Grilled Pesto Shrimp Skewers

Easy Grilled Pesto Shrimp Skewers are a low-carb option that works as an appetizer or for dinner. They're marinated in homemade basil pesto that's fantastic. Skewers are for much more than beef and chicken! They are easy to make, healthy, and please a crowd.

Now that it's grilling season, you have to try this simple, Healthy Pesto Shrimp recipe!

We devour this grilled shrimp recipe every week or so in the summertime. It fits with our love of healthy food recipes!

Did you know? The best flavor comes from knowing How to Keep Meat Moist When Grilling.

What Kind of Shrimp is Best for the BBQ

For Grilled Pesto Shrimp, jumbo or colossal-sized shrimp are best to use in the recipe.

Furthermore, for the best possible results, buy fresh shrimp on the day you plan to cook them. 

You can purchase your shrimp with or without the shell and tail, but you'll want to remove the shell and tail before cooking.

This recipe is written for raw (frozen or fresh) shrimp.

How To Make Pesto

If you enjoy making pesto, great! If not, no worries. We often use a store-bought pesto sauce with similar results. This shrimp recipe is a delicious meal that takes almost no effort.

The 5-ingredients for pesto are simple:

• Fresh Basil
• Fresh Garlic
• Parmigiano Reggiano
• Pine Nuts
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE PESTO: In a food processor (we use our mini prep), pulse basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil while pulsing.

Step-By-Step Instructions

The recipe couldn't be easier.

1. Marinate Shrimp - Once you make your pesto or buy your favorite store-bought variety, cover and marinate your shrimp for a few hours in a medium bowl. Keep them in the refrigerator while marinating. 
2. Soak Wooden Skewers - if using wooden skewers to grill your shrimp, soak them in water for about 20 minutes. You can use metal skewers to avoid this step.
3. Skewer - thread shrimp on skewers. You use about 7 skewers. 
4. Grill - preheat your outdoor grill (or indoor grill pan) on medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and place shrimp on the hot grill. Cook until shrimp turns pink at the bottom, about 3-4 minutes (per side). Then, turn the shrimp over and continue cooking until the shrimp is opaque for about another 3-4 minutes.

Pro Tip: For the best flavor, make sure your BBQ grill is clean!

We sometimes serve the shrimp recipe as an appetizer before a meal because it's light and goes with just about everything. Over salad works too!

Serving Grilled Shrimp with Pesto to a Crowd

Are you serving this Shrimp Pesto recipe to a crowd?

Then, place them on a platter over a bed of greens with a lemon wedge, or leave them on the stick for a fun handheld appetizer.

We also like this recipe when friends come by because it's low-carb and gluten-free, so everyone can usually eat it.

Either way, they're delicious and nutritious.

More Healthy Recipes

Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken
Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
Zesty Shrimp Salad

Pesto Shrimp with Pasta

This shrimp pesto recipe is incredibly tasty over pasta for a heartier meal!

Simply cook 8 ounces of angel hair pasta in a large pot of salted water for approximately 7 minutes. Reserve about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta in a strainer.

Finally, place your cooked shrimp in the cooked pasta with a little of your reserved water, and stir to combine. Top with grated Parmesan, then serve!

Tips & Tricks

• We find that if the shrimp are packed too tight on the skewers, it takes a bit longer to cook and can easily be overcooked. Better to use more skewers with fewer shrimp on each.
• The trick to cooking the best shrimp is not overcooking it. Shrimp cooks very quickly, and if you continue to cook it longer than necessary, the proteins will continue to contract and leave you with a tough, rubbery result.
• You can soak your wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes so the shrimp stay moist, or use metal ones to avoid this step.
• Serve with a fresh lemon wedge so you can squeeze some lemon juice on your shrimp for enhanced flavor.
• This shrimp recipe is best consumed the day you make it.

You'll also love our Pesto Pasta with Avocado and our Shrimp Salad! Both make lovely Summer Recipes!

Enjoy this healthy grilled pesto shrimp recipe as an easy weeknight meal or for your next cookout, but make sure you make more than you think you'll need. It's a family favorite around our house!

Recipe FAQs

Other Summertime Favorites:

Strawberry Balsamic Flatbread
Watermelon Punch

Let Us Know How It Goes

If you try these Shrimp Kabobs or any other recipe on Suburban Simplicity, don't forget to rate the recipe and let us know how it went in the comments below, we love hearing from you!

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Printable Recipe

This recipe was originally published on July 16, 2016. We updated it with enhanced instructions and recipe details on March 25, 2021.