Oven-Baked Shrimp and Zucchini
This baked shrimp and zucchini recipe coaxes big-time taste from simple ingredients. 10 minutes prep, 10 minutes to bake! Great meal prep!
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small-medium zucchini
- extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound uncooked large shrimp thawed, peeled, and deveined
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- juice of 1/2 lemon reserve the other half for serving as wedges
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika sweet or smoked
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- fresh parsley optional garnish
- rice or pasta for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and set out a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Cut the zucchini into coins about 1/4-inch thick, then chop those coins into halves or quarters. Toss the sliced zucchini into the pan, drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil, and sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 3-5 minutes while you prepare the shrimp. (It’s OK if the oven is still coming up to temperature.)1 large or 2 small-medium zucchini, extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper
- In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, chili powder, paprika, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir well and massage lightly with kitchen tongs or your hands to ensure the shrimp absorb some of the seasonings.1 pound uncooked large shrimp, 2-3 cloves garlic, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Add shrimp to the baking dish along with the zucchini.
- Bake together for 8-10 minutes, until the shrimp are just cooked through and the zucchini is fork-tender.
- Remove baking dish from the oven and sprinkle with chopped parsley, as desired. Serve right away over rice, pasta, or other grains or veggies of choice.fresh parsley, rice or pasta
Last step!Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked the recipe. This helps my small business thrive and continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Notes
- More Veggies: Substitute or add to the zucchini with yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, or another quick-cooking vegetable if you like.
- Buying Shrimp: I usually recommend purchasing frozen shrimp, because the shrimp sold behind the counter at most supermarkets is previously frozen and defrosted there, so you’re actually getting a fresher experience by defrosting it yourself on demand. But counter shrimp is a good option if you know you are cooking it right away.
- Defrosting Shrimp: If starting with frozen shrimp, you can thaw them in the fridge overnight, or quickly thaw them under cool running water just prior to cooking. Remove all packaging, place shrimp in a large strainer, and run cool water over them for about 5 minutes until they are tender but still gray and slightly translucent. Don't use hot water or it will start to prematurely cook the shrimp!
- Make Ahead: You can prepare and marinate the shrimp in the olive oil-seasoning blend up to 30 minutes ahead of time, or up to 4 hours ahead of time if you leave out the lemon juice. Squeeze the lemon juice over just prior to cooking. Just remember: a longer marinating time equals more intense flavor. Marinating shrimp in any type of marinade that includes citrus for more than 30 minutes or so can cause the shrimp to start cooking, then turn mushy, because of the high acid content of citrus. Don't do it!
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover shrimp and zucchini together in a tightly-covered container. They will keep for at least 3-4 days. Reheat as needed in the microwave on 50% power; using half power reduces the chance that shrimp and other seafood will dry out when reheated.
- Meal Prep: These glass meal prep containers hold a perfect portion, are microwave-safe, and seal tightly every time.
- Serving Yield: This recipe is likely to yield between two and four meal-sized servings, depending on whether you add pasta or another grain and, of course, how large your portions are.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 125 kcal, Carbohydrates: 5 g, Protein: 22 g, Fat: 2 g, Saturated Fat: 0.3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1 g, Trans Fat: 0.01 g, Cholesterol: 191 mg, Sodium: 1061 mg, Potassium: 371 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 2 g, Vitamin A: 672 IU, Vitamin C: 14 mg, Calcium: 103 mg, Iron: 1 mg