Grilled Shrimp With Lemon Aioli

By
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
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Updated on 05/26/22
Grilled Shrimp with Lemon Aioli

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Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
355 Calories
31g Fat
3g Carbs
16g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 355
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g 40%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 158mg 53%
Sodium 973mg 42%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 16g
Vitamin C 3mg 16%
Calcium 73mg 6%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 168mg 4%
*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 recipe is simple to prepare, but always impressive. You can skewer the shrimp and make the easy lemon aioli ahead of time, which makes it a great dish for outdoor entertaining. The dish makes a great appetizer as well as the main course.

Ingredients

For the Aioli:

  • 1 cup mayonnaise

  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh​ tarragon

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed

  • 1 pinch cayenne

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Shrimp:

  • 2 pounds large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, not extra-virgin

  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Steps to Make It

Make the Aioli: 

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, tarragon, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste.

  3. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Grill the Shrimp:

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, olive oil, paprika, and salt.

  3. Toss thoroughly and then skewer the shrimp on skewers (Note: If using bamboo skewers, it's best to first soak skewers for a couple of hours in water so they don't burn on the grill).

  4. Preheat a gas grill to medium-high or prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire.

  5. Grill the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until just cooked through.

  6. Serve the shrimp hot with the lemon aioli on the side.

  7. Enjoy!

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of foodborne illness

Tips

  • Aioli is basically a homemade mayonnaise, made with egg yolks, oil, Dijon mustard, and garlic, and has an infinite amount of variations. This version, made with lemon and garlic is a French classic, but you can flavor the mix with any type of chopped fresh herbs, hot sauce (such as sriracha), and citrus other than lemon.
  • Large or extra-large shrimp are best for grilling, as they are less likely to dry out. Use uniform-size shrimp for even cooking, and do not thread them too close together on the skewer.
  • Deveining small shrimp is optional, but in bigger shrimp the black intestinal vein is larger and can be gritty, so it should be removed.
  • Uncooked shrimp should be refrigerated immediately, and should be cooked as soon as possible. Cooked shrimp can be refrigerated up to three days. Cooked or uncooked shrimp can be frozen up to three months and thawed in the refrigerator.
  • Shrimp are graded according to count size, which is good to use as a gauge when buying for consistently. For small shrimp, the count is 51 to 60 per pound. Larger sizes are labeled with a U before the number. For example, U/12 means that there are under 12 shrimp in one pound.

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