Grilled Shrimp Skewers with garlic cajun seasoning will become your grilling obsession this summer. The succulent shrimp kabobs cook in minutes and taste amazing as a main course, on salads, in pasta, or even as leftovers the next day. Fire up the grill, and let’s get cooking!
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Helpful Reader Review
“Natasha made these last night, and we devoured them. So easy and so delicious! Didn’t change a thing. It’s a keeper! Thank you. “ – Kathy ★★★★★
The Best Grilled Shrimp Recipe
Summer is finally here, and if you haven’t fired up your grill yet, this grilled Shrimp Skewers recipe is the perfect excuse to start. Shrimp taste best on the grill; something about that lightly charred smokiness makes this shrimp lover very happy. My husband’s cousin, Alex, shared this recipe with us, and I’m so glad he did!
I love this grilled shrimp recipe because of its minimal prep time and even shorter cooking time – about 5 minutes, and they are super easy to flip when skewered. There’s only one word to describe how good the marinade is: “Wowza.” Brushing on extra marinade at the end ensures awesome flavor with every bite. They are a crowd favorite when I have family or friends come to eat.
I serve these fresh off the grill with a Garden Salad and grilled veggies, wrapped in a Homemade Tortilla, or Crusty French Bread for a grilled take on the traditional Po’ Boy, but these shrimp are so versatile, you’ll find all kinds of ways to enjoy them.
Ingredients for Grilled Shrimp
Grab just 4 ingredients along with the skewers to make these incredible grilled shrimp skewers.
- Butter – unsalted butter is best to control the sodium level. To use salted butter, be sure to omit the salt in the recipe
- Garlic – minced or pressed into a paste
- Cajun Spice – provides light heat, but it’s not too spicy. You can also make your own Cajun Seasoning, in a pinch.
- Lemon juice – 1/2 medium lemon – helps tenderize the shrimp, but dont let it marinate more than 30 minutes, or the shrimp can become rubbery.
- Large Shrimp – Large works best for skewering (1 lb = 21-25 count), peeled and deveined. Thaw frozen shrimp according to the package instructions.
How to Grill Shrimp
Grilled Shrimp skewers are so easy to make for a quick dinner on the grill. You can make the marinade ahead, but don’t brush the shrimp until you’re ready to cook, because the lemon juice can cause the shrimp to become rubbery if marinated too long.
- Prep – Set the grill to medium-high heat, and then place wooden skewers in water to soak for 30 minutes. This helps to keep the wood from catching fire.
- Heat the Marinade – In a saucepan on medium heat, stir butter, garlic, cajun seasoning, salt, and lemon juice until it comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat, and separate the mixture into two dishes. Set aside.
- Skewer – Thread 4 shrimp per skewer without leaving spaces between the shrimp, and then place on a rimmed cookie sheet in a single layer. Use a pastry brush to sweep the top of the shrimp with one bowl of the marinade, refrigerate for 2 minutes, and then flip and brush the other side. Refrigerate for 2 more minutes.
- Grill the shrimp on the grill grates or a grill pan with the lid closed for 2 minutes per side or just until cooked through. Use a cleaned brush to sweep the second bowl of marinade over the cooked shrimp, and serve.
Natasha Pro Tip:
You’ll know when the grilled shrimp is done when they are pink, opaque, curve slightly into a “C” shape, and register 145°F. You don’t want to overcook the shrimp, because they can become rubbery and tough.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Grilled shrimp keep well in the fridge and make for great leftovers! Make a double batch to snack the next day.
- Make ahead – You can make the marinade and refrigerate up to 24 hours in advance and reheat just before cooking.
- To Refrigerate: Keep cooled grilled shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze cooled shrimp in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge
- To Reheat: air fry or sauté the shrimp on low heat until just hot. Be careful not to overcook.
How to Serve Grilled Shrimp
This grilled shrimp recipe is the perfect protein for so many dishes, and they taste amazing the next day for leftovers. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve them:
- Rolled up as Cajun Shrimp Tacos, Lettuce Wraps, Shrimp Fajitas, or Shrimp Spring Rolls
- On top of Salads like my Wedge Salad, Shrimp Cobb Salad, or Avocado Corn Salad
- Topping Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Rice, grits, Quinoa, or polenta
- Served alongside Roasted or Grilled Vegetables, Asparagus, and Creamy Cucumber Salad, or Steak as Surf and Turf
Try these Garlic Cajun Grilled Shrimp Skewers for your next cookout! They are succulent bites of summer grilled in under 5 minutes! You’ll find endless ways to enjoy the leftovers–if you have any!
Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, or 8 Tbsp
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 Tbsp cajun spice, provides light heat; it's not too spicy
- 1/2 tsp salt, omit if using salted butter
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice, from 1/2 medium lemon
- 2 lbs large shrimp, (21-25 count*), uncooked, peeled and deveined
Instructions
- Prep – Soak 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes (reduces burning of the sticks). Preheat Grill to med/high (400˚F).
- Heat marinade – Combine all marinade ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Pour half of the mixture into a ramekin and leave the remaining marinade in the pan (You'll brush on half now and brush on the remaining marinade after the shrimp are grilled).
- Skewer 4 shrimp on each damp skewer without leaving spaces. Lay skewers flat on a rimmed cookie sheet. Brush one side of the skewered shrimp with sauce and refrigerate for 2 minutes until the butter firms up. Flip shrimp over, brush second side, and refrigerate 2 minutes until butter firms up.
- Grill – Place skewers on the hot barbecue and grill shrimp with the lid on about 2 minutes per side or just until cooked through and no longer transparent. Remove shrimp from the grill. Don't overcook or they will be rubbery. Brush on reserved sauce and serve.
Notes
*When buying large shrimp, the bag should say ’21-25 count,’ which indicates how many shrimp are in 1 lb. Storage: Cool cooked shrimp and store in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, eat cold, or reheat in the air fryer or on a skillet until just heated through.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
What if I don’t have a grill?
You can still enjoy these cajun shrimp even if it’s not grilling season. Forget the skewers and swap the grill for the air fryer, oven, or sauté pan.
- Air Fry – cook unskewered shrimp in a single layer at 400°F for 5 minutes.
- Stove – heat butter or oil on medium-high heat in a saute pan. When hot, add shrimp in a single layer, cooking 1-2 minutes per side or until pink and opaque like my Cilantro Lime Shrimp.
- Oven – Cook the shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet like I did my Baked Honey Cajun Shrimp.
More Shrimp Recipes
We love adding shrimp to the menu all year round, but especially on warm summer days. Here are a few of our favorite shrimp recipes to enjoy:
- Cilantro Lime Shrimp
- Shrimp Scampi
- Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls
- Creamy Shrimp Pasta
- Shrimp Boil Recipe
- Cheesy Garlic Shrimp Bites
- Shrimp Ceviche
- Coconut Shrimp
This was delicious. I made this shrimp twice in 3 days. Yum Yum
Wow! That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Is there anything els I can put instead of Cajun?I don’t spicy food
Hi Kate. One of our readers used BBQ instead and loved it!
Absolutely the best shrimp! We loved this recipe and wouldn’t change a thing!
That’s so great!! I’m so so happy to hear that Coleen! Thank you!
Natasha, made these last night and we devoured them. So easy and so delicious! Didn’tchange a thing. It’s a keeper! Thank you.
Sounds like you found a new favorite Kathy! Thank you for the awesome review!
Hi Natasha..as much as i love shrimp i can’t have it anymore or any shellfish due to my high cholesterol 🙁 can i swap the shrimp for boneless chicken breast;cut up in chunks? if so do i need to change/add anything to the recipe? how long do i cook them on a grilling pan inside? sorry for all the questions Natasha just making sure i get everything right 🙂 love all your recipes n have a blessed day!
Hi Rosa, I haven’t tested this recipe as chicken skewers so I won’t be able to provide exact recommendations but I think it’s worth experimenting! We usually grill chicken skewers about 12-14 minutes total but it will depend on how thickly you slice the pieces before skewering and the heat level. I would cut a piece of chicken at 12 minutes and check for doneness.
I tried this for my roommate last year for Father’s Day. He decided he was too hungry & didn’t want to wait for it to be skewed, so we just put it in the sauce & cooked it that way. It is now his favorite shrimp recipe! I tried it again with the skews & grilling it, but he doesn’t really like it that way. Whenever he wants his shrimp, he asks me to make the sauce & he couldn’t be happier. 😸
I’m happy to hear the recipe is a hit with you and your Dad! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Actually, I made it for my roommate for Father’s Day, not for my father. But I’m going to make it for Christmas for 2 outings. Can’t wait! 😸
Totally misread! I hope you like this recipe just as much for Christmas, Harlie!
Can you make these the day before and leave them in the refrigerator to marinate?
Hi Alina, I would not keep them marinated for too long since there is lemon juice in the marinade which can make shrimp tough if marinated for awhile
I haven’t tried these yet but look forward to. From all of the wonderful comments and based on my experience from making several of your recipes I know they will be great.
D
They’re popular for good reason, please let me know what you think of the recipe Diane!
Wow!!! Absolutely fantastic. Some of if not the best tasting shrimp I ever had. Recipe is spot on I didn’t change a thing. A must try recipe you will not regret. My go to from now on I’m already ready to make more. 👍👍
Awesome!!! I’m happy to hear how much you love the recipe Duane! Thanks for sharing your excellent review with other readers!
Made this for dinner tonight and loved it! Not to spicy, just the right amount of kick! Great flavor! Thank you for the recipe.
Debbie, thank you for the nice review and you are very welcome 😬
Awesome recipe! Thank you so much for sharing. Me, hubby and the 4 littles truly enjoyed it! Going shrimping tomorrow so hoping to catch at least 20 lbs more per outing (40lbs a week) and marinate/freeze ahead in your sauce. It was so yummy!
Now that is alot of shrimp! Wow!
I live in Canada where we can buy shrimp either uncooked or cooked. I printed your recipe and when I looked at the ingredients, it didn’t specify uncooked shrimp. I knew they were uncooked from the website but if I make it in a year from the printed version, I wouldn’t have known which to buy (I’m not experienced with shrimp). I’d suggest including picture of the uncooked shrimp on the cookie sheet or adding ‘uncooked’ in front of the word ‘shrimp’. Both suggestions are for the print version of the recipe.
Thank you for the tip Janice, I adjusted the recipe in both places 😬.
If its not grilling season, how would recommend cooking the shrimp?
Hi Rosella, if you have a large flat griddle or frying pan with a wide enough base, you could sear them on a skillet, or try this baked shrimp method, just be sure not to crowd the shrimp or they will not cook properly.
I tried this recipe twice and it was a hit with my family. I skipped the salt as the Cajun seasoning I have contains salt. Thanks for this recipe! 🙂
My pleasure Adeline! I am glad your family enjoys it as much as mine does!
I’m not so much of a shrimp fan, but I gotta say this is one of the best shrimp recipes I have tried! So good. Your recipes are always so flavorful and delicious. Thank you for opening up a blog, and sharing with us all of the amazing recipes!
🙂 Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment and wonderful review! It really is so encouraging! 🙂
Love!!!!!!!!!
I would like to bring this, uncooked, to a party at someone else’s house, and grill it there. I am thinking about ways to transport it involving wax paper.
Has anyone tried this successfully? How do you prevent the shrimp from sticking together?
I haven’t tried it but I think wax paper between layers should keep them from sticking. I wouldn’t keep them marinated for too long before grilling though since there is lemon juice in the marinade which can make shrimp tough if marinated for awhile
Love this. We serve with cilantro lime rice. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Mmm cilantro lime rice sounds so so good!!
Made these last weekend on the grill and they were a hit! The flavors work so well together, and the lemon provides that fresh zing. Will be making these for Memorial Day. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for that awesome review and for the idea! I think this is a great choice for Memorial Day! 🙂
Woaaaa… looking Good
Shrimp is great for different menu .. I lived in Indonesia with an abundance of marine products
How awesome to live in a place where fresh seafood is abundant!