Easy BBQ Shrimp

This BBQ shrimp recipe is quick and easy, with big, bold flavors. It’s the perfect fast dinner served with a side of rice, bread or a salad.

Looking for a fun, flavorful way to eat shrimp for dinner? Try this BBQ Shrimp recipe! This quick and easy method makes a bold, tangy sauce for the shrimp to swim in, flavored with barbecue sauce and a few extras. It’s the perfect fast dinner for nights where you don’t want to think too hard, and you might already have many of the ingredients on hand. Serve with rice, garlic bread or a crisp salad and you’ve got a meal!

Ingredients in this BBQ shrimp recipe

There are several different ways to make BBQ shrimp. This recipe combines barbecue sauce with a few extra seasonings to make a quick and simple pan sauce for shrimp. A classic New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp recipe doesn’t use barbecue sauce at all: check out this recipe from Immaculate Bites. Here’s what you’ll need for this easy BBQ shrimp recipe:

• Barbecue sauce: Use the best quality you can find and afford: it really makes a difference flavor-wise in this recipe.
• Soy sauce
• Dijon mustard
• Cornstarch
• Medium shrimp, thawed and deveined (tail on or peeled)
• Garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, black pepper, and kosher salt
• Butter
• Lemon juice

The type of shrimp to look for

Most grocery stores have lots of options when it comes to shrimp. Here are a few things to look for specifically when you’re making this BBQ shrimp recipe, and some notes on sustainability:

• Medium shrimp: Medium is labeled as 41 to 50 count (the number of shrimp per pound). You can use any size here, but we like medium best for this particular recipe.
• Wild caught: Fish that is wild caught in your country is usually a sustainable choice. There are also quality options in well-regulated farms; see Seafood Watch Consumer Guide.
• Tail on or peeled: Tail on looks the best, but it can be messy when you’re eating it. Make sure to have a bowl for the tails! Peeled shrimp are easier for eating.
• Fresh or frozen: Both are similar in quality! Frozen shrimp can be as high quality as fresh if it’s frozen as soon as it’s caught. Here’s How to Thaw Shrimp.

Tips for making BBQ shrimp

This BBQ shrimp recipe is fast and easy: stir together the sauce ingredients, sauté the shrimp to mostly cooked, then add the sauce and finish the cooking. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you go:

• Use your largest skillet. You don’t want to overcrowd the pan or the shrimp will steam instead of sauté. Use a very large skillet for 1 ½ pounds shrimp. If you don’t have a large enough pan, you can sauté in batches.
• Cook until the shrimp are cooked halfway, then flip and add sauce. You’ll cook the shrimp the rest of the way with the sauce in the pan.

How to serve it

Make a quick dinner out of this BBQ shrimp by adding a simple side dish! Here are a few ideas that are also quick:

• Orzo: Orzo comes together in just 10 minutes.
• Couscous: This Easy Couscous or Israeli Couscous are also done in 10 minutes.
• Rice: Try White Rice or a precooked rice packet like seeds of change.
• Bread: Go for artisan bread or make up quick garlic toast.
• Salad: Try this quick Arugula Salad or Watercress Salad.

More shrimp recipes

Shrimp is ideal for quick and easy dinners: it often saves us on a weeknight! Here are a few more shrimp recipes we love:

• Browse 30 Shrimp Recipes Perfect for Dinner
• Go for impressive Shrimp Scampi, Creamy Shrimp Risotto or Shrimp Fra Diavolo
• Opt for Jumbo Shrimp, Marinated Shrimp Skewers or Old Bay Steamed Shrimp
• Try Sheet Pan Shrimp & Veggies

01

40 Shrimp Recipes Perfect for Dinner

02

Shrimp Scampi

03

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

04

Best Shrimp Marinade

This BBQ shrimp recipe is…

Gluten-free and pescatarian. For dairy-free, use olive oil instead of butter.

Print