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This baked shrimp recipe is one of my favorite quick meals. Juicy shrimp are tossed in a lemony butter sauce and baked to perfection in just 10 minutes. It’s bright, flavorful, and perfect when you want something easy and delicious without spending much time in the kitchen.
Featured Comment
“These are fantastic and super easy.”
– Mary Jane
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick Cooking: Ready in just 10 minutes.
- Bold Flavor: Made with lemon juice, butter, and Italian seasoning.
- Easy to Customize: Swap in your favorite herbs and spices.
- Perfectly Portioned: Designed for one, with no leftovers.
What I love most about this single serving baked shrimp recipe is how effortlessly elegant it feels. With just a handful of ingredients and a quick bake in the oven, you get tender, flavorful shrimp nestled in a buttery lemon sauce that tastes like something from a restaurant.
This is one of my go-to meals when I want something special but don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen. It’s simple, bright, and always hits the spot. I think you’re going to love how easy it is to make and how impressive it looks on the plate.
Serve these shrimp alongside single serving pasta al limone and sautéed green beans for a beautiful, well-rounded meal. You can also use them in shrimp tacos for one, toss them into a single serving shrimp quinoa bowl, or spoon them over creamy shrimp and grits for one. They’re versatile, delicious, and easy to work into any dish you love.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy baked shrimp recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Shrimp: Use 4 ounces of peeled and deveined shrimp, fresh or thawed from frozen. Keeping a bag of frozen shrimp on hand makes it easy to portion out just what you need for a single serving recipe. Use extra shrimp in recipes like single serving BBQ shrimp, single serving shrimp and grits, pad thai for one, or single serving shrimp fettuccine.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the best flavor, but bottled works if needed.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps create the flavorful lemon butter sauce.
- Fresh Parsley: Chopped parsley adds freshness and color. Use leftovers in small batch tabbouleh.
- Seasonings: Enhance the shrimp with a blend of salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. This combination brings a balanced and aromatic flavor to the dish.
How Many Shrimp in 4 Ounces?
- Jumbo (21–25 count/lb): 5–6 shrimp
- Large (26–30 count/lb): 8–9 shrimp
- Medium (31–40 count/lb): 10–11 shrimp
- Small (41–50 count/lb): 12–15 shrimp
How To Bake Shrimp
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place shrimp in a small baking dish.
- Add lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning; toss to coat.
- Top with chopped parsley and dot with small pieces of butter.
- Bake for 8 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink, firm, and fully cooked.
Expert Tips
- Use Similar-Sized Shrimp: To ensure even cooking, use shrimp that are all about the same size.
- Thawing Frozen Shrimp: If using frozen shrimp, make sure they are fully thawed and patted dry before baking.
- Overnight Method: Place shrimp in the refrigerator the night before you plan to cook.
- Quick Method (Bagged): Submerge the unopened bag in a bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes.
- Faster Method (Loose): Place shrimp directly in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Once thawed, pat shrimp dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture for better roasting.
- Baking Dish Size Matters: Use a small baking dish so the shrimp fit in a single layer. This helps them cook evenly and allows the butter-lemon sauce to distribute properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, using peeled and deveined shrimp makes them easier to eat and gives a better texture. If your shrimp aren’t already cleaned, here’s how to do it:
How to Peel and Devein Shrimp:
Remove the legs and peel off the shell.
Pinch and pull off the tail (optional).
Use a paring knife to make a shallow cut along the back.
Lift out the dark vein with the tip of the knife and discard it.
Absolutely. Just use a slightly larger baking dish and make sure the shrimp are in a single layer.
Shrimp are fully cooked when they turn pink, curl slightly, and feel firm to the touch. This usually takes about 8 minutes.
This recipe is designed for one serving, so you likely won’t have leftovers. But if you do, store the cooked shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking.
More Single Serving Shrimp Recipes
Want to expore other single serving shrimp recipes? Try these delicious ideas:
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this baked shrimp or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
Baked Shrimp For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ounces medium shrimp -peeled and deveined (about 10 shrimp)
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place shrimp in a small, ungreased 5×5 inch baking dish.
- Add lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning; toss to coat.
- Top with chopped parsley and dot with small pieces of butter.
- Bake for 8 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink, firm, and fully cooked.
Notes
- Use Similar-Sized Shrimp: To ensure even cooking, use shrimp that are all about the same size.
- Thawing Frozen Shrimp: If using frozen shrimp, make sure they are fully thawed and patted dry before baking.
- Baking Dish Size Matters: Use a small baking dish so the shrimp fit in a single layer. This helps them cook evenly and allows the butter-lemon sauce to distribute properly.
- Jumbo (21–25 count/lb): 5–6 shrimp
- Large (26–30 count/lb): 8–9 shrimp
- Medium (31–40 count/lb): 10–11 shrimp
- Small (41–50 count/lb): 12–15 shrimp
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Oh, Joanie!! Another delicious recipe! This. Is. Wondetful!
Can this recipe be doubled or tripled?
Yes, this baked shrimp recipe doubles and triples beautifully. You may find that you need to add a few additional minutes to the cooking time.
Absolutely delicious! I added some Good Season’s Italian Dressing crystals to the mix and mmmmmmm!
I plan on teaching a Personal and Career Development class to 10th-12th graders this year and will be doing “Cooking For One” activities throughout the semester so the kids can develop a list of some “go-to” dishes that they know they like and are affordable when the time comes!
Thank you so much!
This is a great cooking method that is very flexible. I’ve made the recipe as written and it was very good. Today I made it with variations: sprinkled with Tony Chacherie’s, a squirt of lime juice, the tablespoon of butter on top. Delicious and easy!
I’m so happy to have found your site. No more leftovers crowding the fridge and calling me to eat them! I have made several of your recipes and each one has been delicious. I had this one tonight and I really like it. I served the shrimp over palm heart angel hair that I’d heated in a skillet with baby spinach and roasted red peppers. Fantastic!
Thank you for all you do.
That sounds wonderful, Denise! I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know.
If I only have already cooked shrimp can it be used in this recipe. So anxious to try it this evening
Yes, cooked shrimp can be used but since the shrimp is already cooked, all you really need to do is heat it up. Bake until the butter melts. Enjoy!
I am so Happy to find the web site Cooking for one. I’m almost 81 live alone and the recipes are soooo helpful!!!! Do you have a recipe
for Hot and Sour soup? Thank you in advance.
I’m so happy you found us, Brenda. At this time we do not have a recipe for hot and sour soup – stay tuned.
When I went to buy the shrimp, I discovered it was raw & cooked. Which should it be?
For this baked shrimp recipe, I recommend using raw, uncooked shrimp.
It’s summer and hot. I do not have a/c. My kitchen is small. I can’t use the oven since it heats up the kitchen.
Please give alternative cooking methods for those of us in my situation.
Thanks.
Do you have a toaster oven. If so, this recipe can be baked in one. You can also cook the shrimp in a stovetop skillet.
I’m thinking about trying scallops with this recipe.
What do you think about bake time?
Depending on the size of the scallops they may need to be cooked a little longer. Large sea scallops will likely take about 10-15 minutes. Smaller scallops should take between 8-10 minutes, or until opaque.