Baked with bursting cherry tomatoes and roasted vegetables, this sheet pan shrimp pops with bright cilantro lime — 7.6g net carbs and 25g protein. I serve it over cauliflower rice or on a salad.
I make this almost every week, and it started as a lazy Tuesday experiment. Shrimp, a handful of vegetables, a quick cilantro lime marinade, one lined pan, 10 minutes in the oven. That was the whole idea. But then the cherry tomatoes burst and pooled into this tangy little sauce at the bottom of the pan, and suddenly it was more than a shortcut dinner.
The marinade is what sets this apart. Lime juice, avocado oil, cumin, red pepper flakes, and ginger. I kept the ginger amount low on purpose so it sits in the background, this warm note you can feel but can't quite name. A reader (Brooke) told me she's made it four times since December, and the ginger is what keeps pulling her back. That tracks.
The vegetables are flexible. I've tested this with bell peppers, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts. They all work. High heat caramelizes the edges and concentrates the flavors, so whatever you have in the fridge will probably be fine. If you want a protein swap, my sheet pan teriyaki chicken uses the same one-pan method with adjusted cook times.
Serving options: I pile it over cauliflower rice most nights (the burst tomato juice soaks into the rice and it's ridiculous), but it's also great in a poke bowl or tossed into a big salad. For another keto shrimp dinner, my creamy garlic paprika shrimp goes a completely different direction with a rich, savory sauce. And if you love the cilantro lime flavor profile, try it on chicken with my cilantro lime chicken.
Storage: Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. I reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat so the shrimp don't overcook. I don't recommend freezing. Shrimp go rubbery when frozen and reheated, and it's not worth it when this keto recipe takes 10 minutes from raw.
One Pan Keto Shrimp Dinner
If you love one-pan dinners with zero cleanup, this is the one I come back to. Everything bakes together: shrimp, bell peppers, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and whole garlic cloves, all coated in a tangy cilantro lime vinaigrette. My sheet pan chicken and veggies follows the same approach if you want to rotate proteins.
No stovetop babysitting. Just assemble, slide it into the oven, and it’s done in 10 minutes. I’ve made this dozens of times, and the shrimp come out tender and perfectly cooked when I pull them the second they turn pink.
I line mine with foil so there’s literally nothing to wash. One pan, one meal, and I’m out of the kitchen before the dishes would even finish soaking.
The flavors are flexible. Skip the cilantro if it’s not your thing, or swap the vegetables for whatever’s in the fridge. I’ve done broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts. They all roast well at this temperature. Serve it over cauliflower rice, toss it into a salad, or eat it straight off the pan.
How to Tell When Shrimp Are Done
I watch the color. Raw shrimp are grey-white, and as they cook, they turn opaque white-pink with red accents in the tails. That color shift is your first signal.
They also curl and shrink slightly as the muscle contracts. Once they’re pink, opaque, and C-shaped, they’re done. Pull them the second they curl. Even 30 seconds too long and they go rubbery. I learned that the hard way early on, and now I set a timer for 8 minutes and check from there.
Best Low Carb Vegetables for the Pan
Any vegetables you love will work here. I use bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, and whole garlic cloves, but I’ve tested broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, brussels sprouts, green beans, and red onion. They all hold up. High-heat roasting brings out natural sweetness and caramelizes the edges, so even vegetables you’re lukewarm on tend to taste better this way.
If you want a completely different protein with the same roasted vegetable method, my air fryer salmon pairs well with most of these same sides.
Why I Use the Oven Instead of the Stovetop
Oven cooking wins on busy nights. One pan means one thing to wash. No splatters on the stove. No constant stirring or flipping. I slide it in, set a timer for 8-10 minutes, and I’m free to make the cauliflower rice or throw together a side salad while it cooks.
The even heat also means I don’t have to worry about some shrimp overcooking while others are still raw, which happens to me every time I try to do a big batch in a skillet.
How to Peel and Devein Shrimp
Here’s how I do it:
1. Remove the shell.
2. Use a sharp paring knife to make a shallow cut along the back. You’ll see a dark vein running along it.
3. Gently lift out the vein with the tip of the knife.
It takes about a minute the first few times, but you’ll get fast. I can do a pound in about 5 minutes now without thinking about it.
If you’re using frozen shrimp, thaw them in the fridge overnight or soak in cold water for 20-30 minutes before cooking. I always use raw shrimp for this recipe. Pre-cooked shrimp will overcook and turn tough in the oven since they’re already done before they go in.
Tails On or Off
Your call. Both work. I leave them on because they make great little handles for picking up the shrimp, but if you’re tossing this into a salad or over rice, removing them first makes eating easier. I take them off when I’m meal prepping so I can just dump and reheat without fussing.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
2
Make the lime vinaigrette
In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, avocado oil (or olive oil), ginger, cumin, lime zest, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes.
3
Assemble the sheet pan
Arrange shrimp, bell pepper, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and whole garlic cloves on the prepared baking sheet. Keep the shrimp grouped together since they cook faster than the vegetables. You can pull them out early if needed, or add them to the pan after the veggies have roasted for 5-10 minutes. Season everything with salt, then drizzle the lime vinaigrette over the top.
4
Bake
Bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque, pink, and cooked through. Sprinkle fresh cilantro on top and serve.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/4 of recipe
Calories
253
Fat
12.3g
Protein
25g
Total carbs
10.1g
Net carbs
7.6g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use raw or pre-cooked shrimp?
I always use raw shrimp for this recipe. Pre-cooked shrimp are already done before they hit the oven, so they overcook and turn tough in the 8-10 minutes of bake time. Raw shrimp cook perfectly in that window. I buy them peeled and deveined when I can find them, but if I'm deveining myself, it adds about 5 minutes of prep.
How do I keep shrimp from getting rubbery in the oven?
I set my timer for 8 minutes and check from there. The second they curl into a C-shape and turn opaque pink, I pull them. Even 30 seconds too long makes a difference. I overcooked my first batch by about 2 minutes and the texture was completely different. Now I check early and trust the visual cues over the clock.
How long do leftovers keep, and can I freeze them?
I keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. I reheat in a skillet over medium heat so the shrimp warm through gently without overcooking. I don't freeze this. Cooked shrimp go rubbery after freezing and reheating, and since this keto dinner takes 10 minutes from raw, I just make a fresh batch. For another quick option, my fiesta baked cod is just as fast.
Is shrimp keto-friendly?
I eat shrimp multiple times a week. A 4-ounce serving has around 24g of protein and less than 1g of carbs. The marinade in this recipe adds a small amount from the lime juice, but the whole dish comes in around 7-8g net carbs per serving. It's one of my go-to proteins for keeping meals simple.
What vegetables work best for sheet pan shrimp?
I've tested a lot of combinations. Bell peppers, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes are my default because they roast well in the same 8-10 minute window. Broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, green beans, and red onion all work too. Denser vegetables like broccoli benefit from being cut small so they cook through. If I'm adding something that takes longer to roast, I give it a 5-10 minute head start before adding the shrimp. For a stir-fry approach with similar vegetables, I sometimes rotate in my chicken stir fry.
What temperature should shrimp reach when baked?
I aim for an internal temperature of 120-145°F. In practice, I rarely use a thermometer for shrimp because the visual cues are so reliable: opaque, pink, C-shaped curl. By the time my instant-read thermometer registers, they're usually past 145°F already. I rely on color and shape more than numbers for this one.
That marinade does something to non-shrimp people. I’ve served this to guests who swore they don’t touch seafood, watched them go back twice, and said nothing. The lime and ginger just take over. It stops reading as shrimpy. If you haven’t tried it over cauliflower rice yet, do it next time. The tomatoes burst and mix in and it gets even better.
Dani, frozen works. I use them all the time. Most ‘fresh’ shrimp at the grocery store got frozen on the boat anyway. Just make sure they’re fully thawed and bone dry. I pat mine on paper towels for 10 minutes first, otherwise the lime and ginger barely cling and the shrimp steam instead of caramelizing. Same 8-10 minute bake time.
The asparagus gets just enough caramelization in that oven time. My kids won’t touch it steamed but roasted with that marinade it disappears before the shrimp even does.
The lime and ginger hit you the second you open the oven door. Shrimp are done at 9 minutes, tomatoes collapse into something almost saucy, no complaints there. Only note: bell pepper stays pretty firm at that time and temperature, so if you want it tender, give it a 5-minute head start before everything else goes in. Otherwise this has been on weeknight rotation since I found it.
Bell pepper is the stubborn one on this pan. I’ve given it a head start before and five minutes is right. Don’t always mind the bite though. Over cauliflower rice I want it softer, but straight from the pan as a protein bowl, I actually like the contrast. The tomato citrus slick is still the best part.
So I basically avoid cooking shrimp because I always second-guess the timing. The 8-10 minute window had me literally hovering over the oven. When I finally opened it everything just… looked right? The asparagus tips had char, the shrimp were pink and curled, and I had no idea what I’d done differently. I think the lime vinaigrette pooling in the pan kept things from drying out, plus the whole garlic cloves roasting in there made the kitchen smell so good. Served it over cauliflower rice like Annie suggests and it felt like an actual dinner, not something I threw together hoping for the best. I’m not saying my shrimp anxiety is gone but I’m making this again before I talk myself out of it.
The lime pulls the ginger forward in this marinade in a way that makes it feel like way more than 1.5 teaspoons. Fresh grated from a knob if you have it.
I was skeptical a lime marinade this light could carry a whole dinner, but the tomatoes burst and basically make their own sauce as it bakes. Can’t stop thinking about it.
First time doing shrimp on a sheet pan and I cannot stop thinking about those cherry tomatoes, they basically burst into their own little sauce around everything and I was not ready for that. Do you think this marinade would work on scallops?
Scallops would be great with this. Keep the marinade to 15 minutes max though. The lime starts breaking down the texture if you go longer, and they cook faster than shrimp so pull them the second they look opaque.
Marinated the shrimp for a couple hours instead of just while the oven preheated, and the ginger and lime actually sank in rather than just sitting on the surface. Eight minutes, tomatoes burst right on cue, the whole pan looked like something. If you have the extra time, do it.
Ginger needs more time than lime does. Quick marinade is fine for weeknights but a couple hours and it actually gets into the shrimp instead of just sitting there.
Add the shrimp in the last 8 minutes. First time I threw everything in together, they were rubbery before the asparagus had any color. Give the veg a few-minute head start.
okay so I finally figured out the shrimp situation (learned this the embarrassing way after one too many rubbery batches) and 8 minutes is genuinely the number. pull them the second the edges curl and go pink, because even 2 more minutes and you lose everything. what I love is how the cherry tomatoes basically collapse into the lime marinade and become this little burst of acid right when you need it. the asparagus and bell pepper hold up perfectly, which I wasn’t sure about going in. four stars. cauliflower rice on the side is what makes this a real meal instead of just protein and veg.
The tomato thing gets me every time. They basically dissolve into the pan and make the whole marinade sharper. 8 minutes is exactly it. I check for the C-shape curl more than the clock.
Never cooked shrimp on a sheet pan before. Kept hovering by the oven the whole time. Around 9 minutes the cherry tomatoes started bursting and the shrimp hit that bright pink, so I pulled it. The lime and ginger comes through stronger than I expected, brighter than I thought 10 minutes of heat could do. 4 stars for now until I make it a few more times, but first attempt and I’m not nervous about shrimp anymore.
Soy sauce in the lime vinaigrette. Cherry tomatoes burst into something almost sweet-savory. Worth it. One note: pull at 8 minutes, not 10. Shrimp finish on the hot pan and going the full time pushed them rubbery.
Not much of a cook so I just followed the recipe exactly. The cherry tomatoes burst in the oven and made this little sauce situation I wasn’t expecting. Four stars only because I overcooked the shrimp by a couple minutes, but that’s on me.
That tomato thing is actually the whole point, glad you caught it. For the shrimp, pull them the second they curl and go pink. Even 30 seconds over and they go rubbery.
