Sheet Pan Shrimp and Asparagus with Lemon Garlic
When dinner needs to happen now, this one-pan shrimp and asparagus comes together with almost no thinking.
For the nights when you’re tired, hungry, and one more complicated recipe feels like too much, this sheet pan shrimp and asparagus is a good answer. It’s quick enough for a weeknight, uses one pan, and still feels like a real dinner instead of a snack disguised as dinner. You toss everything with lemon, garlic, and a little oil, then roast until the shrimp are just cooked and the asparagus is crisp-tender. Expect a bright, light meal that’s more about ease than drama. If you can preheat an oven and stir a bowl, you can make this.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb shrimp — peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
- 1 lb asparagus — trimmed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 0.75 tsp kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp paprika
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes — optional
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley — chopped, for serving
- 4 unit lemon wedges — for serving
Method
- 1 Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment for easier cleanup.
- 2 On the sheet pan, toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil, half the garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a little black pepper. Spread into an even layer and roast for 5 minutes.
- 3 While the asparagus roasts, toss the shrimp in a bowl with the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, remaining garlic, remaining salt, paprika, and red pepper flakes if using.
- 4 Remove the pan from the oven, add the shrimp in a single layer around the asparagus, and return to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque and the asparagus is crisp-tender.
- 5 Finish with parsley and serve right away with lemon wedges.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Replace the shrimp with 1 lb extra-firm tofu, cubed and patted dry; roast the tofu for 15 minutes before adding the asparagus so it has time to brown.
- Faster swap — Use very thin asparagus and small shrimp, then roast everything together for about 8 to 10 minutes total after the pan is hot.
- Substitutions — Swap asparagus for broccoli florets or green beans, use lime instead of lemon, or add a spoonful of Dijon mustard to the shrimp seasoning for a sharper finish.
Notes
If your shrimp are very large, they may need 1 to 2 extra minutes; pull them as soon as they turn opaque so they stay tender. Serve as-is, or with rice, crusty bread, or a simple salad if you want to stretch the meal.
Equipment that helps
- Sheet pan — It gives the shrimp and asparagus room to roast instead of steam.
- Mixing bowl — It makes it easy to coat the shrimp evenly without dirtying extra dishes.
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