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.
Looking for more healthy seafood recipes?
Here are a few more shrimp recipes, seafood recipes and fish recipes: 5 from 8 reviews
Shrimp and BroccoliPesto SalmonPan Seared Salmon with Lemon Caper SauceBlackened SalmonTilapia Fish Tacos or Grilled Fish Tacos 5 Minute Seared Tuna RecipeEasy Oven Baked SalmonLemon Dill SalmonShrimp MarinaraShrimp Tacos with Cilantro SauceHow to Cook Shrimp on the StoveShrimp Cocktail (How to Boil Shrimp + Cocktail Sauce)Grilled Shrimp TacosBroiled Salmon with Bourbon GlazeSeared Salmon Poke BowlEasy Grilled ShrimpSeafood Paella Recipe on an Open FireBaked Salmon with Chimichurri SauceMaki Sushi RecipeBaked Shrimp with Feta and TomatoesQuick Garlicky Shrimp CouscousGrilled Shrimp and Vegetable SkewersSalmon en Papillote with Roasted PotatoesHow to Buy Sustainable Fish & Seafood
