Grilled Shrimp Kabobs are made with marinated juicy shrimp, tender bell peppers, and onions. They’re colorful, filling, and packed with flavor! These simple shrimp skewers make a fabulous summer dinner.

Easy Grilled Shrimp Kabobs

It’s easy to go through summer only making chicken or steak kabobs, forgetting about the treasure that is Grilled Shrimp Kabobs! And, trust me, you don’t want to do that – this juicy grilled shrimp recipe with colorful veggies is not to be missed.

It all starts with fresh raw shrimp, which is soaked in a tomato sauce and olive oil based marinade (also featuring paprika and cayenne for a little spice). That flavorful, marinated shrimp is then added to skewers, alongside crunchy bell peppers and onion, and grilled until smoky and tender.

I love serving these shrimp and vegetable skewers at barbecues because they go well with so many summer side dishes. But also, if it’s a regular-old busy weeknight, this recipe can be a great choice because you don’t have to spend time making a main course and a side dish – it’s all packed onto one skewer!

In the end, I guess you can make them whenever you want; you’ll never be disappointed in the results, regardless of the occasion! AND, to add, at only 130 calories per serving and 6 net carbs, they are low in calories, low in carbs, and amazing. ?

Why You Want to Marinate the Shrimp

Marinating the shrimp injects them with more flavors. It also helps the shrimp stay juicy once you start grilling the skewers.

While the marinade is an important step in the kabob-making process, you want to make sure that you don’t let the shrimp sit in it for too long. They can become mushy if you leave them in the marinade for more than 30 minutes.

What You’ll Need

Okay, let’s get started on these tasty shrimp skewers! First we’ll round up all of the necessary ingredients, which I’ve listed out below:

• Tomato Sauce: Try to use a plain variation of tomato sauce because you’ll be adding your own seasonings to the marinade later.
• Olive Oil: Helps facilitate the transfer of flavor from ingredients like garlic, into the shrimp.
• Vinegar: I like to use red wine vinegar in this recipe.
• Garlic: Minced.
• Marinade Seasoning: Use a mix of dried basil, dried oregano, salt, paprika, and cayenne.
• Shrimp: I like to use fresh, raw shrimp, but you can use frozen shrimp if you want to.
• Vegetables: You can switch it up, but I like to use yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper, and onion (all cut into 1-inch pieces).
• Garnish: Add chopped fresh parsley as a finishing touch.

How to Make Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Minus the marinating time, it doesn’t take long at all to construct these grilled shrimp kabobs. They’re also done grilling in a flash, and they’ll be gone from your plate even faster! Here are the step-by-step instructions to building them:

• Mix the Marinade Together: In a large mixing bowl combine tomato sauce, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, paprika, and cayenne; whisk until completely incorporated. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade for later.
• Marinate the Shrimp: Add the shrimp to the remaining marinade and toss to coat. Cover this mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the Grill to Medium Heat: Grease the grill grates with oil. Remove the shrimp from the refrigerator.
• Construct the Skewers: Alternate threading shrimp, peppers, and onions onto skewers. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes before using.
• Grill the Kabobs: Grill the skewers, covered, over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and the veggies are tender. Turn the skewers occasionally, and baste with the reserved marinade during the last couple minutes of cooking. Finally, remove the kabobs from the grill, garnish with parsley, and serve.

How Long to Cook Shrimp on the Grill

• I like to grill my shrimp for about 3-ish minutes per side, turning the skewers occasionally during that time so that the shrimp cooks evenly. I also like to add marinade from time to time so that the shrimp maintains rich flavor.
• 5 to 6 minutes is more than enough time for the shrimp to cook through – usually each side needs about 2 minutes – but make sure your shrimp is nice and pink before you remove it from the grill.

Tips for Success

Still with me? I’ve got a few more notes to share with you and then you can head for the grill!

These grilled shrimp kabobs are already a pretty easy summer dinner recipe, but I have a few tips that could make them even simpler:

• If You Don’t Want to Grill the Shrimp: You can also broil your seafood for about 5 minutes under the broiler, instead of using the grill.
• Grease the Grill Grates: Don’t skip this step! It ensures that the shrimp won’t stick to the grates when you try to remove the kabobs.
• Soak Your Skewers: If you’re using wooden skewers, it’s important to soak them in water for at least 20 minutes so that the wood doesn’t burn. You can use metal skewers instead if you don’t want to use wooden ones.
• Space Out Your Skewers: It’s okay if the edges of the shrimp lightly touch the edges of the veggies, but try to avoid tightly packing your kabobs. You want to give both the seafood and the veggies room to cook through.
• Don’t Overcook the Shrimp: Overdone shrimp is rubbery, so carefully watch your shrimp if you need to grill it past 5 minutes.

Variation Ideas

Don’t feel like you have to stick to the same ingredients every time you make these kabobs. I would keep the marinade the same, but here are some examples of possible substitutions:

• Fruit: Ever tried juicy grilled pineapple before? It’s SO delicious, and it adds some tropical flair to your shrimp kabobs.
• Other Veggies: You can add any number of vegetables to your kabobs. Try mushrooms, zucchini, squash, pre-cooked corn or pre-cooked brussel sprouts, etc.
• Meat: Feel free to add other sources of protein to your shrimp and veggie kabobs. Chicken, beef, or even sausage would work well.
• Shrimp, only! No problem – try my Garlic Basil Grilled Shrimp Skewers. ?

Serving Suggestions

There are a number of things that you can serve with grilled shrimp kabobs! I’ve got a few ideas if you’re looking for inspiration:

• Rice: Serving these kabobs over a simple bed of white rice is easy and delicious! You could also use brown rice or quinoa.
• Noodles: A simple pasta salad recipe or a bowl of buttered noodles (like penne) would work well.
• Vegetables: If you’d rather have only shrimp on your skewers, feel free to grill your vegetables on the side, or to do oven roasted ones. Grilled Corn on the Cob, for example, would be a great option!
• Salad: You could make any salad with these kabobs, really, but I particularly like this Garden Vegetable Potato Salad and this Radish and Cucumber Salad with Garlic-Yogurt Dressing.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• You can keep leftover grilled shrimp and veggies in an airtight container in the fridge, for 2 to 3 days.
• I like to reheat both components in a skillet over low heat, with a little olive oil. Add extra marinade if you have any leftover, and cook until the shrimp is warmed through.

ENJOY!

More Shrimp Recipes to Try

Want to try more simple shrimp dinner recipes? If so, check out these ones:

• Baked Batter “Fried” Shrimp
• Crispy Garlic Butter Baked Shrimp Scampi
• Easy Garlic Shrimp with Bacon
• Cajun Shrimp and Guacamole Tortilla Bites
• Garlic Shrimp Ramen