Cheesy Shrimp Casserole with Velveeta

This warm and creamy shrimp casserole recipe is the perfect comfort food for dinner! It's a one pot dish full of shrimp, noodles, and mushrooms in a cheesy Velveeta sauce. The whole family will love it!

I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge seafood fan, so when my friend, Jeanne, made Cheesy Shrimp Pasta for a get-together this past weekend, I was not expecting to eat any.

Joseph got a plate-full of the shrimp casserole and sat down next to me on the couch.

I wasn't even curious about the meal until everyone in the room began to ooh and aah over it.

Even Grace, who said, Can my have some more, Daddy? I asked for a taste of Joe's, and he gave me two noodles.

They were fabulous. I asked for a second taste, and he told me to get my own.

So I did.

When I was done, I wanted to get another plate, but I abstained, hoping there would be leftovers when we visited later in the week. I can't even begin to tell you how delicious and wonderful this recipe is.

It's better than words can explain.

What you'll need to make cheesy shrimp casserole

EQUIPMENT

• Garlic press - If you don't have a garlic press, you can mince the garlic very very small with a very sharp knife.
• Casserole dish - You'll want to use a dish that's deeper than it is long and wide. If the pan is too shallow, the pasta will dry out and be very unpleasant.

INGREDIENTS

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See printable recipe card below for measurements and more information.

• Whole wheat pasta - You can use gluten-free pasta or any pasta really.
• Olive oil - You'll use this to sauté the shrimp. You could substitute with butter if you'd rather use that.
• Fresh garlic - There is no substitute for fresh garlic. I guess you can use garlic powder or jarred minced garlic, but it won't taste the same. Pressed fresh garlic makes this dish amazing.
• Fresh or frozen shrimp - You're going to pre-cook the shrimp, so it won't matter whether it's fresh or frozen.
• Low fat Velveeta - Velveeta makes this dish rich and creamy. If you don't like Velveeta, you can substitute with cheddar or another shredded cheese or cheese blend.
• Salsa - The flavor of the salsa is going to come through in the finished dish, so make sure you choose one that you really like. However, I wouldn't recommend a sweet salsa like pineapple. Go for a more savory version.
• Sliced mushrooms - I love mushrooms. If you don't, see below for suggestions for other veggies to add.
• Salt & black pepper - I don't give measurements for this. Just use a sprinkle on the shrimp when you cook it.

How to make cheesy shrimp pasta bake

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Prepare pasta according to package directions, drain.
3. Sauté shrimp, garlic, salt, and black pepper in olive oil until shrimp is just pink. If you overcook the shrimp, it will become rubbery and tough. Two or three minutes will probably be enough.
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4. Cube the Velveeta and place it in a microwave-safe bowl.
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5. Pour the salsa on top.
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6. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, until the cheese is melted. Stir cheese and salsa together.
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7. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, shrimp, cheese mixture, and mushrooms.
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8. Toss to coat.
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9. Transfer to a baking dish.
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10. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta.
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11. Bake at 350ºF for 45-60 minutes, until the top is browned and crunchy. Sprinkle with some parsley and serve.
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Variations

You can add a variety of vegetables to this casserole, including bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, asparagus, green beans, or broccoli or cauliflower florets. If you'd like to add vegetables, I'd recommend sautéing them in some butter or olive oil until they're tender. (They won't get tender when you bake the casserole, so you have to pre-cook them. Otherwise, you'll bite into raw veggies in your casserole. Trust me, you don't want that.) After they're tender, add the veggies to the cooked pasta and shrimp in the pan.

If you aren't a big Velveeta fan, you could substitute shredded Monterey jack or cheddar cheese.

If you want a little crunch, you can crush some Ritz crackers and sprinkle over the top either before or after the Parmesan. You could do the same with Panko breadcrumbs.

If you want a very different flavor, you can mix the Velveeta with cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup or even alfredo sauce. If you go that route, I'd sprinkle the shrimp with Old Bay seasoning or cajun seasoning when you cook it. The soup or alfredo sauce will have less seasoning than the salsa has, so it will need a little spice.

What to do with leftover baked shrimp casserole

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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Try these other pasta dishes while you're here:

• Quick and Easy Salsa Chicken Pasta
• Cucumber Pasta Salad - A Healthy Alternative to Creamy Pasta Salad
• Spinach Pasta with Creamy Red Sauce
• Quick & Easy Vegetarian Pesto Pasta Primavera
• Pasta with Tomato Gorgonzola Sauce
• Quick and Easy Salsa Chicken Pasta

And these other delicious shrimp dishes:

• Buttered Lemon Shrimp with Old Bay
• Traditional Old Bay Steamed Shrimp Recipe - Peel & Eat Shrimp
• Garlic Buffalo Shrimp - Healthy, Low Carb Seafood Recipe
• Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp Recipe
• Cold Shrimp Avocado Cucumber Appetizer
• Cilantro Lime Shrimp Burrito Bowls
• Cajun Shrimp Scampi with Cauliflower Rice
• Spicy Cajun Shrimp - One Skillet Meal
• Shrimp & Asparagus Stir Fry with Lemon Sauce
• Spicy Sriracha Shrimp with Peanut Stir Fry Noodles

Recipe

Cheesy Shrimp Casserole with Velveeta

This warm and creamy shrimp casserole recipe is the perfect comfort food for dinner! It's a one pot dish full of shrimp, noodles, and mushrooms in a cheesy Velveeta sauce. Yum!

4.75 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8 people

Calories 365 kcal

Equipment

• Garlic press

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pounds whole wheat pasta or gluten-free pasta
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic pressed
• 2 pounds shrimp
• 1 pounds low fat Velveeta
• 12-16 ounce salsa
• 16 ounces sliced mushrooms

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Prepare pasta according to package directions, drain.
• Saute shrimp and garlic in olive oil until shrimp is just pink. If you overcook the shrimp, it will become rubbery and tough. Two or three minutes will probably be enough.
• Cube the Velveeta and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Pour the salsa on top. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, until the cheese is melted. Stir cheese and salsa together.
• In an oven-safe bowl, combine the pasta, shrimp, cheese mixture, and mushrooms. Toss to coat.
• Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta and cook for 45-60 minutes, until the top is browned and crunchy.

Notes

You need to cook this casserole in a bowl-shaped dish. If you use a 9x13 or 8x8 flat dish, the noodles will dry out in about 30 minutes. Not really the texture you're looking for.

I'm going to add a bunch of fresh veggies - carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and lots of onion. Jeanne suggested that I might add more cheese, but I'm also going to try adding milk to see how that works.

You could vary the spiciness of this dish by using mild, medium, or hot salsa, or even different varieties of salsa. Joe, Jeanne, and I were brainstorming about this recipe, and all of the different things we could do with it.

Joe suggested making it like a jambalaya, with a mix of shrimp, chicken, and sausage. I thought it was good with the shrimp, but I think it would also be really nice with shredded chicken or even shredded pork.

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 1207mg | Potassium: 624mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 761IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 365mg | Iron: 3mg

Keyword cheese, mushrooms, pasta, shrimp

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