Easy Grilled Shrimp

Made with a sweet and spicy honey garlic marinade, this recipe for Grilled Shimp is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to prepare shrimp. 

There are not many recipes that beat grilled shrimp when it comes to being fast and flavorful.

And this recipe for Grilled Garlic Shrimp is always a winner--in terms of both ease and flavor. From start to finish, this recipe only takes 30 minutes.

But the real beauty of Grilled Shrimp is the flavor! The shrimp is marinated in a honey garlic sauce that is sweet, spicy, and the perfect complement to the shrimp. And you probably already have the ingredients on hand for this simple marinade!

Notes on Key Ingredients

• Shrimp: You can use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe. You can also prepare the shrimp with or without the tails. Personally, I prefer to serve without the tails, as it makes for less mess. Just be sure your shrimp is peeled and deveined before proceeding with this recipe. Pro-tip: It is WELL worth the cost of purchasing the shrimp already peeled and deveined as this will save you so much time!
• Garlic: Use minced jarred garlic, grated, or finely minced fresh garlic. The garlic is key to the flavor in this recipe.
• Honey: Honey will sweeten the marinade and bring marry together the lemon, garlic, and paprika perfectly.
• Lemon Juice: Be sure to use FRESH lemon juice, not jarred lemon juice. The flavor is simply not comparable.
• Spices: A bit of cayenne pepper and paprika add a little kick to the marinade for the shrimp and helps to balance out the sweetness of the honey. Feel free to omit the cayenne if you are sensitive to heat.

Pro-Tips for the Best Grilled Shrimp

• Fresh is best. While you can use fresh shrimp or frozen shrimp, it is crucial to prepare the shrimp as soon as possible. Plan to grill fresh shrimp within 24 hours of purchasing and use the frozen shrimp as soon as it is defrosted, for the best flavor.
• Peeled is the way to go. This recipe calls for shrimp that has been peeled. This allows the shrimp to absorb the flavor of the marinade. It also makes for easier eating and allows the shrimp to achieve char marks that also flavor the meat.
• Skewer the shrimp. Use metal or wooden skewers to thread the shrimp onto before grilling. This will make flipping the shrimp easier. If you use wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to using them to prevent the skewers from catching fire on the grill.
• Grill Over Direct Heat. It will only take a few minutes for the shrimp to cook through. The shrimp are finished cooking once the outside is a pink color and the inside should be white and opaque. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or else it will become tough.

How to Grill Shrimp

• For the marinade, whisk the lemon juice, honey, olive oil, garlic, spices, and salt together in a large bowl.

• Remove ¼ cup from the marinade and set aside for brushing onto the shrimp while grilling.
• Then add the shrimp to the remaining marinade and toss to coat.
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate to marinate the shrimp. Allow the shrimp to sit in the marinade for 15 minutes and up to 1 hour. Do not marinate the shrimp for longer than 60 minutes or the acid from the lemon juice will begin to cook the shrimp.
• Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
• While the grill is preheating, remove the shrimp from the marinade and thread on skewers.

• Grill shrimp until they are pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes per side, brushing with reserved ¼ cup marinade before and after flipping the skewers.
• Remove from the grill and serve immediately.

Using Frozen Shrimp

If using frozen shrimp, you want to use it within 12 hours of thawing for the best results.

To thaw shrimp, you have two options. You can place the frozen shrimp in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Or for faster thawing, take the shrimp out of its package and place them into a sealed Ziploc bag. Submerge the bag of shrimp into a large bowl of cold water and let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes for the shrimp to thaw.

Storing Leftovers

Grilled shrimp is best enjoyed the day it is prepared. However, if you have leftovers, store the cooled shrimp in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Enjoy cold on a salad or in a wrap or lightly heat in a dry skillet over medium heat until just warm. Do NOT microwave, or the shrimp will become rubbery.

More Grilled Entrees

• Grilled Pork Tenderloin
• Grilled Burgers
• Grilled Chicken Kabobs
• Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
• BBQ Chicken Burger

This grilled shrimp makes one of the fastest, most flavorful meals. I would love to hear how much you enjoy the sweet and spicy marinade on this Grilled Shrimp. Please leave a comment and review below.