I think it’s clear from the title of the site, I’m more a carb girl than anything else. I’ll happily forgo a piece of steak, perfectly contented with corn on the cob and some artisan bread with Kerrygold butter. After almost six years, Brian still has a difficult time understanding my attitude towards meat.
I’m pretty certain I could easily transition to a vegetarian lifestyle if it weren’t for two things: bacon and shrimp. In my opinion, bacon is perfection. On it’s own it’s magnificent, but it is also has the capability of transforming many a mundane dish into something fantastic. When it comes to shrimp – whether they’re sauteed, fried, stuffed or grilled – they top my list of favorite foods. Unless you try to feed them to me in shrimp cocktail form. Then all bets are off. Just something about the ice cold shrimp and cocktail sauce skeeves me out.
I stumbled on this grilled shrimp recipe a few years ago and it’s been one of my go-to weeknight meals since then. We grill year round at our house. (Yep, we’re the crazy people sporting Ugg boots and winter coats with our grilling tongs in mitten-clad hands out the middle of a snow storm, all just to get our steak and shrimp fix.)
The preparation of this shrimp dish is super simple – I just toss everything into a zip-top bag and let it marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes. The shrimp grill up in minutes and are full of flavor. They pair perfectly with grilled asparagus and steamed rice.
What’s your go-to, quick weeknight meal?

Marinated Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the shrimp and whisk until combined. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring a couple of times.
Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard leftover marinade
Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until cooked through and opaque.
Notes
- Recipe from allrecipes.com
Lee
Saturday 7th of November 2015
Tried this recipe and my family loved it! They still rave about it and always ask where the recipe is from. Thanks for sharing!
Jamie
Tuesday 12th of January 2016
You are welcome, Lee! I'm glad everyone liked it!
Liana
Friday 29th of August 2014
If I leave out the red wine vinegar, will it taste the same? Or what can I replace that with?
-Lea
Jamie
Saturday 30th of August 2014
Hi Liana, You could substitute another type of vinegar but it is essential to the marinade. I hope this helps!
-Jamie
Melanie
Monday 24th of March 2014
We tried these last night and they were fantastic! I sliced some potatoes, asparagus and carrots; tossed them all with a tablespoon of olive oil and threw them on the grill too. Very hearty and tasty lunch for a chillier day.
Jamie
Tuesday 8th of April 2014
Melanie-
That sounds fantastic! I'm so happy that you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for stopping in and have a great day!
-Jamie
Maria
Monday 19th of August 2013
I tried this recipe on the weekend and everyone loved it! Would definitely do it again and would definitely use it not just as an easy weeknight dinner but also as a nice dinner party option.
Jamie
Thursday 22nd of August 2013
Maria,
That's wonderful to hear! Thank you so much for stopping in to let us know that you enjoyed the recipe. Have a great day and thank you for following MBA!
Jamie
Jessica
Wednesday 13th of February 2013
Thank you for sharing! I’ve linked to it from my site because may of these ingredients are on sale this week and others may be looking for an amazing dish for their meal plan. Thanks again! http://www.weeklyadmeals.com/2013/02/13/publix-free-weekly-meal-plan-feb-13-19/