Baked Honey Cajun Shrimp
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
This baked honey cajun shrimp recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a larger crowd. It’s so simple to put together and tastes amazing. Serves 4 for Dinner or 8 as an appetizer, (or 1 pregnant lady and her 6’4″ husband ;).
The shrimp taste wonderful over mashed potatoes, pasta or white rice. It’s not fiery hot by any means but if you want it to be a little more kid-friendly, you might consider cutting the cajun seasoning in half.
Ingredients for Baked Shrimp:
1 lb large raw shrimp (21-26 count), peeled & deveined
2 Tbsp fresh lemon Juice (juice of 1 small or 1/2 large lemon)
1/4 cup extra light olive oil (not extra virgin)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp cajun seasoning
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Garnish:
1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
How to Make Baked Honey Cajun Shrimp:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together: juice of 1 lemon, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning and 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley. Add 1 lb shrimp and stir well to coat.
(P.S. I left the shrimp tails on only because I love the look of them – it’s more practical to remove them). Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
2. To make the garnish/topping: In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 Tbsp chopped parsley with 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest – cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Preheat Oven to 450˚F. Transfer shrimp to a baking dish large enough to hold shrimp in a single layer. Bake uncovered until firm (8-10 minutes). Don’t over-bake or shrimp can become rubbery. Sprinkle the top with optional garnish and serve. P.S. The sauce left in the pan makes for an excellent bread dip :).
Baked Honey Cajun Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb large raw shrimp, 21-26 count, peeled & deveined
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, juice of 1 small or 1/2 large lemon
- 1/4 cup extra light olive oil, not extra virgin
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp cajun seasoning
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Optional Garnish:
- 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
Instructions
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together: juice of 1 lemon, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning and 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley. Add 1 lb shrimp and stir well to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
-
To make the garnish: In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 Tbsp chopped parsley with 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest - cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
-
Preheat Oven to 450˚F. Transfer shrimp to a baking dish large enough to hold shrimp in a single layer. Bake uncovered until firm (8-10 minutes). Don't over-bake or shrimp can become rubbery. Sprinkle the top with optional garnish and serve. P.S. The sauce left in the pan makes for an excellent bread dip :).
♥ FAVORITE THINGS ♥
Shown in this post: (nope, no one paid us to write this; just stuff we love):
* This is my favorite baking casserole dish. I love that it has a lid.
* These glass bowls by pyrex are perfect for prepping & serving.
* McCormick Cajun seasoning is flavorful & not overpowering
* Credits: Recipe modified from one of my favorite cookbooks: Joy Of Cooking‘s Baked Honey Shrimp (p. 154). This was a wedding gift 11 years ago from my Maid of Honor :).
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I would like to make this with frozen cooked small shrimp. How long do I leave 1lb small shrimp in the oven? And is it the same process for marinading it once thawed
Hi Can, I haven’t tried making this with pre-cooked shrimp, but one of my readers shared a good report using cooked shrimp: “We use frozen cooked shrimp that has been partially thawed (so it takes in all of the flavors) and then bake the shrimp to completely reheat and caramelize them and we’ve never had issues with overcooking.”
Hi Natasha!
Can I use Cajuns choice creole seasoning or Cajuns choice blackened seasoning? This is all I have in my cabinet. Thanks!
Hi Jen, I haven’t tried it with those but that may work! I hope you love this recipe!
I made this last night and it was so delicious! Both my son and husband thought it was incredible. Super easy. Only change was that i accidentally added zest to the shrimp marinade. Served it over spinach/red potato mash, using the baking liquid as a glaze; next time i’ll add cornstarch to thicken the baked liquid before pouring on shrimp/mash. Tastes like i spent hours in the kitchen. You always make me look like a wonderful cook, Natasha! I give the credit to you every time. Thanks for sharing this super yummy recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Adriana!!
It’s one of my favourite! We’re going to make it again tonight for a Skype dinner with a family. I wish they could taste it!
Thank you for your wonderful review, Alisa. I hope your family can taste this too soon!
your article is very good. I can’t wait to try it at home. Thank you for sharing the recipe with me. I’m waiting for your next article.
You’re so welcome, Daniel! I hope you love this recipe!
I swear, there is NOTHING that you make that isn’t phenomenal ❤️We love every recipe and I, in particular, am obsessed with your special, unique twist on every dish. I’m so happy I found you !
I am so so happy you discovered our blog, Carol!!! Thank you for that amazing review!
Awesome as usual. You never let us down. A little bite and a little sweet as my wife said.
That is so nice of you to share, Joe. Thank you!
Delicious! Adults and little kids loved it. I did put only half of the cajun spice just in case since I wasn’t sure about how spicy it would be. Will be making this again! Thank you for all of your great recipes, they make my family happy and expose me to some new flavor combos.
My pleasure Vera, I’m happy to hear how much you and your family are enjoying the recipes. Thanks for following and sharing your fantastic review!
Hello Natasha … For two days I made this dish … It was delicious… I like spices and especially Cajun… All your recipes are delicious … But what I like the most in your recipes is the shrimp that is in salad or dish …
Hello Nayla! I’m happy to hear how much you’re lovin the recipes! Thanks for following and sharing your great review!
I used a different brand of Cajun seasoning and it was so spicy for us. Could it be the reason why it was so spicy? Are all brands of Cajun seasoning the same?
Hi Lesya, it may be that a different brand could be stronger in spice. Here is the one we use. You might cut the cajun in half next time.
Are they little bit spicy?
Hi Dana, they do have a little bit of spice but it is subtle and not overwhelming.
Wondering if lime can be substituted for the lemon. (I’m in Yucatan Mexico; lemons barely exist while limes are cheaper than dirt…)
Hi Dave, I haven’t tried it with limes but I do think that would taste good! 🙂
Great recipe. I grilled them and they were fantastic!
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
Should I extend the cooking time if I double or triple the recipe?
Hi Chandra, if you are using an extra large baking sheet and keep them in a single layer, you can keep the baking time the same but if you crowd the shrimp, you will need to increase the baking time and maybe even stir halfway for even baking.
So glad this popped up in my fb feed..I just took a pound of Red Argentine Shrimp out to cook tonight…I’m gonna make this but serve it over pan seared white fish filets with fresh skinny greenbeans with garlic and pearl onions and a nice salad 🙂
Perfect timing Teresa! Please let me know what you think of the recipe!
Hello! Can you use frozen shrimps?
Hi Jana, if they are raw frozen shrimp, you will want to thaw according to package instructions before using for them to bake properly. Sometimes I cheat and thaw under running cold water and pat dry really well with paper towels and that works for me 😉
I only have extra virgin olive oil or canola oil, which one should I use?
Hi Kathy, since you will be baking on high heat, I would go with the canola oil.
Most of recipes for baked shrimps recommend to bale at 350 for 6 to 8 minutes. 450 for 8 to 10 minutes seems a lot
Hi Gigi, You would do less time if they are smaller shrimp and these are baked in a sauce rather than dry rubbed so they require a longer baking time.
How long can I marinate the shrimp? I would like to do it the day before I need to cook it.
Hi Rebecca, since the marinade has lemon juice, it’s best not to marinate longer than 1 hour since the lemon juice can start to “cook” the shrimp and make them toughen up. I would suggest prepping your shrimp (peel & devein) ahead of time and make your marinade ahead of time and combine the two an hour before baking. I hope that helps!
Hey Natasha. So I picked up cooked and deveined large shrimps what’s your recommendation on cook time?
Hi Michael, I haven’t tried making this with pre-cooked shrimp, but my reader Melanie shared a good report using cooked shrimp: “We use frozen cooked shrimp that has been partially thawed (so it takes in all of the flavors) and then bake the shrimp to completely reheat and caramelize them and we’ve never had issues with over cooking.”
Hey Natasha great recipe my family loves it. I was wondering can i make the shrimp with skin on? And also to make them a little spicy will adding fresh jalapeños or red pepper flakes work?
Hi Tammy, yes that should work with the skin on and adding some extra heat. You may need to bake a little longer with the skins on so keep an eye on them so they aren’t under or over baked.
Hi Natasha, I’ve made this recipe 3 times and it’s been absolutely great and sooo easy! I’m not much of a cook, but do you think I could use rotisserie chicken strips instead of shrimp – marinade them in the fridge for an hour and then re-heat everything in the oven for a couple of minutes? I thought that might be pretty tasty over mashed potatoes.
Hi Sue, do you mean using cooked rotisserie chicken? It might work, but I’m also concerned that baking already cooked chicken might toughen it.
Hi Natasha! This recipe is Amazing!!!! I made it for my family and it was a HIT!!!! My boyfriend’s mom is a chef at the restaurant and as usually she is not satisfied with a food which she didn’t cook 😊😊 but she asked me to cook more!!!!! Thank you so much!!! It was super delicious!!!
That is just awesome! What compliment to you!! Thank you for sharing your awesome review 🙂
So yummy! And an effortless recipe with ingredients I always have on hand is an added bonus. I especially liked these cold out of the refrigerator the next day.
Thank you for the nice review, I’m glad you liked them 😀.
Can you tell me the nutritional information on this dish. Thank you
Roma, I don’t typically include calorie counts because of the time constraint that I have. I really need to hire some help to do that for me! When I need a quick answer though; I have used Caloriecount (their recipe analyzer is free).
Omg!!! I love this recipe I’ve made it several times had it over some angel hair noodles…hmm hamm good!!!
Thanks for sharing!!☺
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Yummy
This may be an insanely dumb question, but did you use raw shrimp for this recipe? I can’t tell from the pictures. 🙂
Yes, I used raw shrimp. Let me know how it turns out 😀.
I’m trying this tonight-question though, why not extra virgin olive oil?
Denise, the reason for not using extra virgin olive oil is because it’s not recommended for high heat cooking. Hope this helps 😁.
Absolute delicious! All 3 of my kids loved it! Must eat with garnish it makes it!
That’s so awesome! Thank you for sharing that with us 🙂
My husband and son told me this should be in my arsenal of foods to make! Only a few recipes make it there. Guess I will need to laminate your recipe! I was also told this would be great to make when we throw a party. A++++
Oh wow thank you for the awesome review! Laminating is so smart – you don’t have to worry about food getting on the paper 😉
Natasha I absolutely love your website! I didn’t cook much before but really got into it more and everything I make on your website turns out so yummy!
When I first made this shrimp recipe, my hubby was on the phone and walked over to the pan I had just gotten out of the oven and took a bite of shrimp and looked at me with a surprised expression and gave me a huge thumbs up! We both love love love this shrimp 🙂 We’re having it over quinoa tonight!
What an awesome review! I’m smiling big reading it. Thank you for sharing that happy scene with me 🙂
This shrimp is SO delicious, thank u for the recipe! I made it for the first time for a friend who just moved and thus had no food in her fridge (fortunately had cookware). Made it with jasmine rice and she loved it! I’m making this again for my mom soon!
That’s awesome!! I’m so happy you liked it! 🙂
Made this tonight for dinner with quick cooking polenta for a twist on traditional shrimp and grits. It was a huge hit with a side of roasted asparagus!! Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi Sarah, oh my goodness your awesome review makes me super hungry!! Thank you! 😉
Would this work to cook on the stovetop instead?
Yes, I think that would work fine. 🙂 Just be careful if doing it over high heat that you don’t overcook the shrimp.
Made it tonight but put it over spaghetti squash, even my husband loved it!
Oh wow that sounds fantastic! Thank you for sharing that great idea with us! 🙂
Made this tonight– off the first recipe not the update– it is VERY YUMMY!! . But i did add to much lemon juice .. I see you changed the recipe so next time i will add less.. It was still great but every now and then you could taste the lemon a bit much.. We made it with garlic mashed potatoes .. Will def so AGAIN AND AGAIN..!! Thank you!
Thank you Christine for the nice review and you are welcome 😃.
Thank you So Much for this recipe. I have just begun to try new recipes, primarily due to Pinterest. I absolutely Love this recipe and my shrimp came out delicious!!! This was the first time making shrimp, besides on the George Foreman Grill and it came out Great because of your recipe!!!! Everyone in my house Loved them!!! I will be checking out your other recipes as well! 😋😍
Welcome to the site Monet 😁 and thank you for such a nice review! I hope that you’ll find lots more favorites here.
This was a great recipe, I was a little bored with the normal Cajun shrimp so this was a great alternative. I substituted the lemon juice for orange since all I had was oranges. I also added minced garlic and shallots. It was very delicious. I suppose if you don’t have honey you could add a little brown sugar for the sweetness if you wanted to. All in all, it was delicious and quick!
I also thought this would be great for the grill, just add some veggies on a skewer with the shrimp. maybe some red onion, pre-boiled red potatoes, or cauliflower. yum!
Ooooh yes! I like where you’re going with this! 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your substitutions! 🙂
This the second thing I’ve tried from your website and was also a huge hit with my family! We had it with linguine and it was really filling but didn’t feel too heavy. Definitely going to be trying more of your recipes 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing that with me 🙂
Do you put the garnish on once it’s finished baking – or before you begin baking?
My instructions weren’t very clear, sorry about that! You put the garnish on after it’s done baking. I updated the recipe to include that. Thanks for asking! 🙂
Can I use something other than Cajun seasoning?
You probably could but I always make this with cajun and haven’t really tested it with other seasonings so I can’t give you a specific recommendation. If you don’t have cajun, you might consider making it yourself, like shown here: http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/cajun-seasoning-10567
Can you name some other oilsthat would work in this recipe? Looking forward to making it!
Canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil would all work, or grapeseed oil.
Thanks! Also can this be refrig for longer than 1 hr (like all day while I am at work) or might the lemon juice start to “cook” the shrimp in that time?
Rachel, I don’t think its a good idea to leave in the fridge longer than one hour for the reason you mentioned. Shrimp might taste rubbery. Let me know how it turns out 😀.
Thank you so much! It was delicious))
Thank you for the nice feedback Alex, I’m glad you liked it 😁.
Very tasty and easy!
Thank you Sue 😀.
Hello! So I came across this recipe and I really want to try it since I have some fresh shrimp I can use but I don’t have either the Cajun seasoning or the oil. Can I use canola instead and some chili powder? Thank you
Yes those substitutions would work fine 🙂 Enjoy!
Hello quick question. Would this recipe work using fish? Like a tilapia? Thanks!
Hi Anna, I haven’t tried it but I’m assuming it would work as long as the fish is in a single layer. Make sure to pat dry the fish well so it doesn’t add to much liquid to the sauce while cooking.
Excellent thanks!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Definitely a hit for my bf and I, after coming home from work this was something quick and easy to put together and we both cleaned our plates 🙂
You are welcome Sandra, and thank you for such a great review :D.
Delicious! I didn’t have the oil you listed so I used half extra virgin and half peanut oil. I marinated it longer than an hour and it was very tasty! I served it over cauliflower rice and used the extra sauce drizzled over it. I will definitely be making this again.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for your awesome review! 🙂
Question: Do you peel the shrimp before marinating them?
Yes, it’s best to use peeled and deveined shrimp for this recipe.
Here is the recipe.
I bought a huge bag of shrimp at Costco and was wondering what to do with them. I came across this recipe and looking forward to trying it. Unfortunately I only have extra virgin olive oil- never used the extra light oil. What is the difference? Is it ok to use the EVOO? I also have coconut oil and avocado oil.
Lilia, extra virgin olive oil has lower smoke point and doesn’t tolerate heat as well. I would recommend using avocado oil. Hope this helps :).
I was so excited to make this tonight and have the shrimp marinating as we speak….. And then I realized I bought cooked shrimp! Oh nooooooo. Is there any way to salvage this? Maybe flash cook in pan or grill????? I am so bummed- clearly I wasn’t paying attention.
That’s a tough one. I don’t think you will get the same results with cooked shrimp. If you continue to cook already cooked shrimp, they will shrink and turn rubbery. I’d definitely do a quick cook method over high heat. You can do the pan or grill.
My boyfriend and I have made this recipe a few times now and we love it! We like things a little on the spicy side so we always add a little extra Cajun seasoning and some minced garlic to the marinade. We use frozen cooked shrimp that has been partially thawed (so it takes in all of the flavors) and then bake the shrimp to completely reheat and caramelize them and we’ve never had issues with over cooking. We love to pair the shrimp with garlic parmesan mashed potatoes or use them to make Cajun Shrimp Alfredo!
I love the idea of adding more cajun seasoning. Yum! We love spicy foods also. I wasn’t sure if this would work well with frozen cooked shrimp. Thank you so much for sharing that wiht me!
With the frozen cooked shrimp after you put on the marinade at what temp and how long did you guys bake them for? Thank you !
Love, love this recipe!!! I used cilantro instead of parsley.. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for the great review Lilly and you are welcome :).
Great
Hi Natasha!
This combination sounds absolutely delicious…
Do you think the honey marinade would be okay to use if I’m planning to grill the shrimp instead of bake them? I’ve never used anything containing honey at a barbecue.
Yes honey will work fine on the grill. Let me know how you like it! How fun – I’m also testing a new recipe for grilled shrimp today :).
They worked perfectly on the grill! I made my own makeshift cajun seasoning, and with the soy sauce/honey pairing it was a hit.
These would be really good on the grill. Thank you for sharing that with me!
what would you suggest to serve this with??
My favorite is mashed potatoes or over spaghetti 🙂
It looks very yummy! Honey and shrimps look good together. They are perfect combination. And the dish seems perfectly cooked!
Thank you Maureen :). The flavors melded together perfectly and it was so quick and easy to just bake the shrimp without any stirring, or turning. 🙂
Would the shrimp still be okay if i marinated it for…. say 3-4 hours without any stirring? I want to make it for easter sunday, and want to leave it to marinade during church.
Yes, it will be fine 🙂
Planning to make this for dinner tonight. Is marinating the shrimp for 1 hour really necessary. If I’m short on time will 20 min be ok?
It will still be tasty after 20 minutes since the sauce is so flavorful. 🙂
Made it for dinner and it turned out fabulously!! Served it over grits. So easy and very delish.
Mmm this would be lovely over grits! Thanks for sharing that with me 🙂
I made this dish last night. It was good, but not my favorite. Yet, I also made that chicken casserole the other night and loved it!! So did the kids! I’m not a big shrimp eater, but I wanted to try it. I bet those of you who adore eating shrimp will adore this dish as well!
That chicken casserole is definitely a family and reader favorite! The shrimp dish is more of an adult dish; my son wasn’t too keen on the spice but my hubby and I loved it :). Thanks so much for writing in 🙂
Looks Yummy!! I have all ingredients on hand! One question…do you drain the marinade from the shrimp or just dump it all in the dish??
Erika, you want the shrimp to bake in the juices so add the marinade in the dish. Hope this helps :).
Perfect for lent!!!!
What a gorgeous & simple recipe.
My li’l one loves shrimp. I think I’ll make this tonight.
Thanks, Natasha!
Thank you so much! I hope your family enjoys this recipe is much as we did. If your little ones aren’t too keen on spicy foods, you might consider cutting the Cajun and half. Enjoy!
Natasha you have surpassed yourself once again. Made this recipe today, oooh so good.!!!!! Thank you)))
Thank you for the great review Lily, and you are welcome :D.
I love cajun and spicy food, and this baked honey shrimp looks fantastic! The sauce looks so delicious. Pinned!
Hi Neli thank you so much for pinning! The sauce is so good with some fresh crunchy bread or over pasta. Mmmm. I want it all over again! 🙂
These shrimp look amazing! The honey is the perfect compliment to that spice. so tasty!
Thanks Shelby 🙂 The combination really is quite a treat!
These look delicious! I love baking my proteins in the oven, too. So much easier and healthier 🙂
I completely agree! And there’s no splatter on the stove 😉
Yum!!! Looks divine!
Thank you Lina, they taste awesome as well. I could eat the whole recipe by myself :).
I love Love Love! shrimp. I have never dared to try and make them myself however. Maybe it’s because my wife doesn’t particularly care for them. But I have just run out of excuses. I also love a little spice so the cajun is really calling my name. I live in Buffalo, NY where we’ve had a freezing, snowy winter and need something to unthaw my bones. Here it is. Glad I stumbled upon your site.
I could eat shrimp for breakfast, lunch and dinner :). I hope that you’ll love the recipe.