Grilled Citrus Basil Shrimp comes together quickly with a few simple ingredients! Lemon and lime juice are combined with garlic and olive oil, marinading the shrimp to give it a citrus punch. Fresh basil and oregano add herby flavor. Be sure to marinade the shrimp no longer than 30 minutes to an hour or else the shrimp will actually begin to cook, potentially breaking down the texture!
Next, soak your wooden skewers to ensure they do not burn during grilling. Once shrimp is marinated, you simply need to thread the shrimp onto your skewers, throw them onto the grill for a few minutes per side and done!
Buying Fresh Shrimp Tips
When buying your shrimp, it’s always best to use fresh shrimp for the best flavor if possible. Try to go to a seafood counter you trust to ensure maximum freshness. The worst scenario is to drive home from the store only to find that your shrimp smells old and fishy!
Some seafood counters, such as Whole Foods, actually will shell and devein your shrimp for you upon request. This is a fantastic service they provide for free, so do not feel shy to ask. They are all trained to peel and devein shrimp. Simply let them know if you prefer to keep the tail on or not. If others are waiting at the counter, you may need to give them a little extra time to prepare your order. You can simply shop around the store for a few more minutes until they are finished. However, you can also easily clean your shrimp on your own too. This can be done manually with a knife or with a shrimper gadget (aka shrimp deveiner).
Grilled Citrus Basil Shrimp pairs well with Cherry, Date & Almond Couscous and Watermelon, Feta & Arugula Salad for some additional Mediterranean flavors! It also goes well with Mexican side dishes as well!
Grilled Citrus Basil Shrimp
Equipment
- 4-6 Wooden skewers
- 1 Pyrex or other marinade dish
- 1 Lemon/lime squeezer, optional
- Long dish for skewers
- Outdoor grill or grill pan
- 1 Grill tongs
- 1 Sheet pan
- 1 Serving tray
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Large Shrimp, 8-12 count, peeled and deveined
- 1 Lemon
- 1 Lime
- 2 cloves Fresh garlic
- 1/4 cup Fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tbsp. Olive oil, extra virgin
- 1/4 tsp. Dry Oregano
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Soak wooden skewers in water in an appropriate length dish, in order to minimize sticks from burning on the grill. Set aside.
- Remove shrimp from packaging. Be sure that shrimp is deveined and outer shells are removed. Rinse shrimp over cold water. Pat dry.
- In a separate dish, combine juice of one lemon, one lime, olive oil, fresh basil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix with a small whisk or fork to combine. Add in shrimp and swish around to coat with marinade. You will see shrimp beginning to turn pink in some areas once it sits in the citrus. Marinate for 30 minutes in refrigerator but not more than one hour to avoid citrus breaking down shrimp.
- Preheat outdoor grill (if using grill pan wait until ready to begin cooking). Remove wooden skewers from water and pat dry. Begin threading shrimp onto skewers (about 3 per skewer, depending on size of skewer). Be sure to leave some space in between each shrimp to allow for even cooking. Place skewers on a sheet pan covered with foil and head to the grill. Using tongs, place skewers onto grill. Cook shrimp on each side around 5 minutes. You will see shrimp turning pink and begin to curl. Shrimp is ready once fully curled and some light golden grill marks are visible. Transfer to a serving platter. Enjoy!
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