A delicious, upscale meal in a hurry. These buttery Baked Colossal Shrimp are swimming in the most delicious lemon garlic butter sauce. It's perfect for a weekend party or date night for two at home!
It's the easiest showstopping seafood recipe on either side of the Atlantic. These easy baked shrimp give you that beachside vibe but with an upscale presentation. Like you're eating in a white-tablecloth restaurant and you snuck in wearing flip-flops.
What you need to make baked shrimp:
Before we get to the step by step instructions, a few notes about the ingredients:
Shrimp: This baked shrimp recipe can be made using any size shrimp. The size I used came out to 6 shrimp per pound, so in the colossal category. If using smaller shrimp, simply adjust your cooking time.
Parsley: I love the fresh earthiness of flat leaf parsley. Substitute chives, dill or even basil. Or skip the garnish and dive straight into the buttery shrimp.
Full ingredient list and measurements included in the recipe card below.
How to make this recipe:
1. Prep sauce
Preheat oven to 350℉. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and 3 diced or minced garlic cloves to a 2-quart baking dish. Transfer the dish with butter and garlic to the oven, leaving the butter to melt in the oven for 5-6 minutes as the oven preheats.
2. Bake shrimp
Once the butter has melted and the garlic is fragrant, remove the baking dish from the oven. To the butter and garlic, add your raw colossal shrimp, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Toss the shrimp in the butter sauce to coat well, then arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the baking dish.
Return to the oven to bake for 12-16 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through.
3. Garnish and serve
Once shrimp has been removed from the oven, plate, then pour over lemon garlic butter from baking dish. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh parsley.
Baked colossal shrimp is perfect when paired with boiled potatoes and a fresh green salad. Don't forget the baguette to soak up any extra lemon butter sauce!
Make it once and this easy baked shrimp recipe will be added to your family favorites list for special occasions and celebrations for years to come.
FAQs and Serving Suggestions:
Absolutely. Just thaw the shrimp in your refrigerator overnight, or in a large bowl of very cold water on the day of cooking. Please remember that it is never safe to thaw shellfish on the counter at room temperature.
I like baking large shrimp in a moderate oven so the sweet seafood cooks gently and evenly. Letting the shrimp cook in a buttery garlic lemon sauce infuses the seafood with flavor as it cooks. However you choose to cook large shrimp, it's important not to overcook the seafood so it doesn't become tough and rubbery. It can be hard to use an instant read thermometer on small shrimp, but for large ones, you'll want to check the temperature as you cook. Shrimp is finished when it reaches 120℉.
This colossal shrimp dish is perfect with simple boiled potatoes and a Mediterranean Tossed Salad. Other options include Garlic Brown Rice and Quinoa with Seasoned Green Beans, zucchini noodles with lemon zest and parmesan, or simple baked potatoes with Savory Napa Slaw. If you're looking for a spicy kick, serve with Garlic Butter Shrimp Boil Sauce.
If you're looking to fully repurpose the shrimp, make a shrimp boil hash with the leftover boiled potatoes and shrimp. Start by sautéing onions and garlic in a frying pan in neutral oil. Add in your cold, diced potatoes and cook until golden brown and crispy. Sprinkle with Old Bay Seafood Seasoning. Add in your leftover diced shrimp and toss until just heated through. Serve with a poached egg and seafood boil sauce on the side.
Transfer the leftover shrimp to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, gently heat the shrimp in leftover lemon butter garlic sauce over medium low heat until warm throughout.
Easy Baked Colossal Shrimp with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2-3
Description
It's the fastest, easiest, fancy dinner you'll find anywhere! Succulent baked colossal shrimp will wow all your friends and family.
Ingredients
6-8 colossal shrimp, (U10), or 1 ½ pounds jumbo shrimp
4 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, diced or minced
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Add butter and diced fresh garlic to a 2-quart baking dish. Place in the oven as it preheats, allowing the butter to melt and the garlic to heat.mClean and dry your shrimp. When the butter is melted, remove the baking dish from the oven.
- Add colossal shrimp, lemon zest, salt and pepper to the dish. Toss the shrimp to fully coat, then arrange in a single layer. Return the dish to the oven and bake shrimp for 12-16 minutes, or until the colossal shrimp are cooked through.
- Remove from oven, drizzle with the lemon garlic butter sauce from the baking dish and serve with lemon wedges and diced fresh parsley.
Notes
This shrimp can be baked with the shell on or shell off. I prefer the shell off, tail on.
Because shrimp labeled "colossal" still have differences in size, cook times will vary. Shrimp are cooked through when they reach an internal temperature of 120℉.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven baked
- Cuisine: American, Seafood
Ron
My favorite recipe for shrimp . I've made it with jumbo shrimp and large shrimp. My family loved them both !
Christina Jolam
Thanks so much for your helpful review, Ron. These shrimp are a family favorite in my house, too!
Penny
two thumbs up! we loved this recipe. I'm wondering if I could make cod fillets the same way using this garlic lemon butter sauce and baking in the oven?
Christina Jolam
Great to hear, Penny! I think cod would be delicious in this sauce. Depending on the thickness of your cod fillets, they should take 10-14 minutes to bake through. Maybe add a sprinkle of paprika for a little color...let me know if you try it!
Rosann
This recipe is delicious, fast and easy!
I was able to make this recipe in the Air Fryer. I used the exact ingredients. With the rack removed from the AF, the butter and garlic were placed directly on the bottom during a two minute preheat to 350 degrees. I followed the directions on step 2 and 3, however, I only cooked the shrimp in the AF for 3 minutes, turned them and cooked them for 3 more minutes.
Thank you for a GREAT recipe for a delicious meal.
Christina Jolam
Love to hear this! Sounds like the perfect adaptation for an air fryer. Thanks so much for coming back to leave such a helpful review!
Lucia
Love this recipe! So simple and the colossal shrimp come succulent with the great flavor of garlic, butter and lemon. I am counting calories so I held back from dipping bread into this sauce. Would have been amazing!
Christina Jolam
Love to hear this, Lucia! Sometimes these simple recipes with just a handful of ingredients really let our seafood shine. So glad you loved them! I appreciate you coming back to leave a helpful review!