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This grilled shrimp marinade is easy to make and full of bold flavor! This go-to recipe makes grilling shrimp a breeze.

Grilled shrimp marinade
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The moment the season turns warmer, we firing up the grill! Grilling shrimp is one of our very favorite ways to eat this tasty shellfish. If we have the time, we opt for marinated shrimp so it can soak in all that flavorful goodness. Here’s our simple go-to grilled shrimp marinade! It’s got simple pantry ingredients like olive oil, vinegar, honey and soy sauce, plus fresh garlic for a little pop. It’s tastes absolutely fabulous: the first bite blew us away! You’ll love this grilling marinade for shrimp (and works for any other way you want to cook it, too).

How to make a grilled shrimp marinade

There are thousands of ways to make a grilled shrimp marinade! Shrimp goes with so many different cuisines, so you could go with teriyaki, BBQ sauce, or chipotle sauce. This grilling marinade for shrimp uses simple pantry and refrigerator ingredients to bring massive flavor to these tiny shellfish. Here are the basic steps for how to make it (or jump to the recipe):

  1. Whisk: Whisk together the shrimp marinade ingredients: olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and salt and pepper.
  2. Marinate: Make sure to use peeled shrimp, because the marinade is much stronger without having to permeate the shell. Allow the shrimp to sit refrigerated for 1 hour.
  3. Grill! Cook on a preheated grill 1 to 2 minutes per side (see the detailed instructions in this Perfect Grilled Shrimp recipe). You can also thread the shrimp on skewers for Grilled Shrimp Skewers.
Grilling marinade for shrimp

Other marinades for grilled shrimp

The grilled shrimp marinade is only one of the myriad of ways you could serve grilled shrimp! Here are a few other ideas that would make a great marinade:

  • Homemade Teriyaki Sauce This sauce takes literally 5 minutes to make on the stovetop, and is so tasty you’ll never buy store-bought again!
  • Homemade BBQ Sauce Barbecue shrimp? Yes please. Try out our homemade BBQ sauce as a shrimp marinade.
  • Honey Mustard Sauce Using honey mustard as a shrimp marinade is genius! It brings in both sweet and savory elements.
  • Chimichurri Sauce This herby chimichurri sauce would be a perfect bright green shrimp marinade!
Marinade for grilled shrimp

What to serve with this grilled shrimp

This marinade for grilled shrimp makes an easy meal that’s perfect for summer! Enjoy it on the patio with a few tasty side dishes and it’s a great way to enjoy the season. Here are a few serving ideas:

Marinade shrimp for grilling

How to buy sustainable shrimp

Looking to buy sustainable shrimp? Here are a few pointers for how to buy the best shrimp out there:

  • Look for wild-caught or US caught. Wild caught is usually a sustainable option if you can find it. If you live in the US, look for US caught. Imported seafood runs the risk of being overfished, caught under unfair labor practices, or farmed in environmentally harmful ways.
  • Look for hook and line as one example of a sustainable type of fishing gear. Bottom trawling is considered the most destructive and least sustainable method.

More shrimp recipes

Love shrimp? Us too. Here are some of our other very favorite shrimp recipes:

  • Quick Shrimp Tacos A fast dinner recipe for weeknights or entertaining. They taste stunning drizzled in a creamy cilantro sauce! Or try Grilled Shrimp Tacos.
  • Cilantro Lime Shrimp Dinner in 10 minutes! Zesty and fresh, serve with rice, in tacos, or on a salad.
  • Coconut Shrimp Curry Tastes better than a restaurant in under 30 minutes! It’s a Thai red curry flavored with coconut milk and curry paste.
  • Easy Broiled Shrimp The very best flavor, seasoned with garlic and herbs. Add a crispy breading for an irresistible crunch!

This grilled shrimp marinade recipe is…

Gluten-free, dairy-free and pescatarian.

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Grilled Shrimp Marinade

Grilled shrimp
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5 from 1 review

This grilled shrimp marinade is easy to make and full of bold flavor! This go-to recipe makes grilling shrimp a breeze.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Grilled
  • Cuisine: Seafood
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound raw shrimp (thawed if frozen)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, mix the olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Stir until the garlic is fully incorporated.
  2. Place shrimp in the bowl and toss to combine. Place it in the refrigerator and marinade for 1 hour*.
  3. Cook the shrimp: Thread the shrimp on wooden skewers in alternating directions. Broil for 2 minutes per side until opaque (you may need to cut a shrimp to assess whether it is cooked through). Or, use one of the following methods to cook the shrimp: Grilled Shrimp, Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Baked Shrimp, or Sauteed Shrimp.
  4. If desired, place the remaining marinade in a small saucepan, bring it to a simmer, and a simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. When the shrimp are cooked, brush or drizzle them with remaining marinade.

Notes

*If you’re in a rush, you can get by with 30 minutes of marinating. One hour yields the best flavor; if desired, the shrimp can marinade up to 2 hours before cooking.

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About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

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  1. Sonja Overhiser says:

    Let us know if you have any questions!