Grilled garlic butter shrimp skewers are fast, flavorful summer cooking: perfectly charred, juicy shrimp basted in garlic butter right over the coals. They're simple enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for guests. Dinner is on the table in about 35 minutes.
Get ready to transport your taste buds to a summer paradise! There’s nothing quite like the sizzle of shrimp on the grill, especially when they’re drenched in a rich, savory garlic butter sauce. This recipe is my go-to for a reason: it’s incredibly fast, ridiculously flavorful, and looks impressive enough for guests, but is simple enough for a Tuesday night. In just 35 minutes, you’ll have perfectly charred, juicy shrimp skewers that will disappear from the plate in seconds. Let’s get grilling!
Ingredients
• Large Shrimp: 16 oz / 454 g, peeled and deveined, thawed
• Butter: 0.5 cup / 113 g (4 oz)
• Garlic: 1.25 tbsp minced, about 3-4 cloves
• Fresh Parsley: 1 tsp (5 ml), finely minced
• Seasoning: Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Equipment: Bamboo skewers
Instructions
1. Directions
2. Soak Your Skewers: If using bamboo skewers, submerge them in water for at least 30 minutes. This crucial step prevents them from burning to a crisp on the hot grill.
3. Prep the Shrimp: While the skewers soak, ensure your shrimp are peeled, deveined, and patted completely dry with a paper towel. A dry surface helps them sear beautifully.
4. Fire Up the Grill: Preheat your grill to a steady medium heat, around 360°F / 182°C.
5. Create the Garlic Butter Magic: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. The residual heat will cook the garlic perfectly without burning it.
6. Assemble the Skewers: Thread the dry shrimp evenly onto the soaked skewers. Don’t overcrowd them!
7. Grill, Flip, and Baste: Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 2 minutes. Flip them over and generously brush the cooked side with your garlic butter sauce.
8. Finish Grilling: Cook for another 2 minutes on the second side. Flip one last time, baste the other side, and cook for a final 30-60 seconds. The shrimp are done when they are pink, opaque, and curled into a ‘C’ shape.
9. Garnish and Serve: Remove the skewers from the grill immediately. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot with any remaining garlic butter for dipping.
Nutritional Information
• Serving Size: 1 skewer (approx. 4 oz / 113.4 g shrimp)
• Calories: 285 kcal
• Protein: 24 g
• Fat: 20 g
• Carbohydrates: 1 g
• Note: is an estimate and may vary based on used.
Pro Tips
• The ‘C’ Rule: Shrimp cook in minutes! They’re perfectly cooked when they form a ‘C’ shape. If they curl into a tight ‘O’, they’re overcooked.
• Add a Citrus Burst: A generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the finished skewers cuts through the richness of the butter and brightens all the flavors.
• Double the Sauce: Make a second batch of the garlic butter sauce to serve on the side. It’s perfect for dipping the shrimp or drizzling over rice and vegetables.
• Spice It Up: For a little kick, add 1/4 teaspoon (20 ml / 0.7 fl oz) of red pepper flakes to your garlic butter mixture.
FAQ
Q: How do I know when grilled shrimp are done
A: The shrimp are perfectly cooked when they turn pink, become opaque, and curl into a ‘C’ shape. If they form a tight ‘O’ shape, they are overcooked.
Q: Why do I need to soak bamboo skewers before grilling
A: You should soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling. This crucial step prevents them from burning to a crisp on the hot grill.
Q: What is the ideal grill temperature for shrimp
A: Preheat your grill to a steady medium heat, which is around 360°F or 182°C (360°F), for the best results with this shrimp recipe.
Q: How can I add more flavor to these shrimp skewers
A: For a citrus burst that cuts through the richness of the butter, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the finished skewers. To add a little heat, mix 1/4 teaspoon (20 ml / 0.7 fl oz) of red pepper flakes into the garlic butter sauce.
Pro Tips
- Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling — this is what stops them burning to a crisp over the hot fire.
- Pat the peeled, deveined shrimp completely dry before threading; a dry surface is what lets them sear and char instead of steam.
- Grill over steady medium heat (around 360°F / 182°C): 2 minutes per side, then flip once more, baste, and finish for 30-60 seconds.
- Watch the shape — shrimp are perfectly cooked when they curl into a 'C'; a tight 'O' means they've overcooked and will be rubbery.
- Make a second batch of the garlic butter to serve on the side for dipping, and add ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the butter if you want a kick.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when the shrimp are done?
Use the 'C' rule: perfectly cooked shrimp curl into a gentle C shape. If they close into a tight O, they've gone past done and will be rubbery — so watch them closely.
Are these garlic butter shrimp skewers keto-friendly?
Very — each of the four servings has about 1g of carbohydrates with 24g of protein and 20g of fat. It's shrimp, butter, garlic, and parsley, nothing else.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes — buy them thawed or thaw them overnight in the fridge, then pat them completely dry before seasoning. Any surface ice will steam the shrimp on the grill.
Why soak the skewers first?
Bamboo skewers char and burn over direct grill heat. Thirty minutes of soaking keeps them intact so you can flip the whole skewer without losing shrimp to the fire.
Recipe card below.
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Grilled Garlic Butter Shrimp Skewers
Ingredients
Method
- Directions
- Soak Your Skewers: If using bamboo skewers, submerge them in water for at least 30 minutes. This crucial step prevents them from burning to a crisp on the hot grill.
- Prep the Shrimp: While the skewers soak, ensure your shrimp are peeled, deveined, and patted completely dry with a paper towel. A dry surface helps them sear beautifully.
- Fire Up the Grill: Preheat your grill to a steady medium heat, around 360°F / 182°C.
- Create the Garlic Butter Magic: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. The residual heat will cook the garlic perfectly without burning it.
- Assemble the Skewers: Thread the dry shrimp evenly onto the soaked skewers.
- Don't overcrowd them!
- Grill, Flip, and Baste: Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 2 minutes.
- Flip them over and generously brush the cooked side with your garlic butter sauce.
- Finish Grilling: Cook for another 2 minutes on the second side.
- Flip one last time, baste the other side, and cook for a final 30-60 seconds. The shrimp are done when they are pink, opaque, and curled into a 'C' shape.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the skewers from the grill immediately.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot with any remaining garlic butter for dipping.
- Add a Citrus Burst: A generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the finished skewers cuts through the richness of the butter and brightens all the flavors.
