Perfect Grilled Shrimp

This grilled shrimp is perfectly seasoned and over the top good! Here’s how to grill shrimp: it’s easy and they cook up in 5 minutes.

Once the weather is right, grilled shrimp is where it’s at! This succulent seafood is one of the fastest things you can cook on the grill. It takes less than 5 minutes to grill shrimp to charred, seasoned perfection! There are just a few tips to know. Here’s how to make this simple grilled shrimp recipe!

How to grill shrimp

Grilled shrimp is one of the fastest and easiest ways to cook this tasty shellfish. The only part that takes time is preheating the grill! It’s so simple that it’s not even really a recipe: more like a concept. Make it once and memorize it! Here’s how to cook shrimp on the grill (or jump right to the recipe):

1. Preheat a grill to medium high heat.
2. Thaw the shrimp (if frozen).
3. Place the shrimp in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
4. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until bright pink and cooked through.
5. Remove from the grill and spritz with fresh lemon juice.

Another idea: Brush with our Homemade Teriyaki Sauce before throwing it on the grill, then brush on a fresh coat right before serving.

Should you peel shrimp before grilling?

You can grill shrimp both with the shell on or ones that have been peeled. Some sources will swear by shrimp in the shell, because it leaves it incredibly moist. But peeled shrimp are just as good. We like to use tail on shrimp because they look the most appetizing. Just make sure not to cook it too long! Cooking even a minute too long can make shrimp tough and dry.

Should grilled shrimp be on skewers?

You can if you’d like! You can thread your shrimp onto skewers before you grill it, which in theory makes it easier to turn. We find that shrimp tends to spin on metal skewers, making it harder to manage on the grill. It also takes some time to thread it onto skewers, if you’re using wooden skewers they need to be soaked first so they don’t burn.

Head to this Grilled Shrimp Skewers recipe if you want to use skewers. But skipping them makes it quicker and easier!

How long to grill shrimp

The cook time for this recipe is extremely quick. It takes just 3 to 5 minutes to grill shrimp, using medium-high direct heat (375 to 400 degrees). Timing will depend on the exact temperature, whether you’re cooking with the shell on, and how big the shrimp are.

For this recipe, we used medium shrimp that were 26 to 30 per pound size. We’ve tested it both with shrimp in the shell and shell off, and both turned out wonderfully.

How to thaw frozen shrimp

How to thaw frozen shrimp? There are a two different options depending on when you start:

• Night before: If you think ahead, simply place the frozen shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.
• Day of: Place the frozen shrimp into a large bowl with very cold water. Stir the bowl every 5 minutes to break up clumps of shrimp that freeze together. The shrimp should be defrosted in about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp.

Can you marinate grilled shrimp?

Yes! Grilled shrimp is tender and flavorful when soaked in a marinade first. Head to our Perfect Shrimp Marinade and allow it to marinate for 1 hour before grilling with these instructions.

Variations

Want to try a few different seasoning blends for grilled shrimp? Here are some additional options:

• Go for Cajun Grilled Shrimp with a homemade Cajun seasoning blend
• Try Blackened Shrimp, with a simple mix of homemade spices
• Opt for simple and zingy Marinaded Shrimp

Ways to serve grilled shrimp

Shrimp is one of our favorite grilled dinner ideas. But how to eat it as part of a meal? Here are some ideas for how to serve grilled shrimp:

• Over whole grains. Place the grilled shrimp right on a bed of whole grains, like pesto quinoa, farro, turmeric rice, or even creamy polenta. The pesto quinoa can be made with our homemade basil pesto recipe or purchased pesto.
• Salad. Try this chopped salad, Italian salad, strawberry salad, watermelon salad, cucumber salad, or this elegant wedge salad.
• Potatoes. Potatoes are always fantastic: these baked potato wedges or roasted rosemary potatoes would be the perfect match.
• More grilled veggies. Already got the grill fired up? Try our grilled asparagus, grilled peppers & onions, grilled peppers, grilled carrots, grilled avocado, grilled Caesar salad, or grilled romaine.
• In tacos! Try our zesty Grilled Shrimp Tacos.

More ways to cook shrimp!

Shrimp is a great healthy meal choice if you eat seafood. Here are some of our favorite healthy shrimp recipes:

• Stovetop: Try our Garlic Butter Shrimp: you’ll get HUGE flavor in under 10 minutes! Or try Perfect Sauteed Shrimp or Honey Garlic Shrimp.
• Baked: This Easy Baked Shrimp has the very best flavor, seasoned with garlic and herbs. Add a crispy breading before it’s roasted for an irresistible crunch! Or try it on Shrimp Pizza!
• Broiled: Broiled Shrimp is one of the fastest ways to cook it…you don’t even need to preheat the oven!

This grilled shrimp recipe is…

Gluten-free, dairy-free and pescatarian.

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Last updated: April 2020