Grilled Shrimp with Citrus Marinade
on Jun 28, 2017, Updated Jul 13, 2024
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Grilled Shrimp with Citrus Marinade is a quick and easy appetizer or light dinner. Warm grilled shrimp are tossed in a fresh citrusy marinade made of fresh orange and lime juice, cilantro, fresh ginger, honey and a jalapeño for spice.
Less than a week until the 4th of July. Do you have big plans? My husband packed our four day weekend full of so much stuff I’m not sure I’ll even have time to sit down. The main thing I’m looking forward to is going for a hike. The wildflowers are blooming and this weekend should be the perfect time to see them. As far as what we’ll be doing on the 4th of July, nothing’s planned yet. It’s going to be a hot one, so I know I’ll have an ice cold cocktail in one hand and an ice cream cone in the other.
Usually I try to have at least one festive recipe for you around the holidays, but it just didn’t happen this year. I did however make these awesome Grilled Shrimp with Citrus Marinade that would make a great addition to your 4th of July spread. If it’s only going to be two of you eating, the shrimp make a great main dish…with plenty of sides of course. If you’re hosting a barbecue, they’re the perfect quick appetizer.
I’m pretty sure there isn’t anything, except bread/buns, that cooks as fast as shrimp does on the grill. We’re talking about one minute per side and they’re done. So many people leave them on too long and they end up rubbery. No one wants rubbery shrimp.
I think the easiest way to grill shrimp is to skewer them, otherwise you may end up with some casualties that slip between the grates. For these grilled shrimp all they need before hitting that hot grill are to be brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. You won’t actually be marinating the shrimp before grilling them, but rather after they’ve already been cooked.
I’ve found that marinating shrimp in something acidic, like citrus, before they’re cooked really doesn’t do much for them as far as flavor. You can only let them sit in the marinade for a very short period of time before they turn into ceviche.
The solution was to grill the shrimp first then toss them in the marinade when they were hot off the grill. The citrusy flavors get sucked right into the warm shrimp and you don’t end up with a weird texture like you might if you marinated them while they were raw.
Add these easy to make grilled shrimp to your 4th of July menu and enjoy the long weekend!
More Easy Appetizers for the 4th of July
Strawberry Balsamic Crostini with Whipped Ricotta
Tequila Lime Shrimp Taco Bites
Peach Green Chile Corn Salsa
Hummus with Greek Toppings
Grilled Shrimp with Citrus Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 lime
- 1/2 orange, juiced
- 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1/2 jalapeño, seeded, deveined and minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, shelled and deveined
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients (everything except the shrimp) in a medium sized bowl. Taste for seasoning and set aside.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat and brush the grates with oil. Thread the shrimp onto metal or wooden skewers and season with salt and pepper. Place the shrimp onto the grill and cook for approximately 1-2 minutes per side depending on the size of them.
- Remove the shrimp from the grill and the skewers, placing them into the bowl with the citrus marinade. Toss until coated and taste for seasoning adding more salt and pepper if needed. Transfer the shrimp to a serving plate and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was simply wonderful! I loved it as a post-cooking sauce vs a marinade. We drizzled it on roasted broccoli, grilled pineapple and cheesy grits. Fantastic!
I’m thinking about making the citrus shrimp soon! My question is….what do I do with the jalapeno?
Hi Denise, the jalapeño goes in with the rest of the marinade ingredients.
Seafood lovers must try it!