Grilled shrimp skewers with cilantro pesto
- Preparation 15 min
- Refrigeration 30 min
- Cooking 5 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🍤 Born from leftover pesto
This recipe was born by accident, and honestly, it’s some of the best shrimp I’ve ever eaten in my life. I had leftover cilantro pesto from my rack of lamb, and I thought I’d use it to make something incredible with shrimp. I had two big bags of large size-21 shrimp in the freezer. The result was absolutely mind-blowing.
🌿 The same pesto, used twice
The real trick here is to use your cilantro pesto twice: one part to marinate the shrimp, the other reserved to generously drizzle on at the end. I even ended up dipping my shrimp straight into it, it was that good. One pesto recipe, two uses, and the result is multiplied tenfold.
🔥 Grilled hot, almost charred
I like my shrimp well grilled, almost charred in spots. High heat at maximum, I leave them 3 to 4 minutes on one side without moving them, then flip for about 1 more minute. If you prefer them softer, reduce the time a bit, but that’s how I like them.
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🌿 Use the same pesto twice
Always reserve a good portion of pesto before marinating the shrimp, so you’re not left empty-handed at serving time. One part for marinating, one fresh part reserved for drizzling at the end. That’s what makes this recipe so memorable.
🍤 Metal skewers, way more practical
Metal skewers are wider than wood, so the shrimp don’t spin in place when you flip them on the grill. They’re also reusable indefinitely. A great investment for summer.
🔥 High heat, almost charred
For nicely grilled and marked shrimp, keep the barbecue at maximum and resist the urge to move them too soon. Leave them 3 to 4 minutes on one side before flipping. That’s what gives them that beautiful dark colour in spots.
🍢 Leftover pesto from another recipe? Use it here
This recipe was born from leftover pesto from my carré d’agneau grillé, pesto de coriandre. If you have pesto sitting around, this is the perfect opportunity to turn it into a complete dinner.
✅ What to serve with my grilled shrimp skewers with cilantro pesto?
They’re perfect with my grilled rack of lamb with cilantro pesto for a complete BBQ feast, or with a Nordic shrimp salad to keep the theme going.
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Cilantro pesto
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) whole almonds, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup (60 ml) pine nuts
- 2 packed cups (500 ml) fresh cilantro, large stems removed (about one large bunch)
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup (60 ml) pecorino romano, finely grated
- Zest of ½ lemon
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
- ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, to adjust texture at the end
Shrimp
- 600 g (1.3 lb) large size-21 shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
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Preparation
- In a food processor, combine the almonds, pine nuts, cilantro, garlic, pecorino, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, and the ½ cup of olive oil. Blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and stir in the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil with a spoon.
- Reserve half the pesto to drizzle over the shrimp at the end. Toss the shrimp with the other half in a bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Thread the marinated shrimp onto metal skewers.
- Preheat the barbecue to high heat, as high as it goes. Grill the skewers for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side without moving them, then flip and cook for about 1 more minute, until the shrimp are pink, opaque, and nicely charred in spots.
- Serve immediately, generously drizzled with the reserved pesto.
Yes, that’s actually the whole idea behind this recipe. Reserve a good portion of the pesto before marinating the shrimp. The part that touched the raw shrimp is only used for the marinade. The fresh portion set aside is what you drizzle on at the end.
Thirty minutes in the refrigerator is more than enough. Shrimp are delicate and don’t need a long marinade to take on the flavour of the pesto.
Both work, but metal skewers are wider, so the shrimp don’t spin when you flip them on the grill. They’re also reusable indefinitely. If you use wood, soak them in water for 30 minutes beforehand.
Up to 2, 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They’re best the same day, but reheat well for lunch the next day.
They’re delicious with my grilled rack of lamb with cilantro pesto for a complete BBQ dinner, or with a nordic shrimp salad.
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