Party Shrimp – Made in Your Oven in 5 Minutes
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Is it even a party if you’re not serving this party shrimp appetizer? This is my favorite recipe to serve when entertaining, as I can prep everything ahead of time and cook the shrimp in 5 minutes as guests arrive. Plus, they’re so delicious. I’ll share my foolproof trick to ensure they’re always tender and juicy.
If there’s one thing I refuse to serve at a party, it’s rubbery shrimp. Shrimp can go from perfectly tender to overcooked in what feels like seconds, which is why I’ve relied on this baked party shrimp recipe for years. It’s fast, foolproof, and delivers juicy, flavorful shrimp every time.
The secret is a quick blast in a hot oven. In just five minutes, the shrimp cook through while staying tender and succulent, making this one of the easiest appetizers to pull together when you’re entertaining. I love serving them warm with a simple garlic lemon mayonnaise for dipping—it always disappears fast.
The ingredient list is refreshingly short. Good-quality shrimp, garlic, lemon, butter, oil, parsley, and a few pantry staples are all you need. The garlic lemon mayo adds a bright, creamy finish that pairs perfectly with the sweet shrimp, and if you like a little heat, a pinch of cayenne is a delicious addition.
How to make ahead: In step one, instead of putting the shrimp on a baking sheet, leave them in the bowl with the oil and seasoning marinade, then refrigerate until you’re ready to cook. You can also whip up your shrimp dip and store it in the fridge.
The secret to tender party shrimp
Shrimp are notorious for overcooking quickly – blink once, and they’ll go from tender and juicy to rubbery and chewy. The secret is to leave the skillet in the cupboard and let the broiler do the work for you. Broiling them for just five minutes (and no more) cooks them beautifully without risking overcooking.
The shrimp will cook for a minute or two after you take them out of the oven, so be careful not to overcook them. Set a timer for five minutes before you put them under the broiler, and keep an eye on them. When they’re cooked, the shrimp turn pink and become firm. Take them out of the oven when the timer goes off, and they’ll be perfectly tender!
Serving ideas
- I like to keep things casual and place shrimp on a large plate with the dip on the side, and sprinkle some minced parsley or basil overtop. The prawn tails make natural handles so this recipe is ideal for finger food style appys. Just place out a small dish for people to pop the tails into, and you’re good!
- But if you want a prettier presentation, you could use skewers, toothpicks, or little forks. Or, use them to make shrimp cocktail.
- Or turn them into the main course by serving them over pasta tossed in all the delicious lemony garlic butter. ← You should definitely try this!
Party Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
Baked Party Shrimp
- 2 lb tail-on shrimp
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- 1 lemon (cut into thick slices – zest the lemon first and reserve one slice for the mayo)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Minced parsley and extra pepper (to garnish)
Garlic Lemon Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (use the one slice of lemon you set aside)
- 1 tablespoon minced chives
- 1 small garlic clove (finely minced)
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Dry the shrimp with some paper towel and place them in a medium-sized bowl. Add the oil, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate while you make the mayonnaise and heat your oven.2 lb tail-on shrimp, 2 tablespoons oil, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- Preheat your oven to broil. Place an oven rack at the very top of your oven.
- In a small bowl, mix together the garlic lemon mayonnaise ingredients.¼ cup mayonnaise, Zest from 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon minced chives, 1 small garlic clove, 1 pinch sea salt
- Transfer the shrimp to a large baking sheet, spreading them out in a single layer. Add the lemon slices to the pan. Broil the shrimp for 5 minutes (no more!) then remove them from the oven and immediately add the butter to the tray. Let it melt then squeeze the warm lemon slices over top.2 tablespoons butter
- Sprinkle with some parsley and extra pepper and move them to a serving plate. Serve with the dipping sauce on the side.1 lemon, Minced parsley and extra pepper
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Hi. In oven does the lemon go on top or beneath shrimp. Thank you
I nestle them around the shrimp. 🙂
Where exactly do the lemon slices go ? On top of the shrimp or just in the pan next to shrimp?
I usually put them on the pan next to the shrimp. 💛
Recipe is great and I’ve made it several times! I substitute the parsley for cilantro as the recipe has citrus in it.
I love that swap — cilantro is such a natural fit with the citrus! I’m so happy you’ve made it several times. Thanks for sharing your tweak! 💛
Do you use already cooked shrimp for this recipe? If i use cooked shrimp to start, what is the baking time?
No I use raw shrimp. If you’d like to use cooked, you’ll only need to warm them up a little – 2 minutes should do it.
What size shrimp is this recipe for? I have small shrimp and I’m not sure if I’ll need to adjust the cooking time.
We use 31-40 count shrimp!
Hi, there’s no mention of what kind of oil to use when marinating the shrimp. Also, the instructions mention adding salt and pepper when the shrimp is marinating, but there’s no mention of quantity.
We use neutral-flavored cooking oil (avocado oil, specifically) for marinating the shrimp and ¼ teaspoon of each salt and pepper. 🙂
What should be the degree of heat?
Broil … which is usually 500 degrees Fahrenheit. 🙂
For the dip, what do you do with the small garlic clove? Toss it in? Mince it first before mixing it?
Also, I was trying to find in the notes about the lemon zest for the sauce but didn’t find anything. Help ?
I apologize for that confusion. I’ve updated the recipe so it should be clear now. Basically, you only need 1 lemon for the recipe: the zest and juice from 1 slice for the mayo and the remaining slices for the shrimp.:)