This margarita grilled shrimp recipe guarantees juicy jumbo shrimp that explode with flavor from a marinade of bold spices and a splash of tequila. A hint of brown sugar helps the tender shrimp caramelize quickly from the heat of the grill, giving you lightly crispy edges. Served with a big squeeze of fresh lime for a bright, zesty finish, this shrimp wows the taste buds. It’s one of my all-time favorite meals!
All Because I’m a Big Fan of Grilled Shrimp, Mexican Flavors, and Margaritas!
Every May, my husband grills a special surf & turf meal for me on Mother’s Day. And one year he surprised me with giant grilled shrimp marinated in Mexican spices and a little tequila, and I was blown away! Blake was so thoughtful to combine some of my favorite things into one gorgeous dish. He even shook up a classic margarita for me, my cocktail of choice!
Blake hadn’t done any measuring of ingredients that day, and we definitely knew we wanted to enjoy that shrimp again. So we tested and tested, until we got the recipe 1000% perfected.
I love how the tequila in this margarita shrimp mimics the tequila in a traditional margarita cocktail, so that was a must-have in the marinade. Then the bold flavor came from our spice drawer (I especially love the smoked paprika!), plus fresh jalapeno for heat and garlic. We let the shrimp marinate for 2 hours before grilling, then layer on tangy lime and chopped cilantro right before serving, for even more freshness. Yum!
My #1 piece of advice for this recipe is to always use jumbo shrimp. This guarantees the best amazing grilled texture and tender, succulent shrimp with a beautiful char every single time. Shrimp cooks extremely fast, so smaller grilled shrimp simply do not have enough time on the grill to create crispy edges.
Bonus. They also won’t fall through the grill grates as easily!
I most often serve this with one or two simple grilled vegetables and cilantro lime rice, which my family adores. Plus LOTS of fresh lime wedges, for squeezing over the shrimp. If we happen to have any leftovers, I like to toss the shrimp over salads or tuck them into warm tortillas with fresh guacamole for shrimp tacos!
“Holy moly this was so simple and so delicious! I have now used the marinade on chicken breasts which my husband then grilled and they were as good as restaurant fajitas. Thanks for sharing this one – it will definitely be going into frequent rotation at our house!”
Melissa D.
Rest assured; Tequila is optional. But I Highly Recommend It!
Tequila adds a very subtle, unique flavor of earthy smokiness that pairs extremely well with the charred seafood. Combined with fresh lime and salt, it drives home that margarita flavor. Also, the alcohol causes a small initial flare-up on the hot grill. Which is a good thing! It burns off fast and helps achieve that fabulous char.
But you can certainly leave out the tequila if you like. This dish is great either way.
Here’s how i make them:
If you’d rather not flip individual shrimp on the grill
This is a great recipe to make grilled shrimp kabobs — either in smaller appetizer form (shown above, using small skewers) or with bigger skewers for a main entree.
Just be sure to soak wood skewers for a couple hours prior to grilling, so they don’t burn up on the grill.
Marinated Margarita Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw, peeled, and deveined jumbo shrimp (16-20 shrimp per pound)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons tequila, optional
- fresh lime wedges, for squeezing over grilled shrimp
- chopped cilantro, optional garnish
- fresh lime slices, if using skewers
Instructions
- Shrimp can be grilled with or without skewers. If using wood skewers to make shrimp kabobs, see Notes below.
- Place shrimp in a wide shallow bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl with high sides, combine all ingredients from olive oil through black pepper. Use an immersion blender (or small food processor) to completely process until smooth. Pour marinade over shrimp and gently fold to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, folding gently about halfway through.
- When ready to grill, drizzle tequila over the shrimp, if desired, and gently fold to combine. If using skewers, thread shrimp onto skewers, with a folded slice of lime in between shrimp (see skewer photos in post).
- Heat grill to medium-high. Make sure grates are clean, and then oil them well. Set shrimp on grates and grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or just until shrimp are no longer translucent and have some nice char. Smaller shrimp will take less time and larger shrimp will take more time. Place shrimp on a platter and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with fresh lime wedges to squeeze over the top.
Best shrimp recipe ever! Thank you for sharing :)
These were delicious! I have a charcoal grill, so they cooked up quick and easy with a really nice char. I used smaller wooden skewers, fit about 5 shrimp per, I wasn’t able to get larger shrimp, but this worked out perfectly. I actually added the tequila, cilantro and some lime juice right to the marinade recipe and marinated 2 hours. I served with Spanish rice and brussel sprouts with bacon and seasoned with crushed red pepper, black pepper and lime juice. It turned out amazing!! Thank you for the recipe!!!
So glad you liked this shrimp – your meal sounds delicious!!!!
I’ve made these many times and everyone who has tasted them loves them (and usually asks for the recipe). I don’t add the tequila. And to make it easier to prep sometimes I add cayenne instead of the jalapeño and a little extra garlic powder instead of whole garlic. And it is still as fantastic. In winter I’ve cooked the shrimp in a skillet on the stovetop instead of grilling it and it turns out delicious too. Thanks for the recipe!!
LOVE that you make this recipe again and again! I crave these shrimp during the winter, too – a skillet is an easy hack when it’s too cold and snowy to get to the grill outside!
Made this for lunch for my husband and I. It was perfect! We will do again. Super easy!
Wonderful!!!
I did make these a day ahead and served them cold. They were absolutely delicious and the texture was really good. I am sure they are great straight from the grill as well. Thank you for the great recipe!
Wonderful to hear!!!
Hi
Wondering if you think these could be made ahead (day prior) served cold or at room temperature ? They sound amazing!
Thanks so much
Hi Shelly – you could, but you’ll definitely miss out on the wonderful texture straight from the grill.
A super good, super easy recipe!
YAY! So glad you liked. :)
Holy moly this was so simple and so delicious! I have now used the marinade on chicken breasts which my husband then grilled and they were as good as restaurant fajitas. Thanks for sharing this one – it will definitely be going into frequent rotation at our house!
LOVE to hear this!!!!! Thank you for coming back to let me know. :)
I have made this recipe many times and it has definitely been a winner each time.
My wife and I eat a lot of fresh shrimp. I am constantly on the hunt for new recipes trying to find something that really impresses me. This one blew me away! Both my wife and I gave this a 10 out of 10 and it will absolutely be in our regular rotation. I also used leftovers and made a burrito by adding Mexican rice and some salsa verde and it was even better. Thank you so much for this recipe, it is an absolute star!
This recipe is fantastic!!!! Didn’t change a thing and the lime on the skewer made the presentation so baller!!!! making again very soon!!
I rarely cook, but I am definitely interested in cooking this for a family members birthday, but I noticed for the marinade ingredients it doesn’t say how much to add. Are there specific amounts for each ingredient, or do I improvise?
Hi Edward – scroll down to the bottom of this post where you’ll find a recipe card with all the measurements. Enjoy!!
Would I be able to marinate these in the morning, and then cook them after work in the evening? Or would that ruin the shrimp?
Hi Hannah – I definitely think this would work, since there is no acid in the marinade. If using tequila, do not add that to the marinade. Enjoy!
I was saving this recipe for weeks thru bad weather, and got a beautiful Saturday for grilling. We got started late so they only marinated for about 30 minutes, but they were so flavorful and delicious. Even my fish hating son said ‘Mmmmm!’ when he took his first bite. Thank you!
Wondering, can I make these on my Stove Top Iron Griddle ? Too Much Snow on Deck and very cold outside to Grill!! LOL! The Recipe Sounds Amazing! Can’t wait to try it!!
Hello! I’ve done this before – I would just get your griddle very hot to sear the shrimp well (and take care to not overcook!). So do this now when it’s cold and snowy, but promise me you’ll try it again on the grill when you’re able! :)
Hi I want to try this tonight it sounds delicious do I marinate with the tequila in the marinade or does that just go over the top before grilling?
I don’t often comment on blogs without extreme reactions – one way or the other. I am happy to say this is with an enthusiastic- woo-hoo! I will make this again and again. These were D-elicious with a capital D. The only thing I did different was squeeze a little extra lime juice on them after I took them out of the fridge for a few minutes before they went on the grill. Awesome recipe. Loved the char the tequila lended. Just… spectacular! Thank you Farm Girl. ;)
This shrimp was delicious! Thank you for such a great recipe. I served with skewered peppers, Mexican Caesar Salad and Jalapeno Cheese Pork Sausages. It was a yummy dinner!
If you were to make this keto friendly, you could just use the golden monkfruit correct? Has anyone tried it with that?
Yes, delicious! I used golden monkfruit
I left out the tequila and brown sugar, and dang y’all it is hella good