Garlic Herb Baked Shrimp with Lemon Butter

On busy nights, baked shrimp is my secret weapon. Plump shrimp get tossed with melted butter, olive oil, plenty of garlic, lemon zest and fresh herbs, spread in a single layer and roasted in a hot oven for about 10 minutes. They come out juicy and fragrant, sitting in a pool of lemony garlic butter that begs for crusty bread.

In this post I will share why the oven is such a reliable way to cook shrimp, how to choose the right size, the ingredients, step-by-step directions, my tips, easy variations, serving ideas, common mistakes and storage advice. The printable recipe card with exact measurements and estimated nutrition is waiting at the bottom of the post.

Why This Garlic Herb Baked Shrimp Works

Cooking shrimp on the stove means standing over the pan, flipping and watching. In the oven, the heat surrounds the shrimp evenly, so they cook at the same pace without any flipping. That makes it almost hands-off and very hard to mess up, as long as you keep an eye on the timer.

• High heat, short time. A 400°F (200°C) oven cooks large shrimp in 8 to 10 minutes, so they stay tender and juicy.
• A single layer. Spreading the shrimp out lets them roast instead of steam in their own juices.
• Butter plus olive oil. Butter brings rich flavor, while olive oil keeps it from browning too quickly and adds a fruity note.
• Garlic in the sauce, not on top. Stirring the garlic into the butter keeps it from scorching and spreads its flavor to every shrimp.
• Fresh herbs and lemon twice. Zest and herbs go in before baking, and fresh lemon juice and parsley go on at the end.

Because everything bakes in one dish, the buttery pan sauce is ready the moment the shrimp come out. Serve it straight from the dish for a cozy dinner, spoon it over pasta or rice, or set it out with toothpicks as an easy holiday appetizer.

Choosing the Best Shrimp for Baking

Shrimp are sold by count, which tells you roughly how many come in a pound. For baking, large (21 to 25 per pound) or jumbo (16 to 20 per pound) shrimp are ideal. They stay juicy in the oven and are easy to eat with a fork or toothpick. Smaller shrimp overcook quickly, so if you use them, start checking at 5 minutes.

To devein shrimp yourself, run a small paring knife along the back of each shrimp to expose the dark vein, then lift it out with the tip of the knife and rinse. Kitchen shears make the job even faster on shell-on shrimp.

Buy raw shrimp, either fresh from the counter or frozen. Frozen raw shrimp are often the freshest option, since many shrimp are frozen right after harvest. Peeled and deveined saves time, and leaving the tails on looks pretty for parties. Avoid precooked shrimp here, because baking them again makes them rubbery.

Ingredients You Will Need

• Shrimp: 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) large or jumbo raw shrimp, peeled and deveined.
• Unsalted butter: Melted, for a rich, golden sauce.
• Olive oil: Balances the butter and helps the shrimp roast evenly.
• Garlic: Five cloves, finely minced or grated. Yes, five.
• Lemon: Zest before baking, juice after, plus slices for the dish if you like.
• Fresh herbs: Parsley, thyme and chives. Dill or basil are lovely too.
• Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, smoked or sweet paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Optional topping: Panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan for a crunchy finish.

If you only have dried herbs, use about one third of the amount, so 1 teaspoon of dried for each tablespoon of fresh. Add them to the butter so they soften and bloom in the oven.

Use unsalted butter so you can control the seasoning, since some frozen shrimp are processed with a little salt. If you only have salted butter, cut the kosher salt in half and taste the pan juices before serving.

How to Make Baked Shrimp

Preheat the oven and have your baking dish ready before you start. The prep only takes about 10 minutes, and the shrimp bake in even less.

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the center.
2. Dry and season the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry, then toss them with the salt, pepper, paprika and pepper flakes in a large bowl.
3. Make the garlic herb butter. Stir together the melted butter, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, thyme and chives.
4. Coat and arrange. Pour the butter mixture over the shrimp and toss well. Spread them in a single layer in a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish or on a rimmed sheet pan, and tuck in a few lemon slices.
5. Bake. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes for large shrimp, or 10 to 12 minutes for jumbo, until pink and opaque all the way through.
6. Finish. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the hot shrimp, sprinkle with parsley and spoon the pan juices over the top. Serve right away.

For a little extra color, switch the oven to broil for the last 1 minute and watch closely. The edges of the shrimp will caramelize slightly and the butter will bubble.

Tips for Juicy Oven Baked Shrimp

• Pat them dry. Wet shrimp water down the butter and steam instead of roasting.
• Do not crowd the dish. Use a sheet pan for larger batches so every shrimp touches the pan.
• Watch the shape. Perfectly cooked shrimp curl into a loose C. A tight O means they have gone too far.
• Pull them a touch early. Shrimp keep cooking in the hot dish, so take them out as soon as the last ones turn opaque.
• Grate the garlic. A microplane makes the garlic melt into the butter for a smoother sauce.

If you love quick shrimp dinners, try my bright Sicilian shrimp pasta with cherry tomatoes, the cozy shrimp scampi with linguine or the herby shrimp oreganata with crispy breadcrumbs. Browse more ideas in my quick seafood recipes.

Easy Variations

• Parmesan crusted: Mix 1/3 cup (20 g) panko with 1/4 cup (25 g) grated Parmesan and a teaspoon of olive oil, sprinkle over the shrimp and bake as directed.
• Cajun baked shrimp: Replace the paprika and herbs with 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning.
• Greek style: Use oregano and dill, add a handful of cherry tomatoes and finish with crumbled feta.
• Sheet pan dinner: Roast asparagus or green beans for 8 minutes first, then add the shrimp to the pan and bake together.
• Dairy free: Use all olive oil instead of butter. The sauce is lighter but still delicious.
• Honey garlic: Stir 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce into the butter for a sweet and savory glaze.

What to Serve with Baked Shrimp

Spoon the shrimp and garlic butter over angel hair pasta, rice, orzo or creamy polenta for an easy dinner. Roasted asparagus, broccoli or a crisp Caesar salad round out the plate, and crusty bread is perfect for dunking.

For a party, serve the shrimp warm in the baking dish with toothpicks and lemon wedges, next to a platter of crispy coconut shrimp and your favorite dips. It is an easy, elegant appetizer for holiday gatherings.

Baked Shrimp for Parties and the Holidays

This recipe doubles beautifully for a crowd. Use two rimmed sheet pans instead of one crowded dish, bake them on the upper and lower thirds of the oven and swap the pans halfway through. Plan on about 4 to 5 large shrimp per person as an appetizer, or 1/3 pound (150 g) per person as a main course.

Garlic herb shrimp is a natural fit for a Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes on December 24, 2026, alongside pasta with clams and a platter of fried calamari. Serve it warm in the baking dish with lemon wedges and toothpicks. If the shrimp will sit out, keep them on the table for no more than 2 hours, then refrigerate the leftovers.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating

Shrimp are safely cooked when the flesh is pink and opaque all the way through, or reaches 145°F (63°C). Keep raw shrimp in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook, and thaw frozen shrimp in the fridge or under cold water, never on the counter. For more, see the FDA guide to selecting and serving fresh and frozen seafood safely.

You can toss the shrimp with the garlic herb butter, arrange them in the dish and refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 hours before baking. Add the lemon juice only after baking, since acid starts to firm the shrimp.

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3 days. Leftovers are great cold on salads or in wraps. To reheat, warm gently in a skillet over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes just until hot. Cooked shrimp can be frozen for up to 3 months, though the texture is a little softer once thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to cook? Here is the full printable garlic herb baked shrimp recipe with exact measurements and estimated nutrition.

Garlic Herb Baked Shrimp

Large shrimp tossed in garlic herb lemon butter and baked in a single layer for about 10 minutes until juicy and tender.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 330

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Shrimp

• 1 1/2 pounds large or jumbo raw shrimp peeled and deveined (680 g)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Garlic herb butter

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic finely minced or grated
• 1 lemon zested, then juiced, plus a few slices
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, for finishing

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Pat the shrimp dry and toss with the salt, pepper, paprika and red pepper flakes.
3. Stir together the melted butter, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, thyme and chives. Pour over the shrimp and toss to coat.
4. Spread the shrimp in a single layer in a 9×13-inch baking dish or on a rimmed sheet pan and tuck in a few lemon slices.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes for large shrimp or 10 to 12 minutes for jumbo, until pink and opaque throughout.
6. Squeeze the lemon juice over the hot shrimp, sprinkle with parsley, spoon the pan juices over and serve.

Notes

Doneness: Shrimp are done when pink and opaque throughout, or 145°F (63°C).

Optional crunch: Top with panko and Parmesan before baking.

Nutrition is an estimate per serving and does not include sides.

I hope this easy garlic herb shrimp becomes one of your go-to fast dinners. If you make it, please leave a comment and a star rating below and tell me what you served it with. Happy cooking, friends!