Easy 15-Minute Sheet Pan Shrimp and Baby Bok Choy Recipe
This Sheet Pan Shrimp and Baby Bok Choy recipe features succulent shrimp and tender bok choy tossed in a sweet and spicy Asian glaze. It’s perfect for a busy weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup. Learn how to prepare this delicious dish with simple ingredients and easy steps.
Shrimp is light enough to pair with the leafy baby bok choy, a type of Chinese cabbage. They both cook quickly and are ready in minutes. The sauce is sweet, tangy, and a little spicy, and it works especially well with Chinese cabbage-style greens like bok choy. You can serve it as is or with rice or noodles.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Sheet Pan Shrimp & Bok Choy Recipe
- It is so easy to prep and even easier to clean up.
- It takes about 15 minutes, start to finish, and uses a short ingredient list.
- Sweet, spicy, and nutty flavors all rolled into one with roasted shrimp and bok choy.
- You get protein and some wonderful greens all in one dish.
What Ingredients Do You Need for This Recipe?
- Extra-large or jumbo shrimp: I used 26/30 shrimp which are referred to as Extra Large Shrimp. You could also use 21/25 which are called Jumbo Shrimp. The numbers refer to the approximate number of shrimp per pound. I would not choose any shrimp that are larger or smaller as the cooking times will vary.
- Baby bok choy: This cabbage roasts well and gives you both a tender leaf and a crisp stem in the same bite. Choose bunches of bok choy that have bright green leaves that aren’t wilted and root ends that are firm and almost bright white.
- Red Onions: Red onions add just the right amount of bite without overwhelming the other ingredients.
- Sesame Oil: This oil adds just the right amount of nutty flavoring to the sweet and spicy sauce.
- Sweet barbecue Sauce: Use one of your favorite sweet BBQ sauces here, such as a honey barbecue sauce.
- Sambal Oelek: Sambal is an Asian chili paste that adds the perfect amount of spiciness to this dish.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: Rice vinegar is less acidic than distilled white vinegar and has a milder almost sweet taste to it. You can use it in many other dishes too. Rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar are similar, so don’t be concerned if you find one that is labeled either way.
- Grated Ginger: For freshly grated ginger, you will need about a 3/4-inch nob to yield the 2 teaspoons in this recipe. You can also use grated ginger out of those handy jars.
How Do You Make Sheet Pan Shrimp and Bok Choy?
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a 13 x 9-inch sheet pan with foil.
- Combine the barbecue sauce, rice wine vinegar, grated ginger, and sambal oelek. I like to use a 1-cup measuring cup as it makes it easier to pour the sauce over the baked shrimp and bok choy. Pour half the sauce over the shrimp and toss to coat. Set the remaining sauce aside.
- Cut the bok choy in half lengthwise and arrange on the sheet pan. Brush bok choy with sesame oil. Slice red onions and arrange around bok choy.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Then arrange the shrimp over the bok choy and onion. Discard the sauce that the shrimp were in.
- Bake for 5 more minutes, or until the shrimp turns pink and opaque and the bok choy looks lightly browned.
- Drizzle the reserved sauce over everything and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
What is the Best Time and Temperature for Cooking?
Achieving perfectly cooked shrimp and tender bok choy requires specific temperatures and times, as outlined below.
| Step | Temperature | Time | What To Look For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roast bok choy and onion | 425°F | 5 minutes | Leaves soften, stems start to color |
| Finish with shrimp | 425°F | 5 minutes | Shrimp are pink and opaque |
Top Tips
- Pat the shrimp dry before adding the sauce.
- Keep the bok choy cut side down so it browns and does not steam.
- Pull the pan as soon as the shrimp turn opaque and form a C shape.
- If you are doubling the recipe, use 2 sheet pans and rotate them.
Variations
Make it milder: Use less sambal oelek, or omit it and add a little extra ginger.
Add more vegetables: Thin sliced bell pepper or snap peas work well. Add them with the onion.
Serve it with: Steamed rice, rice noodles, or a simple cucumber salad.
Storing
This dish is meant to be eaten immediately. If you have leftovers, store them in a sealed container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat just until warm.
Get more Sheet Pan Recipes.
Can I use frozen shrimp for this recipe?
Yes. Defrost them completely overnight in the refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels.
What can I serve with Sheet Pan Shrimp and Bok Choy?
Steamed rice, rice noodles, or a simple cucumber salad.
Q: How do I prevent shrimp from becoming rubbery?
Follow the cooking times and check doneness early. When shrimp turn opaque and form a C shape, they are done.
Sheet Pan Shrimp and Bok Choy
Equipment
- 13×9-inch sheet pan, lined with foil.
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh or frozen extra-large or jumbo shrimp thawed, peeled, and deveined
- ⅓ cup sweet barbecue sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp Sambal Oelek (Asian chili paste)
- 4 heads baby bok choy cut in half lengthwise
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tsp sesame seeds toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Place shrimp in a medium bowl.
- In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine barbecue sauce, vinegar, ginger and sambal oelek. Pour half of the sauce over shrimp, tossing to coat. Reserve remaining sauce.
- Arrange bok choy on the sheet pan. Brush with oil. Sprinkle with pepper. Arrange red onions around bok choy.
- Bake 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Using tongs, arrange shrimp on top of bok choy and onions. Discard sauce. Return to oven. Bake 5 minutes more, or until shrimp is pink and opaque, and bok choy is lightly browned.
- Drizzle remaining sauce over the shrimp and bok choy. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Using tongs, transfer to plates and serve.
