This escargot recipe without shells is a buttery, luxurious French appetizer that’s shockingly simple to make at home. The snails soak up every bit of garlic, wine, herbs, and melted butter, giving you restaurant-level flavor with almost zero effort. I first fell in love with escargot in the early 2000s, and recreating it without the shells turned out to be even easier—and honestly, just as satisfying. If you’re ready to impress dinner guests or treat yourself to something rich and comforting, this recipe is your new go-to.
Love cheesy, comforting, French-inspired dishes? Then you'll definitely want to try this French Onion Chicken Soup!
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Why You'll Love This Escargot Recipe
Whether you're a seasoned Escargot connoisseur or a complete newbie, it doesn't matter. Learning how to make escargot is easy, sure to impress, and absolutely divine. The mushroom-like texture of delicious escargot absorbs the buttery flavor, herbs, and spices, making this an incredibly flavorful delicacy.
Try pairing this Garlic Butter Escargot with these Apple Cider Martinis! Perfect, especially around the holidays.
Ingredients for Escargot Without the Shells
Snails: The first thing you'll need is escargot snails. Jump on Amazon and grab a can of these extra-large Wild Burgundy Snails by Escargots de Bourgogne Sauvages.
There are 24 snails in a can, so be prepared to cook and serve all of them. They don't freeze well and aren't that great left over.
Vegetables and Herbs: Grab yourself a red onion, some minced garlic, garlic powder, fresh Italian parsley, fresh rosemary, Kosher salt, and black pepper.
Butter and Wine: You'll need salted butter, Chardonnay, and Olive oil.
Cheese Topping: I made a Havarti and Gruyere cheese blend for this particular Escargot recipe. However, feel free to sub one out for Parmesan or whatever your snail-eating heart desires!
Bread for Serving: I recommend using a sliced and toasted French baguette for optimal texture, size, and flavor.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Sauté the Onions
Preheat the oven to 400°f. Next, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large cast-iron skillet and sauté the diced red onion until it begins to caramelize. This should take about 5-6 minutes, and be sure to stir them frequently to prevent burning.
2. Add Wine and Reduce
Add the chardonnay and continue sautéing the onions for about 3 minutes, or until almost all the wine has evaporated.
3. Make the Buttery Garlic Herb Sauce
Lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter, chopped Italian parsley, rosemary, minced garlic, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine fully.
Add the Escargot and cook the mixture for about 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently until everything is well combined.
4. Fill the Escargot Dishes
Fill each divot of the Escargot snail dish with one snail and the melted butter mixture.
Be sure to get some onion pieces in the divots and scatter some on top of the entire dish as well.
5. Top with Cheese and Bake
Place the dish on a cookie sheet, then generously top the entire escargot plate with your cheese blend.
Bake the Escargot on the center rack for about 5 minutes, then turn the broiler on for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned on top.
Remove the Escargot from the oven and carefully serve hot with a sliced and toasted French baguette.
Expert Tips for Perfect Escargot
- I highly recommend making this baked escargot recipe as hors d'oeuvres to Chicken Fried Kitchen's Chilean Sea Bass for the ultimate romantic, breathtakingly beautiful dinner.
- Don't forget some extra bread for dipping, either. Those divots are still full of buttery deliciousness!
FAQ: Escargot Recipe Without Shells
No, but they help with portioning and presentation. You can use small ramekins or a shallow baking dish if needed.
Yes! High-quality canned Burgundy snails are the standard for home cooking and taste fantastic once simmered in butter, garlic, herbs, and wine.
Escargot has a mild, earthy flavor and a tender texture—similar to mushrooms—making it perfect for soaking up garlic butter.
You can prepare the butter mixture and onions ahead, but wait to add the snails and bake until just before serving.
A dry white wine like Chardonnay adds richness, but Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio also works beautifully.
More Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Equipment
- 2 Escargot Baking and Serving Dishes There are several sizes, so pick the best for your needs.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ Red Onion - diced
- ¼ Cup Chardonnay
- 1 Stick Salted Butter
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 3 tablespoon Fresh Italian Parsley - chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary - chopped
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 7.5 Oz Very Large Wild Burgundy Snails - drained and rinsed
- ¼ Cup Havarti Cheese - shredded
- ¼ Cup Gruyere Cheese - shredded
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 400°f.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large cast iron skillet and sauté the diced red onion until it begins to caramelize. About 5-6 minutes stirring frequently.
- Add the chardonnay and continue to sauté the onions for about 3 minutes or until almost all of the wine has evaporated.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter, chopped Italian parsley, rosemary, minced garlic, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and snails.
- Cook the mixture for about 6-7 minutes stirring frequently until everything is well combined.
- Fill each divot of the Escargot serving plates with one snail and the melted butter mixture. Be sure to get some onion pieces in the divots and scatter some on top of the entire dish as well.
- Place the dish on a cookie sheet then generously top the entire escargot plate with your cheese blend.
- Bake the Escargot on the center rack for about 5 minutes then place under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned on top.
- Remove the Escargot from the oven and carefully serve hot with a sliced and toasted French baguette.
Video
Notes
- I highly recommend making this Escargot as hors d'oeuvres to Chicken Fried Kitchen's Chilean Sea Bass for the ultimate romantic, breathtakingly beautiful dinner.
- Don't forget some extra bread for dipping, either. Those divots are still full of buttery deliciousness!
Manuel antonio says
really fantastic. despite changing out resiling for chardonnay and despite using my parsley from frozen. these escargot were terrific. oh and I swapped out the suggested cheeses for some cheddar, parmesan and topped with a slice of provolone I had at home because I never have the exact ingredients. everything else was exact. delicious
Jeremy Klae says
Thats great to hear Manuel and the modifications sound like they were probably amazing! I bet the cheeses on top were perfect.