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Easy Grilled Shrimp cooks up in minutes after marinating in ingredients straight from your kitchen pantry. Fire up the grill tonight!
Looking for a quick and easy dinner for the weekend? Our Easy Grilled Shrimp just might be the answer!
Tender, juicy shrimp is marinated for a few hours before a quick two to three-minute toss on the grill. Served over rice with some vegetables on the side – and you’ve got an easy and delicious meal that everyone will love!
Easy Shrimp Marinade
One the best things about this recipe (aside from how delicious it tastes, of course) is that it is made from ingredients you probably have on hand in your kitchen pantry and spice cabinet.
Mix together extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, sesame oil, celery salt, black pepper, brown sugar, paprika, dried oregano, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Pour this over large, uncooked shrimp that has been peeled of the shell, but with the tail portion left on for easy eating.
Allow the shrimp to marinate for about two hours – then fire up the grill! The shrimp are large enough (8-12 per pound) so you won’t need to thread them on skewers – they can go right from the marinade directly to the grill.
Grilling Shrimp
Since shrimp takes only a minute or two on each side to cook through – be sure to have everything you need on hand near the grill, before you start cooking – grilling tongs, a plate for the uncooked shrimp, and a clean serving platter for after the shrimp is cooked.
Trust us on this: If you have to run back into the kitchen after the shrimp has already been placed on the hot grill grates – chances are you will overcook the shrimp. (And overcooked shrimp is tough and rubbery!)
Preheat your grill to a medium high temperature, clean with a grill grate brush, then oil the grates liberally with the tongs and a paper towel that has been dipped in vegetable oil.
Pour your shrimp out of the marinade onto a plate first, then quickly lay the shrimp on the grill in a single layer, leaving as much of the marinade on the shrimp as you can.
With the tongs, flip the shrimp after about a minute – then cook for another minute or so. The shrimp will turn pink, and it should be firm to the touch when it’s done cooking.
Quickly remove the shrimp to your clean serving platter – and you’re ready to serve.
Serving Easy Grilled Shrimp
This Easy Grilled Shrimp has a zesty, caramelized crust and it just needs few simple sides to go along with it. We like serving this shrimp over cooked white rice, and a salad or vegetables on the side.
You may like these other Shrimp recipes:
- Bang Bang Shrimp
- Coconut Shrimp
- Sweet and Sour Shrimp Stir-Fry
- Zesty Shrimp Salad
- Baked Stuffed Shrimp
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Easy Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients
2 pounds large raw shell-on shrimp, 8-12 per pound
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons dry oregano
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to your taste
Vegetable oil to oil the grill grates
Optional: Cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
Peel the shell from the shrimp but leave the tail portion on. The easiest way is to hold the shrimp with the split facing you and with your two thumbs, pull down to peel the shell open, then turn and tear around the tail piece so that it stays intact and discard the shell. The tail acts as a handle for guests to hold while eating.
Place all of the cleaned shrimp in a gallon zip lock bag.
In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, vinegar, tomato paste, mustard, sesame oil, celery salt, pepper, brown sugar, paprika, oregano and cayenne pepper with a whisk.
Pour into the bag with the shrimp, massage it all over each piece, and marinate refrigerated for at least two hours and up to four hours.
Start the white rice if serving.
When ready to grill, heat the grill to medium high. Clean and oil grill grates liberally with the vegetable oil. I find it easiest to wad up a paper towel and dip it in a little bowl of oil and with a long pair of tongs, grab the oiled paper towel and slather on the grill grates.
Pour the shrimp out of the bag onto a plate and immediately lay out on the oiled grill one at a time, leaving the marinade on. These shrimps are large enough that you don’t need skewers.
Grill for only a minute or two on each side. The shrimp will turn slightly pink and will no longer be opaque. If you poke one, it should be firm and not bounce back. (Do not over cook the shrimp or they will be tough.)
Remove to a clean plate and serve as-is or with rice.
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