Grilled Pesto Shrimp
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This Grilled Pesto Shrimp is perfect for anyone looking to get a quick and flavorful dinner on the table! With a super easy homemade pesto, this is an excellent dish for grilling season.
Why recipe is the best
- Easy to make: Even a beginner griller will have no problem searing up perfect shrimp skewers.
- Ready in less than 10 minutes: These shrimp come together in less than 10 minutes, making them the perfect protein to serve guests or for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Simple ingredients: All of the ingredients are commonly found at any grocery store!
- Freezer-friendly: The ingredients are incredibly freezer-friendly. I like to make a big batch of homemade pesto, stored in silicone molds to have on hand whenever I need it.
In the summer and into fall, I love firing up the grill and making a delicious dinner while enjoying the weather! This pesto shrimp is one of my recent favorites because of how quick and easy it is.
This pesto shrimp is great to eat on its own, but can also be paired with a wide variety of side dishes or something starchy like pasta for a more filling meal.
And if you’re like me and can’t get enough shrimp, you need to try my Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Shrimp or these Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos!
Ingredients you will need
Shrimp: I like to buy my shrimp peeled and deveined to cut down on prep time.
Pesto: You’ll need basil, almonds, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, lime juice (different, I know, but trust me!), salt, olive oil, and chili flakes.
Shortcut options: This recipe includes a tasty homemade pesto, but you can also use a store-bought one for easier prep.
Choosing the best shrimp for grilling
When it comes to grilling, you’ll want to look for larger shrimp. I always opt for the biggest ones I can find (usually nothing smaller than U12). If they’re too small, they might cook too quickly or they won’t situate on the grill grates properly.
Shrimp can be grilled in or out of their shells. I prefer to peel and devein them if they didn’t come that way because they are much easier to eat. It’s typically less expensive to buy shrimp with the shells on, so if you have the extra time, learn how to clean shrimp and save a couple of bucks!
How to make pesto
Pesto is ultimately a one-step condiment! All you have to do is throw all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
Give the pesto a taste and adjust the seasonings, add more basil or pine nuts, or more Parmesan cheese. And if you want a more vibrant green color, blend all the ingredients before adding the basil and blanch the basil before adding it.
How to Blanch Basil
This is an optional step, but blanching the basil is a great way to maintain the green color of the basil before adding it to the pesto.
If you blend everything together without blanching first it will still be fresh and delicious, but the color might be a little on the browner side.
How to grill shrimp
Step 1. Skewer shrimp. Assemble the raw shrimp on the wooden skewers. To prevent the skewers from burning, just soak them in water before putting them on the grill.
Step 2. Make pesto. Add all the pesto ingredients to a food processor and blend until well combined.
Step 3. Add pesto. Add a generous amount of pesto to the shrimp skewers.
Step 4. Grill. Cook the shrimp for 4 minutes, then flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. I like to leave them on one side until they’re about 70-75% cooked and then flip them so they can get a nice char!
What to serve with grilled shrimp
Obviously, you’ll want to serve the shrimp with even more pesto on the side! Trust me, it’s really that good.
You can also pair your pesto shrimp with Israeli couscous, serve over a bowl of rice or pasta, or alongside some veggies.
Some of my favorite dishes to make alongside this grilled pesto shrimp are Roasted Yellow Squash, Air Fryer Corn on the Cob, a Radish and Cucumber Salad, and this Goat Cheese Orzo.
If you’re looking for a more hearty side dish, I love this BLT Pasta Salad Recipe and if you want to have a seafood party, this Lobster Salad Recipe is my FAVORITE!
Storing and reheating
In the rare case you have leftover grilled shrimp, let them cool to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. There are multiple methods for reheating:
Reheat on a plate in the microwave. Heat in 10 to 15 seconds intervals and check in between. You don’t want to overcook them or they will end up tough and rubbery!
Another option is to heat a little bit of butter or oil in a skillet on the stovetop and cook the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Finally, you can pop them in the air fryer or oven at around 350 F. It can be helpful to cover them with a bit of aluminum foil to prevent drying out. They should be heated through again in 2-3 minutes in the air fryer or 5 to 10 minutes in the oven.
However you reheat them, I definitely recommend either saving some pesto or making more for serving leftovers!
FAQ
In my experience, it will never take more than 10 minutes to get perfectly grilled shrimp. They’re usually done after about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
This is totally optional, but you can toss the shrimp with the pesto and let it sit for about 30 minutes before grilling if you want to really infuse it with that pesto flavor.
By cooking the shrimp for a short period of time at a medium-high temperature you can prevent them from drying out. Make sure your marinade has oil in it too, and if you’re using a dry rub, be sure to spritz them with oil on both sides.
More Shrimp Recipes You Might Like
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Grilled Pesto Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 cups basil, leaves loosely packed
- 1.5 tbsp almonds, dry-roasted and unsalted
- 1.5 tbsp pine nuts
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of crushed red chili flakes, optional, but not really!
Instructions
- Add the basil, almonds, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese, lime juice, salt, olive oil, and red pepper flakes to a food processor. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until the pesto sauce is smooth. Reserve 1/4 of the pesto for serving.2 cups basil,, 1.5 tbsp almonds,, 1.5 tbsp pine nuts, 3 cloves garlic, 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, pinch of crushed red chili flakes,
- Spray the grill grates with non-stick cooking spray and preheat the grill to. medium-high heat (400F).
- Thread the shrimp onto the skewers, leaving about 2 inches of skewer on each side for easy handling. Brush the pesto on both sides of the shrimp and place the skewers on the grill.Grill for 4 minutes, flip and cook for 3 minutes on the other side or until the shrimp are fully cooked through. They should be opaque and charred around the edges.5 wooden skewers,, 1 pound shrimp,
- Transfer the cooked shrimp to a serving platter with the remaining pesto and enjoy!
Notes
- You can make the pesto with all almonds or all pine nuts, I had both on hand already and it was the best pesto I ever made but don’t feel like you need to buy both if you don’t already have them!
- Use lemon juice instead of lime juice. I didn’t have any lemons on hand when I made this and thought the lime juice was refreshing and a nice twist!
- The shrimp I use are quite large, so if your shrimp are smaller check on them after 2-3 minutes of cooking on each side.
