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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This recipe is fantastic! I had to use frozen shrimp which were supposed to be de-veined but weren’t entirely. Most of the tails came off when I tried to peel them. I am not an huge shrimp fan but was doing this for my husband. And I was grilling in near dark and couldn’t tell when they turned pink. Even after all of that the shrimp were delicious! I love this recipe and will do it often.
So happy this recipe turned out so delicious for you, Varina!
I made this but replaced shrimp with tofu. Delish!
I’ve made this several times and it is always a hit. I love using my fresh herbs in the summer. I found it’s enough marinade for 2# of shrimp. I marinate for a few hours stirring a couple of times. It really doesn’t need the garlic butter finish, it has tons of flavor.
This recipe is crazy!! It was so delicious and the tomato paste really elevated the dry/chopped herbs. This is gonna be my go to everytime I make shrimp now. I wish there was a way to attach a pic to this review
Holly, I replaced tomato paste with Sriracha, amazing taste ! Best grilled shrimp I have ever eaten!!❤️
Hi Holly…thank you for your amazing recipes! They are always spot on in preparation steps and absolutely yummy. I prefer following a printed recipe when cooking, but for some reason I am unable to print them out when I tap on the designated PRINT button. What am I omitting or doing wrong?
I haven’t had this issue when trying to print Nancy so I can’t say for sure what is happening.
I am so glad you are enjoying the recipes!
Excellent recipe. I did the shrimp three minutes on a George Foreman grill. Talk to off with fresh grated Parmesan.
This absolutely the best shrimp recipe I have ever had. My husband doesn’t want shrimp any other way. I have shared it with many friends and they say the same thing. Thank you for sharing this.
Delicious recipe! Love the fresh herbs, def. perfect for summer gatherings. We’ve made this recipe many times and received rave reviews. The kids love these too! We haven’t done the garlic butter, we think the shrimp are perfect on its own.
I had a friend come over for dinner tonight, and I made this recipe for shrimp. We both loved the shrimp, it was delicious!! Thank you for sharing!
Turn out fantastic!
Wow ! This was delicious ! I’m following the Optavia health plan and this was perfect for my lean & great meal, followed recipe as stated and had a side of brussels sprouts, amazing grilled dinner !
This was a very good marinade! Loved how the fresh basil came through. We did not do the garlic butter, as it stood well on its own. We will try that next time.
This shrimp is perfect for a hot summer night along with a cool salad. My family loved this recipe and they wished I had made more. I only marinated it for 30 minutes and cooked exactly, delicious!
Thank you, this was the best grilled shrimp I’ve ever had. The fresh herbs and garlic butter at the end really takes this over the top. I only changed 1 thing- subbed 1/4 tsp garlic powder in the melted butter b/c I thought the uncooked garlic would be too strong. But I did use chopped garlic in the marinade. So good.
Can’t wait to give this challenge a try!!! Will submit photos and comments when we enjoy this recipe I just know we will
I can’t wait for you to try it Sandi! I would love to hear how it turns out.
we made this the other day. I wasn’t sure about the tomato paste but it added really good flavor. excellent .
thanks for the great recipe!!
EAsy to amke nice one
I made this tonight and it turned out great. I didn’t have any basil or fresh parsley but did use dried parsley in the marinade and it worked fine. We grilled the shrimp along with a New York steak. A green salad was also on the menu. We will definitely be making it again. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the finished product .
Everything looks delicious, can’t wait to try them all.