Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Name: Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: PT-470947H19M9S
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound large shrimp (peeled and deveined); 2 cloves garlic minced; ⅓ cup olive oil; ½ teaspoon sea salt; ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper; ½ teaspoon smoked paprika; ¼ – ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley or basil; lemon wedges

July 13, 2023 by Beth Pierce 31 Comments

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These Grilled Shrimp Skewers are delicious, easy to prepare, and cook up in minutes. The marinade with the perfect blend of spices and herbs takes no time at all to mix together and takes these succulent shrimp to the next level. I love to serve them as an appetizer. Or as a main meal with a simple side dish like roasted red potatoes, Asian cucumber salad, lemon rice, or quinoa. Try these tasty shrimp in your shrimp tacos.

My daughter and I love shrimp, and this is one of our favorite seafood recipes. It comes together so quickly with incredibly fresh and healthy flavor.

How to grill shrimp skewers

Start by marinating the shrimp in a large bowl for at least 15 minutes up to 1 hour in the fridge. Then thread them on either wooden or metal skewers to prevent them from falling through the grill grate. Now preheat the grill to medium-high heat or around 450 degrees. Grill the shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side or until pink. Do not overcook them, or they will become rubbery. Sprinkle with fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley and serve with a spritz of lemon juice or lime juice.

How long does it take to grill shrimp?

Shrimp are a little on the pricey side, so the last thing you want to do is overcook them and make them rubbery. Grill shrimp at 450 degrees for about 2 minutes on each side or until they turn light pink on the outside and are no longer translucent but opaque or white on the inside. Another way to identify when shrimp are cooked through is they curl into a ‘C” shape, but you don’t want that “C” too tight. The head and the tail should not be touching. You have to be ready to go and remove them from the grill as quickly as possible.

My daughter and I love shrimp, and this is one of our favorite seafood recipes. It comes together so quickly with incredibly fresh and healthy flavor.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

Use good quality fresh or frozen large or jumbo shrimp. Prep the shrimp ahead of time by peeling (leave the tails intact) and deveining them. Dry them well with paper towels.
For frozen shrimp, thaw them by running them under cold water. Dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Toss the shrimp with the marinade either in a bowl or zipper bag for at least 15 minutes up to 1 hour. Store in the fridge while it is marinating.
If using wooden skewers, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes prior to threading the shrimp on.
Preheat the grill to 450 degrees. These are equally delicious grilled over a charcoal or gas grill.
If you want to add vegetables to the recipe, marinate them separately. Thread them on separate skewers and add them to the grill about 5-7 minutes ahead of the shrimp.
Shrimp cook really fast. Cook for about 2 minutes per side or until the shrimp are light pink on the outside and white or opaque in the middle.
Serve with veggies like broccoli, corn, asparagus, or grilled tomatoes.
For best results, enjoy right after grilling. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, place the shrimp on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a paper towel. Heat at 30-second intervals at 60% power until warm.

Tails on or tails off?

Whether you leave the tails intact or remove them is really a matter of personal preference. I prefer tails on with this recipe because we like to enjoy these as an appetizer or finger food. It is easier for your guests to grasp and eat them with the tails on. However, if I am serving a dish like Cajun Shrimp Pasta, then I remove the tails. You would not want your guests to have to stop and cut all the tails off their shrimp before enjoying their pasta.

How do you devein shrimp?

To devein the shrimp, take a small paring knife and make a shallow cut down the center of the back to the top edge of where the tail is or was. Then remove the intestine by running the back of the shrimp under cool running water and rubbing it with your fingers so the vein will rinse out easily.

More shrimp recipes you will love!