0.25 cup scallions, thinly sliced
• ▢ 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• ▢ 0.5 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 2 each large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• ▢ 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• ▢ 0.75 cup Ritz cracker crumbs for topping
• ▢ 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted for topping
• ▢ 1 tsp hot sauce optional

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line the pie crust with parchment, fill with pie weights, and blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove weights and let cool slightly.
• Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and red bell pepper; cook until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 0.5 minute.
• Add chopped shrimp, Old Bay, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring, until shrimp just turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and scallions. Cool 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Whisk in eggs until fully combined, then fold in cheddar cheese and parsley. Gently fold in the cooled shrimp mixture.
• Pour filling into the par-baked crust and smooth the top.
• In a small bowl, mix cracker crumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over the pie.
• Bake at 375°F until the center is set and the top is golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. If the crust browns too quickly, shield edges with foil.
• Cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with hot sauce if desired and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

For a lighter pie, swap half the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt. Use Key lime zest for a true Florida twist. Leftovers keep up to 2 days refrigerated; reheat at 325°F until warmed through.