Grilled Shrimp Recipe

Fire up the grill and make this quick and easy Grilled Shrimp recipe. The perfect summer staple, this grilled shrimp recipe is loaded with flavour despite using only simple pantry staples. All you need is around 30 minutes and you’ll have this shrimp skewer ready to enjoy.

A classic BBQ recipe, grilled shrimp is a staple that is always a crowd-pleaser. Seasoned with only a handful of ingredients and marinaded so it’s beyond flavourful, everyone will be reaching for a second and third shrimp skewer! Serve this as a main, side, or even an appetizer. I love to serve it with green salad, rice, vegetables, pasta, or just on its own.

 

You can’t go wrong with this foolproof seafood recipe. They’re easy and quick to make, flavourful, and go well with everything.

Quick enough for an easy weeknight dinner but tasty enough to serve guests at your next BBQ party, you’ll be the star of the show when you bring out a large plate of these delicious shrimp skewers.

Finish the shrimp off with a squeeze of lemon and you’ll want to make this bright and flavourful grilled shrimp recipe again and again.

How To Make Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients

• Shrimp (large or jumbo shrimp) — For ease and to save time, you can purchase raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp. Try to use larger shrimp instead of small shrimp as they’re easier to put onto a skewer and are harder to overcook.
• Olive oil — You can also use any oil of your choice such as avocado oil if you don’t have olive oil.
• Seasoning — For these grilled shrimp skewers, I season them with garlic powder, paprika, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. It’s nothing fancy, but the flavour combination leaves you with mouthwatering shrimp! You can also add some red pepper flakes, chili powder or cayenne pepper for extra heat. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro.

Instructions

Prepare the Shrimp

• In a large bowl, add olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Whisk all together. Add shrimp and mix all well to combine. Allow shrimp to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
• Place the marinade shrimps on pre-soaked skewers.

Grill the Shrimp

• Preheat grill (gas or charcoal grill) to medium high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate.  
• Place shrimp skewers on the grill grate over direct heat. Grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side or until opaque.
• Before serving, drizzle some more olive oil or lemon juice (lime juice works too) on top and serve warm with lemon wedges if desired.

Recipe Tips

• Soaking the skewers prevents them from burning on the grill. You can skip this if you are using reusable metal skewers.
• Before you add the olive oil and seasoning, you need to pat dry the shrimp so the shrimp will get a nice char on them instead of steaming from the moisture. Patting the shrimp dry will also help the seasoning stick better.
• Don’t overcook the shrimp! They cook quickly within minutes and will become rubbery.
• Be sure to peel shrimp before seasoning them so it can really soak up the flavors.
• The easiest way to tell if your shrimp is done cooking is by measuring the internal temperature. Use an instant-read meat thermometer and stick it in the thickest part of your shrimp. It should read at least 145ºF.
• You can also make this recipe in the stove. Just use a grill pan.

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, you can make this easy grilled shrimp skewer using frozen shrimp! Just buy uncooked shrimp and make sure to fully thaw the shrimp before using them. Sometimes, it’s actually better to purchase frozen shrimp as they’re frozen immediately after they’re caught whereas the shrimp at the fish counter may have been sitting there for a bit longer than expected.

Wild frozen shrimp are preferred over farmed shrimp. Wild-caught shrimp also has a cleaner, shrimp-y flavor compared to farmed shrimp. Frozen shrimp also costs less than fresh shrimp if you are on a budget.

How to thaw frozen shrimp correctly

You can thaw frozen shrimp in the fridge overnight. Not to worry if you’ve forgotten though. You can quickly thaw them by placing frozen shrimp into a bowl or colander in the sink. Then run cold water over it for 5 to 10 minutes, giving it a shake every so often so the water can thaw the shrimp evenly. After the shrimp has thawed, you’ll have to pat them dry with a paper towel.

Storage Tips

• Leftovers — Remove the shrimps from the skewers and transfer the grilled shrimp to an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freezer — You can freeze cooked grilled shrimp by transferring them to an airtight freezer-friendly container or freezer-safe bags once cooled to room temperature. Freeze the grilled shrimp for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
• Reheating —  You can reheat leftover shrimp in the microwave or enjoy them chilled. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp when you reheat them as they’ll become rubbery. I find it best to simply toss chilled shrimp over a salad or tacos to make a delicious shrimp tacos. You can serve it with other side dishes such as quinoa salad or bean salad. You can also serve it with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Watch Shrimp Grilled Recipe Web Story.

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