Shrimp Garlic Toast Recipe

Preheat and slice

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Slice the baguette on a slight diagonal into 12 slices, about 1/2-inch thick.

Make garlic butter

In a small bowl, combine 4 tbs softened unsalted butter, 1 tbs olive oil, minced garlic (3 cloves), 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 2 tbs grated Parmesan if using. Mix until smooth.

Spread and bake

Spread about 1 tbs of the garlic butter mixture evenly on each bread slice. Arrange slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake 8–10 minutes until edges are golden and butter is bubbly. For extra crispness, broil 1–2 minutes watching closely until edges are deeply golden.

Prep shrimp

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Toss shrimp with 0.5 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika, and 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes. Let sit 5 minutes.

Cook garlic and shrimp

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs unsalted butter. When butter foams, add thinly sliced garlic (2 cloves) and cook 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1.5–2 minutes per side, until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp to a plate.

Make quick tomato-herb topping

Lower heat to medium. Add the quartered cherry tomatoes (1 cup) to the skillet and sauté 1–2 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in lemon juice (1 tbs) and lemon zest (1 tsp), then return the cooked shrimp to the pan to warm and combine flavors for 30–45 seconds. Stir in 2 tbs chopped parsley and 1 tbs chopped basil. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.

Arrange the warm garlic toasts on a platter. Spoon 1 shrimp and a little tomato-herb mixture onto each toast (divide shrimp and tomatoes evenly — roughly 1 shrimp per slice, use extras on a few slices).

Drizzle each toast lightly with 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil across the platter, sprinkle the remaining fresh herb garnish (parsley + basil mix). Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over the shrimp.