Prepare these easy baked shrimp skewers in less than an hour! The tasty marinated shrimp kabobs are great for fajitas, tacos, protein bowls, and salad recipes. Drizzle jalapeño lime vinaigrette or serrano crema over the top for a perfect weeknight dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Shrimp: Peel and devein one pound of large shrimp to make the baked shrimp skewers. And don’t forget to save the shells and tails in a silicone or plastic bag to make shrimp broth for recipes like soup and shrimp etouffee.
- Olive Oil: Include olive oil in the marinade to prevent the shrimp skewers from sticking to the wire rack as they bake.
- Lemon Juice: You will need fresh lemon juice from one lemon, plus a little lemon zest to complement the natural sweetness of the shrimp.
- Garlic: Include at least three fresh garlic cloves for extra flavor.
- Spices: Season the shrimp with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and ground cumin.
- Cilantro: Garnish the skewers with chopped cilantro leaves to serve.
Additions and Substitutions
- Shrimp size doesn’t matter, so use what you have. You can bake extra-large, colossal, or jumbo shrimp to make this recipe but increase the cooking time accordingly.
- Replace the lemon juice with fresh lime juice, distilled white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
- Feel free to adjust the spices for the shrimp and season them with fajita seasoning, taco seasoning, or my Slap Ya Mama Seasoning recipe.
- Bake the shrimp skewers with vegetables like bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, red onion, or mushrooms.
How to Make Baked Shrimp Skewers
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes to prevent them from burning in the oven.
Step 2: Clean the shrimp and transfer them to a mixing bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and ground cumin. Toss to coat the shrimp evenly and set them aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
Step 3: Thread the shrimp onto the sharp end of the skewer and set them on a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. You should be able to fit 4-5 pieces, depending on the size of the shrimp.
Step 4: Bake the shrimp skewers on the baking sheet or place them on the oven rack for 6 to 8 minutes until they turn light pink.
Tip: The USDA recommends cooking shrimp until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
Step 5: Optional: Set the oven to broil and cook for 1-2 minutes to brown the shrimp.
Expert Tips
- Coat the deveined shrimp in marinade and let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Don’t let the shrimp marinate too long, as it will alter the texture of the shrimp.
- If using wooden skewers to bake the shrimp in the oven, soak them in water for 20 minutes to prevent them from burning.
- I recommend baking the shrimp skewer elevated on a wire rack. The circulating air prevents the shrimp from boiling, unlike when they cook on the bottom of a baking sheet.
- How do you know when oven baked shrimp is done? The best way to know when the shrimp finishes cooking is to check the temperature of the shrimp with a food thermometer; the safe cooking temperature for shrimp is 145°F (63°C).
- Broil the shrimp for 1-2 minutes if you prefer a slightly browned exterior, but don’t overcook them.
If you enjoy the baked shrimp, try more sheet pan recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Serve the shrimp kabobs as an easy appetizer with lime wedges and your favorite dipping sauces. I like chipotle lime sauce, avocado lime crema, ancho aioli, or honey lemon pepper sauce.
Complete the meal by pairing the baked shrimp skewers with steamed white rice, cauliflower rice, or vegetable sides like asparagus, pad pak, or air fryer cauliflower and broccoli.
And you can use the versatile shrimp as a protein for tacos, burritos, bowls, fajitas, and salad recipes, making them perfect for meal prep.
What to do with the Leftovers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to put shrimp on a skewer?
For the best baked shrimp skewers, use large shrimp (16-20 or 21-25 count). Use thin metal skewers or soak wooden or bamboo skewers for 20 minutes to prevent burning.
Thread the shrimp onto the skewer through the thick end to the tail to prevent them from curling up while cooking. Leave a little space between each shrimp for even cooking. Follow these baking tips for delicious, evenly cooked shrimp every time.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
If all you have is frozen shrimp, that’s okay! Place the sealed bag of frozen shrimp in a large mixing bowl with cold water for 20 minutes, changing the water as needed. Drain the shrimp and pat them dry before tossing them in the marinade.
How do you clean shrimp?
1. Rinse the Shrimp: Add shrimp to a colander and rinse them under cold running water.
2. Remove the Head: Grasp the heads and twist them off, discarding the heads.
3. Peel the Shell: Start at the head and peel away the shell, working toward the tail, but you can leave the tail intact if you prefer. To make this easier, use kitchen shears to cut along the back of the shrimp to split the shell open.
4. Remove the Legs: The legs should easily come off in one motion with the shell.
5. Devein the Shrimp: Use a small, paring knife to make a shallow slit along the back of the shrimp. Using the tip of the knife, lift out the dark vein and discard it.
6. Rinse and Marinate: Rinse the shrimp until cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess water. Then, then transfer the shrimp to a mixing bowl with the the marinade.
Can I grill the shrimp skewers?
Follow the instructions I use for the shrimp in my jerk shrimp tacos.
1. Preheat a gas grill by setting all the burners to high heat for 10 minutes. Turn off the rightmost burner, and maintain an overall temperature of 350°F (176°C). Then, use a wooden grill scraper to clean the grates.
2. Thread the shrimp onto the skewers and set them on the outdoor grill. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side.
More Shrimp Recipes:
Baked Shrimp Skewers
- Wooden Skewers or Thin Metal Skewers
- Mixing Bowl
- Rimmed Baking Sheet
- Wire Rack
- 1 pound large or jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- fresh lemon juice, 1 lemon, plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- cilantro, finely chopped, for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes to prevent them from burning in the oven.
- Clean the shrimp and transfer them to a mixing bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and ground cumin. Toss to coat the shrimp evenly and set them aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Thread the shrimp onto the sharp end of the skewer and set them on a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. You should be able to fit 4-5 pieces, depending on the size of the shrimp.
- Bake the shrimp skewers on the baking sheet or place them on the oven rack for 6 to 8 minutes until they turn light pink.Tip: The USDA recommends cooking shrimp until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
- Optional: Set the oven to broil and cook for 1-2 minutes to brown the shrimp.
- Coat the deveined shrimp in marinade and let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Don’t let the shrimp marinate too long, as it will alter the texture of the shrimp.
- If using wooden skewers to bake the shrimp in the oven, soak them in water for 20 minutes to prevent them from burning.
- I recommend baking the shrimp skewer elevated on a wire rack. The circulating air prevents the shrimp from boiling, unlike when they cook on the bottom of a baking sheet.
- How do you know when oven baked shrimp is done? The best way to know when the shrimp finishes cooking is to check the temperature of the shrimp with a food thermometer; the safe cooking temperature for shrimp is 145°F (63°C).
- Broil the shrimp for 1-2 minutes if you prefer a slightly browned exterior, but don’t overcook the shrimp.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.