Category: Dinner Ideas That Actually Work
This golden-baked dish combines succulent Gulf shrimp, sautéed onions, peppers, and celery in a flaky pastry shell. A creamy custard enhanced with lemon, Worcestershire, and a blend of seasonings binds the filling, while shredded Cheddar cheese melts to a bubbly, golden top. Serve warm, paired with a green salad and a crisp white wine to evoke the sunshine flavors of Florida. This savory pie can be made ahead, and leftovers reheat beautifully—ideal for gatherings or a comforting weeknight meal. For best results, use the freshest shrimp available and enjoy with friends and family.
Lush fresh shrimp meet crisp vegetables and gooey Cheddar in a flaky pastry, making Florida Shrimp Cheddar Pie a celebration of the state’s coastal flavors and comfort-food nostalgia. This pie quickly became my go-to for gatherings since one slice shows off both Southern hospitality and a sense of sunny indulgence.
The first time I made this pie was for a poolside family lunch. It disappeared before I could get seconds and from then on it became the centerpiece of our big gatherings.
Ingredients
- Unbaked 9 inch pastry shell: gives the pie a tender buttery base look for one with no cracks or dryness
- Fresh shrimp peeled and deveined: delivers the sea-sweet flavor that sets this pie apart Gulf shrimp work beautifully for authenticity
- Butter: adds richness and helps sweat the vegetables use real butter for best depth
- Onion finely chopped: brings sweetness and aroma choose firm ones with dry skins
- Green bell pepper and celery: give color crunch and subtle flavor always check for crispness
- Garlic: infuses punchy complexity pick plump tight cloves
- Mayonnaise and milk: create silky custard opt for high quality or homemade mayo for creaminess
- Large eggs: help set the filling and enrich every bite fresh eggs give the most lift
- Lemon juice: brightens the seafood and balances richness freshly squeezed makes a difference
- Worcestershire sauce: deepens the umami undertones look for brands with anchovy for full flavor
- Salt black pepper and cayenne pepper: round out the seasoning grind your pepper fresh for best taste
- Shredded Cheddar cheese: forms a golden bubbling crown choose sharp Cheddar and shred fresh for best melt
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the Base:
- Place the unbaked pastry shell on a baking sheet the shell forms the base and the sheet helps catch any drips
- Prepare the Vegetable Shrimp Mix:
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat add onion bell pepper celery and garlic stir and cook slowly for about 5 minutes until softened and fragrant then add shrimp cook until just pink and opaque do not overcook or shrimp gets rubbery drain off any liquid
- Mix the Custard:
- Whisk mayonnaise and milk in a bowl until creamy then add eggs lemon juice Worcestershire sauce salt pepper and cayenne whisk again until well blended this keeps the filling light and holds it together
- Fill the Shell:
- Spoon the cooked shrimp and vegetables evenly into the pastry shell make sure ingredients distribute throughout so every slice has a balance of shrimp and veggies
- Add the Custard and Cheese:
- Pour custard mixture carefully over the filling tilting the pie if needed for even coverage sprinkle shredded Cheddar over the top coating the whole surface this bakes into a golden bubbly layer
- Bake and Rest:
- Bake the pie in a preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit check around 30 minutes filling should puff slightly and turn golden the center must be set let the pie cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting to help the filling firm up
