Juicy, tender, and full of flavor. And we have a vegetarian alternative as well.
Don’t you love a recipe that can be assembled well before a dinner, then finished off in minutes. Shrimp often comes to mind as both a crowd pleaser and a cook pleaser as well because we’ll have plenty of time to visit with guests before dinner. In this case, the sauce can be made early in the day, or even the day before, and the shrimp, prepped well in advance, so once everyone has arrived, we’re only talking moments until ready.
Be prepared!
I usually keep a bag of frozen raw, unpeeled shrimp in the freezer to have on hand just in case of unexpected company. They take no time at all to thaw and prepare, and are always a little special. You know what I mean.
The technique for roasting the shrimp
Prepping and roasting the shrimp is hardly a recipe at all, rather a technique so you will always have tender shrimp. Choose firm, plump shrimp or prawns, that are domestically sourced. Always read those labels. The longer the trip, the greater the chance for freeze-thaw cycles, and the less you will know about how they were harvested.
For always tender shrimp
Peel and devein, then pat dry. *Don’t throw away those shells! For the most tender jumbo shrimp, try this little trick, we’ve talked about this before, but here’s a reminder – mix ¼ teaspoon baking soda with a teaspoon of water, mix well, and sprinkle over the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and set aside for about a half hour. It works wonders.
Wake it up
Now, add some flavor. Mix together a few minced cloves of garlic with a few tablespoons of fruity olive oil and a teaspoon of smoked Spanish paprika, and rub all over the shrimp to marinate. Expand or contract depending on how much shrimp you are cooking, and swap out any herbs you love. This is a great chance to add your own spin. You can hold this now for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.
Don’t overcook
When ready, give a last little sprinkle of salt and pepper and roast for six to seven minutes or so at 450 degrees, depends on size, so keep an eye on them. The easiest way to have tough shrimp is to overcook them. You want them pink and just starting to curl.
Add the topping
Serve with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce below, and lots of lemon wedges.
Vegetarian alternative
For a vegetarian version, simply substitute some baked tofu or tempeh for the shrimp and follow the same marinating technique. The sauce below is quite versatile. If I’m serving both at a dinner, I’ll simply make a bigger batch of the garlic/oil mixture and bake them off in two separate pans. Everyone’s happy.
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
You can use this sauce on everything from roasted vegetables, to tofu, to shrimp and fish, or oven potatoes. Pretty much anything.
- 2 sweet red bell peppers
- 1 onion
- 1 head garlic
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. sherry vinegar
- 1 tbsp. capers, slightly crushed
Preheat oven to 475 degrees, and lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet.
Slice the onion in chunks and place on the sheet along with the peppers and head of garlic. Roast until the peppers are well charred, onions browned, and garlic soft. The peppers will probably be done first. Remove them from the oven, place in a bowl, and cover. This will steam the skin loose so it easily slips off, or you can use a paring knife to gently remove it. Don’t worry about getting every bit of char. Cut each in half and remove the seeds.
Place the peppers and onion in a food processor, and squeeze the pulp of the garlic cloves in as well. Add the oil and vinegar and a little water to loosen. I actually added a quarter cup of water to the baking sheet and removed a lot of lovely brown glaze, so I used this.
Whirl everything together and add more water until you have the desired consistency. Stir in the capers, and top with a drizzle more of your tastiest olive oil.
This gets even better if it sits for a while.
*Whether a full pound of shrimp, or less, use the shells to make a flavorful stock to have on hand in the freezer. Just place the shells in a pot with a shallot and a dab of tomato paste, as big pinch of Old Bay, and the same of ground fennel seeds. Cover generously with water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes to a half hour. Strain, then use or freeze. So much flavor saved from the trash.
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Did someone say shrimp (prawns)? I like the tip about tenderizing with the baking soda. I tried this once on chicken. And I remember your tip about using the shells for fish stock. Fantastic way to utitlise food waste
Thanks Amanda! Shrimp and prawns are almost identical and can always be substituted for each other. The baking soda trick works really well on any protein, I use it on my very lean turkey meatballs and they are always tender.
Is the difference between shrimp and prawns anything other than size?
They are different species, although both crustaceans. Shrimp are usually found in salt water, but prawns usually live in fresh. Note the usually!
But, they can be used interchangeably. I alw add as think of prawns as being larger, but I don’t know why I think that; most likely, the first time I had a prawn it was big!
Thanks for clarifying. I think prawns are the universal lingo here for both salt and fresh water shrimp species – although the fresh water variety might be called yabbies or even red claw at times!! Clear as mud, hey?
I love it! I’ll have some yabbies on the barbie!
We use the names interchangeably here too, and it’s all good!
This recipe is a total game-changer! I love how it’s not just about the shrimp but also about mastering the technique for perfectly tender bites every time. The baking soda trick is genius, and the smoky paprika marinade sounds like it would elevate the flavor to a whole new level. Plus, the versatility of the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is a win—perfect for vegetarians and shrimp lovers alike. Definitely bookmarking this for my next dinner party! Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful and adaptable recipe!
Thanks! The baking soda trick is really a game changer, and it works great on extra lean ground turkey meatballs as well!
The smoked paprika is one of my favorite ingredients.
Enjoy!
Oh my goodness, this looks and sounds delicious. I swear I can smell that wonderful aroma through my computer screen.
Now that is one advance in technology I would gladly approve of!
I need more adjectives to describe how delicious this looks.
Ah, thanks! Long yyyuuummmsss will do nicely! It’s one of those dishes that creates silence, except for a few happy grunts, when everyone starts eating….
Jumbo Shrimp?!?! Dorothy, can you hear me knocking at your back door. Let me in, for heaven’s sake! 🦐🍃🍤
The door’s open! Time to chow down!
Shrimpolicious. 🍃🍤🦐
Hurry! They’re going fast!
I’m so glad I have shrimp in the freezer, and have all the ingredients for the sauce. I know what dinner tomorrow is going to be! 🙂
Yum, yum! I know you’ll enjoy this one Ronit!
Shrimp is the one thing … even more than a great steak … that blows dinner guest’s minds. A small treat like adding shrimp to a nice thick soup is a winner. My mouth is watering over this recipe, D.
Thanks N.! It’s such a good dish, and everyone feels like you really fussed over them for special, when it really doesn’t take much time at all.
Who doesn’t love that?!
No cook I know!
Count me in!! This is my kind of dish 🙂 Shrimp all the way!
I’ll save you some Marilou! It’s always a crowd pleaser.
That Red Pepper Sauce sounds great! 🙂
So easy, and a really good recipe to have in the back pocket!
So beautiful!
Thanks Suz! We love this one.
That roasted rep pepper sauce sounds delicious, and versatile!
I have used that sauce on so many things Karen, it’s heavenly on any protein, but also great on vegetables of all sorts, eggs of course, and nice little dip as well.
WOW!!
Thanks! It’s a wow kind of dish!
Nothing like a nice big juicy prawn perfectly cooked with a delicious pepper sauce I hope you have laid a place me at the table I have the wine…
You’re all set Carol, the wineglasses are all in place, bread is warming in the oven.
Yummy be there in 5 🙂
That sauce! Sounds delightful. Who doesn’t love a juicy fat prawn?!
I like the tip for tenderising the prawn. Already use the shells for stock, so versatile. Thanks Dorothy🤗
Mary:))
The tenderizing trick works like a charm! It’s also what I use when I made ultra low-fat turkey meatballs, keeps them nice and tender.
Yes, please
I’ll save you some!
Music to my ears and thanks Dorothy
That looks sublime, Dorothy! A total treat for raw prawns like that cost a fortune here but just occasionally, we like to push the boat out especially in these grey winter days. 😊
They do brighten up the dinner table! We’ve had three straight days of sunshine, but it had been a long grey stretch here!
Lots of deliciousness and good advice in this post. If you were serving this for dinner, what would you accompany it with?
This is great next to some simple pasta, or as part of a supper of nibbles, one of my favorite things, maybe some crostini with goat cheese and a drizzle of olive oil and a little salad to balance it out.
I’m hungry again.
Thanks for all the tips and tricks Dorothy! Like you said, serving shrimp is easy but feels special~
Jenna
Thanks Jenna! I love it when special and easy collide at the dinner table!
Delicious! I really can’t handle overcooked shrimp. And it’s so easy to cook properly. Love that sauce!
Thanks Mimi! It’s such an expensive product, it’s always such a shame to bite into it and it’s nothing but tough.
Your non AI disclaimer at the bottom is spot on.
Thank you Nora! Too much of that around, methinks.
Okay, now, this has me packing my suitcase to come to your house!
Ooooooooo how delicious this will be!
There’s an empty chair waiting for you Nancy!
Yesssssss!
This shrimp recipe will delight with every bite!
Thank you Mary! So full of flavor, it’s a popular dish here.
We love shrimp and are always looking for new ways to prepare it. Great recipe Dorothy!
Thanks! I think everyone who I’ve made it for has loved it!
This is an easy and healthy dish that is sure to please guests.
This is an easy and healthy dish that is sure to please guests.
So far, no complaints Karen! Thanks for stopping by.
Dorothy, it has been a while since I’ve stopped by. Those shrimp look so delicious, and I didn’t know about the baking soda trick, so thank you for that! I agree that shrimp are festive when entertaining :).
Nice to see you Angela! Shrimp does have a way of catching the eye.
Thanks for the vegetarian option !
You are very welcome! This sauce is delightful on just about anything, and I really love it on tofu.
I looked at your platter holding the shrimp and thought, “That looks familiar!” Jeanne had brought a torte on a platter that looked very similar to my 2020 Mardi Gras party: https://retirementrvdream.com/2020/02/26/mardi-gras-party-2/
That’s so funny! It’s a very versatile platter!
It is! The plating of the shrimp and sauce is beautiful! It looks so delicious!
Of course, the lemon helps!
Yes, lemons are so pretty!
The shrimp looks beautiful!
Thank you! It’s very tasty!
Delicious!! Love this as quick dinner idea for guests. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! It’s pretty effortless, and always appreciated!
Shrimp recipes are unending, but as always, your shares are tops! 😋🍽️
Thanks! I try to make it appetizing!
Love, love, love roasted shrimp! And that roasted red pepper sauce is so much more sophisticated than a typical “cocktail” sauce. Well done!
I don’t like those typical cocktail sauce. When I make mine, there’s way more horseradish that most!
You’re always being that little “extra somethin,” my friend!
Ah, thanks!!!!! A little more of anything is usually not wrong!
HI Dorothy, this is a great recipe. I like prawns and we have them fairly often. I buy the frozen peeled and deveined ones as I don’t like doing that part.
We all have those little tasks in the kitchen we don’t like, and I’m with you and the prawns. That’s why I have my husband do the peeling! He’s gotten to the point where he actually asks me if I want the little tail left on!
OMG those shrimp are gigantic! I don’t know which one entices me more, the shrimp or red pepper sauce, what a perfect combination.
In my book, you can’t have one without the other!
Commenting from the prawns and yabbies country! Lovely recipe! I usually do decapitate and remove the gut but leave the tail on the beasties – lovely recipe!
Thank you! Sometimes in the summer, I grill those jumbos with all the skins on because they have more flavor. But it’s a balancing act, you then have to peel them at the table, which is fine if you just place a bit platter of them out for everyone to share!
I’ve only tried to cook Jumbo shrimp a few times at home but now I’m thinking I may have over cooked them because they tasted nothing like they do when I order them at a restaurant. That sauce looks fabulous! It’s almost 10:00 pm here and now I’m hungry! A fabulous post as always, hugs, C
You can do it! It’s really common to overcook shrimp, but the difference is day and night when it’s done right, and the baking soda helps with tenderness too!
Perfect recipe for game day on Sunday! I love your tip about tips for fish stock. I started doing that when I make a shrimp pulav and wow, it upped the flavor significantly.
Thanks so much! It’s amazing, isn’t it, how much flavor there is in this simple stock!