Valentina's Corner
Grilled shrimp is the easiest dinner to put on your table! Shrimp tossed in a sweet and savory marinade and then grilled to perfection in under 10 minutes. It’s the simplest dinner with the perfect combination of flavors.
Grilled shrimp joins our list of grilling favorites, along with grilled salmon and chicken kebabs on the grill!
Grilled Shrimp Marinade
Grilled shrimp is made with peeled and deveined raw shrimp, which is tossed in a buttery, honey lime marinade with tangy, sweet, and savory flavors. It uses simple ingredients and takes under 30 minutes total time.
The shrimp can also be marinated in advance for an even quicker dinner recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Lightning fast. For busy days, this recipe will become your go-to recipe for a quick meal!
- It pairs with many cuisines. This basic shrimp recipe can be used in many dishes, from Italian, to Japanese dishes, and American cuisines.
- It’s a great source of protein. Grilling shrimp is a great way to mix up your typical protein intake, with almost 20 grams of protein per serving!
- Kid-friendly. With simple ingredients, this recipe will become a favorite with even picky eaters!
Grilled Shrimp Ingredients
The ingredients for this marinated grilled shrimp are so simple you can skip a trip to the grocery store!
- Shrimp- use peeled and deveined shrimp for best results and easy eating!
- Marinade- the marinade consists of pantry staples like butter, oil, seasonings, lime, and honey.
Grilled Shrimp Marinade
The key to the best-grilled recipe is a flavorful marinade. For the shrimp, we use a combination of sweet and tangy ingredients to achieve the best flavor that compliments the mild seafood aroma of the shrimp.
- Honey- sweetens the marinade, giving sweet, earthy notes of flavor.
- Butter and olive oil- soak into the shrimp to give it the crave-worthy, deep, buttery flavor.
- Garlic- adds a pungent, spicy flavor to the dish and pairs well with butter!
- Lime- acidity neutralizes overly fishy flavors and adds a pleasant tang.
- Seasonings- keep it simple with a mixture of salt, paprika, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes!
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Grilled Shrimp
Be sure to have your side dish ready to serve as the shrimp cooks quickly.
- Prepare wet marinade: In a bowl, whisk together the oil, melted butter, minced garlic, honey, and lime juice.
- Combine seasonings: In a small bowl, toss together the dry seasoning ingredients.
- Prepare shrimp: Peel and devein the shrimp and remove the tails. Pat the shrimp dry and add to a large bowl.
- Add marinade: To the shrimp, add the wet marinade ingredients and toss to combine. Then, add the seasonings and mix together once more.
- Marinate: Set the shrimp aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
- Thread and grill: Add the shrimp to metal or wooden skewers and grill on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side. Top with fresh herbs like fresh parsley or cilantro once grilled.
- Serve and enjoy, friends!
Substitutions and Variations
You can further elevate the shrimp on the grill with these substitution options.
- Add vegetables: Thread chopped vegetables (or fruit!) onto the skewers before grilling. My favorite grilling vegetables are sliced peppers, red onions, whole mushrooms, or zucchini. Add cubed pineapple between shrimp and grill for a more pronounced tropical flavor!
- Set aside marinade: Reserve a portion of your marinade to use for brushing over the shrimp on the grill as desired.
- Skip the skewers: If you want an even quicker dinner, skip the skewers and put the shrimp on the grill as is! Just be sure to flip them quickly to prevent overcooked, rubbery shrimp.
- Add sriracha: For a kick of heat, add sriracha or hot sauce to the marinade!
Serving Suggestions
The grilled shrimp skewers can be a meal of their own or can be repurposed in a variety of different recipes. It goes with almost everything!
- With grilled vegetables: You can choose to add veggies to the skewers before grilling or grill vegetables or corn on the cob on the side to serve with the shrimp.
- Wrap them up: Serve the shrimp grilled in shrimp tacos or fajitas, in homemade spring rolls, or in lettuce cups with veggies!
- In a salad: Top a loaded veggie salad to add protein and make your salad a complete meal.
- With a sauce: Eat the shrimp with a side of a dipping sauce like yum yum or ginger sauce.
- Potatoes: Serve with a batch of french fries, baked potatoes, or creamy mashed potatoes.
Recipe FAQs
Shrimp is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145℉. However, the best way to check whether the shrimp is done is to check its color and shape. Cooked shrimp will turn opaque, will coil slightly, and will have pops of pink with no remaining grey.
Do not use fully cooked shrimp for the grilled shrimp recipe. For best results, use peeled and deveined shrimp. If using frozen shrimp, thaw completely and pat dry before marinating.
If you don’t have lime juice, lemon can be used instead.
Add frozen shrimp to a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes to quickly thaw the frozen shrimp.
Store & Reheat
- Storage. If stored in an airtight container, leftovers will be held in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Reheat the shrimp in the microwave or over low heat in a skillet until warmed.
More Shrimp Recipes To Enjoy
If you love seafood like shrimp, try out these other shrimp family favorites!
Grilled Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw shrimp thawed (peeled and deveined)
- 1 ½ Tbsp oil
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground paprika
- ¼ tsp italian seasoning
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the oil, melted butter, minced garlic, honey and lime juice.
- In a separate small bowl, combine dry seasoning ingredients.
- Pat the shrimp dry completely and add to a large bowl.
- Add the butter, garlic, and honey marinade to the bowl with shrimp. Toss the shrimp in the marinade until evenly coated.
- Sprinkle the dry seasonings over the shrimp. Set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
- Once marinated, thread the shrimp onto the grilling skewers. If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water before grilling to prevent burning.
- Grill the shrimp for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until no longer translucent.
- Serve and enjoy, friends!
Notes
Skip skewers: For an even faster dish, forgo the skewers.
Store: Store leftover shrimp in the fridge for up to 4 days.