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Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Make these easy shrimp skewers as a party appetizer or whenever you’re craving a simple, flavorful, and healthy dinner. With just a few ingredients, you’ll have a dish that everyone adores!

If there’s one recipe I always recommend for a quick, healthy meal or for serving to guests, it’s shrimp. Especially these easy shrimp skewers, for a few reasons: they’re easy to make with just a few ingredients, take almost no time to cook (less time spent in the kitchen!), and are so flavorful that they’re a hit with just about everyone. They’re also incredibly versatile since almost any spice mixture can be used.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers Recipe

Where To Buy shrimp

Before we talk about how to make them, let’s get into where to buy shrimp. Should you buy it fresh? Frozen? How big are really necessary?

For starters, buy your shrimp frozen. Unless you’re able to buy some before they’ve been frozen – in other words, fresh off the boat – that means they’ve already been frozen anyway. In which case, it’s better to keep them frozen until just before preparing and cooking them. Almost all of the shrimp you see in the seafood case at the market was frozen then thawed, so do yourself a favor and control when and for how long your shrimp will sit unthawed.

As for where to buy, it depends on your budget and what’s available at your local market. Jumbo-sized shrimp (about 16-20 per pound) are the easiest to skewer, but you can make it work with slightly smaller shrimp as well. 

The best tasting shrimp I’ve found to date are Royal Red shrimp, which are large and have a texture and flavor similar to lobster. My parents used to head to Orange Beach in Alabama for a few weeks every winter, and I’d often visit for a few days. That’s where we discovered them and we all loved them so much, we’d bring some back with us every year.

Once they stopped going, our Royal Red supply dried up. So one year I decided to take a gamble and order some from Wild Alaska Salmon & Seafood Company for their Christmas present. Guys, they are SO GOOD. We’ve ordered countless times since, often going in on an order together to bring the cost down. I literally have four pounds in my freezer at this very moment. I might just have to make some shrimp skewers with them tonight!

If I don’t have Royal Reds on hand, I like to buy the Argentinian Red Shrimp from either Trader Joe’s or Costco. They’re big and meaty with great flavor.

How To Thaw Frozen Shrimp

If you know you’ll be making shrimp skewers on a particular day, simply place your shrimp in the refrigerator the night before to thaw.

However, if you’re at all like me and often decide what to make at the last minute, simply place your frozen shrimp in a colander in the sink and run cold water over them until they’re thawed. Toss them with your hands a few times to make sure they thaw evenly.

How To Thaw Frozen Shrimp

Shrimp Skewers Ingredients

For these shrimp skewers, I’ve kept it really simple, using fresh lemons and garlic for flavor. The flavor of the shrimp shines through with just enough citrus and garlic to make them really shine! Here’s a list of what you’ll need:

  • Shrimp
  • Fresh lemon
  • Garlic
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Olive oil

Find the complete ingredients list with amounts in the smoked turkey breast recipe card below.

How To Make Shrimp Skewers

You can make these shrimp skewers on the grill or with a grill pan on the stove. I make them year-round and use both methods depending on the season.

No matter which method you choose, you’ll need to have some skewers on hand. If you use wood skewers, they’ll need to soak completely submerged in water for at least thirty minutes to prevent them from catching fire.

  1. Peel the shrimp – Once shrimp are thawed, peel them completely or leave the tails intact, it’s entirely up to you. If you buy easy-peel shrimp, this process will be much easier, and make sure they have been deveined! It’s such a time saver to not have to clean the shrimp yourself.
  2. Make the marinade – Combine lemon juice and zest, minced garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag. Add the shrimp and toss to coat completely. Pop them in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
  3. Skewer the shrimp – Remove shrimp from the marinade and thread onto skewers. For an appetizer, 2-3 shrimp threaded onto smaller skewers is a good number, or go 4-5 for a larger serving size. 
  4. Grill & Serve – Grill for 2-3 minutes per side on a preheated grill or grill pan. They cook quickly so keep an eye on them! Remove from the heat source and place them on a serving platter. They’re delicious hot off the grill, but are just as flavorful at room temperature, making them a terrific party choice.
Shrimp Skewers for grilling on a Grill Pan

Shrimp Skewer Variations

You really don’t need more than lemon and garlic to make fantastic shrimp skewers. But if you’re looking for a bit more oomph, here are a few things to try:

  • Add some spices or seasonings – You can go subtle and add a little tarragon, basil, or cilantro (freshly chopped works best). Or sprinkle on a little Cajun seasoning , Old Bay, or even a little cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes. Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Shrimp Magic is a classic shrimp seasoning to try. Even a mild curry powder is delicious! Just take care not to add too much as you don’t want to overpower the flavor of the shrimp – a little goes a long way!
  • Wrap them in par-cooked bacon – Shrimp cooks fast but bacon, not so much. But the flavors together are incredible! Cook some bacon until it’s still pliable but some of the fat has been rendered, then wrap a small piece around each shrimp before cooking.
  • Add a dipping sauce – Melted butter is really all you need! You could also serve a traditional cocktail sauce, or mix in some Cajun or Old Bay seasoning to the melted butter. This tarragon aioli from Chef John is also terrific served with shrimp skewers.
Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Storage & Reheating

Leftover shrimp can be removed from the skewers and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To reheat leftover shrimp:

  • Microwave: Zap in 45-60 second increments until warmed.
  • Stovetop: Sauté in ghee, butter, or oil for about two minutes.
  • Air fryer: Reheat for 2-4 minutes or until heated through.
Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Yield: 8-10 Skewers
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Make these easy shrimp skewers as a party appetizer or whenever you’re craving a simple, flavorful, and healthy dinner. With just a few ingredients, you’ll have a dish that everyone adores!

Ingredients

  • 2 lb jumbo-sized shrimp, thawed (16-20 per pound)
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
  • The zest and juice from one large lemon
  • 1 tsp coarse salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 8-10 skewers
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions

  1. If using wooden skewers, place them in a shallow bowl and cover with water so they’re completely submerged. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Place all the ingredients into a large bowl or resealable plastic bag. Toss to ensure all the shrimp are coated well. Place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. (Tip: don’t leave them much longer or the shrimp may start to “cook” in the lemon juice).
  3. Preheat your grill or grill pan on medium-high heat.
  4. Remove the shrimp from the marinade and thread equal amounts of shrimp onto the skewers.
  5. Grill for about 2-3 minutes per side just until the shrimp are cooked through. Top with a little chopped parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

The 30 minutes of additional time is for soaking the skewers

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 125Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 191mgSodium: 1107mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 21g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

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Kristy Bernardo
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