1-First step: Preheat and get your dish ready. Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish so the shrimp and sauce do not stick. If you are serving a crowd, make sure the dish has enough room for the shrimp to sit in a fairly even layer. This helps them cook at the same pace. While the oven heats, gather all the ingredients and measure everything ahead of time. This dish moves quickly once the sauce starts simmering, so having everything ready makes the process smoother. If you like to serve seafood with a side dish that soaks up sauce, a loaf of crusty bread is a great idea. You could also pair it with a hearty side like loaded mashed potato casserole for a rich family-style meal.

2-Second step: Make the Cajun butter sauce. Set a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the butter, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, Creole seasoning, oregano, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, green onions, lemon juice, and lemon slices. Stir everything together as the butter melts and the flavors begin to blend. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, not a hard boil. A soft simmer gives the garlic and spices time to bloom without burning. The kitchen will start to smell incredible pretty quickly. That buttery lemon aroma is part of what makes this Cajun shrimp recipe so hard to resist.

3-Third step: Taste the sauce before the shrimp go in. Once the sauce has simmered, remove it from the heat and taste it carefully. The recipe can be naturally salty, especially if your Worcestershire or Creole seasoning is on the stronger side, so this is the moment to adjust. Add a little salt only if needed. If you want a milder version, use low-sodium Worcestershire or a lower-salt Creole seasoning. If you want more heat, you can increase the cayenne a bit. The sauce should taste bold, buttery, lemony, and just a little spicy. It should make you want bread right away.

4-Fourth step: Add the shrimp to the baking dish. Place the 2 pounds of fresh shrimp into the prepared baking dish. Keep them in their shells if possible, because the shells help protect the meat during baking and add more flavor to the sauce. If you are using shrimp with heads on, that can add even deeper seafood flavor, though it does make the final dish a little messier to eat. Pour the hot butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Try to coat every piece so the seasoning reaches all the way through the dish. The sauce should settle around the shrimp, with the lemon slices and green onions spread across the top.

5-Fifth step: Bake until the shrimp are just done. Slide the dish into the 350°F oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir the shrimp once halfway through so they cook evenly and stay coated in sauce. Keep an eye on them near the end because shrimp can go from perfect to overcooked quickly. You will know they are done when they turn pink and opaque and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. The shrimp should still feel tender, not rubbery. If you are unsure, pull one out and cut into it. It should be opaque all the way through.

6-Final step: Serve with bread and spoon extra sauce on top. Serve the shrimp hot with crusty French bread for sopping up the sauce. That part is almost as important as the shrimp itself. The buttery Cajun sauce is packed with flavor, and bread makes sure none of it goes to waste. If you want a more complete meal, spoon the shrimp over rice or pair it with a crisp salad. For another dinner idea with plenty of bold flavor, try my classic BBQ shrimp recipe next time you want a seafood night with the same New Orleans spirit.