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This grilled Spicy Shrimp with Feta Dip is a quick and easy appetizer or light dinner that’s perfect for summer!
I’ve got the perfect summer appetizer or light dinner to share with you today, Spicy Shrimp with Feta Dip! The shrimp are juicy and have that flame kissed flavor from the grill. And the feta dip is a dream! I could eat it by the spoonful.
If you’re serving this as an appetizer I guarantee people will be hovering around thinking they’ll only have a few and the next thing you know they’re gone. If you’re like me and Saturday night dinner is a struggle, this is the perfect solution.
Whip up the feta dip (literally) and let it chill while you grill the shrimp and have a glass of peach rosé sangria. Serve it al fresco with your favorite summer salad or my favorite, summer vegetable orzo salad, for a light and easy dinner that won’t heat up the house.
Ingredients Needed for Spicy Shrimp with Feta Dip
- peeled and deveined shrimp
- olive oil
- smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried dill, cayenne, dried oregano
- lemon
- feta
- plain Greek yogurt
How to Make Spicy Shrimp with Feta Dip
Place the shrimp in a bowl large enough so that you can toss them with the spices. Add in all of the spices and toss them around until they’re coated. Thread the shrimp onto metal or wooden skewers then set them aside while the grill heats up.
Since the shrimp only take a few minutes to grill, I recommend making the feta dip before grilling. Place all of the ingredients for the dip in a food processor or high speed blender and blend until the dip is smooth or the consistency that you like. I used a blender so that the dip would be extra smooth and creamy.
Grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes and then flip them over and grill another couple minutes or until they’re opaque and pink. Be careful not to overcook them or they will have a chewy, rubbery texture. Remove the shrimp from the skewers and serve them with the feta dip.
How to Defrost Frozen Shrimp
If you remember to do so, just place the bag of frozen shrimp in the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. Put the bag in a bowl or on a sheet pan just in case there’s a hole in the bag. If you’re like me and forget to do that, here is a method for how to quickly defrost frozen shrimp.
Submerge the bag of shrimp in a large bowl of cold water. Don’t use hot water or you may end up partially cooking the shrimp. Use a heavy object or plate to hold down the bag of shrimp so that it stays fully submerged in the water. Doing this method should give you perfectly defrosted shrimp in about 45-60 minutes.
If you’re in a hurry you can dump the shrimp out of the bag and directly into a bowl of cold water. This method will thaw the shrimp in about 20 minutes.
If you’re worried about the shrimp possibly absorbing excess water with this method, lay them out on a sheet pan lined with paper towels and pat them dry. I recommend patting the shrimp dry anyways so that the spice rub and olive oil stick to them.
You can use either fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe. Unless you live on the coast and have access to fresh shrimp, it’s almost a guarantee that the shrimp you’re buying at the seafood counter have previously been frozen.
Use block feta for this recipe. Crumbled feta, like all pre-shredded cheese, uses an anti-caking agent. This can make the crumbles hard and difficult to achieve a creamy texture in the dip.
If possible buy a block of feta that’s in brine. This has the most flavor, moisture and is the creamiest, which will yield the creamiest and most flavorful feta dip.
What to Serve with Spicy Shrimp
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Summer Quinoa Salad
- Chimichurri Potato Salad
- Lemon and Herb Couscous Salad
- Easy Orzo Salad
- Mediterranean Bulgur Salad with Carrots, Almonds and Feta
Spicy Shrimp with Feta Dip
Ingredients
Spicy Shrimp
- 1 pound extra large peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- Juice of half of a lemon squeezed over shrimp after grilling
Feta Dip
- 4 ounces feta cheese
- 1/2 cup plain low fat greek yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the spices for the shrimp. Put the shrimp in a large bowl and toss them together with the spice mixture and a drizzle of olive oil until they’re coated. Skewer the shrimp onto metal skewers and set aside while you make the dip and preheat the grill.
- In a food processor or blender add all of the ingredients for the feta dip. Purée until smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Add some extra crumbles of feta and chopped parsley to the dip and then refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Preheat the grill to 400° F. When hot, oil the grates and then lay the shrimp skewers on them. Grill for 2-3 minutes then flip them over and grill another 2 minutes or until they are pink and opaque. Be careful not to over cook them.
- Remove the shrimp from the grill and squeeze the juice of half of a lemon over the top of them. Let them rest for a couple minutes before remove them from the skewers onto a plate with the feta dip.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
