Cajun Shrimp Loaded Baked Potato

A fluffy baked potato makes a generous base for Cajun-seasoned shrimp, crawfish cream sauce and melted cheese. Shallots, garlic and dry sherry bring depth to the sauce, while green onions brighten the finish.

Jump to Recipe

A seafood dinner worth settling in for

Bake the potatoes until tender before adding the cheese and seafood. Prepare the sauce while they bake, and cook the shrimp near serving time so they stay tender. The recipe uses fully cooked crawfish tail meat and raw peeled shrimp.

Before you start

Choose large russet potatoes of similar size. Use dry drinking sherry rather than salted cooking wine. The optional brandy is simmered without ignition; this recipe does not call for flambéing and should not be described as alcohol-free.

Cajun Shrimp Loaded Baked Potato

No ratings yet
Baked russet potatoes with Cajun-seasoned shrimp, crawfish and a sherry cream sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cajun-Inspired
Ingredients Instructions Notes

Ingredients
  

POTATO & STUFFING
  • 4 Large Russet Potatoes
  • ½ lb Medium shrimp raw, peeled, deveined and tails removed
  •  
    8 oz Italian Blend Cheese shredded
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil for coating potatoes
  • Cajun Seasoning to taste
SHERRY CREAM SAUCE
  • 3 tbsp Butter unsalted; divided into three 1-tablespoon portions
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  •  
    2 med Shallots diced
  •  
    ¼ cup Brandy measured separately; do not ignite
  •  
    2 cups Sherry wine dry sherry
  •  
    1 cup Shrimp stock
  • ¼ cup Seafood stock additional, replacing crawfish package liquid
  • 1 cup Heavy Cream
  •  
    1 cup Crawfish fully cooked tail meat, drained
  • ½ cup Green onions sliced for garnish
  • 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice add to taste

Instructions
 

  1. Heat oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub and dry potatoes, pierce with a fork and rub with the olive oil. Bake unwrapped on a tray for 50–80 minutes, or until tender through the center.
  2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Soften shallots for 3–5 minutes, then add garlic for 30 seconds. Take the pan off the burner before pouring in the measured brandy. Return to moderate heat and simmer; do not ignite.
  3. Add sherry and both stock measures. Simmer uncovered until reduced by about half. Add cream and simmer gently until it coats a spoon; reduction time depends on the pan. Stir in cooked crawfish and heat thoroughly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon butter.
  4. Near serving time, melt the final tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning and cook in one layer, turning, until firm, pearly and opaque throughout and 145°F (63°C). Add lemon juice to taste.
  5. Split the tender baked potatoes and fluff the centers. Spoon about half the crawfish sauce over the four potatoes and divide the cheese over them. Bake for 6–8 minutes until melted.
  6. Divide the remaining sauce and cooked shrimp among the potatoes. Garnish with green onions and serve promptly.

Notes

Use fully cooked crawfish tail meat, thawed in the refrigerator if frozen. This version replaces package liquid with measured seafood stock and divides the three tablespoons of butter between the sauce, shrimp and finish.
The sauce contains brandy and sherry; simmering does not guarantee all alcohol is removed. Do not ignite the sauce. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, use within 3 days and reheat to 165°F (74°C).

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow covered containers within two hours. Keep the potatoes and seafood sauce separately when practical and use within three days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F; loosen the sauce with a splash of stock if needed.

Keep exploring

Find more recipes and choose your next dinner.

Submit a Comment