Grilled Shrimp Recipe

Southern Living Easy Grilled Shrimp on a platter to serve — Photo:
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Active Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

15 mins

Servings:

Grilled shrimp that is perfectly seasoned and cooked is a thing of beauty. These tender bites take less than five minutes to cook, and they can be used in any number of dishes, from grain bowls to quesadillas.

Learn how to grill shrimp so that you get a juicy, flavorful piece each and every time. Plus, discover grilled shrimp recipes that will make for delicious dinners and potluck favorites.

Grilled Shrimp Ingredients

Beyond the shrimp itself, you'll need some ingredients for a quick marinade. Most are pantry staples, and you can always switch up the seasoning however you want. The most important aspect of perfect grilled shrimp is the grilling process itself. More on that later.

Lemons: You'll use the juice as part of a quick marinade. The lemon wedges squeezed over top are crucial.
Canola oil: This is for the marinade and helps prevent the shrimp from sticking to the grill or pan. But be sure to oil the pan or grill grates either way.
Creole seasoning: Provides good salt and a bit of heat.
Soy sauce: Adds a hint of umami and saltiness.
Garlic: For bold flavor fast.
Raw shrimp: Opt for fresh, never frozen from your nearest beach town if possible. Frozen shrimp is also a good option if you can't get super fresh shrimp.

Southern Living Easy Grilled Shrimp ingredients — Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

How To Grill Shrimp

Knowing how to grill shrimp is an important skill because you can turn to it time and time again for fast appetizers or a quick protein for dinner. Here's a step by step guide. Memorize it—you'll be doing it a lot.

Step 1. Preheat the grill: Get the grill or pan warming up to a high heat. This is the most time-consuming part of the recipe.
Step 2. Marinate shrimp. Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add the shrimp to the marinade, and let sit for a few minutes.
Step 3. Skewer the shrimp: We prefer to grill shrimp on skewers (we explain why below), but you can skip this if you want. Just make sure the skewers have been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes if they're made from wood.
Step 4. Grill shrimp: Place the skewered shrimp on the grill or grill pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until opaque and just firm.

How Long To Grill Shrimp

Grill shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side on high heat (about 450°F to 500°F). Any longer than that and the shrimp will overcook and turn rubbery.

The quick grill over high heat gives you nice char marks while the shrimp stay plump and moist and not overcooked. If you cook on a lower heat, the shrimp will still cook through, but you may not get the smoky flavor of the grill.

Should You Marinate Grilled Shrimp?

Marinating shrimp before it's grilled is a great way to add flavor, and you don't need to marinate very long.

In fact, you often don't want to leave shrimp in a marinade for very long. You can let the shrimp sit in the marinade 5 to 15 minutes, but do not go over that or you will deteriorate the texture of the shrimp.

You can also use dry spice mixes for seasoning.

Should You Grill Shrimp on Skewers?

We suggest grilling shrimp on skewers for several reasons. First, the skewers help slow the cooking process. Since the shrimp are pushed together, they have time to char while not overcooking.

Second, flipping shrimp when on skewers is far easier and faster than turning shrimp one by one with tongs. Since they cook so fast, flipping shrimp individually may leave some to cook for too long while you're fussing with others.

You could also cook on a grill basket if you do not have skewers.

Southern Living Grilled Shrimp on a plate to serve with lemon slices — Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Ways To Serve Grilled Shrimp

Grilled shrimp belongs on just about every kind of dish, from salads to soups. Here are a few suggestions for serving grilled shrimp:

Serve by itself with side dishes like herbed rice and roasted asparagus.
Keep the grilled them going with sides like grilled potatoes and grilled yellow squash roll-ups.
Stuff corn tortillas for tacos or sandwich between flour tortillas for a quesadilla.
Alternate with vegetables for quick and easy shrimp skewers.
Mix with salad greens, vinaigrette, and vegetables for a quick and easy salad.
Dip it in a sauce as an appetizer.
Top gazpacho with a few shrimp.

How To Store Grilled Shrimp Leftovers

Leftover grilled shrimp make for great salad toppers the next day, or even a scoop of shrimp salad. Keep any leftover shrimp in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

You can also freeze leftover grilled shrimp. Place cooked shrimp in a zip-top, freezer-safe bag, and store in the freezer up to 3 months. To thaw, place the bag in the refrigerator over night. Warm gently in a skillet with butter or olive oil.

More Shrimp Recipes

These are some of our favorite recipes with shrimp:

Ingredients

1 medium lemon
3 Tbsp. canola oil
2 tsp. Creole seasoning (such as Tony Chacheres)
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, grated (1 tsp.)
1 1/2 lb. large peeled, deveined raw shrimp, tails on

Directions

Juice lemons:

Preheat grill or grill pan to high (450°F to 500°F). Cut lemon in half crosswise. Juice 1 half of lemon to yield 2 tablespoons; cut remaining half of lemon into wedges. Set wedges aside.

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Make marinade:

Whisk together canola oil, Creole seasoning, soy sauce, grated garlic, and lemon juice in a medium bowl.

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Marinate shrimp:

Add shrimp, and toss to coat.

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Skewer shrimp:

Thread shrimp onto 11 (10-inch) metal skewers (or wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes); discard remaining marinade.

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Grill shrimp:

Place shrimp skewers on oiled grates; cook, uncovered, until lightly charred and opaque in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Serve:

Remove from grill; serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you grill frozen shrimp?

You can grill frozen shrimp, but you should let the shrimp thaw first. Drain and pat dry before adding any seasoning.
What is the secret to grilling shrimp?

The most important thing about grilling shrimp is not overcooking them. Shrimp can quickly turn rubbery and hard if they are on heat too long, so be sure to watch them closely.
Should you peel shrimp before grilling?

Whether you peel shrimp before you grill it is up to you. Either way, we recommend you leave the tails on for better presentation.