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This easy oven baked shrimp recipe has the best flavor and is totally hands off! It’s seasoned to perfection with garlic and herbs.
Shrimp is a big winner around here: it’s delicious, a healthy lean protein, and so fast to cook. (And our 3 year old is obsessed.) My usual way to cook it is this sauteed shrimp. But the other day I thought: why not try baked shrimp in the oven?
Well, you would not believe the “Wow’s!” exclaimed after every bite. This method is so easy and the shrimp come out juicy and perfectly seasoned with garlic and herbs. Move over, all other shrimp recipes! This one is the perfect healthy, fast and easy dinner.
A baked shrimp recipe—in 5 minutes
This oven baked shrimp recipe could not be simpler. The only hard part is waiting for the oven to preheat. After that: it’s just about 5 minutes in a hot oven. Or if you don’t have time to preheat: use the broiler method in the recipe below! The exact timing will depend on the size of your shrimp. Here are a few pointers for making this roasted shrimp:
- Use any size of shrimp. Just keep in mind the cook time will vary based on the size. Bake the shrimp 4 to 6 minutes until its opaque.
- Bake or broil. The advantage with broiled shrimp is that you don’t have to wait for the oven to preheat!
- Add breadcrumbs if desired. It’s optional, but adding breadcrumbs makes the crispiest crunchy coating. Go to Broiled Shrimp.
- Check and assess doneness. Pull the pan from the oven and assess doneness. You can always cook more: but you can’t undo overcooking it!
Another quick variation? Go to Broiled Shrimp.
Seasonings for oven baked shrimp
This recipe uses simple seasonings, but they taste simply perfect. The combination of garlic and herbs takes succulent shrimp to new heights. Here’s what I use in addition to salt and pepper:
- Garlic
- Dried oregano
- Onion powder
- Fresh lemon juice (after baking)
- Fresh parsley or cilantro (after baking)
You can also go for more of a Latin flair, which I like to do when we’re making our shrimp bowl with cilantro lime rice. Try it with ½ teaspoon each smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin.
Flavor variations and add-ins
Of course, there are lots of other ways to season this baked shrimp recipe! Here are some more ideas on adders that would step up this dish, or alternative ways to season it:
- Feta crumbles. Top with feta for a Mediterranean or Greek-style vibe.
- Cilantro lime. Switch out oregano for cumin and lemon juice for lime—or try my other favorite cilantro lime shrimp.
- Curry powder or paste. Heighten the flavors by stirring in curry powder or curry paste to taste (skip the oregano).
Ways to serve oven baked shrimp
Make it a meal! All you need to dress up this shrimp are some veggies, a grain, or a salad. Here are our top recommendations:
- Go Mediterranean style and make couscous or Israeli couscous.
- Make a quick pot of rice, coconut rice, cilantro lime rice, or seasoned quinoa.
- Try steamed or sauteed veggies like peas, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed broccoli, sauteed spinach, steamed cauliflower, or sauteed kale.
- Add a fresh green salad like arugula salad, goat cheese salad, kale salad, Italian salad, or chopped salad.
Fresh vs frozen shrimp: which to use?
You can use either fresh or frozen shrimp for this roasted shrimp recipe. Here are a few notes:
- Both fresh and frozen shrimp work! A myth about fish is that “fresh is best,” but frozen isn’t necessarily lower quality. In fact, it might be higher.
- Why? As soon as an animal dies it begins to decompose; freezing suspends this process. If a fish is frozen when it was caught and stays frozen until it gets to your kitchen, it will be higher quality than a raw fish that has taken a week to get to your plate.
Want to know the best way to defrost shrimp? Go to How to Thaw Shrimp.
Storing leftovers
I recommend eating this baked shrimp the day of making (Alex and I typically don’t love shrimp as leftovers). But it saves up to 3 days refrigerated. We prefer making it into things like shrimp salad or even shrimp rolls on the second day.
Dietary notes
Pescatarian, gluten-free and dairy-free.
Easy Baked Shrimp
This easy oven baked shrimp recipe has the best flavor and is totally hands off! It’s seasoned to perfection with garlic and herbs.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Seafood
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp, deveined (tail on or off)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano*
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Lemon wedges
- Chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or preheat the broiler.
- If frozen, thaw the shrimp.
- Mince the garlic. Pat the shrimp dry. In a medium bowl, toss with the shrimp with the olive oil, garlic, oregano, onion powder, and kosher salt.
- Baked method: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the shrimp on a baking sheet in an even layer. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until juicy and opaque, about 4 to 6 minutes depending on the size of the shrimp.
- Broiler method: Place the shrimp on a baking sheet in an even layer. Place the baking sheet in the broiler and broil for 3 to 6 minutes, until juicy and opaque, rotating the tray as necessary for even cooking.
- Spritz with fresh lemon juice from lemon wedges, sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro, and serve immediately.
Notes
*Or vary the seasonings: try ½ teaspoon each smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin.
More favorite shrimp recipes
Shrimp makes the quickest weeknight dinners! Here are a few more of our favorite healthy shrimp recipes:
- Quick Shrimp Tacos: A fast dinner recipe for weeknights or entertaining.
- Shrimp Scampi: A deliciously buttery skillet of goodness.
- Grilled Shrimp Salad: A tasty summer dinner, topped with tomato vinaigrette.
- BBQ Shrimp: Fast and easy, with simple ingredients.
- Sauteed Shrimp or Old Bay Steamed Shrimp: This really is the best easy shrimp, with the best seasoning.
- Creamy Shrimp Pasta: Easy to make with the best big flavors: garlic, lemon, and Parmesan.
- Shrimp and Broccoli or Shrimp Fried Rice: Ultra flavorful, these recipes comes together in minutes for a fast and easy healthy dinner!
Easiest method! I do mine with smoked paprika, pepper, onion & garlic powder, little bit of salt, cumin and curry powder. Spritz with lemon at the end and add fresh cilantro. I love that you added all of the add-ons because it tastes delicious!
Just made the Baked Shrimp and served over rice. Quick, easy, and delicious. Will be making this often.