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.

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.) Alex and my usual way to cook it is this sauteed shrimp. But the other day we 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.

Want an even quicker variation? Go to Broiled Shrimp.

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!

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 we used 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 we do when we’re making our Shrimp Rice Bowl. Try it with ½ teaspoon each smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin.

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. (See also Cilantro Lime Shrimp.)
• Curry powder or paste. Heighten the flavors by stirring in curry powder or curry paste to taste (skip the oregano).

How 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:

• Couscous: Go Mediterranean style and make Easy Couscous (or Israeli Couscous).
• Rice or Quinoa: Make a quick pot: go to How to Cook Rice, Coconut Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, or Perfectly Seasoned Quinoa.
• Steamed or Sauteed Veggies: Some of our fastest veggie side dishes are: Peas with Lemon, Best Sauteed Mushrooms, Sauteed Broccoli, Sauteed Spinach, Lemon Herb Cauliflower, or Sauteed Kale.
• Salad: Some quick & easy salads to pair: Easy Arugula Salad, Goat Cheese Salad with Arugula, Kale Salad, Perfect Italian Salad, or Chopped Salad.

Fresh vs frozen shrimp: which to use?

You can use either fresh or frozen for this roasted shrimp recipe. Frozen shrimp is obviously very convenient! But is it as high quality? Actually, yes:

• 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.

This baked shrimp recipe is…

Pescatarian, gluten-free and dairy-free.

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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.
• Perfect 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. A home run dinner idea!
• Shrimp and Broccoli Ultra flavorful, it comes together in minutes for a fast and easy healthy dinner! Serve with rice or over noodles.
• Shrimp Fried Rice Tastes like your favorite takeout!
• How to Cook Shrimp on the Stove Here’s a quick tutorial on how to saute shrimp on the stove: and it takes only 4 minutes to cook!

Last updated: May 2021