Description
This Garlic Grilled Shrimp with Mediterranean Salad recipe features succulent shrimp coated in a flavorful buttery garlic sauce and perfectly grilled, paired with a fresh, vibrant Mediterranean salad of avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, and cilantro. It’s a light and delicious dish ideal for summer grilling and healthy eating.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Marinade
- 16 oz Open Nature raw shrimp (shelled with tails on, defrosted, washed and dry)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 medium lemon (zested and juiced)
- 4 cloves garlic (grated)
- 4 tbsp cilantro (finely chopped)
Mediterranean Salad
- 1 large avocado (cubed)
- 10 oz cherry tomatoes (quartered)
- ¼ cup cilantro (finely chopped)
- 1 small lemon (juiced)
- ½ red onion (minced)
- ½ cup kalamata olives (halved)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the Grill: Preheat your grill to 500ºF to get it hot and ready for cooking the shrimp.
- Prepare the Shrimp: Thaw the shrimp fully, rinse under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Soak Skewers: Soak your wooden skewers in water for at least 10 minutes to prevent burning on the grill.
- Make the Garlic Butter Sauce: Melt the unsalted butter and mix in lemon zest and juice, grated garlic, kosher salt, and smoked paprika to create a fragrant garlic butter marinade.
- Marinate the Shrimp: Place the shrimp in a bowl, toss with half of the garlic butter sauce until evenly coated. Reserve the remaining half of the sauce for serving. Thread 5 shrimp onto each skewer.
- Grill the Shrimp: Reduce grill heat to medium and turn off the middle burners to create both direct and indirect heat zones. Grill shrimp directly for 1-2 minutes per side or via indirect heat for 2-3 minutes total, ensuring they are cooked through but still tender.
- Finish with Cilantro Butter: After grilling, add chopped cilantro to the reserved garlic butter sauce and drizzle it over the hot shrimp skewers for enhanced flavor.
- Prepare the Mediterranean Salad: While the shrimp is thawing, combine avocado, cherry tomatoes, minced red onion, halved kalamata olives, and chopped cilantro in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, tossing gently to mix. Season lightly with salt, keeping in mind the olives add saltiness.
- Serve and Enjoy: Plate the grilled shrimp skewers alongside the fresh Mediterranean salad and enjoy a flavorful, light meal perfect for warm weather.
Notes
- Soaking skewers is important to prevent burning while grilling.
- Reserve half of the garlic butter sauce for serving to drizzle over shrimp after cooking for maximum flavor.
- Adjust salt in salad carefully because kalamata olives are naturally salty.
- Ensure shrimp is fully thawed and dry before marinating for best coating and grilling results.
- Can substitute fresh cilantro with parsley if preferred.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: grilled shrimp, garlic shrimp, Mediterranean salad, summer recipe, healthy grilling, avocado salad, seafood skewers
