Easy Lemon Garlic Grilled Shrimp
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This easy lemon garlic grilled shrimp is light, fresh, and packed with flavor. The shrimp marinates quickly and cooks on the grill in just a few minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or summer meals.
This easy lemon garlic grilled shrimp is one of those recipes I make on repeat when I want something light, fresh, and packed with flavor without a lot of prep. The shrimp marinates quickly in a simple lemon garlic mixture and cooks on the grill in just a few minutes.
Isaac and I love grilling in the summer, and shrimp is always at the top of my list. I already have grilled shrimp skewers on the blog, but this is my go-to basic grilled shrimp recipe when I want something versatile. I love serving it with rice and veggies, tossing it into pasta, or adding it to a salad (like my caesar salad with shrimp) for an easy, protein-packed meal.
“This was so good! The lemon and garlic marinade worked perfectly. I added extra cayenne for spice and served as tacos. Thanks!”
Why I Love This Grilled Shrimp Recipe
- Quick and easy: The shrimp marinates in just 10 to 15 minutes and cooks on the grill in about 5 minutes, making this a perfect option for busy weeknights.
- Simple lemon garlic marinade: A combination of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and Italian seasoning gives the shrimp tons of flavor without overpowering it.
- Versatile and meal-friendly: Serve this grilled shrimp with grains and vegetables, add it to salads or pasta, or use it in wraps and tacos for an easy, protein-packed meal.
Ingredients Needed
- raw shrimp – large or extra large peeled, deveined and rinsed shrimp are best for grilling. The size is large enough to not fall through grill grates but small enough to be tender and juicy. I usually pick the shrimp up from the seafood counter or a local seafood shop. If needed, the shrimp can be previously frozen.
- lemon juice – the acidity helps break down the shrimp and tenderize it.
- olive oil – this helps infuse the flavors into the shrimp and prevents it from sticking to the grill.
- garlic – to give added depth of flavor to the marinade.
- Italian seasoning – use a store bought mix, or make your own by combining dried basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme in equal portions.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Grilled Shrimp
Step 1: Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, pepper and cayenne (if using) in a small bowl. Add shrimp and marinate for 10-15 minutes.
Step 2: Place shrimp on preheated grill and cook until pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve hot with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Tips for the Best Grilled Shrimp
- Use the right shrimp: Use large or extra large shrimp to make them easier to turn on the grill and to ensure they don’t fall through the grates. Also, I recommend grabbing peeled and deveined shrimp to make your life easier!
- Don’t over-marinate shrimp: If you prepare the marinade ahead of time, don’t toss the shrimp in until 10-15 minutes before you’re ready to grill. Shrimp can “break down” and get mushy if it marinates too long.
- Clean shrimp: Rinse shrimp thoroughly before grilling. Run under cold water to remove any debris, shells, etc. Pat dry.
- Don’t overcook: Overcooking will result in rubbery, tough shrimp! Be sure to remove shrimp from the grill just as soon as it turns pink.
How to Serve Grilled Shrimp
This is such a great recipe because you can easily add it to pasta or greens for some added protein and it pairs with so many different sides! I love serving it with a grain and vegetables but feel free to switch it up. Here are some ideas:
- Salad options: Pair this grilled shrimp with salads like this garlicky kale salad, easy quinoa salad or use shrimp instead of chicken in this grilled chicken salad.
- With veggies: I love all the roasted veggies! Some of my favorites are roasted sweet potatoes, roasted summer squash and zucchini, easy roasted carrots and sautéed green beans.
- For taco night: You add it to tortillas for grilled shrimp tacos or shrimp fajitas. Or toss this shrimp in a lettuce wrap with extra veggies and your favorite sauce.
How to Store Leftovers
It’s very important to properly store shrimp before and after grilling them. Follow these guidelines for safely storing shrimp:
- Refrigerator: 1-2 days raw, 3-4 days grilled
- Freezer: 3-6 months raw, 3 months grilled
To reheat grilled shrimp from frozen: Thaw in the fridge and use within 3–4 days before reheating. Do not refreeze once frozen and thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shrimp is done cooking when it’s an opaque white with pops of red or pink and it’s curled into a C shape. It should only take 2-3 minutes per side to cook your shrimp!
Marinate shrimp for the time stated in the recipe. Because shrimp is so tender, marinating typically takes minutes compared to other proteins, and the more acidic a marinade is the less time you will need. It’s important not to over-marinate or your shrimp will become mushy!
They can be if you’d like! Threading shrimp on skewers before grilling may make them easier to turn. Just keep in mind that it takes more time to thread onto skewers, and wooden skewers need to be soaked first so they don’t catch fire on the grill. I suggest following my recipe for grilled shrimp skewers.
You can definitely use frozen shrimp for this recipe, but I recommend thawing before tossing them in the marinade and grilling. Ideally, you want shrimp to be fully thawed and as dry as possible to effectively soak up as much of the flavorful marinade as possible.
If you are planning ahead, simply place frozen shrimp in the refrigerator overnight. If you forget, you can also place frozen shrimp in a large bowl of cold water the day of and depending on the size of the shrimp, it should defrost in about 15-20 minutes. Just remember to rinse and pat dry before marinating and grilling.
More Shrimp Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Lemon Garlic Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb. large or extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Cayenne pepper, optional
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Fire up your grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Mix lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl.2 teaspoons lemon juice, 2 Tablespoon olive oil, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, Cayenne pepper
- Add shrimp and toss to combine. Let shrimp marinate for 10-15 minutes.1 lb. large or extra large shrimp
- Place shrimp directly onto the grill and cook until pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and serve hot with lemon wedges to squeeze over shrimp.Lemon wedges
Notes
- Storage: Store grilled shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. For longer storage, freeze cooked shrimp for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating and do not refreeze once thawed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
This was so good! The lemon and garlic marinade worked perfectly. I added extra cayenne for spice and served as tacos. Thanks!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Alex! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it.
Really delicious recipe
I am so happy that you enjoyed this recipe, Chris! Thank you for your star rating + review, I appreciate it!