We’re going back to basics with this Oven Baked Shrimp recipe! Requiring only 4 ingredients total, you can have juicy, succulent shrimp ready in under 15 minutes!
I know some people want flashy recipes with homemade dough and fancy ingredients, but some (if not most) of us want simple, basic, and satisfying recipes. That’s what this blog is all about! I’m here to give you recipes ranging from extravagant, like my sunflower bread, to extremely simple, like this Oven Baked Shrimp! This has got to be the easiest way to cook shrimp!
Easy Baked Shrimp
- Easy Prep, Minimal Cleanup
- Requires Only 4 Simple Ingredients
- Fast – Takes Less Than 15 minutes
- Delicious & Juicy Shrimp
- Perfect For Beginners
Now I have made MANY shrimp recipes over the years, just because they’re so simple and so versatile! But this time, we’re keeping it basic basic basic. I mean, it doesn’t get much better than a recipe that takes less than 15 minutes start to finish.
Minimal prep, barely any cleanup, and an astoundingly short list of ingredients make this oven baked shrimp perfect for beginners, or for anyone who doesn’t want to spend much time in the kitchen making a meal! You’ll end up with juicy, plump and perfect shrimp every time with this foolproof recipe.
Ingredient Notes
- Shrimp – I used large shrimp, peeled and deveined, but kept the tail on! Fresh or frozen shrimp will work with this recipe, if using frozen – make sure they’re fully defrosted before baking. See “FAQs & Expert Tips” for more info on how to prep your shrimp.
- Olive Oil – Substitute sunflower, safflower or avocado oil.
- Seasoning – Salt & pepper are we need! Use as much or as little as your prefer.
How To Bake Shrimp
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Make sure the rack is in the middle position.
- Prep Shrimp: Add the shrimp to a large bowl and pat it dry with paper towels. Drizzle the olive oil over the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Toss well, making sure the shrimp is fully coated, add more oil if needed.
- Bake: Arrange the shrimp on a baking sheet or casserole dish in a single layer. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the shrimp turns white, pink and opaque.
- Serve: Serve immediately garnished with lemon wedges.
FAQs & Expert Tips
FAQs
You’ll want to start at the small legs on the shrimp. Simply pull those off and the rest of the shell should start to release. Pull off the rest of the shell – but keep the tails on. To remove the vein along the top simply cut a slit with a small knife down the middle of the shrimp’s back before removing the black vein with the tip of your knife.
The meat of the shrimp will turn a combination of white, pink and opaque when it’s finished cooking. Every oven is different, and the size of your shrimp will depend on the cook time, but 6-8 minutes should be enough for all shrimp.
Again, I kept it extremely basic! You can play around with different seasonings, herbs and spices, heat them up with some chilis or red pepper flakes, add some garlic butter, cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, there are so many possibilities!
These oven baked shrimp can be used for a variety of dishes, or eaten on their own as a tasty snack! Use them in a pasta, a salad, a wrap, spring rolls, you name it. I served them as tacos with some fresh pineapple salsa.
Tips
- Keep an eye on your shrimp, you don’t want to overcook them and make them rubbery!
- You don’t need to line your baking sheet. Since the shrimp are tossed in the olive oil, there’s no need for excess.
- Play around with different combinations of seasoning etc. to make the shrimp flavored to your liking.
- I always recommend using fresh shrimp, but if you do use frozen, just make sure the shrimp is fully thawed and remove any excess water before baking!
Leftovers
In the fridge this baked shrimp will keep for 3 – 4 days in an airtight container, so feel free to make them ahead of time!
Freezing
You can freeze the shrimp from this recipe for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
More Great Recipes To Try
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Oven Baked Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined, tails on
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Make sure the rack is in the middle position.
- Prep Shrimp: Add the shrimp to a large bowl and pat it dry with paper towels. Drizzle the olive oil over the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Toss well, making sure the shrimp is fully coated, add more oil if needed.
- Bake: Arrange the shrimp on a baking sheet or casserole dish in a single layer. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the shrimp turns white, pink and opaque.
- Serve: Serve immediately garnished with lemon wedges.
Recipe Notes
- Keep an eye on your shrimp, you don’t want to overcook them and make them rubbery!
- You don’t need to line your baking sheet. Since the shrimp are tossed in the olive oil, there’s no need for excess.
- Play around with different combinations of seasoning etc. to make the shrimp flavored to your liking.
- I always recommend using fresh shrimp, but if you do use frozen, just make sure the shrimp is fully thawed and remove any excess water before baking!
- In the fridge this recipe will keep for 3 – 4 days in an airtight container, so feel free to make them ahead of time!
- You can freeze the shrimp from this recipe for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
I don’t know why you guys have to put so much stuff in there before the directions! Just put the directions for what people want to know what to cook. All that other stuff is just in the freaking way and it makes people mad trust me
All of the info in the post is information that usually helps my readers. If you don’t have the patience, there is a jump to recipe button at the top of the post which you can click on and it takes you directly to the recipe card. Win win for everyone.
This is one of my favorites! Easy to prep and delicious ❣
Hi! I bought frozen, cooked, tail-on shrimp. Can I use them for this recipe? I’m guessing the time in the oven would need to be reduced – perhaps just a few minutes under the broiler?
Yeah I think that should be enough. 🙂
Yup, it was. Very tasty, thanks! 🙂
Hi. Just wondering, do u eat the tacos with the tails on? 🤨 the picture makes it look like the tails are still on in made up tacos?
You can eat them however you like! Tails removed or not. To clarify, tails were removed, they were kept on only because they make beautiful pictures.