Seafood boils are one of the great dishes of Southern summers. For a simple weeknight version, I like to stick with the basics: shrimp, potatoes and corn. I also skip the big pot of water and throw everything on a sheet pan in the oven; this move keeps the flavors concentrated in each ingredient instead of the cooking water.
The easiest way to ensure perfect doneness of every ingredient in the shrimp boil is to stagger the cooking. Start with the potatoes. To cut down on their cooking time, I use frozen roasted baby potatoes, which you can find near the french fries in most grocery stores. Pick up a variety that doesn’t include seasoning other than salt. Give them a 10-minute head start in a hot oven before adding the corn, followed by the shrimp, which only need a few minutes to curl and turn opaque.
To season, I keep things simple with Old Bay spice blend and the zest and juice of one large lemon. Together, these two ingredients add spice, plenty of salt and a bright pop of freshness. If you prefer a different seasoning mix (such as Cajun seasoning), feel free to swap it in, but don’t skip the lemon. I layer the Old Bay into the dish by adding a little each time I add an ingredient to the sheet pan. Also, you can use the same bowl to mix each component to cut down on dishes. And if a shrimp boil isn’t a shrimp boil without some kind of sausage (and if you don’t mind this recipe being a six-ingredient challenge), you can add about half a pound of sliced smoked sausage along with the corn.
Sheet-Pan Shrimp Boil
1 pound frozen roasted baby potatoes, such as Alexia Roasted and Ready Baby Golden Potatoes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning, divided
4 ears corn, shucked and cut into thirds
1 pound jumbo peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed if frozen
1 large lemon, plus wedges for serving
Heat the oven to 475 degrees with a rack positioned in the middle. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon Old Bay. Stir well to coat, then spread in an even layer on a sheet pan. Do not clean the bowl.
Transfer sheet pan to the oven and cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the corn to the same bowl, along with 1 tablespoon more oil and 1 teaspoon more Old Bay. Stir well to coat. After the potatoes roast for 10 minutes, carefully remove the sheet pan. Add the corn around the potatoes. Return to the oven and cook for 5 more minutes.
Meanwhile, add the shrimp to the bowl, along with the remaining oil and Old Bay. Zest the lemon over the shrimp, then stir well to coat.
After the corn roasts for 5 minutes, carefully remove the sheet pan. Add the shrimp around the corn and potatoes. Return to the oven until the shrimp have just curled and turned opaque, about 5 minutes. Cut the lemon in half, squeeze both halves over the shrimp and vegetables, and stir. Serve immediately with additional lemon wedges.
Serves 4.
Per serving: 379 calories (percent of calories from fat, 35), 22 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams total sugars, 5 grams fiber, 15 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 143 milligrams cholesterol, 1,404 milligrams sodium.
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