Welcome to your new favorite weeknight meal! These Steak and Shrimp Foil Packets are the perfect answer to the “what’s for dinner?” question. Imagine tender, juicy steak and plump, succulent shrimp swimming in a rich garlic butter sauce, all cooked to perfection with vibrant veggies. This recipe isn’t just about incredible flavor; it’s about simplicity and convenience. With minimal prep and virtually no cleanup, you get a complete, restaurant-quality surf and turf dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes. It’s the ideal solution for busy families and anyone who loves a delicious meal without the mess.
Whether you’re cooking on the grill or in the oven, these foil packets deliver a perfectly steamed and seasoned meal every time. Let’s dive into how to make this simple yet elegant dinner.
Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Steak and Shrimp Foil Packets Recipe
- Effortless Cleanup: The best part? Everything cooks inside the foil. Simply toss the packet when you’re done. No pots or pans to scrub!
- Perfectly Portioned: Each packet is a complete, single-serving meal, making it easy to customize ingredients and control portions.
- Incredibly Flavorful: The combination of garlic butter, lemon, and Old Bay seasoning creates a mouthwatering sauce that infuses every single bite.
- Versatile Cooking Methods: Ideal for summer grilling, but just as delicious baked in the oven, making it a perfect year-round recipe.
The Key Ingredients for Your Foil Packets
The magic of this dish lies in its simple, high-quality ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to create these amazing Steak and Shrimp Foil Packets.
For the Steak and Shrimp:
- Sirloin Steak: A lean and flavorful cut that becomes incredibly tender. Cut it into 1-inch cubes for quick, even cooking.
- Large Shrimp: Use raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp. They cook quickly and soak up the delicious garlic butter sauce.
- Zucchini & Yellow Squash: These summer squashes add a lovely, tender texture and a dose of healthy vegetables.
- Red Onion: Provides a sweet and savory flavor that complements the steak and shrimp perfectly.
- Baby Potatoes: Parboiling them first is key! This ensures they are perfectly tender and cooked through at the same time as the other ingredients.
For the Garlic Butter Sauce:
- Butter: The rich, creamy base of our sauce.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is a must for the best flavor.
- Lemon Juice: A splash of fresh lemon juice brightens up all the flavors.
- Old Bay Seasoning: This classic blend is the secret weapon, adding a complex, savory flavor that’s perfect for surf and turf.
- Fresh Parsley: Adds a pop of color and fresh, herbaceous notes.
If you enjoy easy, grill-ready meals like this one, you might also love the simplicity of a Grilled Shrimp Bowl for another quick dinner option.
How to Make Steak and Shrimp Foil Packets: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making these Steak and Shrimp Foil Packets is as easy as prep, assemble, and cook. Follow these simple steps for a flawless meal.
Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes and Vegetables
Start by parboiling your baby potatoes. This is a crucial step to ensure they cook fully in the packets. Boil them for about 10 minutes, or until they are just fork-tender. While the potatoes are boiling, chop your zucchini, yellow squash, and red onion into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2: Season the Steak and Shrimp
In a large bowl, combine your cubed steak and shrimp. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss everything together to make sure it’s evenly coated. This initial seasoning layer builds a fantastic base of flavor.
Step 3: Mix the Garlic Butter Sauce
In a separate, smaller bowl, melt your butter. Stir in the minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, and chopped parsley. This sauce is where the magic happens, so give it a good mix to combine all those amazing flavors.
Step 4: Assemble the Foil Packets
Tear off four large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Divide the parboiled potatoes, chopped veggies, steak, and shrimp evenly among the four sheets. Drizzle the glorious garlic butter sauce over the contents of each packet. Be generous!
Step 5: Seal and Cook
To seal the packets, bring the long sides of the foil together and fold them over twice. Then, fold in the shorter sides to create a completely sealed packet. This traps the steam and ensures everything cooks to perfection. You can now grill them or bake them in the oven.
Cooking Tip: Ensure your packets are sealed tightly to trap the steam. This is what cooks the ingredients and melds the flavors together for that perfectly tender result.
Grilling vs. Oven: Which Method is Best?
You can achieve fantastic results with both cooking methods. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you decide.
For the Grill:
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (around 400°F). Place the Steak and Shrimp Foil Packets directly on the grill grates and cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. The grill imparts a wonderful, subtle smoky flavor that is hard to beat.
For the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the foil packets on a baking sheet and bake for 18-22 minutes. The oven provides consistent, even heat, making it a reliable, hands-off option, especially for cooler weather.
Expert Tips for the Perfect Foil Packets
- Don’t Crowd the Packets: Give the ingredients space to steam. Overfilling can lead to uneven cooking.
- Cut Ingredients Uniformly: Ensure your steak cubes, shrimp, and veggies are all roughly the same size for even cooking.
- Use Heavy-Duty Foil: Regular foil can tear easily. Heavy-duty foil is essential to hold the contents securely.
- Check for Doneness: Carefully open one packet to check if the steak is cooked to your liking and the shrimp is pink and opaque. If not, reseal and cook for a few more minutes.
Love a good steak dinner? For another classic favorite, check out this amazing Chicken Cheesesteak Sandwich recipe that’s sure to satisfy.
Variations and Substitutions
This recipe is incredibly flexible. Here are a few ideas to make it your own:
- Different Veggies: Asparagus, bell peppers, or cherry tomatoes would all be fantastic additions.
- Spice it Up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the garlic butter sauce for a little heat.
- Herb Variations: Try using fresh thyme or rosemary for a different flavor profile.
- Sausage Surf and Turf: Add sliced andouille sausage for a smoky, Cajun-inspired twist.
What to Serve with Your Steak and Shrimp Dinner
These foil packets are a complete meal on their own, but if you want to add a little something extra, here are a few ideas:
- A side of crusty bread for soaking up every last drop of the garlic butter sauce.
- A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette. If you’re a salad fan, our Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad is another great option.
- A serving of fluffy white rice or quinoa.
It’s highly recommended to use thawed shrimp and steak for this recipe. Cooking from frozen can result in unevenly cooked food and excess water in the packet, which will dilute the sauce and steam the ingredients rather than roast them.
Yes, you can assemble the foil packets up to 4 hours in advance. Prepare them as instructed, seal them tightly, and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook. This makes them perfect for meal prep or easy entertaining.
The packets are done when the shrimp are pink and opaque and the steak is cooked to your desired level of doneness. Carefully open one packet (be cautious of hot steam) after about 15-18 minutes to check. If needed, reseal and continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, you can place the contents in a new foil packet and warm it in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or gently reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through.
The best cut of steak for foil packets is a tender, quick-cooking one like sirloin, filet mignon, or ribeye. Cut the steak into uniform 1-inch cubes to ensure it cooks evenly and quickly alongside the shrimp and vegetables.
It’s highly recommended to use thawed shrimp and steak for this recipe. Cooking from frozen can result in unevenly cooked food and excess water in the packet, which will dilute the sauce and steam the ingredients rather than roast them.
Yes, you can assemble the foil packets up to 4 hours in advance. Prepare them as instructed, seal them tightly, and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook. This makes them perfect for meal prep or easy entertaining.
The packets are done when the shrimp are pink and opaque and the steak is cooked to your desired level of doneness. Carefully open one packet (be cautious of hot steam) after about 15-18 minutes to check. If needed, reseal and continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, you can place the contents in a new foil packet and warm it in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or gently reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through.
The best cut of steak for foil packets is a tender, quick-cooking one like sirloin, filet mignon, or ribeye. Cut the steak into uniform 1-inch cubes to ensure it cooks evenly and quickly alongside the shrimp and vegetables.
Steak and Shrimp Foil Packets: The Ultimate No-Fuss Dinner
These Steak and Shrimp Foil Packets are an easy, flavorful, and complete meal perfect for a weeknight dinner. Tender steak and plump shrimp are cooked with fresh vegetables in a delicious garlic butter sauce, all in a convenient foil packet for no-fuss cleanup.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat grill to medium-high (400°F) or oven to 400°F. Parboil the halved baby potatoes for 10 minutes until just fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the steak cubes and shrimp. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, and fresh parsley to create the sauce.
- Tear off four 18x12-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Divide the parboiled potatoes, chopped zucchini, yellow squash, and red onion among the sheets.
- Top the vegetables with the seasoned steak and shrimp mixture.
- Pour the garlic butter sauce evenly over the contents of each packet.
- Seal the foil packets by bringing the long sides together and folding twice. Fold in the shorter sides to create a completely sealed packet.
- Place packets on the grill or a baking sheet in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes on the grill (flipping once) or 18-22 minutes in the oven, until steak is cooked to your desired doneness and shrimp are pink and opaque.
- Carefully open the packets, garnish with extra parsley if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
Use heavy-duty foil to prevent tearing.
Do not overcook, as shrimp can become tough.
Customize with your favorite vegetables like asparagus or bell peppers.
Steak and Shrimp Foil Packets: The Ultimate No-Fuss Dinner
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat grill to medium-high (400°F) or oven to 400°F. Parboil the halved baby potatoes for 10 minutes until just fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the steak cubes and shrimp. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, and fresh parsley to create the sauce.
- Tear off four 18x12-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Divide the parboiled potatoes, chopped zucchini, yellow squash, and red onion among the sheets.
- Top the vegetables with the seasoned steak and shrimp mixture.
- Pour the garlic butter sauce evenly over the contents of each packet.
- Seal the foil packets by bringing the long sides together and folding twice. Fold in the shorter sides to create a completely sealed packet.
- Place packets on the grill or a baking sheet in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes on the grill (flipping once) or 18-22 minutes in the oven, until steak is cooked to your desired doneness and shrimp are pink and opaque.
- Carefully open the packets, garnish with extra parsley if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not overcook, as shrimp can become tough.
Customize with your favorite vegetables like asparagus or bell peppers.
Share Your Creation!
We are sure you and your family will absolutely love these Steak and Shrimp Foil Packets. They are the epitome of a simple, delicious, and satisfying meal. If you make this recipe, we’d love to see it! Share your photos and tag us on Pinterest. Happy cooking!
