Garlic Grilled Shrimp is a perfect summer staple on the grill; especially on skewers! Just a simple soak in this tangy marinade and it stands alone as a kabob or delicious tucked into a zesty shrimp taco!
This is one of those ‘go-to recipes’ that make summertime livin’ so easy! Serve as a main dish or even as a snack for guests to eat alongside mojitos on the deck!
Grilled Shrimp Marinade
A marinade is meant to tenderize meat and infuse it with flavorful herbs and spices. This shrimp marinade is infused with garlic, lemon, and other fresh herbs and spice to create a deliciously tangy flavor!
Because shrimp is so tender, marinating and cooking takes mere minutes compared to other proteins so it’s important not to over-marinate or overcook!
How to Grill Garlic Grilled Shrimp
If preparing the marinade ahead of time, don’t toss in the shrimp until 20 minutes before ready to cook to ensure they are not over-marinated (making them mushy)!
- Combine everything in a bowl and marinate 20 minutes.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat.
- Thread the shrimp on the skewers and grill 2 to 3 minutes each side. Remove from skewers and place in a serving bowl.
Drizzle with garlic butter and a squirt of juice from a fresh lemon wedge!
Should I Soak the Skewers?
If the skewers you are using are made from wood then you’ll want to soak them so they don’t catch fire from the grill (or oven, or broiler) before the meat is finished cooking.
It doesn’t take long to soak a skewer. Fully immersing wooden skewers (of any length) while the shrimp marinates will do the trick!
Don’t Grill Your Shrimp Too Long
Shrimp is a popular protein all year because not only does it have a mild flavor that fits into many different cuisines (Italian, Thai, Japanese, American), but it takes mere minutes to cook! Just until the meat is no longer translucent and barely firm to the bite is as far as you need to go.
Overcooking shrimp will result in a rubbery result (insert tears of sadness here)! Be sure to remove shrimp from whatever heat source you’re cooking on just as soon as it is pink!
What to Serve With Shrimp
Garlic grilled shrimp pairs perfectly in a taco with shredded lettuce, and a tangy pico de gallo. Try grilled shrimp over a bed of lettuce with sliced red onions and a tangy vinaigrette for a delicious salad!
Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love
- Bang Bang Shrimp – crispy shrimp with a creamy, spicy sauce!
- Pineapple Teriyaki Shrimp Foil Packets – light & fresh
- Shrimp Stir Fry – ready in under 30 mins!
- Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil – fun flavorful summer meal!
- Shrimp and Grits – classic Southern combo (personal favorite)
Garlic Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
Marinade
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Garlic Butter
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon parsley chopped
- lemon wedges for serving optional
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Allow shrimp to marinate at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium heat.
- Thread shrimp on skewers and grill 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from skewers and place in a serving bowl.
- Drizzle with garlic butter and serve warm with lemon wedges if desired.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
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I’m in the process of making these and have a question. I realize you may not answer by the time I’m ready to eat these but, for future reference….
Can you warm the marinade and use as an
alternative (or in addition) to the garlic butter)?
Hi Alan! If you want to use the marinade to as a sauce, I would heat it in a pan to 145F.
Garlic Butter Grilled Shrimp receipe.
i substituted basil leaves for ground oregano
Easy, quick and delicious! Can’t beat it.
These were AMAZING!!
Fantastic!!! The marinade added the perfect flavor. Of course the cooking time was exactly right. I didn’t make the garlic butter sauce, but I will next time. I’ll definitely make this my go-to grilled shrimp recipe.
This is the perfect flavor combo for shrimp! We really enjoyed it and I will be using it again and again. The basil is what I think takes it over the top :) I wouldn’t have thought of using that.
Super easy and DELICIOUS! I used frozen pre-cooked shrimp, thawed and then marinated for about 2 hours. Used lots of garlic. Next cooked on skewers. L
Are these cooked or raw?
We start with raw shrimp.
Absolutely fantastic, the whole family love them. Extremely easy to make and grilled done fin minutes.
Made this the other night and they were amazing! Super simple and very flavorful! I will be keeping this in my rotation!
This recipe was excellent. I did not use skewers, rather I used a perforated grill pan. Marinated for 2 hours. Served with fresh picked corn! I glazed the shrimp on the grill right before removal. Poured them in a bowl and they were gobbled up. 1# is good for 3 people. 18 per lb.
What size shrimp? Can I use frozen, thawed?
This will work with any size shrimp large enough to be skewered. I often use medium sized shrimp, which is about 41-50 shrimp per pound (so about 10-12 per serving (2 skewers). Enjoy the recipe!
Holly, can this recipe be used in oven or other method?
For a skillet version you can use this recipe here.
WINNER. My kids and husband loved it. Will definitely be using again and again.
Simple delicious recipe, and bbq instructions bang on!
This recipe was so simple. Absolutely delicious! I would say that fresh herbs are definitely key.
Delicious!! Made this several times and one of my new go to dinners
By far one of the best shrimp recipes and trust me, we live 5 miles from the beach, shrimp is a staple food in our house! So full of flavor. My husband also told me to save this one.
Hands down the best shrimp recipe I’ve made!! My husband said to be sure to save this!!
Amazing flavor
Made these and also added some small lobster tails for our anniversary dinner. Turned out amazing!