Preheat your oven to 350°F. While it heats, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels—this helps them cook more evenly and prevents excess moisture in the butter sauce. Finely mince the garlic cloves, squeeze the lemon juice into a small bowl, chop the fresh parsley, and measure out the Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and red pepper flakes into a small bowl. Having everything ready ensures smooth cooking and prevents burning the garlic.

Arrange the dried shrimp in a single layer in a baking dish (9x13 inch or similar). In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter slowly, then add the minced garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned—garlic can turn bitter quickly, so watch it carefully. I like to use medium heat here rather than high to ensure the garlic develops a sweet, mellow flavor without any burnt edges.

Remove the garlic butter from heat and immediately stir in the seasoning mixture from Step 1 (Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and red pepper flakes). Let it sit for about 30 seconds off the heat so the spices bloom and release their flavors into the butter. Pour the entire mixture evenly over the shrimp, making sure each piece gets coated with the aromatic butter.

Bake the shrimp in the preheated 350°F oven for 18-20 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through—they'll turn from translucent to white. Remove from the oven and immediately squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the hot shrimp, stirring gently to distribute it. I always add the lemon juice after cooking rather than before because the heat helps release those bright citrus flavors and prevents them from being cooked off. Garnish with the chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately while the butter is still warm.