I have really been on a black pepper “kick” lately! So I decided to experiment with some recipes. The one I decided to concentrate on 1st is a Black Pepper Shrimp recipe.

What ingredients go into Black Pepper Shrimp?

The main ingredients are very few and simple. Things I keep on hand all the time.

large shrimp, peeled and deveined
black pepper, any variety you like best
honey
olive oil spray
salt
(butter, optional)

The only ingredients I marinate the shrimp in are honey and black pepper. The size of the individual shrimp and the sodium in them means that they do not need very long to marinate. Thaw and dry them shrimp VERY well. 4-6 minutes is all I ever leave them marinating. The honey and pepper are going to be a thick goo, just dab it on the best you can. Stir them around after a minute or two. In those few minutes, you will see that the shrimp give off liquid and the pepper will spread out. If you leave them too long you will harden them into little rocks… ask me how I know. Give them

You can ADJUST the heat level by using more or less pepper. I use between 1 teaspoon and 1 Tablespoon, depending on my mood. If I have a creamy mouth-cooling side dish in mind I might make it spicy. Like this Creamy Mayo Slaw recipe that I have.

You could use freshly cracked pepper but most of the time I use simple black pepper flakes. Old tastes prevail here… the “real” black pepper flavor I am looking for here comes out of a shaker!!

Cooking these shrimp

When I make these shrimp I almost always make a single serving. My hubby only wants a little pepper on his and I like to “pour it on”.

I have a collection of small cast-iron pans that are just perfect for single-serve dishes.

I just use olive oil spray in the pan before I load the shrimp (and salmon) into it. As I take the shrimp out of the marinade I lay them gently onto a paper towel to drain the excess liquid off of them. Don’t move them around or the pepper might wipe off.

I love the way cast iron cooks so evenly. You can use any oven-safe pan to bake them And also fact that they can go under the broiler makes them perfect for recipes like these. I cook them a few different ways or even a combination of them. It depends on what I am doing in the kitchen… if I have my oven going I just bake them. Or maybe I am only cooking them alone, so I might just stick them under the broiler.

You could certainly put them in your air fryer and get great results. My pans actually fit into my air fryer but you really don’t “have” to do that, your basket would be just fine. Make sure to use an olive oil spray to keep them from sticking to whatever you use. Cook them for about 5 minutes and test for doneness, then adjust your cook time as needed.

Black Pepper Shrimp {Portion Fix/21 Day Fix}

This Black Pepper Shrimp uses simple ingredients with maximum flavor! You can adjust the amount of pepper used to suit your taste.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 1

Ingredients

¾ cup shrimp of any size, peeled and deveined.
1 Tablespoon honey
1teaspoon to 1Tablespoon black pepper
olive oil spray
coarse salt
1-2 teaspoons melted butter, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°
Add shrimp, honey, and black pepper to a small bowl. Stir after a few minutes and before you remove them from the marinade.
Remove them from the marinade and lay them on a few layers of paper towels to drain the excess liquid from them,
Place shrimp in a single layer into an oven-safe pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Lightly spray the tops of the shrimp too.
Depending on the size of the shrimp cook from 4-8 minutes in a hot oven or under the broiler. Watch the tops of the shrimp and turn them when they are cooked on top. Turn them over to make sure they are pink all the way through.
If you are using the melted butter, drizzle it over the hot shrimp.

Portion Fix/21 Day Fix Container Counts per serving: 1R, 1 sweet teaspoon, 1 oil spoon if using the butter

Keyword Healthy, Portion Fix, seafood

Sometimes I like to finish the cooked shrimp with a light drizzle of melted butter and crunchy coarse salt. If you use it make sure you count the oil teaspoons in your daily container counts.

What would be good to serve with this Black Pepper Shrimp?

Anything creamy goes great with the spicy flavor of the shrimp. This Creamy Mac and Cheese recipe would work! Recipe HERE.

Recently I grilled the shrimp and put some corn on the grill with them! I used my butter for the corn that day.