This is the best shrimp marinade for seared or grilled shrimp, with a hugely flavorful combination of sweet and spicy for perfect shrimp every time. Fire up the grill!
The Best Shrimp Marinade Recipe
We're grilling up shrimp in the Chili Pepper Madness backyard, my friends. Would you care to join us? We always make the best grilled shrimp because I infuse all that succulent shrimp with lots of bold flavor before grilling.
The secret? It's my Zesty Grilled Shrimp Marinade, and I think you're going to love it.
It's a simple combination that comes together in the perfect way to infuse your shrimp with loads of flavor, and a bit of that zesty spice we spicy food lovers crave.
It's the perfect grilled shrimp recipe, really, with such a bold and piquant marinade leading the way.
It's also great if you're sautéing or cooking up shrimp on the stove top, so it's not just a grilled shrimp marinade, but a great shrimp marinade in general. No matter how you care to cook it!
So hey, let's get cooking!
Let's talk about how to make grilled shrimp marinade, shall we?
Shrimp Marinade Ingredients
- Oil. Use ¼ cup olive oil for the marinade, though you can use other oils, like vegetable oil.
- Sweet. I use 1 tablespoon honey, though you can use brown sugar instead.
- Garlic and Herbs. Use 2 cloves garlic, minced, and 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped. You can incorporate other herbs, like cilantro or basil.
- Spices. Use 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, salt and pepper to taste, and 1/2 or more of crushed red pepper flakes if you're looking for a spicier shrimp marinade. I use a tablespoon usually.
- Citrus. Use 1 teaspoon lime zest. Lemon zest is good, too. You can use lemon or lime juice, but the acidity starts to cook the shrimp. Zest is better for a longer marinade.
- Hot Sauce. Splash in some of your favorite hot sauce if you'd like for some added zing!
- Shrimp. This marinade is good for 1 pound of fresh shrimp, though you can easily upscale it to several pounds of shrimp. I usually marinade shrimp that's been peeled and deveined, though you can marinate unpeeled shrimp, if desired. You can use frozen shrimp as well.
How to Make Shrimp Marinade - the Recipe Method
Whisk Together the Ingredients. Whisk together the olive oil, honey, garlic, parsley, paprika, lime zest, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Reserve Some of the Marinade. Reserve a couple tablespoons of your marinade before marinating the shrimp to use as a glaze or finishing sauce if you'd like.
Marinate the Shrimp. Place the raw shrimp in a large plastic bag or large bowl and pour the marinade over them. Seal the bag and refrigerate at least 15 to 30 minutes, or for 1 hour before cooking.
When ready to cook, drain the shrimp marinade and discard it. Thread the shrimp on skewers for grilling, or leave them separated.
Grill the Shrimp. Preheat grill to medium high heat and add the shrimp. Grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp turn pink and cook through.
Transfer to a serving platter.
Finish the Shrimp. Brush on any reserved shrimp marinade as a finishing sauce.
Also, squeeze on a bit of fresh lime juice for an extra pop of fresh citrus.
Boom! Done! Perfectly grilled shrimp in the house! Ready to serve. Such an easy recipe, isn't it? With BIG flavor.
The marinade does everything for you. It's nice and thick and really coats the shrimp. So good.
Serve up your grilled shrimp as the main meal with a side dish, or they make an outstanding appetizer or party starter. Everyone loves grilled shrimp.
Heat Factor
Mild-Medium. You'll get a nice pop of heat from the chili flakes and your own chosen hot sauce, though not a big kick. Cayenne is good for spicier shrimp, or go with a hotter chili powder, like ghost pepper powder. Yes!
Recipe Tips & Notes
This shrimp marinade it best for marinating raw shrimp for maximum flavor. You can marinate pre-cooked shrimp, but you won't get as much of the marinade flavor.
The Citrus Factor. I prefer to use lime zest in my shrimp marinade as opposed to lime juice, as the acidic citrus will start to break down the shrimp if you marinate for too long.
This applies to any acid, like lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice or vinegar. If using lime juice instead of lime zest, keep your marinating time to 15 minutes or less.
Additional Ingredients. Try lemon zest instead of lime zest if you prefer lemon. Dijon mustard is good. Soy Sauce is a nice flavor addition, though results in a darker color of your finished shrimp.
How Long Do You Marinade Shrimp?
I like to marinate my shrimp at least 15 to 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour before cooking. I refrigerate it until I'm ready to go. You can marinate for longer, but don't go more than a few hours, as the shrimp texture can be affected.
How to Cook Marinated Shrimp?
Grilling the shrimp is a great way to cook them up, but you have many options.
You can also easily cook the shrimp up in a grill pan or a saute pan on the stove top, or bake them in the oven until they are pink and cooked through.
I don't recommend boiling marinated shrimp, though, as it will strip away much of the marinade flavor. For grilling, I like to thread them onto wooden skewers.
Storage & Leftovers
You can make the shrimp marinade ahead and store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 5 days. When you're ready to cook, marinate your shrimp and get grilling.
Store any leftover grilled shrimp in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To enjoy them again, warm them gently in a pan on the stovetop.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my shrimp marinade, and the grilled shrimp! Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Try Some of My Other Zesty Marinade Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Shrimp Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey or you can use brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (try an extra pinch or two of ghost pepper powder for some great spiciness!)
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more as desired - optional, for spicier marinade
- Salt and black pepper to taste 1/4 teaspoon each is usually good
- Hot Sauce to taste optional
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
Instructions
- Whisk together the olive oil, honey, garlic, parsley, paprika, lime zest, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Reserve a few tablespoons now if you'd like to use some as a finishing sauce.
- Place the shrimp in a large zip-lock bag and pour the marinade over them. Seal the bag and refrigerate at least 15 to 20 minutes, or for 1 hour before cooking.
- When ready to cook, drain the marinade and discard it.
- Grill or saute the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side, or until pink and cooked through. Transfer to a serving platter.
- Squeeze on a bit of fresh lime juice to finish.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 5/22/23 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 7/13/20.
Lisa says
Currently we are using what we have on hand and not going to the store. So tonight I made this for dinner, however I substituted the shrimp for frozen crawfish. It was so delicious and slightly sweet with a hint of lime and fried rice with carrots, radish, and edamame. It was delicious!
Mike H. says
Glad to hear that, Lisa. Enjoy!
Bee says
Living in SW Florida, we eat a lot of shrimps. This has to be one of the best marinades for shrimp that I have made. I totally forgot to snap a photo but next time I definitely will. Thanks for sharing!!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, Bee! Nice!
Joni says
Making again for the second time. Absolutely delicious!! Followed most of the recipe. Used cayenne pepper instead of red flakes. Used red hot wing hot sauce and grilled. If I could send a pic I would. Great recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! I love to hear it, Joni! Glad you enjoyed it! =) Yeah, wish I had a pic! Share it on social and tag me @chilipeppermadness
Kim says
Made this recipe and added home made "hot sauce" to kick it up a bit. I sauteed the shrimp in a pan and degalzed with 1/4 Cup of chicken broth and 2 TB of cream for my hubby to dip his crusty bread! The recipe is AWESOME! Good balance THANK YOU!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes! Glad you enjoyed it, Kim! Thanks for sharing! =)
Suzanne says
can you boil the left over marinade to use as a dipping sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
Suzanne, yes, if you cook it. Enjoy!
Mary says
Going to be making this on a camping trip. Does the shrimp keep in the marinade overnight or is it best to do an hour before?
Mike Hultquist says
Mary, 1 hour tops is best. Overnight can affect the consistency of the shrimp, making them mealy. Enjoy!
Kerre says
This was delicious on top of seasoned zucchini noodles. Wish I could attach a pic!!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Perfect way to serve it, Kerre! I love it! Maybe you can share the pic on social and tag me! I'd love to see it!
Kate says
Awesome…. Very spicey with the red pepper flakes. Didn’t use fresh parsley but used parsley flakes. Will definitely use this recipe again.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Kate!
Lyne says
This marinade is so tasty. Huge hit. Will be making it again for sure.. thank you for a great recipe
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks, Lyne!
Tracy says
These were AH-MAZING! I follow a keto diet, so I replaced the brown sugar with golden monk fruit. My only complaint from everyone was I didn’t make enough 🙂 Definitely a crowd favorite!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes! Glad you enjoyed it, Tracy! I appreciate it.
Michelle says
This marinade is great! Thank you for sharing it! I highly recommend this recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Michelle!
char Marino says
This looks delicious ! Has anyone made this with less heat and was it still delicious ?
I have gerd and want to make this and have for company,,Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Char, you can skip the chili flakes and hot sauce and still get a LOT of flavor with this, without the heat. Be sure to use a milder paprika. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Georgia says
I've been looking for a good spicy marinade for some time. This one does the trick. I did substitute lemon zest instead of lime. The honey added just enough sweet and held on to the spices while marinating which carried the spices through the grilling process. My husband, who is not a big shrimp fan, stole a few pieces and said the shrimp were fantastic! Thank you for this great marinade. I will be using it quite often.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear, Georgia! Glad you enjoyed it! I appreciate you sharing this.
Maddie Mountcastle says
Made this with Parmesan rice and vegetables the shrimp marinade was great will make agian
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Maddie!
Taneesha Matthews says
OMG this marinade is the best SEAFOOD marinade I've had in a long time!! I marinated my shrimp then grilled them. Right after I then remade this to go on my grilled cod in foil. THIS was spectacular!!! Great job on these recipes. I can't stay off the website and creating new flavors!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Taneesha! Glad you enjoyed it! Definitely one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing!
Tracie says
Made this last night just as the recipe calls except I had no parsley and decided to throw in some diced chives. I also went heavy on the garlic since we love garlic. I threw it all in a ziploc bag and mixed it really good inside the bag then added the shrimp and mixed with the marinade, saves on cleaning up another dish! Marinated for nearly an hour and bbq’d on skewers over charcoal. They were EXCELLENT! I make butter garlic shrimp all the time, this will be my new go to recipe. thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding! Glad you enjoyed it, Tracie! Thanks for sharing. Wish I was there! Haha.
lynne brotherton says
Can you use agave nectar instead of honey?
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely, Lynne. Great substitute.
M’Lou Thompson says
Where we live, fresh seafood is a staple, and this is my go-to marinade for shrimp. Delicious!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much! I love it! Much appreciated!
CAT says
Ok here I go! Making this now for dinner. I will comment after I eat it lol! Cant wait!
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy! We LOVE this one!
Karen says
Very simple to make and delicious!! Loved saving a little of the marinade to brush onto of the shrimp after they were cooked. We'll enjoy this again soon!
Mike Hultquist says
Perfection! Thanks, Karen!
GlennaAZ says
I made your shrimp recipe and even though there was enough for three, it was entirely eaten by two. All I have to say is that is was very beautiful and very delicious. Easy too. I will be using this one from now on.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, thanks!!
Allyson Cohan says
Wow, this was so good! I'll never use another marinade - amazing flavor! Thanks so much, Mike!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Allyson! I know, this is SO GOOD! Everyone loves this shrimp marinade! My favorite for sure.
Angela says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. We loved it. We went for more spice and cooked the shrimp on the griddle. It was so freaking delicious!! Doing it again tonight with shrimp and steak. Can’t wait
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Angela!
Dana Beck says
My husband and I really enjoyed this marinade.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Dana! =)
Maria says
Tried this recipe since I had all the ingredients at home and it was simple. I did substitute the salt for soy sauce as someone had posted and the shrimp came out delicious. I will definitely make this again, thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Thank you, Maria. I'm very happy you enjoyed it! I use this recipe all the time. One of my favorites.
Bobbie says
This was absolutely delicious
Thank you
Mike Hultquist says
Great! Thanks, Bobbie! Glad you enjoyed it. =)
Kim says
What kind of hot sauce did you use? I’m just getting into cooking. Any recommendations will help, thank you.
Mike Hultquist says
Kim, I use a homemade Louisiana style hot sauce, but you can use your favorite. Use something like Crystal or Tabasco, really for a nice kick. I'd love to hear what you choose.
Teri says
I tried a lot different shrimp marinades but this is the best one I've ever came across. It is just delicious and the option of making it extra spicy is even better.
Mike Hultquist says
Great! I love to hear it, Teri! Thanks for sharing. =)
Michelle says
Used this marinade on salmon and baked in the oven. Perfection!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! I love it, Michelle! Great use.
Julie Warbrick says
A wonderful recipe! I enjoy the latitude you provide for individual preferences. The second time I made the shrimp, I lacked a lemon or lime and instead used the zest of an orange, and it was very appealing! Thank you! I plan to try this with chicken.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice!! Thanks, Julie! I appreciate your comments! Glad you enjoyed it.
Jérémie says
Great vid, Mr H.! Mouth-watering!
I wanted to try this one on barbecue, but with shrimp and chicken skewers.. I was wrong the marinade was OK with the chicken, but gorgeous with the shrimps: here we taste the sour and sweet richess of the recipe. Ordinary with chicken (my mistake) but wonderful with shrimps!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jérémie! Definitely a good one here! I LOVE this marinade. =)
Nancy says
This looks delicious! I am making it this weekend. What sides would you suggest to serve with the shrimp?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I love it served over rice, Nancy, or maybe a nice side of roasted/grilled veggies!
Tina says
Can I leave the shrimp marinating overnight?
Mike Hultquist says
Tina, 1 hour tops is best. Overnight can affect the consistency of the shrimp, making them mealy.
Jazz says
This was beyond delicious! I marinated the shrimp a bit over an hour, and two pounds of shrimp got devoured by two people (I won't say who, lol) in record time. I've already made this multiple times for company to rave reviews. 🙂 Thanks for another great recipe!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Jazz! Glad to hear it!
Christa says
this marinade would be great on anything! i grilled my shrimp in a cast iron grill pan after marinating for an hour. the flavors are terrific and i don’t even like honey. just the right amount of spice - 10/10 will def make again!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! Super happy to hear, Christa! Very happy you enjoyed it. I agree, it would be great on many things.
Jamie VanParys says
Not only did I use your marinade, I wrapped the shrimp in bacon. AMAZING!!! Every one of the recipes of yours we have tried, have not disappointed! Glad I subscribed to your site!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jamie! BACON!! I love it. Super happy you are enjoying the recipes.
Karen says
Great flavor!!!
Thank you for the recommendation (and explanation) about using lime zest instead of lime juice. May seem like a logical thing to do, but my brain had never considered it. I am always concerned about citrus juice "cooking" the shrimp. Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great! Thanks, Karen! I appreciate it. I hope you enjoy it.
Shannon Young says
Hi Mike,
Great recipe thanks, my wife loved it. An excellent tip to use citrus zest rather than the juice for longer marinating times.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Shannon! Glad you enjoyed. This is definitely my very favorite shrimp marinade by far. Extra spicy for me, please! Love it.
Stephanie says
This is definitely the most flavorful marinade I've ever seen, you know your marinades and this is no exception!!! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Stephanie! That is high praise coming from an outstanding cook like you! Big flavor indeed! We love this one.