This easy summer recipe features grilled jumbo shrimp marinated with tequila, lime, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeño, paired with skewered grilled vegetables and sweet pineapple. It comes together in under an hour and is perfect for backyard cookouts or quick weeknight dinners.
The Only Grilled Shrimp Marinade I Trust (Husband-Tested)
Say goodbye to those over-charred, dried-out, rubbery shrimp you usually get off the grill—this recipe is nothing like that. Even my husband, whose only "cooking expertise" is grilling, volunteered to test it and was blown away. Here's why:
- Zesty Tequila-Lime Marinade: I mixed up the best homemade marinade with tequila, fresh lime juice and zest, cilantro, garlic, honey, smoked paprika, and jalapeño—trust me, you won’t get this kind of flavor from typical grilled shrimp recipes. It infuses the shrimp with just the right kick and a subtle smokiness from smoked paprika.
- One-Grill, One-Meal: I love that everything—shrimp, veggies (bell peppers, zucchini), and pineapple—goes on the grill together. It’s an all-in-one, low-mess meal, making it perfect for busy summer evenings or relaxed weekend BBQs. You don't need to think about side dishes - it's a complete meal.
- This recipe screams summer—from the tropical pineapple to the bright citrus and fresh herbs. It’s ideal for cookouts, 4th of July, Memorial Day, pool parties, or even easy weeknight dinners. Just like my grilled flank steak with mango avocado salsa, grilled steak salad, and grilled pork chops.
Serving Suggestions
The possibilities are endless when it comes to how to serve the shrimp, veggies, and fruit! Here are a few ideas:
- Tacos: I love stuffing grilled shrimp and veggies into warm corn tortillas. Just remember to remove the shrimp tales and top with my Pico de Gallo or tropical mango salsa!
- Bowls: Great choice for entertaining—just set out the grains (rice, quinoa, or my cilantro-lime black bean rice), and let everyone build their own. Top with beans, crema, peach salsa, and shredded cabbage for an easy, crowd-pleasing summer meal. Get more inspiration from my shrimp fajita bowls.
- Salad, Wrap, Burrito: Throw everything into a salad, pita, or make a burrito with your favorite sauces!
- Keep it low-carb: Serve with cauliflower "rice", spiralized zucchini "noodles" (zoodles) or roasted spaghetti squash.
- Drizzle with sauces like my cilantro lime crema from my chicken enchiladas recipe, homemade basil pesto, or 3 dipping sauces from my chicken wings. You can also drizzle the veggie-fruit skewers with my honey-mustard lemon dressing.
Grilled Shrimp Skewers (with Veggie-Pineapple Skewers)
This easy summer recipe features grilled jumbo shrimp marinated with tequila, lime, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeño, paired with skewered grilled vegetables and sweet pineapple. It comes together in under an hour and is perfect for backyard cookouts or quick weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Shrimp Marinade
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 small jalapenos finely minced with or without seeds (adjust to heat preference)
- 2 tablespoons tequila (see notes below for substitutes)
- 1 tablespoon honey agave syrup, or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 medium lime zest
- 1 ½ medium limes juice
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp 16-20 size or larger, peeled and deveined with tails attached
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (for grilling)
Veggie-Pineapple Skewers
- 2 large red bell peppers cut into ½” cubes
- 2 large zucchinis cut into ½” rounds
- ½ pineapple skin and core removed, cut into ½ “ cubes
- 1 tablespoon oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- lime wedges
- fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Marinate the Shrimp
- In a medium bowl, combine the cilantro, garlic cloves, jalapenos, tequila, honey, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, lime zest, lime juice, and shrimp in a medium bowl.
- Toss to coat and cover with plastic wrap, pressing down so it forms a seal with the shrimp.
- Marinate for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the veggies and fruit skewers.
Assemble Veggie-Pineapple Skewers
- In a large bowl, toss the veggies and fruit with oil, and a generous amount of salt, and pepper.
- Place onto metal skewers and set aside.
Grill
- Preheat your grill pan or grill to high heat and brush the pan or grill with oil.
- While the pan or grill is preheating, remove your shrimp from the marinade, letting excess drip off. It’s OK if some ingredients stick to the shrimp. Skewer the shrimps and set aside.
- Grill the veggies and fruit first, until slightly charred and tender, about 5 minutes on each side.
- Grill the shrimp on each side for about 3-5 minutes per side, until opaque and slightly charred. You are welcome to baste the shrimp for some added flavor or feel free to discard it. The shrimp will taste great either way.
Serve
- Serve the shrimp, veggie, and fruit skewers as is or with your favorite side such as rice, grilled corn, salad, or tortillas for tacos. Garnish with lime wedges, roughed chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- Tequila substitutes: You can add 2 tablespoons of either finely chopped pineapple, ginger beer, citrus kombucha, or 1 tablespoon orange juice with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to sub out the tequila.
- Use jumbo shrimp: Larger shrimp (16-20 count per pound or bigger) grill better and stay juicy—smaller shrimp can overcook quickly.
- Peeled shrimp: I highly recommend using peeled shrimp so the marinade can easily penetrate the meat.
- Marination time: Marinating the shrimp over 30 minutes will severely degrade the shrimp and make them very mealy. I don’t recommend marinating them over 15 minutes maximum.
- How to adjust the heat: If you remove the seeds of the jalapeno prior to adding it to the marinade, it will be less spicy. However, if you want an even milder chile, fresnos are a great alternative. You can also completely omit the chiles as well.
- Veggie options: Other great veggies to grill are asparagus, corn, mushrooms, onions, anaheim or poblanos, and even carrots!
- Hot pan or grill: In order to get great char and grill marks, it’s important to let the pan or grill get very hot. Once it’s hot, brush with oil. Once you put your items onto the grill, don’t move them for at least 1 minute! You can lift it up and check if they are getting marks, but try to refrain from moving the food around.
- Wooden skewers: If you use wooden skewers, remember to soak them in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to putting the veggies and shrimp on them. This helps prevent them from drying out and burning too much on a grill pan or grill.
- If you are using a grill pan, I recommend using 8” skewers in order for them to fit in your pan.
Storage Tips
- Storage: You can store the cooled grilled shrimp and veggie-pineapple skewers in an air tight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- I do not recommend freezing as the reheating process will greatly degrade the quality of texture.
You'll need these supplies:
- knife
- cutting board
- measuring spoons
- mixing bowls
- grill pan or grill
- tongs
- metal or wooden skewers
- plastic wrap
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Grilled Shrimp Skewers (with Veggie-Pineapple Skewers)
Amount per Serving
Calories
333
% Daily Value*
Fat
13
g
20
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
7
g
Cholesterol
143
mg
48
%
Sodium
952
mg
41
%
Potassium
941
mg
27
%
Carbohydrates
36
g
12
%
Fiber
7
g
29
%
Sugar
24
g
27
%
Protein
19
g
38
%
Vitamin A
3572
IU
71
%
Vitamin C
210
mg
255
%
Calcium
131
mg
13
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Step-by-Step for Grilled Shrimp
- First, gather your ingredients: This photo shows everything you need:
- Make the marinade: Start by tossing the shrimp with cilantro, garlic, jalapeños, tequila, honey, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, lime zest, and lime juice.
- Cover and marinate for 10-15 minutes while you prep the veggies and pineapple.
- For the veggie-fruit skewers, toss the chopped veggies (bell peppers and zucchini) and pineapple with oil, salt, and pepper, then thread them onto metal skewers.
- Preheat your grill or grill pan to high and give it a quick brush of oil. Tip: Make sure your grill pan is hot before adding the skewers to achieve a good char and prevent sticking.
- Skewer the shrimp (it’s fine if some marinade sticks).
- Grill the veggies and fruit skewers first until they’re lightly charred and tender, about 5 minutes per side.
- Grill the shrimp for 3-5 minutes on each side until they’re just cooked through and have some nice color. Tip: Don't overcrowd the skewers so they cook evenly and get that delicious char.
- Serve everything as is, or with sides like rice, grilled corn, salad, or tortillas for tacos. Don’t forget a sprinkle of cilantro and some fresh lime wedges!
More Shrimp Recipes
- Greek Shrimp Spaghetti
- Shrimp Risotto
- Lemon Shrimp Orzo and Asparagus
- Thai Shrimp Soup
- Creamy Tuscan Shrimp Orzo
- Shrimp Scampi with Capers
- Greek Shrimp Orzo with Feta
I hope you get a chance to make these grilled shrimp skewers before the grilling season is over!! Let me know what you think in the comments section below. 🍤🍤 Julia. 🍤🍤
I made these for a bbq on Saturday night. I also made coleslaw and your Mexican corn pasta salad. When I put out a platter of these shrimp, everybody jumped and grabbed a skewer! They were gone off the platter in seconds! I’m DEF going to make these again, will double the recipe and serve them with Ceasar salad and lemon orzo on the side.
Hi Raquel! That’s the best feeling when they disappear in seconds! Your menu sounds EPIC—can I come next time, LOL?! Thank you so much for your 5-star review!!