Quick Overview:
- Preheat the pellet grill and your grill pan to a medium high heat.
- Thaw raw shrimp if frozen.
- When peeled and deveined, pat dry with a paper towel.
- For shrimp marinade, mix one clove of garlic, Italian seasoning blend, cilantro lime, kosher salt and pepper, olive oil and lemon juice, cayenne pepper, garlic and herbs.
- Oil the skewers and insert them into raw shrimp.
- Place shrimp skewers on grill grates of gas grill, charcoal grill, or pellet grill.
- Grill shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side.
- Remove from the pellet grill and use a basting brush to brush oil and lemon juice to enhance the flavor.
- Enjoy fast and delicious garlic shrimp!
Grilled shrimp is one of the most versatile dishes. It’s easy, fast, and one of the most famous dinner recipes out there, and can be made on gas grills, pellet grills, and air fryers, too! Need a pick-me-up?
Follow one of many soup recipes and add shrimp to the mix! Big on meal prep? Pair the perfectly grilled shrimp with a dipping sauce, and refrigerate for the week! So, let’s learn how to nail this easy grilled fresh shrimp recipe!
Professional Kitchen Scissors 420J2 Japanese Stainless Steel | Dalstrong
1. How To Prepare Raw Shrimp
If you’re working with frozen shrimp, you will need to thaw them to room temperature. This is because you can’t insert wooden skewers into frozen shrimp or marinate them. To bring shrimp to room temperature, place them in a bowl with cold water. Change the water 2-3 times and you’re all set to marinate them.Since shrimps are delicate and small, you want to avoid overcooking them. You always want to work with peeled and deveined shrimp. It is quite easy to do this, and I’ll be going into more detail about this later, so read on!
2. How To Cook Grilled Shrimp – Detailed Guide
You can make easy grilled shrimp with wooden skewers, or you can serve meal prep to use them for other dinner recipes or with a dipping sauce like garlic butter. Just like grilled pork, you want your shrimp skewers to have a char on them, too – Which is when charcoal grills are an excellent help! When the shrimp is no longer translucent, take them off your grill pan.
I’ve followed many grilling recipes, and narrowed down an easy method to cook grilled shrimp!
Easy Grilled Shrimp Recipe
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 5 mins
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients List:
Garlic Butter Sauce- 8 tablespoons or 1 stick of unsalted butter
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Dash of olive oil and lemon juice
- 1 clove minced garlic
Shrimp Marinade
- 1 clove garlic
- Italian seasoning blend
- Cilantro lime
- Kosher salt and pepper
- Olive oil and lemon juice
- Cayenne pepper
- Garlic and herbs
Shrimp
- Peeled and deveined shrimp
Cooking Instructions:
Garlic Butter Sauce
- Gather all the ingredients listed above and pat dry your cooking station and cutting board with paper towels if damp.
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Soften unsalted butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 10-15 seconds.
- Add in 1 stick of unsalted butter, minced garlic, cilantro, lime, and a dash of olive and lemon juice.
Shrimp Marinade
- In a bowl, mix minced garlic, Italian seasoning blend, cilantro, lime, kosher salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, and a dash of olive oil and lemon juice.
- Coat the peeled shrimp pieces with the marinade and set them aside for 30 minutes.
Shrimp
- Soak wooden skewers into water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Insert the wooden skewers into the shrimp and place them on the grill pan or grill grates.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Remove the skewers from the grill when the shrimp isn’t translucent anymore.
Grilling The Shrimp
- Cook asparagus or chunks of broccoli and cauliflower in an air fryer and serve with the dipping sauce.
- Devour the shrimp!
3. Quick Grilled Shrimp Recipes
Looking to make easy shrimp recipes? Meal prep these incredible dishes and thank us later! And hey, if you’re looking for keto shrimp recipes, they’re right here.
1. Spicy Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients:
- Large shrimp peeled and deveined
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Dried oregano
- Dried basil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
Steps:
- Build a medium-high heat fire on your pellet, charcoal, or gas grill.
- Marinate your shrimp with cayenne pepper, dried basil, onion powder, dried oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and juice of one lemon.
- Marinate for 20 minutes.
- Thread the skewers into the raw shrimp and sprinkle kosher salt and black pepper before placing them on the grill pan.
- Grill for 2-3 minutes or until the raw shrimp has a golden hue.
- Flip the skewers and transfer them to a plate with cooking tongs.
- Squeeze lemon juice and devour it with a garlic butter sauce.
2. Quick Creamy Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper butter
- Garlic
- White wine - can be left out or substituted with chicken broth, if desired.
- Heavy cream
- Italian blend
- White cheddar or parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley
Steps:
- In a skillet, sear shrimp in olive oil on medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until the heat is sizzling.
- Season with salt and black pepper and transfer shrimp to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add butter and garlic. Stir until fragrant.
- Add white wine, heavy cream, white cheddar or parmesan, and Italian blend. Stir in circular motions until you reach the desired consistency.
- Reduce the medium heat to low heat and add shrimp back to the skillet.
- Toss lightly to coat the shrimp pieces and serve over pasta, bread, mashed potatoes, or rice.
3. Quick Grilled Shrimp Fried Rice
Ingredients:
- Raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Cornstarch
- Peanut oil, canola oil, or rice bran oil.
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- Green onions, minced
- Leftover rice
- Frozen peas and carrots (defrosted)
- Soy sauce
- Dark toasted sesame oil
Steps:
- Toss fresh shrimp in a mix of salt, black pepper, and cornstarch.
- Grill raw shrimp until it becomes golden brown (2-3 minutes)
- Heat up a skillet on medium heat and add peanut, canola, or rice bran oil.
- In the same skillet, add the mixture of 3 beaten eggs. Scramble and remove before they solidify. (A soft and creamy consistency is what you want for this recipe.)
- Sauté green onions in the skillet and add leftover rice. Sauté for 5-10 minutes on low heat and add green peas.
- Add soy sauce, carrots, scrambled eggs, and sesame oil.
- Heat everything until it is sizzling hot. Enjoy!
4. Quick Grilled Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients:
- Cooked linguine pasta
- Unsalted butter
- Olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- White wine
- Lemon juice
- Italian blend
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley
Steps:
- Grill shrimp until golden brown (2-3 minutes)
- In a skillet, melt butter with a dash of olive oil on medium high heat.
- Add garlic, shrimp, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt.
- Stir until everything is well combined. (Ideally it takes 2 minutes).
- Pour white wine to deglaze the skillet. Stir in lemon juice and Italian blend. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add cooked linguine to the skillet and toss gently.
- Top with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
4. 7 Dalstrong Tools You Need To Cook Grilled Shrimp
1. 10" Frying Pan & Skillet ETERNA Non-Stick | Oberon Series
This skillet is ideal for cooking shrimp fried rice and other shrimp appetizers and mains. The 10” inch cooking surface has an aluminum core and has tremendous heat distribution. Pair this skillet with Dalstrong’s cookware set and channel your inner Dalstrong Pro.
Pros:
- Tremendous heat conductivity to decrease cooking time.
- Equipped with a glass lid to prevent rattling and spills.
- The vented hole on the glass lid acts as a pressure release and prevents warping from excessive heat.
Cons:
- This skillet could be intimidating if you’re a novice, but you can get the hang of it if you try it a couple of times.
- If you live by yourself, you may not need a wok as big as this one, so you might want to check out our Oberon Series 9" Frying Pan & Skillet ETERNA Non-stick.
2. 9" Skillet Frying Pan - Hammered Finish - Black - The Avalon Series
Looking for a skillet and frying pan hybrid? This 9-inch skillet is made with non-hypoallergenic materials that are free of toxins. This 9-inch skillet is the perfect size to make a quick plate of grilled shrimp fried rice.
Pros:
- This 9-inch skillet is engineered to prevent dents and warps.
- It is designed to withstand high temperatures of heat.
- Equipped with a stainless steel lid to lock in heat, steam, and moisture.
Cons:
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If you’re on the lookout for a larger skillet, I suggest the Avalon Series
10" Frying Pan & Skillet Hammered Finish Black.
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Looking for a nonstick skillet, instead? Check out our Oberon Series
9" Frying Pan & Skillet ETERNA Non-stick.
3. Professional Kitchen Scissors 420J2 Japanese Stainless Steel
Looking for a pair of kitchen scissors to cut shrimp shells and trim them for smaller appetizers? Then, these professional kitchen scissors are all you need! Designed for versatility, you can slice and trim bacon, homemade pasta, and egg noodles to serve with shrimp scampi.
Pros:
- It has a built-in nutcracker that is ambidextrous and stain-resistant.
- Designed with Japanese stainless steel for robustness and longevity.
- Detachable blades for when you’re on the go and prefer easy cleaning.
- If you prefer cutting open meats like lobster tails and shrimp in one go, these scissors are perfect for you!
Cons:
- If you prefer using a paring knife to make incisions on raw shrimp, then this may not be what you’re looking for.
- You may not need these scissors if you like to use professional kitchen knives for all things cutting and slicing.
4. Paring Knife 3.5" - Frost Fire Series
The icy-cold appearance of this paring knife is all you need for peeling and plating eloquent pieces of shrimp. The blade length is perfect for working on the smallest pieces of shrimp and jumbo ones, too! Engineered with 7-layer high-carbon steel with added cobalt and expert heat treatment.
Pros:
- Razor-sharp cutting-edge traits.
- Scalpel-like sharpness at a 16-18º degree angle on each side of the blade.
- Full tang for added robustness, grip, and added durability.
- This paring knife can be used for opening up tiny crab shells, too.
Cons:
- If you prefer a minimalist approach for your knife, check out our other paring knives here.
- The blade is shorter than the ones found on other paring knives.
5. Bird's Beak Peeling Paring Knife 3" - Shogun Series
Did someone call for the ultimate peeling knife for peeling and deveining shrimp? You’re in luck! The blade shape of this knife is short and curved, resembling a bird’s beak. Bag this knife set for fluting mushrooms and plating decorative fruits and veggies – The perfect knife if you’re big on garnishes!
Pros:
- Precision-forged and razor-sharp blade.
- Wear-resistant blade with zero friction for easy effortless slicing.
- Ergonomic handle with a comfortable hand-feel.
- Savvy appearance to stop all heads from turning!
Cons:
- Paring knives are known to have medium-sized blades, but I recommend a shorter blade if you’re looking to peel seafood, particularly. Check it out more of our paring knives here.
- Are you looking for a more show-stopping bird’s beak knife? I got you! Check this one out from our Crusader Series.
6. Food Tongs 9" Scalloped Silicone Tips
Looking for the perfect set of extra hands to twist, flip, and turn shrimp skewers on your pellet grill? We’ve got you! These food tongs are engineered with stainless steel arms and scalloped tips to work perfectly well on your skillets without scratching or staining them. If you’re a grill master, you can hover over your food without hurting yourself while the meat sizzles.
Pros:
- Perfect for working at charcoal and gas grills without burning or stinging your hand when grilling shrimp.
- The silicone tips make it incredibly easy to clean these food tongs.
- The silicone tips are designed to protect your nonstick cookware.
Cons:
- Prefer tongs with scalloped tips that are made with stainless steel? Then, I suggest the Food Tongs 9" Stainless Steel Arms & Scalloped Tips.
- Ready to take it up a notch in the kitchen? Then you may be looking for a larger pair of cooking tongs. Check out our 12" Food Tong here.
7. Teak Cutting Board - Large Size | Horizontal Grain | Dalstrong
Looking to join in on the trend of Teak cutting boards? Then, this Teak board is made for you! Put together with sustainably sourced Tropical Teak wood, it’s everything you need.
Pros:
- Perfect for both home cooks and seasoned chefs at the grill!
- The wood is firm enough to help you peel and devein shrimp safely.
- The juice traps are perfect for safely disposing of shrimp shells and veins.
Cons:
- On the lookout for a medium-sized board? I suggest a medium-sized Teak cutting board.
- This board doesn’t have handles for transporting large loads, which could be inconvenient if you plan to use it as a serving tray too. But, we have you covered with our Lionswood Colossal Teak Cutting Board.
5. Frequently Asked Questions
How long do shrimp take on the grill?
Whether you’re using pellet grills, skillets, charcoal grills, or gas grills, Shrimp takes no longer than 2-3 minutes to cook.
How do you cook shrimp on the grill?
Insert wooden skewers to cook them evenly, and place them on the grill. Flip when you notice a golden brown tinge on one side, or if the meat is no longer translucent.
Do you grill shrimp with shell on or off?
This is up to you! If you’re cooking shrimp scampi, you can keep the shells on. If you’re making a classic batch of grilled shrimp, you can take them off before placing them on the grill. Most people make little cuts on the shell, so when they’re done cooking, people can choose to eat them or easily take them out.
What do you soak shrimp in before grilling?
You can soak shrimp in milk for 10-15 minutes before grilling if you’re not a fan of strong flavors.