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Dressed in a simple honey sesame marinade, these grilled shrimp skewers are an easy and healthy dinner recipe that’s ready in minutes! The kid-friendly meal is a great prep-ahead option for busy summer nights.
My boys can be “choosy” when it comes to grilled seafood, so when I find a nutritious, satisfying and delicious recipe that they enjoy, I do a happy dance and add it to my list of must-share meals!
This kid-approved dinner is perfect for a warm summer evening when you can stand by the grill, enjoy the weather and the longer days, and take advantage of the seasonal produce growing in local gardens. Plus, meals on sticks are just fun!
How to make Grilled Shrimp:
First, start with an easy Asian-inspired marinade. Just whisk together the following ingredients:
- Soy sauce
- Honey
- Sesame oil
- Olive oil
- Green onion
- Rice vinegar
Add the raw shrimp to the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes (or up to 3 hours).
While the shrimp marinate, chop the bell peppers and onion.
Next, thread the shrimp onto wooden skewers and the vegetables onto separate wooden skewers.
Then transfer reserved marinade to a small saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking constantly for about 2 minutes. Once you’ve cooked the marinade, you can safely use it to baste your shrimp and vegetables while they’re on the grill.
Grill the kabobs over high heat for a total of about 3-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. I like to keep the vegetables on separate skewers because they often take a few minutes longer than the shrimp. Don’t forget to baste the shrimp and vegetables while they cook for even more flavor!
What to serve with Grilled Shrimp:
Since this marinade has an Asian flare, I like to serve the skewers with rice (or riced cauliflower if you prefer a grain-free option). Garnish with sliced green onion, and you’ve got a complete, delicious meal ready to go!
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Soak wooden skewers in water to prevent them from burning on the grill.
- Keep the shrimp and the vegetables on separate skewers, since the shrimp often cook faster than the vegetables.
- This recipe calls for Jumbo shrimp. If using smaller shrimp, they will require a shorter cooking time.
- If you’re not fond of seafood, feel free to substitute with chicken or beef on your kabobs instead.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes or Sriracha hot sauce to the marinade to make a spicy grilled shrimp recipe.
- Cook the skewers on an indoor grill pan if you’d rather not use an outdoor grill. You can also broil the kabobs in the oven by placing them on a sheet pan that has been lined with foil and sprayed with nonstick spray. Place the skewers under the broiler for a total of 3-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Baste the shrimp and vegetables as they cook.
- Cooking for a larger family? Double all of the ingredients to prepare 2 pounds of shrimp and additional vegetables. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
- 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. Overdone shrimp will get tough, so they will likely only require about 3-5 minutes total over high heat.
- Is it better to grill shrimp with the shell on or off? 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.
- Can you grill cooked shrimp? I don’t recommend grilling pre-cooked shrimp. This will likely overcook the shrimp, resulting in a rubbery or tough finished product.
- Can you grill frozen shrimp? I almost always use frozen shrimp for this recipe, but I always thaw the shrimp before marinating. Thaw the shrimp in the refrigerator overnight, or 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)!
More easy shrimp recipes that you might enjoy:
- Easy Shrimp Creole
- Grilled Honey Lime Shrimp
- Sheet Pan New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp
- 20-Minute Sheet Pan Shrimp Tacos
Honey Sesame Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb. raw, peeled, deveined Jumbo shrimp (16-20 count/lb.)
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced green onion, plus extra for garnish
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, olive oil, green onion, and rice vinegar. Place shrimp in bowl with marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (but not more than 3 hours).
- While the shrimp is in the refrigerator, soak wooden skewers in water (this will prevent them from burning on the grill later).
- Remove shrimp from bowl, but reserve marinade.
- Thread shrimp onto wooden skewers. Thread chopped vegetables onto separate wooden skewers.
- In a small saucepan, boil marinade for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly.
- Grill the shrimp and vegetables over high heat for a total of about 3-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Baste the shrimp and vegetables with the cooked marinade while they’re on the grill. The shrimp is done when it turns pink and is opaque. The vegetables are done when they reach the desired level of tenderness.
Notes
- Soak wooden skewers in water to prevent them from burning on the grill.
- Keep the shrimp and the vegetables on separate skewers, since the shrimp often cook faster than the vegetables.
- This recipe calls for Jumbo shrimp. If using smaller shrimp, they will require a shorter cooking time.
- If you’re not fond of seafood, feel free to substitute with chicken or beef on your kabobs instead.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes or Sriracha hot sauce to the marinade to make a spicy grilled shrimp recipe.
- Cook the skewers on an indoor grill pan if you’d rather not use an outdoor grill. You can also broil the kabobs in the oven by placing them on a sheet pan that has been lined with foil and sprayed with nonstick spray. Place the skewers under the broiler for a total of 3-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Baste the shrimp and vegetables as they cook.
- Cooking for a larger family? Double all of the ingredients to prepare 2 pounds of shrimp and additional vegetables. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
- 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. Overdone shrimp will get tough, so they will likely only require about 3-5 minutes total over high heat.
- Is it better to grill shrimp with the shell on or off? 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.
- Can you grill cooked shrimp? I don't recommend grilling pre-cooked shrimp. This will likely overcook the shrimp, resulting in a rubbery or tough finished product.
- Can you grill frozen shrimp? I almost always use frozen shrimp for this recipe, but I always thaw the shrimp before marinating. Thaw the shrimp in the refrigerator overnight, or 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)!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in June, 2013. It was updated in July, 2019.