Grilled Shrimp Skewers

These grilled shrimp skewers are full of juicy flavor! The shrimp seasoning brings in just the right touch of savory and smoky.

When it comes to grilled dinner ideas, there’s not much better than seafood. So let us introduce you to our new favorite: these Grilled Shrimp Skewers! Adding shrimp to skewers for grilling makes them easy to turn, and the presentation is simply stunning. Here we took our Perfect Grilled Shrimp and gave it a skewer make-over, with even better shrimp seasoning and a few tips on skewering technique. These will impress everyone around the table!

Ingredients for grilled shrimp skewers

These grilled shrimp skewers have a short ingredient list: most of what you’ll need are spices! Here’s what you’ll need to make this crowd-pleasing summer dinner:

• Large shrimp, tail on! Find large shrimp that’s peeled with the tail on: these look the most stunning. You can use fresh or frozen (see below).
• Shrimp seasoning blend: smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and celery seed
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Wooden skewers

Tips for grilling with skewers!

Using skewers for shrimp does present some challenges! Alex and I have worked out the process so you don’t have to. Here are our best tips for grilled shrimp skewers:

• Use wooden skewers. On metal skewers, the shrimp can tend to spin on them which makes them hard to flip. With wooden skewers, the shrimp stays solidly in place. You’ll need to soak the skewers about 20 minutes so they don’t burn on the grill.
• Thread the shrimp on and make them just touch. This also helps to minimize spinning and keep the shrimp in place.
• Alternate directions of the tails. This makes for a stunning visual!

How to make grilled shrimp skewers (basic steps)

Once you know the basics of working with skewers, there’s not much to this recipe! Here are the basic steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium high heat: that’s 375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Soak the skewers! Make sure to soak once you start preheating: this should make for just enough soak time (15 to 20 minutes).
• Season the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry, add olive oil and the shrimp seasoning.
• Thread on skewers. Use our notes above for best practices on skewering technique.
• Grill 1 to 2 minutes per side. That’s it!

Why it’s the best shrimp seasoning

The seasoning blend in this recipe is based on our Magic Seafood Seasoning. It really is magical! It brings the very best flavor to grilled salmon and shrimp. Here we simplified it a bit so that you don’t have to mix up a whole batch: it works for 1 pound of shrimp. You can use it for cooking shrimp on the stove, too! A few notes on ingredients:

• Smoked paprika is a Spanish smoked version of sweet paprika. It might also be labeled as pimentón at your local grocery. It brings in the best smoky flavor! (Here are our top smoked paprika recipes to use up a jar.)
• Celery seed brings in just the right herby essence; it’s evocative of Old Bay seasoning. Grab a jar and you can also use it for our “famous” chickpea salad sandwiches.

Sauces to serve alongside

These grilled shrimp skewers are amazing on their own. But you can step them up with a tasty dipping sauce! Here are a few sauces we recommend:

• Dill Sauce or Lemon Dill Sauce: Full of fresh herby flavor!
• Cilantro Lime Crema or Cilantro Lime Ranch Green & zesty.
• Basil Pesto: Made the classic Italian way.
• Homemade BBQ Sauce Tangy and infinitely better than storebought.
• White BBQ Sauce: Uniquely creamy with a spicy finish: think black pepper and horseradish.
• Horseradish Sauce: Creamy with a spicy bite!
• Honey Mustard Sauce 3 ingredients to big, tangy flavor.
• Creamy Cilantro Sauce or Cilantro Dressing Bright green and zingy.

How to thaw shrimp

Frozen shrimp is just as good with shrimp skewers! Load up your freezer for healthy dinners for months! Here are two methods for thawing shrimp, depending on when you start:

• Day before: If you think ahead, simply place the frozen shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.
• Day of: Place the frozen shrimp into a large bowl with very cold water. Stir the bowl every 5 minutes to break up clumps of shrimp that freeze together. The shrimp should be defrosted in about 15 minutes.

Other grilled shrimp recipes

Looking to mix up your grilling repertoire? Here are a few more grilled shrimp recipes to try: you could place each of these on skewers if you like!

• Cajun Grilled Shrimp Use our homemade Cajun seasoning to add a spicy kick!
• Honey Garlic Shrimp Amazing flavor and made in 10 minutes.
• Blackened Shrimp Cajun flavor without the heat, this uses our blackened seasoning.
• Perfect Grilled Shrimp Simple Mediterranean flavors, spritzed with lemon. Try it with homemade cocktail sauce as an easy shrimp appetizer!

Want more grilled seafood? Try our Grilled Scallops, Grilled Cod, or Grilled Ahi Tuna.

This grilled shrimp skewers recipe is…

Pescatarian, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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More shrimp recipes

Shrimp is a fantastic healthy meal choice: it’s low calorie and full of protein. Here are some of our favorite healthy shrimp recipes:

• Shrimp Fried Rice The best shrimp fried rice that tastes just like takeout!
• Shrimp Pesto Pasta A fast and easy dinner recipe! Cover the noodles in glistening green basil pesto for a meal that pleases everyone. Or try Easy Pesto Shrimp.
• Perfect Sauteed Shrimp This really is the best easy shrimp, with the best seasoning.
• Broiled Shrimp or Easy Baked Shrimp This shrimp has huge flavor: try it broiled and breaded for an irresistible crunch.
• Garlic Shrimp Here’s how to make the best shrimp on the stove: it’s quick and seriously simple.
• Shrimp and Broccoli Soy sauce and rice vinegar flavor this shrimp and broccoli, which comes together in minutes! Serve with rice or over noodles.