The best part? My grilled shrimp kabob recipe includes a secret technique to get evenly cooked veggies and shrimp every time. Say goodbye to botched grilling attempts, and say hello to foolproof eats with this easy summer dish!
Can’t Get Enough of Shrimp?
If you are like me, a fan of quick and easy shrimp dinners, here are a few more shrimp recipes to inspire you:
Evenly cook your shrimp and veggie skewers every time using a simple, ingenious grilling recipe/technique I learned from folks over at America’s Test Kitchen. This dish combines the mouthwatering flavors of garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs for a visually impressive presentation using one simple ingredient: my easy shrimp marinade!
Shrimp Kabob Seasoning: For the shrimp kabob marinade, combine olive oil, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, honey, minced garlic, paprika, red pepper flakes, parsley, salt, and black pepper. If preferred, add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Shrimp: You’ll need 1 lb. of large or jumbo shrimp that has been peeled and deveined. While I prefer the larger shrimp (16-20 count), you can make this recipe using 21-25 count as well. If you are using frozen shrimp, thaw it before marinating it.
Mushrooms: To ensure even cooking, I recommend using baby bella mushrooms (also called cremini mushrooms) that are equal in size as much as possible. If they are too big then cut them to make them to make sure they are equal in size. I also recommend cutting the stems to provide an even/uniform surface on the skewer while grilling it. Peppers: Select 1 ½ large red or yellow bell peppers. These peppers should be stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces that approximate the size of your mushrooms.
When making shrimp shish kabobs on the grill, remember that shrimp cooks very quickly—much more quickly than vegetables.To ensure even cooking, folks over at America’s Test Kitchen suggest pre-cooking the vegetables in the microwave for a few minutes. This way, they are semi-cooked and softened by the time they hit the grill. As a result, they are fully cooked by the time the shrimp is perfectly grilled.
Microwave Vegetables
Prepare the plates: Line two microwave-safe plates with paper towels. Cook the bell peppers: On one plate, spread a single layer of the chopped bell peppers. Microwave the peppers on high for 2 minutes, then set them aside to cool. Cook the mushrooms: On the other plate, spread an even layer of the mushrooms. Microwave the mushrooms on high for 3 minutes, then set them aside to cool.
Make the Marinade
Combine the ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, fresh garlic, paprika, red pepper flakes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the mixture to use as a sauce later. Marinate the kabobs: Mix the shrimp and cooled vegetables in the marinade. Once fully coated, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water during this time.
Thread the Skewers
Thread the ingredients: Run the skewer through the center of a shrimp, from tail to head. Follow the shrimp with a mushroom, threaded through its cap. Then, add another shrimp, followed by a piece of pepper. Repeat this sequence two more times for a full kabob. Finish the skewers: Repeat this threading process until you have used up all your shrimp and vegetables. Make sure that the ingredients are snugly pressed into the center of each skewer.
For the shrimp, thread the skewer so that it hits both the tail and the head. The skewer should be able to lie flat after threading the shrimp. For the mushroom, thread the skewer through the cap horizontally, so that the top of the cap is unpierced. For the peppers, thread the skewer through each end of your cut. The small pieces should be able to lay almost flat after being threaded.
Use large shrimp for this recipe for the best grilling results. Small shrimp cook much more quickly than most vegetables, leaving you with mismatched grill times. Don’t skip pre-cooking the vegetables. Vegetables take longer to cook than shrimp, so pre-cooking them ensures that both ingredients finish grilling simultaneously. If you use wooden skewers, be sure to soak them before putting them on the grill. If you are using metal skewers you can skip this step. Make sure the grill is fully heated before placing the skewers on top. If you do not own a grill, you can make this recipe using a grill pan. However, be sure to cook shrimp kabobs in batches instead of overcrowding the pan. Lightly brush the kabobs with leftover marinade a few times while they’re on the grill. Not only will this intensify their flavor, but it will also avoid dry, tough kabobs. Don’t leave the kabobs’ side while they’re on the grill. Shrimp cooks very quickly, so your full attention is essential to avoid overcooking. Season your dish with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley before serving it for maximum flavor. For extra juicy shrimp, drizzle some shrimp shish kabob marinade on top!
A big bowl of salad like my Mexican Corn Salad, Corn Black Bean Salad, or any of my Quinoa Salad recipes would work wonderfully on the side. If you are serving a crowd, then serve it with my Healthy Coleslaw without Mayo or Greek Yogurt Coleslaw. If you want to have a Mediterranean inspired side dish serve with Tabbouleh Salad or Turkish Tomato Salad with White Beans.
Shrimp Orzo Salad Corn Shrimp Salad Skinny Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles
And if you cannot get enough of grilled seafood, be sure to check out my Grilled Mahi Mahi and Mahi Mahi Marinade recipe as well. This Recipe is:
