Grilled Margarita Shrimp
A marinade flavored with tequila, lime, garlic and more, transformed ordinary shrimp into zesty, delectable Margarita Shrimp! This Grilled Shrimp Recipe is out of this world and is guaranteed to become a favorite with your family!
Grilled Margarita Shrimp
Did you all know today is National Margarita Day? I can barely keep track of what day of the week it is, let alone if it’s a foodie holiday. Well, without my foodie friends, I wouldn’t have either. My friend, Heather, of girlichef, has organized a group of bloggers to share margarita recipes. Now margaritas just happen to be my favorite cocktail, but Bill is in the hospital recovering from a heart valve replacement. Much as I’d like to liquor up with a gargantuan slushy margarita, I decided a light, zesty Grilled Shrimp Recipe was a better alternative.
How to Grill Shrimp
It only takes an extra minute on the grill and shrimp goes from tender and succulent, to tough and rubbery. And since a grill is often way hotter than your oven, it can happen in the blink of an eye! So here are a few tips on how to grill shrimp perfectly!
- Start with the freshest shrimp available. Purchase on the day you plan to grill it. If you buy frozen, defrost it on the day you’re going to eat it.
- Buy extra-large shrimp for the best results. Small shrimp will cook way too fast on the grill and getting them off in a timely manner is more difficult.
- Marinate about 30 minutes to an hour. When there is citrus in the marinade, the shrimp will start to deteriorate from the acid more quickly than sturdier protein sources like beef or pork.
- Grill over direct, medium heat, about 350-450º. The internal temperature of shrimp should reach 120º, but chances are you won’t have time to check! Just watch for visual cues.
- Shrimp cook quickly, so watch for a color change and for the shrimp to curl into a C shape. If the C shape gets “too” tight, the shrimp is overcooked. PRO-Tip: Do a trial run with one or two shrimp to see how long it takes for them to cook and make a note of the time.
- PRO-Tip: Soak your wooden skewers in water for an hour or so before grilling so they don’t burn.
- PRO-Tip: Use TWO skewers to stabilize the shrimp making them easier to flip. Check the photo above for details.
Simple, Flavorful Margarita Shrimp!
This uber-simple recipe made for tender and flavorful shrimp. The grilled shrimp marinade with the classic margarita flavors of lime, tequila and triple sec was also given a flavor boost from garlic, cilantro, and honey. The shrimp bathed in this flavorsome marinade for just a half-hour then basked under the heat of the broiler till pink. These Margarita Shrimp are pure deliciousness. Here are a few more margarita inspired recipes:
- Frozen Mango Margarita from Noshing with the Nolands
- Beergaritas
- Fresh Peach Margaritas
- Blood Orange Margaritas
- Margarita Cheesecake
- Mini Margarita Cheesecakes
- Margarita Poke Cake
- You’ll also love this Grilled Shrimp Scampi!
Margarita Shrimp
Succulent marinated broiled shrimp inspired by the margarita cocktail!
Ingredients
- 1 pound large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails left on
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons tequila
- 1 teaspoon triple sec
- 2 tablespoons minced cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Soak about 10 long wooden skewers in water while you prepare the shrimp.
- Whisk together all ingredients in a medium bowl except shrimp. Add shrimp and gently toss to coat shrimp. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes, gently stirring a couple of times.
- Skewer shrimp onto two parallel skewers and place on a rack over a baking sheet or a broiler pan.
- Preheat broiler and broil about 6 inches away from element for 3-5 minutes or until cooked through (time depends on the size of shrimp), turning at halfway point. Or grill if desired which may take even less time!
- Serve warm.
Total time: 45 minutes
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 327Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 319mgSodium: 1786mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 35g
45 Comments on “Grilled Margarita Shrimp”
What a great shrimp dish! Definitely need to be making this soon!
Sadly I missed the national celebration but I don’t mind catching up!
Love quick marinades like this one – the shrimp look fantastic!!
I love that you made something we can actually eat as opposed to imbibe
Definitely pinning these! They look so delicious and summery and refreshing. I can’t wait to grill them this summer!!
This looks spectacular, Liz, something I could eat every day. It’s such a fresh, healthy dish yet I know it’s loaded with wonderful flavor. Hope Bill is recovering quickly! I know you’ll be so happy to have him home!
What a great way to celebrate margaritas! So glad everyone in your house in on the mend. (And thanks for the sweet note you left on my blog. I always look forward to your amazing food posts!)
Liz, I have been thinking about you and praying that your family is on the road to recovery. This has been one insane week for you. Bless you and here you are still blogging and making delicious dishes. Take Care, BAM
Wow, this margarita shrimp looks gorgeous Liz! The marinade sounds amazing and the photos are stunning!
I had no idea there was a Margarita Day at all…those margarita shrimp skewers look very delicious!
Well this is an amazing recipe for shrimps!! One small question though… In Greece is not easy to find triple sec. Can we use cointreau instead, or any other orange flavored liqueur? Will the result be the same?
Well, I didn’t know about Margarita Day, until I read your post! And it is MY favorite cocktail. 🙂
We have a local restaurant that makes an awesome margarita – we go there more for the drinks than the food! So… I not only had a margarita for myself, but one for you as well! I figured after my 67 mile bike ride, I deserved at least one, if not three (OK, one for Bill too!) on this special day. I hope Bill is recovering comfortably.
This shrimp dish sounds fantastic! I will definitely have to give this a try.
I had no idea there was a Margarita Day, will have to have one tomorrow.:) Your shrimp look amazing Liz!
Ooooh, Lizzy, we love margaritas….. and with prawns, yum!!!
I seriously wish I had an entire plate of these right now! Your photos truly made me hungry. I.also love that you used cilantro. Mmmmmm, Margarita shrimp!!!
Well it looks like you picked a great way to celebrate Margarita Day! The shrimp looks divine!
Shrimp with a kick, this looks absolutely delicious 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
These look delishious! I’ll have to pick up a couple ingrediance (tequila and triple sec) but def going to make these! I may wait till summer so I can do them on the grill tho 😉
Sounds like the perfect shrimp recipe!
I always get confused with the days. Like today, I really thought it was Sunday and I went crazy rushing to get things done. Good thing Wes, my bf, rest assured me it’s Sat! Phew! And now that I have an extra day, I might as well make these tomorrow. They look delish!