Grilled shrimp are one of the best ways to cook them! It’s easy and it comes out juicy and perfectly seasoned. Add breadcrumbs for an irresistible crunch!
Just as we have our favorite way to cook shrimp, another one comes along! And the Grilled shrimp is out of this world good. When we did, I couldn’t help but offer my praise for it. “Wow!” kept slipping out of my mouth and I immediately texted my best friend and mom to share the recipe. Then you know it’s a goalkeeper. These grilled shrimp are tender, juicy, and so quick to cook. You don’t even have to preheat the oven! It’s perfectly seasoned with garlic and lemon. Make it with or without breadcrumbs, which adds the perfect crunch. You must try this!
Don’t have a BBQ? Switch to Easy Baked Shrimp (same method in the oven).
How to make grilled shrimp: a few tips!
These grilled shrimp are so quick and easy, they’ve become our new favorite method (this and our Stovetop Ssimp). The beauty of these grilled shrimp over our baked shrimp is that you don’t even have to wait for the oven to preheat. Just throw in and cook for 3-5 minutes. It’s so easy you hardly have to think. Here are the basic steps:
- Use any type of shrimp. Frozen or fresh works! The tail looks nice but isn’t necessary if you don’t like the extra step.
- Grill for 3-5 minutes until opaque! This depends on the size of the shrimp, so keep an eye on them.
- Rotate the pan for even cooking. Some broilers can be uneven (ours is!), so tossing the pan will help brown the shrimp evenly.
The breadcrumbs are optional (but so delicious!)
This grilled shrimp recipe tastes delicious with breadcrumbs! It gives the perfect crispy crunch and nuanced flavor. But it’s just as delicious without the topping. This makes the recipe easier and also gluten-free.
If you use breadcrumbs, here are some notes about breadcrumbs:
- Use homemade whenever possible. We followed the How to Make Breadcrumbs recipe, which makes wonderfully fresh and crunchy crumbs. We also added the Italian seasonings listed in the recipe, but no salt. Homemade breadcrumbs are much tastier than store-bought, so we highly recommend this option.
- If you’re using store-bought ones, try to find plain or salt-free ones. Try to find regular breadcrumbs. That means no salt is added!
- Or adjust the salt in the recipe accordingly. If you can only find store-bought breadcrumbs with salt, adjust the salt in the recipe. We recommend adding about half of the specified salt.
Spice variations for grilled shrimp
This grilled shrimp recipe is Mediterranean-style: it uses lemon, garlic, oregano, onion powder, and lemon for the spices. It’s so delicious we’ll probably always make this version! But if you want to vary the vibe of these grilled shrimp, do it! Here are a few ideas:
- The feta falls apart. Leave out the breadcrumbs. Top with feta for a Mediterranean or Greek vibe.
- lime coriander. Substitute cumin for oregano and lime for lemon juice. (See also Cilantro Lime Shrimp.)
- curry powder or curry paste. Amplify the flavors by adding curry powder or curry paste to taste (skip the oregano).
How to thaw frozen shrimp
You can use either frozen shrimp or fresh shrimp for these grilled shrimp: either way, it’s just as good! In fact, frozen shrimp can sometimes be even fresher if frozen as they are caught. The only difficult thing about frozen shrimp is… you have to take the time to thaw them! Here are some options depending on when you think about it:
- The previous day: If you plan ahead, simply place the frozen shrimp in the fridge overnight.
- day of: Place frozen shrimp in a large bowl of very cold water. Shake the bowl every 5 minutes to break up clumps of frozen shrimp. Shrimp should be defrosted in about 15 minutes.
What to serve with grilled shrimp
There’s so much you can accessorize with these delicious grilled shrimp to make a meal! Here are some of our favorite side dishes with shrimp:
- Steamed or Sauteed Vegetables: To make this a really quick meal, add one of these quick side dishes: lemon peas, sautéed mushrooms, sautéed broccoli, sautéed spinach, lemon herb cauliflower, sautéed chard, or sautéed kale.
- Full grain: Add pesto quinoa, herb farro, rice or couscous.
- Salad: Pair with a tossed salad, celery salad, antipasti salad, coleslaw, Mexican salad, light arugula salad, kale salad, hash salad, or the perfect Italian salad.
This recipe for grilled shrimp is…
Pescetarian and gluten-free (just as good without breadcrumbs!). Gluten-free breadcrumbs are also easy to find.
The description
Grilled shrimp are one of the best ways to cook them! It’s easy and it comes out juicy and perfectly seasoned. Add breadcrumbs for an irresistible crunch!
- 1 large prawns, deveined (with or without tails)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt*
- ½ cup Breadcrumbs (optional; homemade* or regular store-bought breadcrumbs)
- lemon slices
- Chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish
- Preheat grill.
- If frozen, thaw the shrimp.
- Dry the shrimp.
- Chop the garlic. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the olive oil, garlic, oregano, onion powder, and kosher salt*. Mix until fully combined. If using breadcrumbs, add and toss until all of the shrimp are coated.
- Lay the shrimp in an even layer on a baking sheet. (You can add a few extra breadcrumbs if there are spots that won’t stick to the shrimp.) Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil until juicy and opaque, about 3 to 6 minutes and is opaque. Turn the turntable as needed for even cooking.
- Drizzle with fresh lemon juice from lemon wedges, sprinkle with chopped parsley or coriander and serve immediately.
Remarks
*If possible, preferably homemade breadcrumbs! Make sure the breadcrumbs are of a fine texture so they stick to the shrimp. If you’re using store-bought breadcrumbs, make sure they’re unsalted. If they are salty, adjust the amount of salt in the recipe to use less (start with half). Note that the nutritional information below is without breadcrumbs.
- Category: main course
- Method: Goal
- Kitchen: seafood
- Diet: few calories
More best shrimp recipes!
Shrimp are a great choice for a healthy meal when eating seafood. Here are some of our favorite healthy shrimp recipes:
