Baked Shrimp Scampi With Lemon and Garlic
This recipe features succulent shrimp baked in a rich lemon-garlic butter sauce with fresh parsley. It's a quick and elegant dish, perfect for a weeknight dinner or entertaining, offering bright flavors and a tender texture. Simply prepare the sauce, coat the shrimp, and bake until perfectly cooked.
Equipment
- 1 Baking Dish Medium-sized, oven-safe
- 1 Small Mixing Bowl For melting butter and combining aromatics
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl For tossing shrimp with sauce
- 1 Whisk or fork For blending butter mixture
- 1 Chef's Knife and Cutting Board For mincing garlic and chopping parsley
Ingredients
Main
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 cloves garlic crushed and minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves chopped, divided
- 2 pounds large uncooked shrimp shelled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Lemon wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a small microwave-safe bowl or saucepan, melt the butter.
- To the melted butter, add kosher salt, the crushed and minced garlic, and half of the chopped fresh parsley. Stir well to combine.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the shelled and deveined large uncooked shrimp with the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. Toss gently to coat the shrimp evenly.
- Pour the butter-garlic-parsley mixture over the shrimp in the large bowl. Toss again to ensure all shrimp are thoroughly coated.
- Transfer the seasoned shrimp and all the sauce to a suitable baking dish, spreading the shrimp into an even, single layer if possible.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and opaque and are just cooked through. Be careful not to overcook them, as they can become tough.
- Once baked, remove the dish from the oven.
- Garnish the baked shrimp scampi generously with the remaining fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve hot, accompanied by fresh lemon wedges for squeezing, if desired.
Notes
For best results, use fresh, high-quality shrimp and avoid overcooking, as shrimp can become rubbery quickly; they're done when pink and opaque. Ensure your garlic is finely minced or crushed to release its full aroma. Fresh lemon juice and zest are crucial for brightness; always zest the lemon before juicing. Serve this scampi immediately to enjoy its peak flavor and texture, perhaps with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce or tossed with al dente pasta for a complete meal. Using unsalted butter allows precise control over the dish's seasoning.