Honey Lime Cilantro Baked Shrimp

Baked shrimp with sweet honey lime shrimp marinade is a seafood dinner idea that comes together in 20 minutes! This delicious meal is easy to make, gluten free, and paleo.

Hey friends! Happy June! We’ve officially turned off the heat in our house. LOL! I know, took long enough, right? Despite the cold and rain, I’m still yearning for summery food. Can we just pretend like it’s 80 F, sunny, and we’re dining by the beach? Ahh yes, that would be bliss.

Well, if we can’t dine al fresco with the ocean in the background, then I’ll just have to bring the summery vacation vibes to us.

Hence this recipe. It screams sunshine and summer, right?! Those light flavors! Those pretty in pink baked shrimp! Tis’ divine. And it’s naturally healthy. No really, this dish is super GOOD for ya!’

Better for you seafood facts and nerdy cooking tips below. You’re welcome. 🙂

Is baked shrimp healthy?

Eating baked shrimp is much healthier than preparations like deep-frying. In general, shrimp has some nice health benefits, such as:

• Good source of Omega 3’s
• Low in fat and calories
• Rich in protein and antioxidants
• High in several vitamins and minerals

Because it cooks so quickly, shrimp is the perfect seafood to have on busy nights. You can make baked shrimp, a healthy shrimp stir fry, or shrimp jambalaya with lentils. It doesn’t get much tastier than that!

Do you cook shrimp with the shell on?

Yes, absolutely leave the shell on your shrimp! It cooks just as quickly as peeled shrimp, but it requires minimal preparation. (SOURCE)  Even better, shrimp cooked in their shells have a plumper texture, and they don’t seem to go from perfectly cooked to overcooked as quickly. Cooking unpeeled shrimp is the thing that will really make that shrimp flavor pop, and to reap the benefits, the only thing you need to do is…nothing!

Oh, and about those shells. When left on for the cooking process, shrimp shells contribute a depth of flavor that’s somewhere between toasty and briny. Not that I expect you to eat them or anything.

All of the good benefits aside, it’s not always practical to cook shrimp with the shell on and that is okay, too. You just need to keep an eye on the baked shrimp while it’s in the oven so that it doesn’t overcook. Rubbery shrimp is not a delicious thing.

About the seafood marinade

Technically, I suppose the baked shrimp is cooked in more of a sauce than a marinade. It’s a twist on a seafood marinade that I used for a Cod recipe a few years ago. Fortunately, it’s also perfect with shrimp.

It’s super easy to make, too. Some lime juice, honey for sweetness, some tamari, avocado oil, salt and pepper – combine and bake! I also like to add in a tablespoon of chopped cilantro, to help give it a burst of freshness. But if cilantro isn’t your jam, that’s totally fine, you can omit it. It’s delish either way!

How to make honey lime baked shrimp:

Do you have 15- 20 minutes? Good, because that’s really all it takes to make baked shrimp.

Think of this dish as a roasted shrimp cocktail with extra flavor! All you do is clean the shrimp and place them in a shallow roasting pan or cookie sheet.  Spread the shrimp out evenly then drizzle your marinade on top. Toss shrimp to coat evenly and bake!

After 10-12 minutes the shrimp will be done and pink.  Squeeze a little lime on top before serving. BAM! Dinner! And perfect with a side of sweet potato fries, carrot fries, or riced veggies.

Encourage your friends and family to peel and eat the shrimp while they listen to the waves of the ocean. Oh wait, we were just pretending to be at the beach, right? 😉

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Alright my friends, have a great first week of June! Whatcha making? Where are you going? What’s on your summer bucket list?

My bucket list —> Finish remodeling the new studio so you all can come visit and eat good food! 

How does that sound?

Cheers,

LC