Citrus-Honey Grilled Shrimp Recipe

By
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches is a grilling and barbecue expert. He has written two cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 09/15/22
Tested by
Young Sun Huh
Young Sun Huh
Tested by Young Sun Huh
Young Sun is a freelance recipe developer, tester, and food stylist with over 15 years of experience in the food industry.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
quick citrus-honey grilled shrimp

The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

Prep: 12 mins
Cook: 6 mins
Marinate: 15 mins
Total: 33 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
372 Calories
6g Fat
41g Carbs
39g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 372
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 359mg 120%
Sodium 2142mg 93%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 35g
Protein 39g
Vitamin C 10mg 49%
Calcium 165mg 13%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 353mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This is a deliciously sweet and citrus-flavored shrimp dish that can be served as either an appetizer or an entree. Enjoy with your favorite grilled vegetables or served over fresh greens and pasta.

For this recipe, you will need 8 to 10 wooden kebab skewers that are presoaked in water.

“This grilled shrimp recipe is very versatile and was tasty atop a big green salad on a hot summer day. If you’re using frozen peeled and deveined shrimp, check the package to see if there is any added salt, in which case I would recommend using half the amount of salt in the marinade.” —Young Sun Huh

Citrus-Honey Grilled Shrimp Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, plus wedges for serving

  • 1/2 cup honey

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 1/2 pounds large or jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients to make quick citrus-honey grilled shrimp

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Combine lime juice, honey, oil, garlic, white pepper, and salt. Pour half of the mixture into a separate bowl for basting. 

    lime marinade in a bowl

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

  3. Place shrimp into a resealable plastic bag (use two if necessary). Pour remaining half of citrus-honey mixture into the bag. Make sure all of the shrimp is coated. Seal bag and refrigerate, 15 to 30 minutes (no longer than this). 

    shrimp marinating in plastic bag

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Soak wooden skewers in water, about 30 minutes. Pre heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat (350°F to 375°F).

    wooden skewers soaking in water

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Remove shrimp from refrigerator and thread 3 to 4 shrimp onto each wooden skewer. 

    shrimp threaded on wood skewers

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

  6. Place shrimp on grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, basting with reserved citrus-honey mixture.

    basting shrimp on grill

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

  7. Turn shrimp once, grill for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until opaque.

    shrimp skewers cooking on grill

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

  8. Remove from grill and serve immediately with the lime wedges.

    quick citrus-honey grilled shrimp

    The Spruce/Maxwell Cozzi

Tips

  • If using wooden skewers, we recommend soaking them for about 30 minutes before grilling. Soaking your skewers can prevent them from catching on fire, which ultimately leads to all your meat and veggies falling to the bottom of the grill. 
  • For soaking, you can use wine as an alternative to the water, which will add another flavor element.
  • An alternative to soaking skewers would be to use stainless steel or metal skewers. They do not require any soaking and can be reused.
  • To yield the most juice from your limes, try rolling them on the countertop first or microwaving them until warm.

Recipe Variations

  • Try using other kinds of citrus juice, such as lemon or orange, in place of or in combination with the lime juice.
  • Add some finely grated lime zest to the marinade.
  • Instead of white pepper, try a few pinches of crushed red pepper for some heat.