Garlic Grilled Shrimp Skewers
113 Comments
Updated Jun 30, 2023
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Garlic grilled shrimp skewers are what summer is all about. Jumbo shrimp are marinated in a delicious garlic herb mixture, then grilled to perfection in under 10 minutes. You can’t beat a recipe that’s easy to make yet fancy enough to serve at your next party.
If you’re going to throw shrimp on the barbie (yes, I just said that), better make it these garlic grilled shrimp skewers. They’re one of the easiest recipes you can make and loaded with bright, zesty flavor.
But be forewarned, these shrimp disappear blazingly fast. And once they’re gone, your family and friends will be begging you to make another batch.
Shrimp Buying Tips
When shopping for shrimp, always take quality and source into consideration. Fresh catches of the day are great if you live on the coast, but they can be hard to come by and expensive. And the “fresh” shrimp on ice at your grocery store is anything but fresh. It’s typically frozen, then thawed shrimp, and you don’t know how long it’s been sitting out (and shrimp can spoil quickly).
So oddly enough, frozen shrimp is the ideal choice. It’s frozen as soon as it’s caught, preserving the freshest flavor. Then, you can simply thaw right before preparing.
Here’s a few other things to look for in your freezer aisle:
- Jumbo shrimp. Since you’re putting these on skewers, you want your shrimp to be large and juicy. To make sure you’re buying the right frozen bag, take notice of the number of shrimps per pound. Jumbo shrimp will typically be between 16-20 shrimp per pound.
- Shell and tail on. Frozen shrimp with its shell on will hold a bit more flavor than ones that are peeled. They’re also less processed. But I certainly understand the convenience of peeled and deveined shrimp, so grab what you can.
- Wild shrimp. Check the source of your shrimp. Wild shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic is better than farm-raised shrimp from Southeast Asia. Wild shrimp will be free from antibiotics and injected hormones, and they’re better for the environment.
A Simple Yet Tasty Grilled Shrimp Marinade
Now that you’ve got your bag of shrimp, it’s time to put together the marinade. I’m keeping it simple today with olive oil, herbs, and lots of garlic. But trust me, this is a holy grail combo that never fails.
Just whisk together the ingredients below – and you’re done.
- Olive oil: Using olive oil allows the flavors to infuse into the shrimp.
- Cilantro and parsley: These two herbs add just the right amount of freshness. But feel free to switch it up and add basil, thyme, or oregano into the mix.
- Garlic: I’m using four large cloves for some garlicky goodness.
- Lemon Juice: A squeeze of fresh lemon brightens everything up.
- Salt and Pepper: For perfectly seasoned shrimp.
- Cayenne Pepper: Just a pinch or so adds spiciness, a hint of heat, and a little color to the shrimp.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Grill Shrimp Just Right
First, make sure to thaw your shrimp the night before in the fridge. But if you forgot to do so, don’t worry. Just run the frozen shrimp under cold water for 5-10 minutes in a colander. When they’re completely thawed, gently pat them dry with a paper towel. Then let’s get grilling!
- Marinate the shrimp. In a mixing bowl, toss the thawed shrimp with 80% of the marinade until they’re completely coated.
- Timing is key. Let the marinated shrimp sit in the covered bowl for about 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Pop on skewers. Thread the shrimp on skewers and brush some more of the marinade on top.
- It’s grilling time. Heat a grill or grill pan on medium-high heat. Then place the skewers on the grill for 2-3 minutes on each side. They cook fast, so keep an eye on them!
- Drizzle. Transfer the skewers to a place and drizzle the remaining marinade on top for extra garlicky flavor.
Best Skewers to Use
Both wood and metal skewers work just fine. But I prefer metal ones because they can be re-used indefinitely and don’t have to be soaked in water before using.
I also recommend you purchase flat skewers rather than round ones. The flat shape prevents the shrimp from rotating around the skewer when you flip them over.
Grilled Shrimp Pairs Nicely With…
Vibrant veggies, fresh sides, and tons more. Here’s a few ideas to add to your menu.
- Vibrant vegetables: grilled corn on the cob, steamed broccoli, garlic herb roasted potatoes and green beans – with chimichurri sauce!
- Fresh sides: coleslaw, vinegar coleslaw, or potato salad.
- Toss it into a salad with spinach, arugula, avocado slices, red onions, and asparagus.
- Wrap them into shrimp tacos with a drizzle of lime crema.
- Make a rice bowl with cilantro lime rice or broccoli rice, avocado, bell pepper, and tomatoes.
How To Store Leftovers
If you have a few shrimp leftover, just store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze them for about 3 months in freezer-safe containers. It’s best to freeze them within 1-2 hours of grilling, to prevent bacteria from growing.
Garlic Grilled Shrimp Recipe Video
Want to see how I make this recipe? Watch the video below!
Satisfy Your Shrimp Cravings
With these fun and tasty shrimp recipes! Here’s a few favorites that are perfect for the sunny days ahead.
- Creamy Chipotle Shrimp
- Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Shrimp Salad
- Vietnamese Spring Rolls
- Citrus Shrimp Ceviche
- Zucchini Pasta With Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Garlic Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch cayenne pepper, adjust to spice preference
Instructions
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, garlic, and spices to a small mixing bowl and whisk together.
- Place the shrimp in a bowl and pour 3/4 of the marinade on top of the shrimp. Mix together gently until the shrimp are well coated.
- Cover the bowl and marinate the shrimp for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Thread the shrimp on the skewers and make sure to get all the good garlic and herbs from the bowl and spread on to the shrimp.
- Heat a grill or grill pan on medium high heat.
- Once the grill is hot, place the shrimp skewers on the grill and cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes each side, or until they turn pink and opaque.
- Remove the shrimp to a plate and spoon the remaining marinade on top before serving.
Lisa’s Tips
- Adding the last little bit of marinade at the end makes these grilled shrimp extra garlicky. If you don’t like raw garlic and/or would like the garlic flavor less strong, just use all the marinade in step 2.
- You can use a variety of fresh herbs in this recipe, including parsley, cilantro, basil, thyme and oregano (I don’t recommend rosemary). Feel free to swap the herbs for your favorites.
- These are my favorite skewers. They’re flat skewers which prevent the shrimp from rotating around when you flip them over.
- This is the indoor grill pan I use on top of my stove.
Nutrition
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Is the nutritional information for one skewer? If so, approx number is shrimp? Or?
The nutritional information is for one skewer, which is about 4 shrimp!
Hi
Can I skewer/prepare these ahead and refrigerate before I grill them?
Yes, you can!
I have some marinated shrimp that I didn’t grill yet. Made way too many. Should I grill and then freeze?
Yep, you can grill then freeze!
Really delicious and quick dinner! I used fresh cilantro but only had dried parsley. I took your tip and used all of the sauce to marinade vs. reserving some for after grilling. So good!
Delicious, will definitely be grilling shrimp using this recipe more often!
It’s a must for the summer!
This is a recipe I return to time and time again. I don’t change a thing and the shrimp is perfect every time. It is a great make ahead dish when you have guests, and everyone is always pleased. Tks for sharing.
Thrilled to hear you’re loving this recipe Jeanne!
These shrimp were very flavorful. My wife and I both enjoyed them over some small noodles. My shrimp took a little longer to cook, but that’s probably because of the cold weather in AK.
I’ve prepared this recipe for guests on two occasions. They loved it. The first was on skewers; the second I simply grilled them on a cast iron griddle. A super hit both times. I would not recommend serving pre-cooked shrimp. They are always overcooked and toughen up with brief grilling.
i tried your grilled shrimp recipe and all of use thought it was a keeper. The video and notes made it easy to follow. The marinade was simple and versatile, I had every ingredient already. I would suggest to others to try it at least once!
These are amazing on the grill. But it’s not grilling season in MN now. Suggestions for sauteeing the shrimp on the stovetop instead?
You can use the same marinade to saute the shrimp, it just won’t have that extra grilled texture and charred flavor.
Absolutely delicious! And so easy to make.
I made this Garlic Grilled and my whole family loved it. It’s a very easy recipe and if you follow the instructions you get these pretty Garlic Grilled! Yum!
Glad these were easy to make and everyone loved it!
Raw shrimp is really best as cooked shrimp will be more likely to get tough. If you need to use cooked shrimp grill them for as little time as possible just to warm them through.
Just tried this recipe while looking for a quick and easy recipe. I didn’t have time to let the marinade sit but it still turned out amazing!!
Glad this still turned out great, despite the reduced marinating time :)
loved this recipe. thinking of trying it at the weekend for my whole family. nervous + excited. thank you for sharing it.
Hope everyone enjoys these grilled shrimp skewers Launa!
So simple so yummy big garlic flavor it was a hit with everyone thank you!!!!
Happy to hear these shrimp skewers were a hit!
Made the Garlic Shrimp Skewers yesterday for the first time and everyone raved about it. Thank you
Happy to hear everyone enjoyed these shrimp skewers!
Just bought some shrimp and immediately went to your site…. delicious. Hope your cookbook is coming along. Love your recipes !!!!
Hope you enjoyed this grilled shrimp skewers Julie! The cookbook is slowly coming along, and I can’t wait to share tons more behind the scenes on stories soon :)
Looks easy going to make tonight, not sure the recipe does not say if shrimp are peeled or unpeeled
Shrimp should be peeled for this recipe, but leave the tails on.
Easy to make. Tastes great. Will be doing this recipe again soon.
I made this yesterday for a family BBQ. Soooo delicious and easy to make! I doubled the amount and put them on the grill. Perfection! The extra marinade was delicious drizzled all over the grilled shrimp and grilled veggies!
The marinade really is superb with anything grilled! Glad the whole family enjoyed this recipe Brooke.
do the shrimp need to be deveined?
Frozen shrimp with its shell on will hold a bit more flavor than ones that are peeled. They’re also less processed. But I certainly understand the convenience of peeled and deveined shrimp, so grab what you can.
I don’t have a grill. What do you suggest I use instead.
Hi Denise – you can use a grill pan on the stove. That’s what I do!
Yummy Thank you! I guess I have been grilling my shrimp right! Just wondered about other ways! Your’s was great!
Glad you enjoyed this grilled shrimp recipe Kelly :)
Some of the best shrimp I’ve had. So good I just sent the recipe to my entire family.
Thanks so much for sharing Suzanne :)
Want to try this for this weekend, can you bake in oven vs the grill? Supposed to be hot and rather cook inside.
This recipe is specifically for grilling. But, you can also use my sauteed shrimp recipe instead with the same marinade if you’d like.
This shrimp recipe is amazing!! I recommend making a bit more of the marinade to have a wonderful fresh flavor added!!
Glad you enjoyed this grilled shrimp recipe!
I have been eyeballing this grilled shrimp recipe since it came out in July. Finally, last night I made this recipe. This is a wonderful shrimp recipe the flavors are so fresh and bright. My boyfriend also said this is how he wants me to make shrimp this way all the time. Thank you for this easy and wonderful recipe.
Wonderful! Glad both you and your boyfriend finally got to enjoy this grilled shrimp recipe Melissa :)
What an amazing, delicious recipe, such wonderful garlic flavor. My husband couldn’t quit raving either, and I usually have to ask him if he likes something, he said this is a definite 10! I can’t wait to make this for a party!
Now, I have to go look at your other recipes.
Happy to hear these shrimp skewers was a win with your husband! Can’t wait to hear about which recipe you try next Lynn :)
Did this today and I love it.
I left out cayenne pepper and added more garlic.
The little left over that you save to baste after was not needed for me. My shrimp had a lot of flavor so I ended up using that left over for my veggie kabobs.
It was delicious.
Thanks for the recipe.
I definitely will be doing this again and again.
Love how you re-used the leftover sauce for kabobs! Great idea.
Yummy. I’ll make it soon. 👍
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
This recipe was a hit for my guests! Everyone was raving about the shrimp. Thanks so much!!
Amazing! Happy to hear everyone enjoyed these shrimp skewers :)
I had some leftover shrimp from the chipotle shrimp recipe, so decided to make these for dinner and got rave reviews from the family. So delicious! This one will be on the weekly menu….
Wonderful! Glad you found a winning shrimp recipe the whole family loves Babette :)
I‘ve just served the shrimp skewers to my in-laws, who are VERY picky eaters and they absolutely loved it!
I believe the lemon juice is what really balances out the garlic. I‘ve made shrimp with just garlic before but it‘s never tasted as good as with this marinade, the combination of all those flavors is what makes it so amazing. Thank you so much, Lisa, I will be making this over and over again!!
Hi Lisa- Thrilled to hear the picky eaters loved this recipe! Can’t ever go wrong with a lemon garlic combo :)
Absouletly delicous my husband scooped up the garlic oil with crusty bread.
Thank you x
So glad you enjoyed these shrimp skewers!
These garlic grilled shrimp skewers are so delicious! I’ll be making this recipe again and again this summer!
Hi Emily- Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this shrimp skewers so much :)
Awesome the flavors of the lemon and garlic are perfect with the herbs. Peeled my shrimp beforehand. Did this at 400 degrees on a Traeger pellet grill.
Hi Ann- Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Aw, it reminds me of I haven’t been to a bbq party since a long time ago 😅 Normally, I don’t peel the shrimp shell when grilling because doing it is not my thing xD
Wow! Incredibly delicious! I’ve seen similar recipes in the past that are much more complicated and include unnecessary steps like brining, but this is no-fuss and turned out beautifully. I grilled these shrimp alongside some zucchini and it was a perfect summer meal. I highly recommend!
Hi Carolyn- Shrimp and zucchini are definitely the perfect summer combo! Glad this recipe turned out great.
Amazing! We made them for the fourth, and OMG they were better than the burgers. Worth it!
That’s amazing! Now you’ve found the perfect grilling recipe :)
OMG these are the best shrimp I’ve ever eaten. I started with wild Argentinian shrimp and this is definitely a keeper recipe. Thanks Lisa
Yay, I’m happy you loved the recipe Lori!
Absolutely delicious! And so easy to make. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Nadia- So glad you enjoyed these shrimp skewers!
Do you peel the shrimp before putting them on the skewer?
Nope! You don’t need to. But you can if you’d like.
Looks really yummy but I’m allergic to shellfish could I use marinade for salmon instead?
Yes, absolutely!
Love the freshness of the herbs and garlic on these shrimp! So good!
The herbs really work their magic in this recipe!
I followed the recipe as written, all the way to the skewering step; instead I used a grill wok basket. No garlicky oil on my fingers, no tedious threading onto skewers, easy, easy!
Served with broccolini and corn off the cob. An absolute winner!
Hi Andrew- That’s awesome! Great way to cook these shrimps as well :)
These look so good, especially that marinade! I so want to pick one right off of my screen.
I made your recipe for a gathering the other day and everyone kept asking for the recipe. It was totally a hit!
Wonderful! Glad everyone enjoyed this recipe :)
This recipe is perfect for summer! Super easy, fresh and great for an outdoor picnic too!
Definitely a go-to summer recipe :)
What an amazing and easy recipe! I love everything about this – tho we do ramp up the garlic a bit!
It never hurts to add more garlic!