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
WOW!!!! WHAT A TREAT..THANKS FOR SHARING
Hi Natasha, would these be good dipped in your homemade cocktail sauce by chance?
Hi Julie, we love them as is, but I bet that would work well together! I hope you love it.
Hello, yes I imagine that will work! Enjoy!
Awesome!! Fantastic flavor and easy to prepare. These will definitely become a regular pairing with our grilled steaks.
The ABSOLUTE best. Your recipes always make us look like fabulous home chefs. Is there a calorie count hidden somewhere in this recipe? Thanks for making grilling seem easy.
I’m so glad to hear that you love this recipe! As for the nutritional info, we’ll update and add those in the recipe. You may check again at a later time.
I have one recommendation that is not in the recipe. Melt the butter and cook the garlic first, then add the lemon juice. Any other way will result in the garlic turning blue raspberry blue once it comes in contact with the lemon juice. I don’t understand why this happens but blue garlic does not look appetizing. That aside, this recipe is delicious even if you use a pan because you don’t have a grill.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Julianne.
Such an incredibly good and easy recipe! We had to go to several stores to find the McCormick spice but it was definitely worth it. I ran out of the sauce so didn’t have any left to baste the cooked shrimp but it didn’t need it anyway.
Also 12 skewers with 4 shrimps on each that’s 48 shrimp, recipe says 2 lb 21-25.
Do I double the sauce to get 12 skewers?
Hi Tanya, sorry that wasn’t super clear. When buying large shrimp, the bag should say, large 21-25 count shrimp which indicates the size of the shrimp and that you will have about 21-25 count shrimp per pound. So, 2 pounds would have double that amount.
Many comments say don’t marinade for too long, how long is too long?
I’m making this for a party at someone’s house. Hoping I can marinade for at least an hour.
I wouldn’t marinade them for too long, 30 minutes should be alright.
I just made this today. We love shrimp, so I gave it a try. I prepared as directed with a tsp. each of Old Bay and Lemon Pepper. We loved it! It’s too hot here, so I made it outside on the grill. 5 min each side and served. I’m glad I found you here, will try many of your recepies.
Hi Doug! Thank you so much for sharing. I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy.
I made these exactly like the recipe said, but I cooked them on my Blackstone griddle. They were fantastic and so, so easy! When the shrimp skewers were done, I toasted a few bread slices in the butter sauce remaining on the griddle, and served them on the side. Absolutely delicious!!
So glad to hear that you loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing that with us, Liz.
Fantastic recipe! They were delicious and can’t wait to make them again. Thanks!!
Hi Rita! Thank you for trying the recipe. I’m glad you loved it.
Hello Natasha,
Question, can you make this recipe with an air fryer? I’m new with the air fryer. Do you have recipes for air fryer? I love your recipes and I do make it. Hubby loves it too.
Hi Ann! I have not tested this with an air fryer to advise. I’m sure it can be done but you’d need to experiment with it.
You can find all my air fryer recipes at the top of the page, click on “recipes” and then you can search by method- air fryer. I hope that helps.
I’ve made the grilled shrimp with butter, garlic, lemon and dill. yummy
Have made these several times for my wife and myself as well as for friends. Everybody thinks these are just the best.
My main comment is buy wild caught shrimp instead of the stuff that comes from contaminated ponds in S.E. Asia. Wild caught are cleaner and better tasting.
I’m so glad you all enjoyed this recipe, Doug! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
What kind of Cajun seasoning does everybody use I can’t remember the name of the one I used on other dishes but it was way too salty would love to try these with a good Cajun seasoning that wasn’t too salty thanks
I used Mccormick, the picture is in the recipe too.
This is our family favorite recipe for shrimp! I have also tweaked it alittle and just make skillet shrimp as well! Delicious!
That is the best when the family loves what we parents make. That’s so great!
Hi Natasha!
Is there a way to make this in the oven? It’s cold & wet here right now and no one wants to grill outside. Still would like to make this for company.
Hi Natalia, we have a baked shrimp recipe here. I think you could use this same recipe and just follow the baking instructions here.
Made this last night for a dinner with my mother-in-law and her husband and everyone loved it! This is absolutely delicious and so easy. Definitely a make again recipe.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Rae!
Can you just marinate them for a few hours in the sauce instead of skewering it and brushing them on?
I think that will work too. If you try that, please share with us how it goes.
I wouldn’t marinate them for too long, as the citrus in the marinade will start cooking the shrimp, as in ceviche.
Natasha, this looks great! Could you please clarify the amount of unsalted butter. 8 T is one stick. 1/2 cup is 2 sticks. Thank yy
Hi Randi, I usually use this Ingredient Weight Chart as a guide.
1/2 cup is 8 tbsp = 1 stick
1/2 cup is one stick of butter
That is correct. The way the recipe card was formatted, it looks a little confusing. It’s 1 stick or 8 Tbsp of butter.
I don’t think I’ve EVER left a review on a recipe of any kind (despite loving maaaany!) but I had to with this one because it’s the first shrimp recipe I’ve tried and fell ABSOLUTELY in love with!!
This is my first recipe of yours I’ve tried and I can’t wait to try more!
That butter sauce is not only AH-MAZING, but your technique of letting it solidify on the shrimp is a game changer to help get the flavors to stick!
So glad I’ve discovered this shrimp recipe, and you!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!