This easy Grilled Shrimp recipe is packed with flavor and ready in just minutes! It features tender, succulent shrimp that are bathed in a simple marinade, then grilled to perfection. Enjoy as an appetizer, main dish, or salad topper – it’s ALL good!!
Shrimp is on our menu every single week, and this super easy Grilled Shrimp recipe is a favorite! This dish is PACKED with flavor from an easy marinade made with just a few common ingredients…even easier than my famous Margarita Grilled Shrimp!). Mix up my quick & easy Shrimp Dipping Sauce, for all your dipping pleasure!
Why This Is The Best Grilled Shrimp Recipe
We make this shrimp a LOT! And one of my favorite ways to enjoy it is outside on the back patio with Blake, for a little stay-at-home date night – along with a small cheeseboard and a chilled bottle of rosé. Here’s why we love this grilled shrimp recipe:
- Super flavorful. I really packed in the flavor for this recipe – while using minimal, common ingredients.
- So easy. This simply bears repeating: this is a super simple grilled shrimp recipe!
- Quick to cook. Grilling shrimp means that dinner’s on the table FAST! Ready to eat in less than 30 minutes!
- Tender + succulent. My #1 goal for perfectly cooked shrimp is a gorgeous grilled char on the outside with a tender, succulent texture inside. This recipe definitely achieves that goal – just follow my ingredients and instructions in the recipe card!
- Versatile. Serve this as an appetizer – or as a main entree, paired up with all sorts of side dishes, from a fresh salad, to rice or pasta, to vegetables.
- A great hot-weather option. The grill is where it’s at when the temperature rises. Skip the stovetop or oven, to keep your home cooler on a hot day. (We’re all-weather grillers, though, here in Minnesota – we grill shrimp when the snow is flying!)
Enjoy!
“This was the best grilled shrimp I’ve made. Super-simple recipe and the taste was fantastic. My entire family was raving about the flavor!”
SeanW
What You’ll Need
Below you’ll find an outline of all the ingredients in this easy recipe.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.
- Olive oil – I use extra virgin olive oil.
- Lemon juice – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the freshest, best flavor.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic is a must in this marinade!
- Old Bay seasoning – You can find Old Bay with the other spices in the spice section of the grocery store. This flavorful seasoning has been around for ages, always in our spice drawer.
- Granulated sugar – Sugar gives a slight hint of sweetness to the marinade, plus helps the shrimp to char on the hot grill grates.
- Smoked paprika – For smoky spice flavor – so good!!
- Salt – I use kosher salt in this recipe.
- Black pepper – A super simple spice that drives flavor.
- Jumbo shrimp – You want to use very large shrimp for this recipe, so they don’t fall through the grill grates – plus this allows a little extra time on the grill, to get the perfect exterior and interior textures to the shrimp. Leave the tails on and make sure the shrimp are deveined.
Choosing The Best Shrimp for Grilling
How to choose the best shrimp for grilling? Here are my tips for choosing the best shrimp:
- Use fresh or frozen. If using fresh shrimp, you’ll want to grill them within 1 or 2 days from picking them up at the store. If using frozen (which is what we do since we live in Minnesota), just make sure to fully thaw the shrimp before you start.
- Use very large shrimp. The larger the shrimp, the easier they are to turn on the grill. I prefer to use jumbo shrimp.
- Buy peeled shrimp. Make your life easier and buy shrimp that has already been peeled (although it’s really not difficult to peel them yourself!). You definitely want to use peeled shrimp for this recipe.
- Devein the shrimp first. Leave on the tails if you’d like, but devein the shrimp before you grill them. To do this, use the tip of a sharp paring knife to pull out the black vein that runs along the inside curve of the shrimp. Just know that some shrimp are labeled “deveined”, and they truly are, while others are not deveined all that well and need a little work.
- Take a pass on any funky shrimp. If shrimp smells funky or feels slimy, definitely take a pass. You do not want to eat it!
How To Grill Shrimp
Follow my simple method for grilling shrimp below:
- Prep the grill. Heat grill to medium-high/high. Clean the grates and then rub oil on the grates.
- Make the marinade. In a low, wide bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, Old Bay, sugar, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Marinate the shrimp. Add the shrimp to the bowl of marinade, then fold gently to evenly coat the shrimp.
- Grill the shrimp. Place shrimp on the hot grill grates and cook for 3 minutes, or until they have some char. Flip shrimp and cook for another 2 minutes, or just until shrimp are no longer translucent. Take care to not overcook. Smaller shrimp will take less time.
- Serve hot. For the best texture and flavor, serve the grilled shrimp immediately. I also recommend offering fresh lemon wedges to squeeze over the top.
How Do You Know When Grilled Shrimp Is Done?
After both sides of the shrimp have been grilled, they should be pink on the outside, white and completely opaque on the inside (not translucent), and firm to the touch.
Pull the shrimp off the heat when they are done – overcooking them can make them tough and rubbery. Remember my goal >>> tender, succulent shrimp ALWAYS!
Tips for Success + Variations
Grilling – using whatever you prefer, gas grill or charcoal – is one of the quickest and easiest ways to cook shrimp. Here are a few tips to help you make it perfectly:
- Don’t skip the marinade. This simple seasoning infuses the shrimp with so much flavor. Do not skip!
- Try a different marinade. You can experiment with different versions, homemade or straight from a bottle, playing up or down the spice component to suit your tastes. Try a simple blend of lemon or lime juice, olive oil, salt & pepper, for a super duper simple yet flavorful seasoning.
- Use skewers. You can thread the shrimp onto skewers rather than placing them directly on the grill if you like.
- Don’t cook the shrimp too long. As noted above, grilled shrimp are finished cooking when they are pink on the outside and white on the inside. If you cook the shrimp too long they can end up dry and tough – so very disappointing!
What To Serve with Grilled Shrimp
Succulent shrimp from the grill goes well with a variety of side dishes – from potatoes to grilled veggies to a simple bowl of rice. You could also serve it alongside more goodness from the sea, like grilled chipotle-orange salmon. Here are a few more suggestions for serving grilled shrimp:
- As an appetizer. Like my grilled shrimp cocktail, this grilled shrimp recipe works well as an appetizer. Serve the shrimp with toothpicks for easy access.
- Rice. Serve grilled shrimp atop delicious cilantro lime rice, with fresh lime wedges to squeeze over the top instead of the usual lemon wedges.
- Tucked into tacos. Just grab some small tortillas, plus sides of guacamole and pico de gallo or restaurant style salsa, and you’ve got some dang good tacos!
- All kinds of potatoes. Mashed potatoes, buttermilk mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, loaded baked potatoes – even German potato salad. Or how about my grilled red potatoes with lemon, dill, and feta?!
- BBQ sides. Classic barbecue sides go well with this grilled shrimp recipe. Try my mom’s macaroni salad, this super easy Hawaiian macaroni salad, spoon bread, or one of my coleslaw recipes like vinegar coleslaw or creamy coleslaw!
- Salad. Shrimp and salad were made for each other. My arugula beet salad, broccoli salad, or apple salad are wonderful choices to serve with grilled shrimp.
- Vegetables. Add a side of veggies when serving shrimp! Pickled asparagus or grilled asparagus are good, easy choices. Or make a lot of vegetables with grilled vegetable salad. Super greens are a simple side, too.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
To store, place leftover grilled shrimp in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, here are a few options:
- Microwave: Place leftover shrimp on a plate, lay a paper towel over the top, and microwave in 10-15 second increments until heated to your liking. Do not overcook.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 300° F. Place the shrimp in a single, even layer in a baking dish, and cover them with aluminum foil. Heat in the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until warmed.
- Stovetop: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a little oil or butter if you like. Then add shrimp and cook, flipping after a minute or two, until shrimp are warmed throughout.
More Easy Shrimp Recipes
Grilled Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 large garlic cloves finely minced
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound jumbo I use 21-25 count raw shrimp, tails on and deveined
Instructions
- Heat grill to medium-high/high. Clean grates and then rub oil on grates.
- In a low, wide medium-sized bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, Old Bay, sugar, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Add the shrimp to the bowl and fold gently to coat the shrimp evenly in the seasoned oil.
- Place shrimp on the hot grill grates and cook for 3 minutes, or until they have some char. Flip shrimp and cook for another 2 minutes, or just until shrimp are no longer translucent. Take care to not overcook. Smaller shrimp will take less time.
- Serve immediately for best texture and flavor, with fresh lemon wedges for squeezing over the top. Awesome with my Shrimp Dipping Sauce!
We loved this recipe, thanks for sharing it!
So happy to hear this, RC! Thank you so much for coming back here to rate the recipe and let me know! :)
This recipe is perfect just as it is. It is now my go to recipe for grilled shrimp. Leftover shrimp make great shrimp tacos. Fabulous
So happy to hear this, Luann! Thank you so much for coming back here to rate the recipe and let me know! :)
This was so easy to make and delicious! The best part was how quick it was to prepare and use.
I LOVE to hear this, Wanda – thank you!!
Delicious but too much salt. I think the Old Bay has enough salt in it but if you are going to add salt, I’d cut it in half (and FYI, I typically love salty).
I rarely write reviews for recipes, but this one is fantastic. The flavor is perfect. This recipe is going to get repeated many times. Thank you very much, the entire family enjoyed them which rarely happens.
I’m SO HAPPY to hear this, Bryan – thank you for coming back to let me know + rate the recipe!
I followed the recipe as presented. I thought it was good. My husband thought it was too spicey and salty. I am guessing that Old Bay seasoning has salt so I could have omitted the extra salt. If I make it again, I will only use one teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning as that might make it a little less spicey.
Absolutely fabulous marinade I will use over and over again. Only slight change was subbing 1 tsp of honey for the sugar and omitting the 1/4 tsp of salt. The smoked paprika adds a perfect touch of smokiness. Shrimp was so flavorful and tender.
I’m SO HAPPY to hear this, Ann – thank you for coming back to let me know and share your changes + rate the recipe!
This was Amazing!!! The only change I made was substitute Monkfruit Sweetener for the granulated sugar and it was sooooo delicious! We used super colossal shrimp! Best recipe! We give it 10/10
YAY!! So awesome to hear this – thank you for coming back here to let me know + rate the recipe!
Seriously, the best grilled shrimp we have made. Flavor is fantastic, even the kids liked them. Have made them several times already!!!
I LOVE to hear this, Chris! Thank you for coming back here to let me know + rate the recipe! ENJOY!!! :)
SO glad I found this recipe, we’re making making it for the second time tonight. Shrimp had fantastic flavor and tenderness…by following the simple instructions, grilling shrimp isn’t intimidating anymore!
SO HAPPY to hear this! ENJOY!!!
Hi
Could you please tell me if you took the shell off before you cooked?
I bought the jumbo shrimp that has been deveined but shells still on
Hi Linda – definitely remove the shells. Add the seasoning to the bare shrimp, for the most/best flavor!
Made it for a gathering 6 lbs and there were no left overs. Super easy an so delicious
I LOVE to hear this, Sally – thank you so much for coming back here to let me know + rate the recipe! :)
10 out of 10. Why this recipe doesn’t have 10,000 reviews is beyond me. So delicious my world traveler wife almost cried when she tasted them
Just did this recipe and cooked it on a charcoal grill, turned out amazing!!
How long should I marinate shrimp? Thanks!
Hi Tracy – I just season the shrimp and go straight to the grill!
Absolutely delicious – restaurant quality!
This is a FANTASTIC, easy, quick and healthy recipe! We are making it for the second time tonight and the whole house is asking for it. We used fresh colossal raw shrimp from Sam’s Club, but are trying it with Aldi’s frozen raw shrimp tonight. It really marinades as quickly as it states, with tons of flavor. We made two small alterations (switched white to brown sugar, and added 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar because I tend to prefer some acid in my marinades) but I’m certain this only accented an already-fabulous recipe! We will definitely check out Some other Farmgirl recipes after this success!
SO HAPPY you liked this recipe, Danielle! Thanks a bunch for coming back to leave a comment and rating!
This was the best grilled shrimp I’ve made. Super-simple recipe and the taste was fantastic. My entire family was raving about the flavor!
So glad you liked this, Sean! Thanks for coming back here to let me know. :)
I love this recipe! It’s delicious but I don’t like Jumbo size shrimp so I use the smaller one and just cook them on a skewer.
So glad you liked this recipe, Tricia! Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and rating! Enjoy!!
Good recipe, but leave out the additional salt. The Old Bay has plenty
I love this recipe! It’s delicious but I don’t like Jumbo size shrimp so I use the smaller one and just cook them on a skewer.
How long should you marinade the shrimp?
Hi Amber – I just combine the shrimp with the flavorings, then proceed with the recipe.