Marinated grilled shrimp are the perfect easy, healthy dinner for warm weather months! With honey, lime juice, garlic, and olive oil, this grilled shrimp marinade comes together in just 10 minutes for a fresh, flavorful, and simple meal.
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If you love shrimp recipes, be sure to try my mom’s Southern shrimp and grits recipe, these 15-minute honey garlic shrimp, this blackened shrimp, this shrimp and vegetable stir fry, these zesty Mexican shrimp, a pan of flavorful baked Italian shrimp, and this garlic and rosemary broiled shrimp, too!
How to Make Marinated Grilled Shrimp | 1-Minute Video
OMG is this fantastic! I am a 5th generation Floridian and I know good seafood when I taste it. Fabulous, love the sweetness of the honey and the savory of the Worcestershire sauce with the zing of limes. Total keeper.
– Cass
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Flavorful. Thanks to a perfectly balanced grilled shrimp marinade that includes olive oil, lime juice, honey, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce, you get a delicious, complex meal with a blend of sweet, savory, and umami flavors.
- Quick. Since the shrimp is already so tender, it only needs about 20 minutes in the marinade, making this an ideal supper for busy evenings. Just don’t leave the shrimp in the marinade for too long, or you’ll end up with mushy seafood.
- Easy. Shake together the easy shrimp marinade, let the shrimp soak in all of the flavor, and then grill them or broil them for 3-5 minutes. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need to make the best shrimp marinade recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Shrimp: peeled and deveined. I like jumbo or extra-large shrimp, but any size will work. I typically use frozen shrimp that I thaw in the refrigerator overnight before marinating. For a quick-thaw method, place the frozen shrimp in a colander and run under cold water until thawed (this will only take a few minutes). I don’t recommend grilling pre-cooked shrimp. This will likely overcook the shrimp, resulting in a rubbery or tough finished product.
- Lime juice: a fresh burst of acidic tang that helps tenderize the shrimp and add tons of flavor to the marinade. Swap out the lime juice and use freshly-squeezed lemon juice instead if you prefer. And for an even stronger lime flavor, grate some lime zest (or lemon zest) directly into the marinade. You can also add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice over the cooked shrimp, too.
- Garlic: for even more savory flavor.
- Olive oil: the base of the marinade.
- Fresh parsley: for a bright, colorful touch and taste. Add other fresh herbs to the marinade if you like. Good options include rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, cilantro, and chives.
- Worcestershire sauce: adds a bit of savory, umami flavor to the marinade. Low sodium soy sauce is a fine substitute.
- Honey: for sweetness. The sugars in the honey also caramelize and help to achieve a nice char on the shrimp.
- Salt and Pepper: to enhance the other ingredients in the dish.
Directions
The best shrimp marinade for grilling comes together quickly and easily! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview with a few of my notes:
- Shake or whisk together the grilled shrimp marinade.
- Place the shrimp in a large Ziploc bag or bowl.
- Pour the marinade over the shrimp and toss to coat. Seal or cover, place in the refrigerator, and marinate for at least 20 minutes (but not more than 2-3 hours).
- Remove shrimp from the bag or bowl and discard the marinade.
- Thread the shrimp onto skewers.
- Grill the shrimp on a grill pan, gas grill, or charcoal grill over high heat for a total of 3-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. I always grill the shrimp with the shell off. This allows the marinade to directly flavor the shrimp, and it makes it easier to eat the shrimp once they’re cooked — no peeling at the table. You’ll know the shrimp are done when they turn pink. And if you don’t have access to an outdoor grill, feel free to cook the shrimp indoors by using a grill pan that’s preheated over high heat on the stove top or by placing them under the broiler.
- Remove the shrimp from the skewers and place on a serving platter or bowl. Garnish with fresh parsley and lime wedges, and enjoy!
Spectacular! I made this for an afternoon wedding reception and the crowd went wild.
– Lorinda
Serving Suggestions
Serve the marinated grilled shrimp alongside a crusty French baguette, Cheddar Bay biscuits, no-knead cast iron focaccia, Southern potato salad, Charleston red rice, our favorite Southern macaroni salad, shrimp pasta salad, a Hawaiian pasta salad, or an apple Snickers salad. For a veggie side dish, you might like a Southern Caesar salad, baked ratatouille, a broccoli grape salad, this cucumber tomato onion salad, Southern succotash, roasted yellow squash, or corn on the cob in the oven. Then, finish with a Bisquick peach cobbler for dessert!
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Marinate the shrimp in the fridge for at least 15-20 minutes, but not more than about 2-3 hours. The acid (lime juice) in this marinade will cause the shrimp to become rubbery or mushy if they’re left in the marinade for too long.
- Leftover shrimp will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To extend the life of the shrimp, you can wrap it tightly and keep it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Use the leftover grilled shrimp in shrimp rolls, in shrimp tacos, on a Greek salad, or in Aunt Bee’s shrimp pasta salad.
Tips for Success
- To feed a smaller family, cut all of the ingredients in half and marinate just 1 lb. of shrimp.
- If using wooden skewers, soak the skewers in water for a couple of hours before threading the shrimp. This will prevent the wood from burning on the grill.
- Shrimp cook very quickly, so keep a close eye on them and remove them from the grill as soon as they’re done. You know that they’re ready when they turn pink and opaque.
- Season the shrimp with kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste after it comes off of the grill.
- Make it spicy by adding cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to the marinade. Smoked paprika is also a nice addition!
Out of this world delicious! One of the best marinades I’ve ever tried. Just the right bit of everything!
– Pam F.
More Grilled Shrimp Recipes to Try
Lemon Garlic Grilled Shrimp Recipe
45 minutes mins
Honey Lime Grilled Shrimp
50 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
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Watch How to Make It
Marinated Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients
FOR THE MARINADE
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch of ground black pepper
FOR SERVING
- 2 lbs. raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp (I use extra large or jumbo shrimp)
- Optional garnish: fresh lime wedges and additional chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a jar with a lid, combine all of the marinade ingredients. Shake until completely combined.
- Place shrimp in a large zip-top bag or bowl. Pour the marinade in the bag with the shrimp. Seal the top of the bag and place shrimp in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 15-20 minutes (but not more than 2 or 3 hours).
- Remove shrimp from the bag and discard the marinade. Thread shrimp onto skewers and grill over high heat for 3-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. If you prefer, you can also broil the shrimp on a sheet pan in the oven for about 3-5 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Garnish with fresh lime wedges and additional chopped parsley.
Notes
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- I recommend marinating the shrimp for at least 15-20 minutes, but not more than 2-3 hours. The acid (lime juice) in this marinade will cause the shrimp to become rubbery or mushy if they’re left in the marinade for too long.
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- If using wooden skewers, it’s important to soak the skewers in water for a couple of hours before threading the shrimp. This will prevent the wood from burning on the grill.
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- Shrimp cook very quickly, so keep a close eye on them and remove them from the grill as soon as they’re done. You know that they’re ready when they turn pink and opaque.
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- Season the shrimp with kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste after it comes off of the grill.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in June, 2017. It was updated in May, 2024.
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