Grilled basil shrimp is a delicious and healthy meal that’s perfect for any summer gathering. With its fresh herbs, succulent shrimp, and easy preparation, it’s sure to be a hit with your guests.

Summer is the perfect time for outdoor gatherings and enjoying delicious meals with friends and family. If you’re on the hunt for a show-stopping dish that’s easy to make and packed with flavor, look no further than grilled basil shrimp. With succulent shrimp, fresh herbs, and a zesty marinade, this dish is sure to tantalize your taste buds and impress your guests.
Ingredients for Grilled Basil Shrimp
Before we dive into the steps to create grilled basil shrimp, let’s go over the ingredients you’ll need. To make this delicious dish, you’ll need:
- fresh shrimp
- basil leaves
- butter and olive oil
- minced garlic
- Dijon mustard and
- lemon juice
TIPS:
- When selecting your shrimp, opt for the largest, freshest ones you can afford, and deveined ones if you don’t feel like doing it yourself.
- Fresh basil leaves are essential to this recipe, so make sure to select leaves that are bright green and not wilted.

Now that we have all the ingredients ready, let’s move on to preparing the shrimp for grilling.
How To Make the Best Grilled Shrimp:
- For the marinade, you’ll need a quarter cup of butter as well as olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 3 Tbsp of Dijon mustard (not the grainy kind), 3-4 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and lots of fresh basil. These ingredients will give your shrimp a zesty and refreshing taste.
- Mix the ingredients in a small bowl – or better yet, a food processor to break up all the basil leaves and emulsify the marinade. Be sure to set some of the marinade aside to pour over the shrimp when they are done cooking!
- Pour this mixture over the shrimp and toss until they are evenly coated. Let the shrimp marinate in the mixture for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
With the shrimp prepped and marinated, it’s time to move on to grilling them.
Grilling the Shrimp
- Heat up the grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
- Place the shrimp on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they turn pink and slightly charred. Be careful not to overcook them, or they will become rubbery and tough.

Serving Suggestions for Grilled Basil Shrimp
- If you want to keep things on the lighter side, serving this shrimp over a simple salad with lemon wedges is the way to go.
- For something more substantial, our orzo recipes are the perfect side dish!
- If you are serving this at a BBQ, the classic macaroni and potato salads are a great pairing.
GRILLED BASIL SHRIMP RECIPE
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Grilled Basil Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ¼ Cup butter, melted
- 3–4 Tbsp. Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
- 3 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
- ½ Cup Fresh Basil leaves, chopped
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)
- ¼ Cup Olive oil
- Sea salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor add the cooled melted butter, lemon juice, mustard, basil leaves and garlic. Give it a few pulses and then slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Add more oil if the marinade seems too thick.
- Place the cleaned shrimp is a bowl and pour the marinade over the shrimp, using tongs or your hands to evenly coat it.
- Cover and place the shrimp in the refrigerator for NO more than 30 minutes.
- Take the shrimp out of the refrigerator and prepare the grill.
- Grill over a hot grill for approx. 2-3 minutes per side or pink on the outside and opaque inside.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
This is an EXCELLENT recipe. Be careful not to let the shrimp sit for too long, they will become rubbery. I only marinade them for about 15 minutes, as long as it takes the grill to heat up and for me to pop a beer.
★★★★★
I’ve been making this exact recipe since you put it up in 2015. It is my go to and it is delicious. Restaurant quality. I serve it along with your rice pilaf recipe and a corn on the cob. Excellent.
★★★★★
Dope! Blew my mind.
★★★★★