This Latin-inspired shrimp skewers recipe is a warm-weather staple. I tossed fresh shrimp in a zesty blend of fresh lime, garlic, honey, cilantro, crushed red pepper, and champagne vinegar, then char-grilled them to juicy, tender perfection. Enjoy them as a light meal or a summer appetizer.
My family might not be the biggest shrimp fans, but they can appreciate fresh seafood when the time comes. And when that seafood is grilled, even better! Besides these shrimp skewers, we love eating these flaky Grilled Salmon Fillets and these elegant Grilled Sea Scallops during grilling season.
Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Shrimp skewers are one of my favorite summer meals and side dishes. Plump and juicy shrimp are marinated in a ridiculously good Latin-inspired marinade, threaded onto skewers, and cooked on a hot grill in under 3 minutes. They’re fast enough for a Tuesday night but impressive enough to serve at a summer cookout.
The marinade I used here has a vibrant, zesty feel thanks to fresh cilantro and lime, but you also get a little red pepper heat, honey sweetness, and crisp acidity from champagne vinegar. This tangy-sweet blend of flavors is obviously fantastic on shrimp, but it works just as well on skewered chicken and your favorite fish.
Full disclosure—my family isn’t huge on shrimp. But that just means more for the rest of us! I happily polished off a few before my videographer packed up the rest to take home. That’s the beauty of these skewers: they’re so addictive that even if you end up with extras, you never have to worry about them going to waste.
Ingredients and Substitutions
When you’re dealing with quick-cooking, light seafood like shrimp, every ingredient has to pull its weight to infuse it with bright, balanced flavor quickly. Here’s everything I used for these marinated shrimp skewers, along with a few substitution ideas:
- I like peeled and deveined large or extra-large raw shrimp (16/20 or U15 count). Frozen shrimp also works great, as long as you thaw them overnight in the fridge or in a bowl under cool running water ahead of time.
- Minced fresh garlic cloves add bold, punchy flavors.
- Fresh lime juice adds the necessary acidity while lime zest intensifies the zing. Feel free to substitute fresh lemon juice and zest here.
- Champagne vinegar is my new favorite vinegar. It adds a clean, mellow-tasting acidity without the harsh, overpowering bite of white vinegar.
- Neutral-flavored cooking oil, like avocado, canola, or grapeseed oil.
- Honey balances the citrus and vinegar and helps the shrimp caramelize over the flames.
- Herbs – I like cilantro for its Latin-inspired freshness, but flat-leaf Italian parsley, oregano, or chives work, too.
- Seasonings – Just salt and red pepper flakes.
- I glazed the grilled shrimp with melted unsalted butter mixed with a few tablespoons of the marinade.
How to Make Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Make the marinade: Whisk the shrimp marinade ingredients together in a large bowl.
Reserve: Set a few tablespoons of the marinade aside for later.
Marinate the shrimp: Add the shrimp to the bowl with the marinade. Cover and marinate in the fridge for up to 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the grill to high heat (500°F to 600°F).
Thread the shrimp onto skewers.
Grill the shrimp skewers: Place the shrimp skewers onto the preheated grill grates. Cook for 90 seconds per side or until the shrimp are lightly charred and cooked through. You’ll know they’re ready when they turn pink and curl into a loose “C” shape.
Make the glaze: Meanwhile, mix the reserved marinade and melted butter together. Season with salt.
Baste and serve: Baste the grilled shrimp with the glaze, then serve hot.
Chef Tip + Notes
Shrimp skewers are a great appetizer or light meal, but when you want heartier bites, I recommend combining the shrimp with veggies on the skewers. Go with bite-sized pieces of quick-cooking veggies so they finish cooking at the same time as the shrimp; bell peppers, red onion, zucchini, mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes would be my picks.
- Soak wooden/bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before threading the shrimp to keep the exposed ends from catching fire on the grill.
- Double-skewer trick: This is totally optional, but threading your shrimp through two parallel skewers instead of just one prevents them from spinning on the stick when you flip them.
- If grilling outside isn’t an option, heat a heavy cast-iron grill pan or skillet over high heat until smoking hot, lightly oil the surface, and sear the shrimp skewers for 90 seconds per side.
- The honey garlic marinade isn’t just for shrimp. It works just as well with skewered pieces of salmon, swordfish, scallops, and chicken. These heartier proteins will just need a few extra minutes on the grill to cook through.
Serving Suggestions
I like pairing these grilled shrimp skewers with sides that lean into the Latin vibes, so naturally arroz blanco and some warm black beans topped with crumbled cotija cheese are on the table. And since the grill is already fired up, it only makes sense to throw a few cobs of corn on to serve up elote-style.
Sometimes I even slide those juicy shrimp right off the stick and straight into a warm corn tortilla. Add a little shredded cabbage, mango salsa, and a squeeze of lime, and I’ve got some pretty dang tasty shrimp tacos.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: For the best results, serve these shrimp immediately after basting. Sometimes, to start this recipe in advance, I’ll whisk the marinade together and keep it in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How to Store: Refrigerate any leftover shrimp in an airtight container (either left on the skewers or pulled off) for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat: Reheat the shrimp in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water for 1 to 2 minutes or just until they’re warmed through. Or, skip the heat entirely and enjoy the shrimp cold over a salad.
More Shrimp Recipes
Shrimp Skewers Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 finely minced garlic cloves
- Zest of 1 lime
- Juice of 2 limes, about 3 to 4 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 1/3 cup neutral flavored oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- salt to taste
- 2 pounds peeled and deveined 16/20 shrimp
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the garlic, lime zest, lime juice, vinegar, oil, honey, cilantro, red pepper flakes, and salt. Whisk until combined and emulsified. Taste it and make sure it’s delicious. Next, reserve 3 to 4 tablespoons to the side.
- Add the shrimp to the large bowl of marinade and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes. Don’t go much longer than that, or you will have ceviche.
- In the meantime, turn the grill to high heat, 500° to 600°.
- Next, skewer the shrimp on metal skewers or on water-soaked wood skewers. Be sure not to over-crowd them.
- Once the shrimp is skewered and the grill is at the correct temperature, place the skewers and cook for 90 seconds per side, or until the shrimp has a gentle char or grill mark, is pink, and is cooked through. The shape should be in a loose C.
- Remove from the grill and rest on a plate or platter.
- In the meantime, mix the 3 to 4 tablespoons of marinade that was set to the side with the melted butter. Adjust any seasonings with salt.
- Baste the shrimp on both sides with the butter marinade with a brush. Serve.
Shrimp Skewers Recipe