Grilled Shrimp Kabobs – Juicy shrimp marinated in cumin, Italian seasoning, lemon, garlic, pepper flakes, and fresh herbs, then threaded with vibrant flavored veggies. This quick dinner is one explosive yet quick and easy, busy weeknight meal. And it’s easily customized!
It’s officially summer here in the U.S., and that takes me to full-blast grilling mode. So to kick off this summer, I’m sharing today a vibrant, quick, and easy shrimp skewers dinner. What else can I say? I’m the grill master here, so I get to choose what I want.
Shrimp skewers are actually a practical dinner option because they’re easy to prepare and can be cooked either on the grill or on the stovetop. Moreover, it’s not just all about shrimp coz this grilled shrimp recipe also has well-seasoned veggies to make it a more wholesome meal. Need I say more?
Content…Recipe Ingredients |
Recipe Ingredients
To get us off to a good start, let’s talk about the showstopper marinade that’s behind these vibrant and inviting shrimp kebabs. When it comes to making a marinade, I don’t skimp on the ingredients. This shrimp marinade actually packs a boatload of flavor from…
- Shrimp – The star of this show should be fresh and clean. You can use frozen; they should thaw while marinating them.
- Marinade – Oregano, thyme, black pepper, cumin, red pepper flakes, Italian seasonings, and garlic for a fresh aroma that creates lovely flavors that pair perfectly with shrimp.
- Olive Oil – Oil keeps in moisture and improves the sear besides enhancing flavor.
- Lemon Juice – This one balances the oil and seasoning with the right acidity that complements seafood.
How to Make Shrimp Kabobs
The Marinade
- Prepare Skewers – Soak skewers for at least 20 minutes totally submerged in water before using to prevent burns.
- Heat the gas grill to medium-high heat. If using grill pan, lightly spray or oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking to the pan.
- Make the Marinade – In a medium bowl, combine thyme, oregano, black pepper, cumin, garlic, pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, olive oil, and lemon juice. Set aside.
- Prepare the Shrimp – Add shrimp to a large bowl, season with salt, then marinade shrimp with the spicy mixture.
To the Grill
- The Skewers – Thread the shrimp onto the skewers, alternating between the shrimp and vegetables. Ensure the skewer’s front is fully covered with vegetables or shrimp.
- Grill – Place skewers on grill pan or gas grill. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side until vegetables are fully cooked.
- Serve warm with salad, rice, or creamy orzo.
Recipe Variations
- Jazz – This is quite simple, but if you want to jazz it up, you may also include some lemon zest, a little bit of honey, and soy sauce. Yum yum!!
- Add Some Heat – And if you think the pepper flakes aren’t hitting that heat spot for you, then, by all means, add a bit of Tabasco or any hot sauce you have on hand into the marinade. BOOM!
- Vegan Kabobs – Replace the shrimp with oyster, portabella, or shitake mushrooms.
- Fruity Twist – Add some pineapples too for that Hawaiian-inspired grilled shrimp kabob.
Pro Tip: Don’t soak the shrimp in the marinade overnight, or they’ll get mushy. A shorter marinating time works for this recipe.
FAQs
Unlike other grilled meat, shrimp cooks fairly quickly, so watch it closely. These grilled shrimp typically takes between 2-3 minutes per side on the grill – either an outdoor grill or grill pan. You can tell when they’re cooked through once they’re pink and opaque.
We don’t always have the luxury of firing up the grill. So you can cook these delicious shrimp kabobs in the oven. Simply preheat the oven to 450℉/232℃, then lightly coat the baking sheet pan with oil or nonstick spray. Place the threaded shrimp and vegetables onto the sheet and roast for 5-7 minutes, or until the shrimp is pink and the veggies are cooked.
What to Serve with Grilled Shrimp
Actually, they’re already a fun meal on their own. But if you’re making this dinner for four or hosting a backyard bbq party, you can include these other recipes below to complete your summer cookout meal.
- Jollof Rice
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob
- Vinegar Coleslaw
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
More Fabulicious Grilled Recipes to Try
Conclusion
How I love the ease of grilling shrimp kabobs! Did you know you can switch out the marinade like jerk marinade for a flavor swap? What other seasoning mixes do you like with shrimp? Let me know below. 😍
Watch How to Make It
This blog post was originally published in June 2020 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Grilled Shrimp Kabobs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled deveined
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1-2 teaspoons fresh oregano (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced (about 3 medium cloves)
- 1 teaspoon pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Optional Ingredients
- 2 bell pepper, cut in large chunks
- 1 red onion, in large slices
- 1 zucchini, in large slice
- 1 squash, in large slice
Instructions
- Soak skewers for at least 20 minutes, totally submerged in water before using them to prevent burns.
- Heat the gas grill to medium-high heat. If using a grill pan, lightly spray or oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking to the pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine thyme, oregano, black pepper, cumin, garlic, pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, olive oil, and lemon juice. Set aside.
- Add shrimp to a large bowl, season with salt, then marinade shrimp with the spicy mixture.
- Use some marinade to rub on the vegetables, then salt to taste.
- Thread the shrimp onto the skewers, alternating between the shrimp and vegetables. Make sure the front of the skewer is covered with vegetables or shrimp.
- Place the skewers on a grill pan or gas grill.
- Grill for 2-3 minutes per side until vegetables are fully cooked.
- Serve warm with salad, rice, or creamy orzo.
Tips & Notes:
- Can You Use Frozen Shrimp? Yes, you sure can. No need to defrost shrimp when doing so. Just make sure they are already deveined.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Karen Kelly says
I made this for my family and they just went crazy. It was soooooo good
Imma says
Wonderful! Thank you so much for the feedback:)
Linda Pelz says
This was really good, I used Mushrooms instead of onion, as mom is not a big onion eater
Imma says
Great, you can substitute side ingredients as per you choice, Thank you:)
Gina says
Perfectly seasoned summer meal! I added another bell pepper and more onion to keep my skewer pattern going. Also subbed several parboiled carrots for zucchini because I was out. Served with sliced, grilled sweet potato that I had coated with leftover marinade and watermelon.
Gina says
Oh, and I brushed lightly with lime butter after grilling.
Imma says
Hmm, thanks for sharing!
Imma says
Greatt!!! Thank you for sharing with me. I am happy to see it goes well for you. Stay tuned for more amazing summer meal recipes 🙂
lois says
will this work with combo of shrimp and swordfish steak cubed?
Imma says
That sounds really good. As long as the swordfish steak is cubed in a similar size to your shrimp, it should work fine.
Susan Sabin says
Made this WONDERFUL recipe for Labor Day…OMG What a hit. I gave no one the recipe..lol. It’s was really good. Bushed with Garlic Butter at the end. Sooo Good.
Azucena González says
Very delicious, today maked this recipe and I loved, thank you for sharing
Immaculate Bites says
Thank you for dropping by and trying my recipe, Azucena! 🙂
Ronna and Boleathea says
We made this with a few teaks delicious
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for the feedback! Glad it worked out well for you
Cathy says
Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!!
Immaculate Bites says
And thank you for making this, Cathy! 🙂
Gina Robinson says
Made this for my husbands birthday. He loved it so much.
Immaculate Bites says
That’s sweet! Happy birthday to your husband, Gina! Thank you for making this recipe 🙂
Talitha Williams says
I love 6his recipe. All the recipes I’ve made from africanbites.com are so good.
Immaculate Bites says
Thank you so much, Talitha! 🙂
Tha’ Martins says
My wife and I made this recipe today! Because,We both work at different times. So to keep from cooking a big dinner we decided to have a lite meal tonight. Thank You for sharing this.
Immaculate Bites says
You are welcome! I’m happy that this recipe helped you and your wife still have a perfect meal to enjoy together 🙂
Sophia Collie says
I love this recipe
ImmaculateBites says
Glad you do.
Ann says
This was a huge hit. So yummy I didn’t include any salt just increased the Italian seasoning. I’m going to try the marinade on steak.
imma africanbites says
Yaay! I’m so happy it turned out great for you.
Sandra says
Looks amazing!
ImmaculateBites says
Tastes amazing too 🙂 !
Kathleen Seesahai says
Can you use raw shrimp? Not sure why it asks for cooked shrimp
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Kathleen. Raw shrimp is used for this recipe. Looking forward to you trying it out .
Norbert Voss says
You kill me