I make shrimp dinners year round, and I almost always have a bag of shrimp in the freezer, so this garlic grilled shrimp recipe, which is made with ingredients many of us already have on hand, comes together fast. Fire up the grill, and get ready to feast. No grill? That’s OK! I’ve included instructions for making it in the oven, too.
Grilled Shrimp Ingredients
- Shrimp: Either fresh or frozen shrimp that is thawed will work fine. See below for more tips.
- Garlic: Two ways! Fresh garlic and garlic powder.
- Butter: Olive oil works well, though the flavor will be different. You can also use a plant-based butter alternative.
- Paprika, cayenne pepper, sea salt: Smoky, spicy, salty delicious.
- Fresh parsley: Fresh parsley adds a lot to this recipe, but if it’s the one ingredient you don’t have, you don’t have to run to the store for it.
How To Grill Shrimp
- Make garlic butter. Prep the garlic butter at least 10-20 minutes before you are going to grill the shrimp because the melted butter should cool down before you toss it with the shrimp.
- Toss the shrimp with the garlic butter.
- Skewer the shrimp! Metal or bamboo skewers will work fine, just remember to soak the bamboo skewers if you are going to use them. You should be able to get about 5 large shrimp onto a skewer.
- Grill the shrimp. Shrimp grills quickly, so you cannot walk away from it once the shrimp hits the grill. See below for more tips. 3 minutes per side is a good estimate, but you should watch it and trust your instinct.
- Eat the shrimp!
How to Prep Shrimp
- Peeling + deveining: You can usually buy raw shrimp that are already peeled and deveined, but if you can’t find them, it’s not that hard to do it yourself. It is slightly gross, but all you do is make a little cut down the back and pull out the ‘vein.’
- Should I remove the tails? I recommend keeping the tails on as they provide a handle for eating and add flavor during cooking, but you can remove them if you prefer.
The Best Type of Shrimp for Grilling
Use large or jumbo shrimp for this recipe. They're easier to skewer than small shrimp and are less likely to overcook. Fresh, wild shrimp is great, and frozen shrimp are also fine to use! They’re convenient for quick dinners like this, so I often use frozen shrimp. Just thaw the shrimp by placing them in the refrigerator overnight or, if you need to thaw shrimp fast, thaw them in a colander under running cold water. It’s not ideal, but the shrimp will thaw extremely fast this way (in about 10 minutes).
Tips For The Best Grilled Shrimp
- Leave space between each shrimp on the skewer for even cooking.
- For easy grilling, use two parallel skewers instead of just one skewer to prevent the shrimp from spinning on the skewer when you flip them on the grill.
- Make ahead: Prep the garlic butter mixture up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate.
How To Serve Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- My year-round favorite way to serve grilled shrimp is over a big platter of polenta, with more grilled veggies (asparagus is my go-to) on the side.
- Serve with coconut rice or cilantro lime rice for a hearty supper.
- For a low-carb lunch or light dinner, pair it with a wedge salad or simple Italian salad.
- If you want a really luxurious meal, try it over fettuccine alfredo!
Variations
- Make it spicy by doubling the cayenne and adding 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning.
- Make it a little sweet by adding a tablespoon of honey to the garlic butter for a sweet-savory glaze that caramelizes beautifully on the grill.
- If you don’t have a grill, you can cook these shrimp under a broiler on a baking sheet or in a grill pan for about 2-3 minutes per side.
More Delicious Shrimp Recipes
More Recipe Inspiration This Way
For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper, and we’d love to hear what you think of this recipe in the comments below. Happy cooking!
