Grilled Pesto Shrimp
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Whether you serve this grilled shrimp for dinner or as an appetizer, it disappears in a flash. Make extra!
There are endless ways to use pesto sauce—the Italian blend of olive oil, fresh basil, garlic, nuts, and Parmesan—but this grilled pesto shrimp recipe has to be one of my favorites. Whether you serve it with pasta (it’s especially delicious with spaghetti aglio e olio) and a vegetable for dinner or as an appetizer, the shrimp disappear fast. Trust me, no matter how much you think you’ll need, make extra!
“Terrific dish that came together quickly. Another dinner to add to our rotation!”
What You’ll Need To Make Grilled Pesto Shrimp
For the shrimp, I use frozen jumbo (16/20) shrimp labeled “shell split and deveined.” Come dinnertime, all I have to do is run the shrimp under cold water to quickly defrost and then peel. Note that the “fresh” shrimp you see in the seafood case at the supermarket is typically thawed frozen shrimp; so, for the freshest shrimp, you’re better off buying it frozen and defrosting it yourself.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the basil pesto: simply combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Reserve two tablespoons of the fresh pesto (you’ll use that on the grilled shrimp) and pour the rest over the shrimp.
Toss to coat and let the shrimp sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to marinate.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and grill the shrimp a few minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook them!
Right before serving, add the reserved pesto to the grilled shrimp. I know it only looks like a little, but pesto is very strong and garlicky so you don’t want to overdo it.
Serve with lots of napkins and enjoy!
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Grilled Pesto Shrimp
Whether you serve this grilled shrimp for dinner or as an appetizer, it disappears in a flash. Make extra!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds extra large (26/30) or jumbo shrimp, peeled (tails left on) and deveined, thawed if frozen
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 3 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Thread the shrimp onto skewers, if desired. (I usually don't bother, unless the shrimp are on the smaller side, in which case they might slip through the grill grates.)
- In a food processor or blender, combine the olive oil, basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, Parmigiano-Reggiano and walnuts. Process until the mixture is well blended. Reserve two tablespoons of the pesto in a bowl large enough to hold all of the shrimp and set aside. Pour the remaining pesto over the shrimp and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to marinate.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Place the shrimp on the grill and cook until plump and slightly charred, a few minutes per side. Transfer the cooked shrimp to the bowl with the reserved pesto and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 258
- Fat: 17
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Sodium: 922 mg
- Cholesterol: 194 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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I made this dish last night…First off…This dish was AMAZING! Where has pesto been all of my life? Anyway…a couple of things. We had a pouring downpour just as I was to go out and pre-heat the grill so I broiled them instead. Still AMAZING. And I made double of the pesto because I trusted all the reviewers…LOL!
I sauteed 1/2 an onion and threw in 2 more tablespoons of pesto in with the onions and then tossed that mixture together with some veggie pasta and served everything as a pasta dish. My husband loved it! Went back for seconds and proved he loved me because he left me ONE shrimp…LOL! I love every recipe of yours that I have tried…now my only question is what else can I put pesto on? LOL!
I am allergic to walnuts. Is there another nut I can use?
Hi Ginny, Pine nuts would work well. Enjoy!
How long will the pesto sauce last if stored in the fridge? Freezer?
I’ve made this dish a few times and found it so delicious so it would be handy to have some ready-made pesto….
Hi Ponyo, Glad you like the shrimp! Pesto should last 4 – 5 days in the fridge or 3 – 4 months in the freezer.
I’ve seen a hack where you can buy an inexpensive ice tray and make pesto cubes that you can freeze and pull out as you need them. I loved the pesto so much…I think I might do that as well.
Hi Jenn!
I’ve tried quite a few of your recipes and I absolutely loved them and so did my family!
I would love to try this recipe but what kind of cheese can I substitute for parmesan?
Thanx:)
Yussra
Hi Yussra, That is so nice to read. Thank you! Pecorino Romano would work well in this recipe.
This easy recipe is delicious and highlights one of my favorite summer flavors on one of my favorite seafoods. This dish is a hit at our home. I’ve made it three times now and we never have leftovers.
Hi Jenn,
I would like to take these to a cocktail party, would they be okay served at room temperature about an hour after grilling?
Hi Mary, Yes absolutely!
I looked at the Grilled Pesto Shrimp recipe Nutrition Information. .5 tsp of salt would give 1175mg Na for the recipe not the serving. I know the cheese has salt in it but is there another Na source? With the per serving amt. in mind I’m looking forward to making this.
If you’re using fresh shrimp, the sodium will be much lower. But if you’re using frozen shrimp (and most shrimp are frozen immediately after being caught), the dish will be high in sodium. That’s because when fresh shrimp are frozen, they are washed and soaked in a saline solution. Here’s a link that explains: http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/nutrition-101/salt-in-foods/salt-supermarket
Just made this tonight and it was delicious! My daughter has nut allergies, so I substituted roasted sunflower seeds for the walnuts and it worked out great. It started pouring so I broiled the shrimp on skewers to excellent results. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly and six people finished 3lbs of shrimp! Thank you for a keeper.
Oh my goodness, this recipe is delicious. I made it exactly as written, and I wouldn’t change one single thing. Outstanding. Thank you!!!
How can I cook the shrimp if I do not own a grill? Thank you.
Hi Marilyne, You can broil the shrimp in the oven or use a grill pan. Enjoy!
The grilled shrimp pesto is very good and so simple. I tried the same principle on grilled salmon and it turned out wonderful. My only problem now is that I need to plant more basil, my pesto habit is getting out of control :).
Thanks Jen for another simple, delicious recipe!
Great idea, Darlene. Glad you enjoyed!