Garlic and Herb Grilled Shrimp with honey is a must have summer recipe. I love, love, love, this easy grilled shrimp! It makes any meal a celebration! I serve this as an appetizer along with a citrusy drink like a refreshing Tequila and Grapefruit Cocktail!
It is time to fire up the grill and shrimp is one of my favorite grilled foods. I flavor the shrimp with honey, lemon, lots of garlic and fresh herbs. The shrimp takes on the flavors of the ingredients pretty quickly so you only have to marinade it for about 30 minutes and it is perfect served as an entrée or as an appetizer.
This recipe is perfect for shrimp or scallops. They are both delicious when they are marinated and grilled to perfection. I have made this recipe using large shrimp as a appetizer or small shrimp to top a salad or a steak.
Ingredients:
The ingredients for this dish are fairly simple and most are probably in your pantry right now!
Shrimp: You can use any size shrimp for this recipe, but I would not recommend the very small shrimp that you get in salads sometimes. Make sure that you are using raw shrimp. I have had people ask if they can use the precooked shrimp and I would not recommend it. The precooked shrimp will get tough and rubbery.
Olive oil: Just regular olive oil is fine. No need to use extra virgin olive oil. I actually like the lighter flavor of the regular olive oil in this marinade.
Honey: I used Orange blossom honey when I made this, but whatever you have or you like will be a great sweetener.
Lemon: Use fresh squeezed lemon if you can.
Garlic: Minced, diced or crushed in a garlic press will do. I love the garlicy flavor in this dish!
Parsley: I love the color and flavor of chopped fresh parsley but if you have dried on hand you can use that as well. If you are going to use dried parsley, just cut the amount in half as dried herbs tend to impart a stronger flavor.
How to make garlic and herb grilled shrimp with honey
Start by making the marinade
- Mix in olive oil, lemon juice, honey, minced garlic, herbs, salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk
- I use regular olive. There is no need to use a more expensive extra virgin olive oil in this recipe.
Now prepare the Shrimp
Cleaning the shrimp
- I like to buy the peeled and deveined shrimp because it saves me a step. If you have shell on shrimp, remove the shell completely. I leave the tail on because it looks nice and it gives me something to pick the shrimp up with.
- To devein the shrimp, cut down the center of the back of the shrimp with a sharp knife and pull out the dark vein.
Marinate the Shrimp
- Put the shrimp into the bowl with the marinade and set aside for at least 30 minutes. I would not marinade the shrimp for more then an hour because the lemon juice will start to break down the shrimp and make it mushy. Give the shrimp a stir about half way through so that it all marinates evenly.
- You can also, pour the marinade and shrimp into a large storage bag and set it flat on a plate or in a bowl as well.
- Marinate the shrimp in the refrigerator.
Grilling the Shrimp
- When you are ready and the grill is hot, place a few shrimp at a time in a grilling basket or a grill grate. Grill the shrimp for a few minutes on either side. The shrimp will turn pink and opaque when it is done.
FAQ
The black vein along the shrimp’s back is it’s intestinal track. There is no health reason to remove it. You will not get sick if you eat it, but it may be gritty and the texture may be unpleasant. To make sure that you have the best tasting shrimp, I would suggest removing it.
There are several ways to thaw shrimp. The best way is to set it in a colander and place it in the refrigerator overnight. A faster way is to place the amount of shrimp that you want to defrost into a plastic zip lock bag, seal it and run cold water over it. These methods will make sure that the shrimp doe not soak up any more water and does not become mushy while cooking.
Shrimp takes on the flavors of a marinade fairy quickly, so an hour is the most time you should need for the shrimp to be ready. If you are using an acid like lemon juice in your marinade, then 30 minutes should do it.
Acids like lemon or vinegar will break down the muscle tissue in the shrimp. If shrimp is left to marinate for too long, it will become mushy and unpleasant when cooking it. I would not leave it in the marinade much longer then an hour for best results.
Shrimp only needs a couple of minutes per side to cook through. When it turns pink it is time to flip it. As soon as shrimp is pink and opaque it should be removed from the heat. Leaving it too long will result in overcooked, tough, shrimp.
Here are some recipes that pair well with garlic and herb grilled shrimp with honey:
Lemon Garlic Herb Grilled Chicken Marinade
Sicilian Fennel and Orange Salad
Easy Italian Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Caprese Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella
Mousse al Cioccolato “Italian Chocolate Mousse”
Other Appetizer ideas
Grilled Lollipop Lambchops – Mediterranean Style
Garlic and Herb Grilled Shrimp with Honey
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Shrimp Large or Jumbo, shells removed and deveined
- ¼ cup Lemon juice
- ¾ cup Olive Oil
- 4 tbsp. Honey
- ½ tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp. Black Pepper
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp. Parsley Fresh, chopped
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients except the shrimp, in a large bowl and whisk briskly until the honey is completely dissolved.
- Add the shrimp to the marinade and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the grill and set a grill basket on the grates to warm up. When it is hot, place a few shrimp in the grill basket and cook for 2-3 minutes per side. For best results don't overcrowd the grill basket. The shrimp will be pink and opaque when it is done.
Great easy recipe! And grilling is a fun way to socialize!
OMG! These are soooo good.
Perfect for a summer BBQ
One of my favorites too!
I have had these made by Enza. So delicious, mouth watering!
Thank you Wende!