There’s something so satisfying about combining simplicity with flavor, and that’s exactly what Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi with Asparagus and Tomatoes Recipe delivers. It’s quick, vibrant, and perfect for busy weeknights when you want something fresh without the fuss.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi with Asparagus and Tomatoes Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi with Asparagus and Tomatoes Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi with Asparagus and Tomatoes Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I honestly get excited every time I make this because it feels like such a treat on a busy night, yet it’s so straightforward. The mix of roasted shrimp, the subtle snap of asparagus, and juicy cherry tomatoes makes every bite pop with freshness and buttery goodness.
- One-Pan Wonder: You get an elegant, flavorful dinner with minimal cleanup—just one sheet pan needed!
- Super Fast Cooking: Ready in about 15 minutes total, making it perfect for last-minute meals.
- Customizable Veggies: Swap out asparagus and tomatoes if you want—this recipe’s flexible!
- Flavor-Packed Sauce: The luscious butter, garlic, and lemon blend makes each bite irresistible.
Ingredients & Why They Work
This recipe is a harmonious balance of fresh veggies, succulent shrimp, and a bright garlic-lemon butter sauce. Shopping for the freshest asparagus and cherry tomatoes you can find really makes a difference, and prepped shrimp saves tons of time.
- Asparagus: Chopped into bite-sized pieces, it roasts beautifully, adding crunch and a hint of earthiness.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Their sweetness bursts during roasting, balancing the savory elements perfectly.
- Olive Oil: Adds a subtle fruity richness to the veggies and helps with roasting.
- Garlic: The heart of scampi flavor; gives the whole dish its aromatic base.
- Shrimp: Medium-sized, shelled and deveined shrimp cook quickly and soak up the buttery sauce wonderfully.
- Lemon Juice: Brightens the dish, cutting through the richness of butter and adding freshness.
- Butter: The more butter you add, the more luxurious your sauce becomes—don’t be shy!
- Seasonings (salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, dried basil, red pepper flakes): These layers of spices build complexity and a little kick without overpowering.
- Parsley: A fresh, herbal finish that balances out the richness.
Make It Your Way
I love experimenting with this dish by switching up the veggies or tweaking the heat level. It’s your canvas—make it yours by adding your favorite greens or adjusting the garlic and lemon to exactly how you like it.
- Vegetable Swaps: I’ve swapped asparagus for zucchini or bell peppers and they roast just as well—feel free to use what’s in season or what you love.
- Spice Variation: Sometimes I add extra red pepper flakes or a pinch of smoked paprika for a smoky depth that really elevates the shrimp.
- Protein Swap: I’ve made this with chopped chicken breast when shrimp wasn’t on hand; it takes a bit longer but is delicious all the same.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi with Asparagus and Tomatoes Recipe
Step 1: Roast the Veggies to Start
First, I preheat the oven to 400°F and prep a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan lined with foil—makes cleanup a breeze! Toss the chopped asparagus and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until everything is evenly coated. Spread them out in a single layer on one side of the pan, then roast for 5 minutes. This gentle roast wakes up the veggies and softens them just right.
Step 2: Season the Shrimp
While the veggies start roasting, I mix the shrimp with olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, paprika, onion powder, dried basil, red pepper flakes, and pepper in a bowl. This step ensures every shrimp is coated in that bold, garlicky flavor.
Step 3: Add Shrimp and Butter for Final Roast
After the initial 5 minutes, I remove the pan and gently push the veggies to one side (still keeping them in a single layer). Then, I add the shrimp on the other half in a single layer. I dot the veggies with a tablespoon of cubed butter and scatter the rest of the butter on the shrimp—this butter melting during roasting creates the signature scampi sauce. Back in the oven for 6 more minutes or until the shrimp turn opaque.
Step 4: Finish With Freshness and Serve
Once out of the oven, I drizzle the pan with a little more lemon juice, then sprinkle chopped parsley over the top. If I’m serving it with linguine, I toss everything together in a big bowl, adding a bit of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and a generous helping of Parmesan to finish. The result? A bright, buttery dinner bursting with fresh flavors.
Top Tip
From my many times making this recipe, a few small tricks make all the difference between good shrimp scampi and great shrimp scampi.
- Use Shell-Less, Deveined Shrimp: It saves time and ensures even cooking—no guessing when tails are off!
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Give your shrimp and veggies space on the sheet pan so they roast instead of steam.
- Butter Cubes Over Melted Butter: Cubing the butter helps it melt evenly during roasting, giving you that silky scampi sauce without burning.
- Adjust Lemon After Roasting: Add lemon juice at the end to keep that fresh brightness sharp and balanced.
How to Serve Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi with Asparagus and Tomatoes Recipe
Garnishes
I always finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a little extra lemon juice to brighten things up. Sometimes I add freshly grated Parmesan cheese—it’s an indulgence but oh-so-worthy! The parmesan adds that lovely nutty, salty touch that pulls everything together beautifully.
Side Dishes
This dish stands well on its own, but if you want extra comfort, it pairs wonderfully with linguine tossed in olive oil or garlic bread to soak up the buttery sauce. Zoodles are my go-to low-carb swap, and rice can add some hearty wholesomeness as well.
Creative Ways to Present
For a special occasion, I’ve served this in individual small cast iron skillets right from the oven—super charming and keeps dinner warm longer. Another fun idea I’ve tried is plating the shrimp atop a bed of creamy polenta with the roasted asparagus and tomatoes draped over—it’s restaurant-worthy and easy.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
After cooling to room temperature, I store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. The shrimp can stay fresh up to 2 days, and the veggies surprisingly keep their texture well when reheated gently.
Freezing
I’ve personally avoided freezing shrimp scampi because shrimp can get a bit rubbery after thawing and reheating. I recommend making only what you’ll eat in a couple of days for best quality, or freeze the shrimp separately before cooking if needed.
Reheating
To reheat, I prefer warming leftovers gently in a skillet over low heat to keep the shrimp tender and avoid drying out. Sprinkle a splash of water or lemon juice to help revive the sauce, and toss occasionally until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! Just make sure to fully thaw and pat the shrimp dry before seasoning to avoid excess moisture that can prevent proper roasting.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free if you serve it without pasta or choose gluten-free pasta options. The sauce and ingredients contain no gluten themselves.
Great question! Zucchini, green beans, or sliced bell peppers roast nicely and make tasty alternatives to asparagus in this recipe.
You can prep the shrimp mixture and chop the vegetables a day ahead, but it’s best to assemble and roast just before eating to keep that fresh roasted texture and flavor.
Final Thoughts
This Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi with Asparagus and Tomatoes Recipe is truly a gem in my weekly rotation. It’s bright, buttery, and surprisingly easy, which makes it one of those meals I always recommend when someone asks for a quick but impressive seafood dinner. I hope you find as much joy making and eating it as I do—don’t hesitate to tweak it until it feels like your perfect dish!
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Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi with Asparagus and Tomatoes Recipe
- Prep Time: 4 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
This Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi is a quick and easy dinner recipe featuring succulent shrimp roasted with asparagus and cherry tomatoes in a flavorful garlic, butter, and lemon sauce. Perfect served over linguine, zoodles, rice, or with crusty bread, this dish combines fresh ingredients and a simple roasting method to deliver bright, buttery, and savory flavors in just 15 minutes total.
Ingredients
Tomatoes and Asparagus
- 1 pound thin/medium asparagus chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Shrimp
- 1 pound medium uncooked shrimp, shelled, deveined, tails off
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 4 to 8 tablespoons butter, cubed
Garnish
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice or more to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Serve With
- 1 pound linguine (or other pasta)
- Zoodles
- Rice
- Bread
Instructions
- Cook the Linguine (optional): Cook linguine in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining. Drizzle drained pasta with olive oil and toss to combine.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan with foil. Lightly spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Vegetables: In the pan, combine asparagus, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly and spread in a single layer. Roast for 5 minutes.
- Mix Shrimp Ingredients: While veggies roast, combine medium uncooked shrimp, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, paprika, onion powder, dried basil, red pepper flakes, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir well to evenly coat.
- Add Shrimp to Pan: Remove vegetables from oven and push asparagus and tomatoes to one side of the pan to keep single layer. Place shrimp on the open side in a single layer.
- Add Butter and Roast: Top asparagus with 1 tablespoon cubed butter evenly spaced. Top shrimp with 3 to 7 tablespoons cubed butter evenly spaced. Return to oven and roast for 6 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque and cooked through.
- Finish and Garnish: Remove from oven, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice to taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top.
- Serve: If serving with linguine, combine all pan contents including melted butter and juices with the cooked pasta in a large bowl. Add olive oil or reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired sauce consistency. Stir in Parmesan cheese, additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Measure shrimp with tails on for accuracy.
- Use 3-4 tablespoons butter if not serving with pasta as less sauce is needed; use 4-8 tablespoons butter if adding to pasta for a richer sauce. Reserved pasta water or olive oil can be added to stretch the sauce.
- Chicken can substitute shrimp but requires about 15 minutes cooking time; cook chicken 10 minutes before adding veggies.
- Use defrosted shrimp, not pre-cooked shrimp, for best texture and flavor.
- Buying deveined, shelled shrimp makes preparation easier and faster.
- You can mix shrimp and seasonings directly on the sheet pan to reduce dishes but be cautious as the pan will be hot.
- Swap asparagus and tomatoes for other quick-cooking veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, or bell peppers; adjust cooking times accordingly for longer-cooking veggies.
- Start with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and add more to taste; more lemon juice is preferred if served with pasta.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg
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