Wondering how to get the most flavor out of your shrimp? Garlic and butter. It’s is a killer combination in and of itself, but throw in some jumbo shrimp and a squeeze of fresh lemon, and you’re looking at pure dinnertime perfection. Oven Baked Garlic Butter Shrimp delivers all of the flavor and none of the hassle.
Just melt the butter, chop some garlic, add some lemon, and bake! Serve these plump and juicy shrimp as the star of the show, over pasta (Shrimp Scampi style), or with rice! But, whatever you do, don’t forget a hunky slice of crusty bread for sopping up every last bit of that lemony garlic butter sauce!
You can count on this Garlic Butter Shrimp to be an easy dinner recipe you’ll make again and again….and again! You’ll also love our quick-cooking, flavor-packed Shrimp Tacos!
HOW TO MAKE OVEN BAKED GARLIC BUTTER SHRIMP
- Prep the Shrimp – Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and transfer it to a baking dish.
- Make the Sauce – Melt the butter in a microwave-safe pitcher or bowl and stir in the lemon juice, zest, garlic, salt, pepper, and onion powder.
- Bake – Pour the butter sauce over the prawns, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve!
HOW LONG DO YOU BAKE SHRIMP?
The time it takes for shrimp to bake in the oven depends on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, the temperature of the oven, the size of the prawn, and the cooking conditions.
For example, my favorite Roasted Shrimp Recipe cooks on a sheet pan where the prawns are highly exposed, where heat and air can readily circulate. It takes only 10 minutes to cook through.
On the other hand, this Oven-Baked Garlic Butter Shrimp cooks in a baking dish, in a glorious sea of garlic butter, underneath a layer of aluminum foil. This cooking method requires about 15 minutes in the oven. So, long story short…it depends.
HOW TO KNOW WHEN SHRIMP ARE DONE
Shrimp are done when they turn opaque, are somewhat pink in color, and semi-firm to the touch.
INGREDIENTS FOR GARLIC BUTTER SHRIMP
- Raw Shrimp (fresh or frozen)
- Unsalted Butter
- Lemon Juice and Zest
- Garlic (lots and lots of garlic)
- Seasoning | Kosher Salt, Pepper, and Onion Powder
- Italian Parsley
WHAT TYPE OF SHRIMP SHOULD I BUY?
Garlic Butter Shrimp is not the time for dinky, little crustaceans. This recipe calls for extra-large/jumbo shrimp — the big ones that make all your efforts worth it when it comes to peeling.
You may find it more effective when shopping prawns to go by the count rather than the descriptive name. The count you want is 16/25, which means there are 16-25 shrimp per pound.
If you aren’t whipping up your Garlic Butter Shrimp the same day you purchase your seafood, consider purchasing it frozen. Then, allow the package to thaw in the refrigerator the night before you intend to make the dish.
FROZEN SHRIMP — DID YOU KNOW?!
Unless you live on the coast or in very close proximity to it, the frozen shrimp in the bag is more than likely more fresh than the thawed ones behind the seafood counter.
My favorite shrimp for making Garlic Butter Shrimp are frozen, wild-caught EZ peel shrimp, and after one round of prepping it, it’ll probably be your favorite too. The shell is already split in half and the deveining has already been taken care of as well. It’s positively glorious.
HOW TO SAFELY THAW FROZEN SHRIMP
To safely thaw frozen prawns, place them in a large mixing bowl and top with cold water. Secure the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Thawing should take no more than 30 minutes to an hour; the time will vary depending on the size and how many there are.
CAN YOU BAKE FROZEN RAW SHRIMP?
No. You should not bake frozen shrimp in its icy state. Under this condition, it will cook unevenly and it’s possible you’ll end up with an overcooked exterior and raw interior. No, thank you. The good news is, they thaw out super fast. As mentioned above, we’re talking less than an hour here, folks.
CAN YOU BAKE ALREADY COOKED SHRIMP?
Again, hard no. Pretty much the only way you could mess up this recipe is by using pre-cooked shrimp. I repeat: Do not use pre-cooked shrimp. Prawns are already easy enough to overcook. If you cook them twice, you’re guaranteed gummy, tough, near inedible results.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH GARLIC BUTTER SHRIMP
You can serve Oven Baked Garlic Butter Shrimp on its own, over a bed of rice, pasta, or even over zucchini noodles for a healthier twist. And, you probably won’t want to go without a hunky slice of a crusty baguette to sop up every last bit of that garlicky lemon butter sauce!
As far as side dishes go, here are few TAK side dishes that will go perfect with this shrimp dinner!
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes Recipe
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Veggie Bake
Green Bean Almondine
Steamed Broccoli Recipe
Asparagus Prosciutto Bundles
5 MORE SHRIMP RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Oven Baked Garlic Butter Shrimp is a quick and easy dinner idea featuring plump, juicy shrimp baked in a lemony garlic butter sauce!
- 1 pound peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- Zest and juice of half a lemon
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Generous pinch black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley
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Preheat the oven to 400°F and have ready an 8x8" baking dish or a small casserole dish.
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Pat each shrimp dry with paper towels and transfer it to the baking dish.
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In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, lemon zest and juice, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and onion powder.
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Pour the butter mixture over the shrimp, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 15-18 minutes -- just until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
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Garnish with the chopped parsley, serve, and enjoy!
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