Part of the fun of grilling is that you get to sit down and relax while you wait for your dish to cook. Sometimes it can take 45 minutes, other times, it takes hours (especially for briskets).
But if you don’t have that much time to spare — like if you’re running late to a potluck — what do you do?
The solution: grill up some shrimp and be out of the door in 10 minutes or less.
1. Garlic Parmesan Grilled Shrimp
Think of your shrimp as a blank canvas: you can flavor it with anything and it should taste amazing.
It’s similar to your chicken and beef, but the only difference is, shrimp doesn’t take hours to prepare and grill. And I’ll show you just how it works with these recipes — starting with the garlic parmesan grilled shrimp.
You’ll need a pound of peeled and deveined shrimp, two tablespoons of olive oil, half a teaspoon each of garlic powder, dried oregano, and basil, two tablespoons of grated Parmesan, and the juice of one lemon.
Be sure to have your salt and pepper ready in case you need to add more flavor.
If you’re ready, start by preheating your grill to 350℉ and brushing the grates with your oil. Then, place your shrimp in a bowl along with your olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, and basil.
Stir the mixture well so every shrimp gets coated with the seasonings. After a few minutes of tossing and stirring, thread your shrimp onto skewers and place them on the grill to cook for two to three minutes.
Afterward, turn the skewers around and do the same to the other side.
Now, remove your shrimp from the grates, squeeze some lemon juice on top, sprinkle some salt and pepper, and, finally, dust them with your grated Parmesan cheese.
It’s that quick and simple. Plus, it’s pretty tasty!
Note: Preparing fresh shrimp can be time-consuming, so as an alternative, you can buy frozen shrimp from the grocery store that’s already been peeled and deveined. It’s been such a lifesaver for me.
2. Garlic and Herb Grilled Shrimp
If you liked that garlic parmesan recipe, you’ll like this next one too! With all the herbs and spices, this dish is equal parts garlicky, zesty, and refreshing. And again, it can be done in just 10 minutes.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab your ingredients and start grilling!
You’ll need two pounds of extra large peeled and deveined shrimp, a teaspoon each of paprika, Italian seasoning, and basil, and a tablespoon each of minced garlic, fresh lemon juice, and brown sugar.
Plus, don’t forget to grab two tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of black pepper for added flavor.
Once you have the ingredients you need, mix all of them together in a resealable bag and marinate your shrimp for five minutes.
After that, take your shrimp out of the bag and thread them onto skewers before grilling.
Grill them for five to six minutes in total. Flip halfway through, and now you’ve just made a grilled shrimp dish that smells just as good as it tastes.
Note: To make sure the shrimp really soak up the flavors, let it marinate for 20 to 30 minutes before throwing it on the grill.
3. Grilled Pesto Shrimp
If you don’t want to make a marinade from scratch, a simple and effective backup plan is to get a pre-made herb mixture, which is basically what pesto is, in my opinion.
So, for this recipe, all you need is a jar of your favorite store-bought pesto sauce, a pound (or more) of peeled and deveined shrimp, some salt and pepper, and two tablespoons of olive oil.
First things first, season your shrimp with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then, thread them onto skewers before placing them on the grill.
After two to three minutes, flip them around and do the same to the other side.
Once your shrimp has a beautiful pink color and char all around, dollop some pesto sauce on top. Or if you want, you can just scoop some pesto sauce into a dipping bowl and serve it on the side.
Then, just finish it off with a side of lemon wedges, and you’ve got yourself a deliciously simple grilled pesto shrimp!
4. Grilled Chimichurri Shrimp
If you’ve never heard of or tried chimichurri sauce, there’s no better time than the present. It’s a popular condiment that hails from Argentina and Uruguay, and it’s traditionally served with grilled meat.
But today, we’re prepping it with grilled shrimp because that’s just how we roll.
Full disclosure: you can buy a bottle of chimichurri sauce from the market, but if you want to have an authentic experience, I suggest you make it from scratch.
Preparing chimichurri only takes 5 minutes, so it doesn’t hurt to give it a shot, right?
To make the sauce, grab three cloves of chopped garlic, one chopped shallot, a tablespoon each of red wine vinegar and fresh lemon juice, and half a cup of flat-leaf parsley (with the stems removed).
Besides those, get half a cup of packed fresh basil leaves, a quarter cup each of fresh cilantro and extra virgin olive oil, and lastly, half a teaspoon each of ground coriander and sea salt.
Now, the fun part begins: combine your chopped garlic and shallot with your red wine vinegar and lemon juice. Then set it aside.
In the meantime, toss your parsley basil, cilantro, coriander, and salt into your food processor (or blender).
Set it to pulse to chop the herbs just right. After a few minutes, you can pour in the garlic mixture you just made.
Keep your food processor going at the lowest setting. While it’s running, add your olive oil in slow streams. Once everything is well-combined, turn off the machine and give your sauce a quick taste.
You don’t want to over-process your herbs. Instead, you want it slightly chunky because that’s how this sauce is typically made.
So, if you’re happy with your sauce, you can now grab a pound of your peeled and deveined shrimp, season per usual, and thread them onto your sticks.
Place them on the grill for two to three minutes per side. As they’re cooking, get your chimichurri ready and brush both sides of your shrimp with it. Then, save the rest of the sauce for later.
Don’t throw away your leftover chimichurri. You can store it in the fridge for up to a week. Or, you can prolong its lifespan to about a month if you put it in the freezer.
This sauce will definitely come in handy when you suddenly get a hankering for grilled shrimp throughout the next couple of days (or weeks).
5. Honey Barbecue Grilled Shrimp
If the potluck you’re running late to is a backyard BBQ of a friend or relative, I think it’s only fitting to bring a dish that’s inspired by BBQ flavors.
So, here’s a honey barbecue grilled shrimp recipe you can make in just 10 minutes!
For your ingredients, you’ll need a third cup of your favorite BBQ sauce, a third cup of honey, two to four cloves of pressed garlic, and one to three tablespoons of sriracha or chili garlic sauce.
Feel free to adjust the hot sauce to fit your spice level.
After that, you’ll also need about a pound to a pound and a half of cleaned and deveined shrimp, two tablespoons of olive oil, and some salt and pepper for seasoning.
Grab all your ingredients first. Then, get your BBQ marinade ready by mixing your BBQ sauce, honey, garlic, and hot sauce in a bowl. Once it’s good to go, set it aside.
In the meantime, prep your shrimp, which you probably already know how to do by now.
So, just as a quick reminder: take your shrimp and brush them with olive oil, salt, and pepper before poking them through a stick and grilling them.
During the first two minutes of cooking, have your BBQ sauce on standby and slather your shrimp with it. Flip them after two minutes and do the same on the other side.
Lastly, use the rest of the sauce as a dip, and you’ve got a classic grilled dish that I’m sure everyone will demolish in no time.
6. Honey Sriracha Grilled Shrimp
If one dish is not enough, you can bring two BBQ-inspired grilled shrimp dishes to the potluck with this sweet and spicy honey sriracha version.
To make the marinade, you’ll need a quarter cup each of olive oil and soy sauce, two tablespoons of honey, juice of two lemons, two cloves of minced garlic, salt and pepper (of course), and sriracha.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set it aside for later. Meanwhile, prep your shrimp as you usually do before putting them on the grill.
While they’re cooking, brush your marinade onto the shrimp. Make sure every nook and cranny is flavored with this sauce to get the best eating experience possible.
Once the shrimp skewers are finished, plate and serve them with a side of extra sriracha!
7. Coconut Lime Grilled Shrimp
Grilling the shrimp with BBQ-inspired flavors is nice and all, but it’s what everyone expects from you.
If you really want to wow the guests and make a lasting impression, it’s best to throw a curveball and give them unconventional flavors.
And one recipe that always does the trick for me is this coconut lime sauce. I usually pair it with chicken and veggies. So, now let’s see how it will taste with shrimp!
To make the sauce, you’ll need to mix a quarter cup of fresh lime juice, two tablespoons of soy sauce, and a tablespoon each of grated lime zest, rice vinegar, honey, and chopped cilantro in a bowl.
Toss in a pound of your shrimp to coat for five minutes before threading them onto your skewers. Now cook your shrimp per usual while brushing the sauce every now and then.
After the shrimp has changed color, take them off the heat, and sprinkle a quarter cup of flaked coconut and extra chopped cilantro on top.
This flavor combo will definitely throw your guests in a loop — but in the best possible way.
8. Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Shrimp
I made sure to save the best for last with this bacon-wrapped grilled shrimp recipe. If you haven’t made this yet, you’re totally missing out.
It’s crunchy, crispy, salty, and completely addictive. One bite of this is never enough for me. I always need more, and I have a feeling you will too!
So, here’s what you need to make this incredible dish: a pound of large shrimp, 10 to 12 slices of bacon (the more the better), a quarter cup of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
First, lightly season your shrimp. We don’t want too much because the bacon’s already bringing in a lot of flavor.
Once your shrimp are lightly coated, grab your bacon and slice it across the middle.
Take a half piece and wrap it around a shrimp, then stick a toothpick or skewer through to keep everything together. Next, place your skewers on the grill to cook.
Three to four minutes later, flip the skewers around and continue cooking for another few minutes.
Now, take the skewers out and they’re ready to serve!
You can serve them as they are, or you can be more playful by adding some dips and sauces.
Everyone seems to like the bacon and ranch dip combo, but I personally like to add a bit of sweetness to my dish. So, I typically pair this with apple sauce or maple syrup.
Quick, Easy, and Oh-So-Tasty Grilled Shrimp Recipes
I know that getting ready for a cookout or potluck can be stressful and time-consuming. But you don’t have to worry because there are grilling recipes that can take as fast as 10 minutes.
They’re quick, easy, and guaranteed to be incredibly tasty!
Rest assured, you’re still bringing in flavor; you’re still bringing in presentation and style. What you’re not bringing to the table is hours and hours of preparation.
So, cut yourself some slack and try these grilled shrimp recipes at home!
