This post may include affiliate links; for details, see our disclosure policy.
Want a shrimp boil recipe that’s easy enough for a weeknight? Bake it! This sheet pan shrimp boil in oven is simple to make and has serious flavor.
I vividly remember my first shrimp boil: paper on the table, the jumble of Old Bay-spiced shrimp and potatoes, everyone eating with their fingers as the sun began to disappear. Ever since, the shrimp boil has held my heart. We make it for birthdays and weddings and family vacations. But why not harness the magic of the shrimp boil for an everyday meal? This sheet pan shrimp boil in oven is an easy way to make it on a weeknight: no large pot or fire required! Keep reading for how to do it.
A few variations on the sheet pan theme? Try Sheet Pan Shrimp & Veggies or Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas.
How to make a shrimp boil in oven
The concept of a shrimp boil in the oven is just that! Instead of boiling the veggies and shrimp like in a classic shrimp boil, you’ll bake them on a sheet pan with olive oil and some tasty seasonings. Like many sheet pan dinners, this requires starting the longest cooking vegetable in the oven first: in this case, the potatoes. You’ll bake, then add the corn to the same sheet, bake some more, and then add the shrimp.
To make this sheet pan shrimp boil as easy as possible, you’ll mix the potatoes in a bowl with the seasonings, then use the same seasonings and same bowl to mix the corn. Then you’ll use the same bowl and seasonings to mix up the shrimp! So you’ll only dirty one bowl in the process: and you can start to memorize the seasoning mix too.
Here’s how to make a sheet pan shrimp boil in oven (see the full recipe below):
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Mix the potatoes with the olive oil and seasonings (Old Bay seasoning, coriander, dill, salt and pepper). Place on two parchment lined baking sheets and bake 10 minutes.
- In the same bowl, mix the corn with the olive oil and seasonings. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and add the corn. Bake for 12 minutes.
- In the same bowl, mix the shrimp with the olive oil and seasonings. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and add the shrimp. Bake for 10 minutes.
And that’s it! What results is a shrimp boil full of oven-roasted goodness. The veggies have browned and caramelized goodness, salty and seasoned with the nuance of cozy Old Bay seasoning. And the shrimp are perfectly tender.
How to serve a sheet pan shrimp boil
Once you’ve made a shrimp boil in the oven: how to serve it? Do not even think about using plates and silverware! They’re strictly forbidden here! If you’d like to serve it like a traditional low country shrimp boil, you can spread butcher paper of newspaper over your table. Then pour the shrimp boil goodness right onto the paper. Enjoy by eating with your hands! And of course have lots of napkins handy nearby.
You also can allow the baking sheets to cool off, and serve directly from the cooled baking sheets. Or serve on a large platter.
This recipe is perfect for a family dinner idea on a weeknight, or special enough for entertaining, paired with our smash hit Easy Vegan Cornbread.
Side dishes to serve with a shrimp boil
When we made this shrimp boil in the oven, we served it as a special meal for my teen refugee mentee from Congo. It was perfect for a late summer meal on the patio, and a fun way to build our relationship! We researched side dishes to serve with a shrimp boil and came up pretty short. Most side dishes require a plate, which ruins the vibe.
Since we were feeling creatively uninpsired, we decided to just skip side dishes and go with dessert instead! So we served this shrimp boil followed by our Classic Strawberry Shortcake. It was the perfect carefree ending to a festive meal.
Serving this sheet pan shrimp boil with cornbread or bread seem like good options: do you have ideas on side dishes that would work? (Let us know in the comments below.)
What type of shrimp to use?
For this shrimp boil in oven recipe, we recommend using large shrimp with the tail on for the best presentation. We used the size 16 to 20 count, which are quite large. We’d suggest buying shrimp with the shell on that is already deveined. Then you can remove the shell after cooking the shrimp, but leave the tail on. (If your shrimp are not deveined, here’s How to Devein Shrimp.)
What about fresh or frozen shrimp? Either fresh or frozen works for this recipe! A myth about fish is that “fresh is best.” However, frozen shrimp can be higher quality than raw fish because freezing suspends the decomposing process. Also, the shelf-life of fresh shrimp is only a few days, but frozen shrimp lasts for several weeks.
If you use frozen shrimp for this recipe, here’s how to thaw frozen shrimp:
- Place the frozen shrimp in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Or,
- On the day of serving, [lace the frozen shrimp into a large bowl with very cold water. Stir the bowl every 5 minutes to break up clumps of shrimp that freeze together. The shrimp should be defrosted in about 15 minutes.
A note on sustainable shrimp
Are you looking at buying sustainable shrimp for this shrimp boil in the oven? (If so, kudos!) Here are a few pointers for buying sustainable seafood:
- Look for wild-caught fish if possible. If you live in the US, look for US caught if you can. 90% of the seafood we eat in the US is imported. Imported seafood runs the risk of being overfished, caught under unfair labor practices, or farmed in environmentally harmful ways.
- How your fish is caught matters. Look for hook and line as one example of a sustainable gear type. Bottom trawling is considered the most destructive and least sustainable method.
Want a meal plan?
This recipe is included in our Pescatarian Meal Plan! Check it out for recipes for 1 month, including a meal planning spreadsheet download.
This recipe is…
This sheet pan shrimp boil in the oven is pescatarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil in Oven
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Want a shrimp boil recipe that’s easy enough for a weeknight? Bake it! This sheet pan shrimp boil in oven is simple to make and has serious flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds small red potatoes
- 4 large ears corn
- 2 pounds large raw shrimp, shell on and deveined (thawed)
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, divided (purchased or homemade)
- 3 teaspoons dried dill, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- Black pepper
- 4 lemon wedges
- Finely chopped parsley or chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut the potatoes in half (or into bite-sized pieces if using larger potatoes). Shuck the corn and cut it into 2-inch pieces.
- Place the potatoes in a large bowl and stir them together with: 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons Old Bay, ½ teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon dried dill, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and several grinds black pepper. Spread potatoes face down on the baking sheets and bake 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in the same bowl stir together the corn with (same as last time!): 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons Old Bay, ½ teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon dried dill, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and several grinds black pepper. Remove the baking sheet from oven and flip the potatoes. Add the corn and bake an additional 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in the same bowl stir together the thawed shrimp with (here we go again!): 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons Old Bay, ½ teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon dried dill, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and several grinds black pepper. Remove the sheet from the oven and turn the corn. Add the shrimp and bake an additional 10 minutes until shrimp is cooked through.
- Serve garnished with chopped parsley or chives, and a hearty squeeze from the lemon wedges. Allow to cool slightly. If desired, spread butcher paper or newspaper over your table and pour the shrimp boil on top — or serve right from the cooled baking sheets or a large platter. Enjoy by eating with your hands!
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Looking for more healthy seafood recipes?
Here are a few more shrimp recipes, seafood recipes and fish recipes:
- Shrimp and Broccoli
- Pesto Salmon
- Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon Caper Sauce
- Blackened Salmon
- Tilapia Fish Tacos or Grilled Fish Tacos
- 5 Minute Seared Tuna Recipe
- Easy Oven Baked Salmon
- Lemon Dill Salmon
- Shrimp Marinara
- Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Sauce
- How to Cook Shrimp on the Stove
- Shrimp Cocktail (How to Boil Shrimp + Cocktail Sauce)
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos
- Broiled Salmon with Bourbon Glaze
- Seared Salmon Poke Bowl
- Easy Grilled Shrimp
- Seafood Paella Recipe on an Open Fire
- Baked Salmon with Chimichurri Sauce
- Maki Sushi Recipe
- Baked Shrimp with Feta and Tomatoes
- Quick Garlicky Shrimp Couscous
- Grilled Shrimp and Vegetable Skewers
- Salmon en Papillote with Roasted Potatoes
- How to Buy Sustainable Fish & Seafood
Sides requiring utensils:
Fruit salad
Yogurt and berry parfaits
Cole slaw
Broccoli salad
Sides requiring only fingers:
Melon slices
Mixed berry bowls
Pickled veggies
Hush puppies
Cinnamon sugar tortilla or pita chips (homemade)
Do you think you could make this with the shrimp shells off before cooking?
Yes!
This was absolutely amazing! I also included kielbasa sausage (added it along with the corn) and it was delicious! I know I’m going to make this many more times over the summer!
All the other recipes out there require you to boil your potatoes. Who needs that!?!
This is the BEST recipe for this out there. Every time I make it I have to go through all the other ones that say “start boiling some water” NO! NO NO! NO NO NO! There will be no boiling of water! There will only be baking! This is so fast, and easy. I do sausages as well with the corn and use this for my meal prep for the week. So good!
Haha thank you so much! It’s a fun shortcut that we think is so much easier too :) So glad you love it!
This is an excellent recipe!
Loved it! Followed the
recipe exactly. Used large freezer bag instead of mixing bowl.
Looked great & tasted even better.
Ideas on sides: a jar of pickles, slices of watermelon. Throwback to my childhood and large family summer gatherings with some sort of seafood boil.
Love it!
I add the kielbasa and cut it into 2″ lengths.
This was perfect. Very flavorful. Cook times were right on.
I used 1.5 lbs of shrimp and a 2lb boars head kielbasa. I put the kielbasa in with the corn. I also added asparagus with the shrimp (I know not traditional), because my wife is on a diet and can’t eat the potatoes. So my kids and I enjoyed all of it. My wife enjoyed without kielbasa or potatoes.
Great recipe
Hey Todd I know you commented a year ago, but if you see this—if I add the kielbasa, do you cut it into 2 inch segments or leave whole? Thanks!
Made this several times now and it’s always a hit. We make about every two three weeks.
So glad to hear that!
Made this tonight… of course, I modified it to match ingredients seasonings that I had on hand. Added smoked sausage because I only had 1 lb of shrimp. 😉
Shouldn’t step 5 also say 2 teaspoons Old Bay?
Yes! Updated — good catch! Thank you.
I would like to make this with the shrimp already peeled. Will that affect the length of time to cook the shrimp?
The cook time should be same!
This is one of our new favorite dinners! So easy… I mix everything in a ziplock gallon bag to minimize dirty dishes. It’s also my new favorite way to cook shrimp as they come out perfect everytime and all the shrimp are cooked the same (versus the last ones I take out of a saute pan being overcooked.) Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
So glad you enjoy it!
nice dish, or pan! Love all of these ingredients and one pan makes it so easy, thank you