Easy Garlic Baked Shrimp
Of course, it is simply delicious. Besides that, one of the best things about this Easy Garlic Baked Shrimp is how fast you can make it. In about 15-20 minutes, you can be eating! And I said “simply” delicious for a reason too! It only takes a handful of ingredients mixed together and thrown into the oven to make this dish. Have a salad, rice or taco fixings ready to go and you will have a fantastic meal! Or you can combine it with gluten free pasta and Easy Tomato and Basil Sauce for a quick and easy weeknight meal like you see in the photos below.
Choosing the Shrimp
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to shrimp these days. I definitely see the value (expense-wise) and for flavor in using raw shrimp with their shells and tails on. However, for the ease of this recipe, I buy peeled and deveined shrimp. I like the 11-15 size for this recipe, which results in 4 pieces of shrimp per serving. It is a bit more affordable than jumbo shrimp without appearing skimpy on your plate.
Seasoning the Easy Garlic Baked Shrimp
Resist the temptation to marinate the shrimp in the lemon juice. The acid in the lemon juice will effectively “cook” the shrimp. Then when you actually bake it in the oven, it will become tough and overcooked. Therefore, prior to baking, only season the shrimp with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. This can be left covered in the fridge for several hours prior to cooking.
And Bake!
This is one of the easiest proteins to make for a crowd or to entertain company with. Just lay the shrimp out in a single layer on an oven safe serving dish or a baking tray. Dab the butter on top, pop it in the oven and set a timer! In less than 12 minutes it will be D-O-N-E! The last thing anyone wants to eat it overcooked, rubbery shrimp (well, maybe not the LAST thing). I try to make sure that everything else is ready to eat and everyone is seated for dinner before these come out of the oven. Then squeeze the lemon juice onto the cooked shrimp and sprinkle the fresh parsley on top and enjoy!
What to have with the Easy Garlic Baked Shrimp
Great sides to go with this shrimp are Mediterranean Style Quinoa, Fettuccine Alfredo, Pesto Zoodles, Pasta with Bacon and Peas or Italian Style Quinoa Casserole
Easy Garlic Baked Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs shrimp (11-15 size, peeled & deveined)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped )
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 recipe Easy Tomato and Basil Sauce
Instructions
- Remove tails on shrimp, rinse and pat them dry.
- Combine shrimp, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well and store covered in the fridge until ready to cook.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Assemble the shrimp in a single layer in a baking dish. Dot the top of the shrimp with butter.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until shrimp is just barely opaque. Remove from the oven, squeeze ¼ of a lemon on top, sprinkle with parsley and serve right away with extra lemon.
