Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Herbs

Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Herbs

Mia

These Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Herbs embody the essence of Mediterranean coastal cooking, where fresh seafood meets aromatic herbs in a celebration of simple, healthy flavors. Inspired by the sun-drenched shores of Greece, Italy, and Spain, this dish showcases plump, juicy shrimp marinated in a vibrant blend of olive oil, garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs like parsley, oregano, and basil. The high heat of the grill caramelizes the exterior of the shrimp while keeping the interior tender and succulent, creating a delightful contrast of textures.

What makes this recipe truly special is its adherence to Mediterranean Diet principles—it's rich in lean protein, heart-healthy fats from olive oil, and packed with antioxidants from fresh herbs and lemon. The marinade not only infuses the shrimp with incredible flavor but also helps keep them moist during grilling. Each bite delivers a burst of brightness from the citrus, a subtle kick from garlic, and the earthy notes of fresh herbs that transport you to a seaside taverna.

This dish is perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something impressive yet effortless, or for entertaining guests on warm summer evenings. The shrimp cook in just minutes on the grill, making this one of the quickest and most satisfying meals you can prepare. Serve these skewers with a crisp Greek salad, grilled vegetables, or over a bed of lemony couscous for a complete Mediterranean feast that's as nutritious as it is delicious.

Nutrition

26 minutes
None servings
245 calories
Fat 14.00g
Carbs 3.00g
Protein 27.00g

Ingredients

1.5 lbslarge shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cupextra virgin olive oil
3 tbspfresh lemon juice
4 clovesgarlic, minced
1/4 cupfresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tbspfresh oregano, chopped
2 tbspfresh basil, chopped
1 tsplemon zest
1 tspsalt
1/2 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
1/4 tspred pepper flakes (optional)
1 wholelemon wedges, cut into wedges

Equipment

Cutting board
Whisk
paper towels
tongs
large mixing bowl
chef's knife
grill (gas or charcoal)
zester or microplane
measuring cups and spoons
wooden or metal skewers
serving platter

16:8 Diet

This protein-rich, nutrient-dense recipe is ideal for the 16:8 eating window, providing sustained energy from high-quality shrimp protein and healthy olive oil fats. The whole food ingredients support satiety and stable blood sugar without any processed foods or refined carbohydrates.

80/20 Diet

This recipe is 100% nutrient-dense whole foods including wild-caught shrimp, extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs, and lemon—all anti-inflammatory ingredients rich in protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants. It easily fits the 80% nutritious component of the 80/20 approach with no processed or less optimal ingredients.

Ancestral Diet

These grilled shrimp skewers follow Ancestral Diet principles with wild-caught seafood, healthy olive oil, and fresh herbs—ingredients that would have been available to our ancestors. The recipe completely avoids grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugars, and processed foods.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

These shrimp skewers are packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients including omega-3-rich seafood, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh herbs like parsley, oregano, and basil. The recipe avoids all processed foods, refined ingredients, and inflammatory oils while featuring antioxidant-rich lemon and garlic.

Atkins Diet

These grilled shrimp skewers are perfect for all phases of Atkins, containing less than 2g net carbs per serving from the herbs and lemon. The recipe emphasizes high-quality protein and healthy fats while completely avoiding grains, sugar, and high-carb ingredients.

Bulletproof Diet

This recipe fits Bulletproof Diet guidelines with wild-caught shrimp as a high-quality, low-toxin protein source and extra virgin olive oil providing clean, healthy fats. The dish is naturally low-carb and free from grains, dairy, processed ingredients, and inflammatory oils.

Clean Eating

These shrimp skewers exemplify clean eating principles with only whole, unprocessed ingredients: fresh seafood, extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs, and lemon. The recipe contains no refined sugars, artificial ingredients, preservatives, or processed foods—just simple, recognizable ingredients in their natural form.

DASH Diet

This recipe aligns perfectly with DASH Diet principles by featuring lean seafood protein, heart-healthy olive oil, and using fresh herbs and lemon for flavor instead of excessive salt. The dish is naturally low in sodium and saturated fat while being rich in potassium and other beneficial nutrients.

Diabetic Diet

This recipe is ideal for diabetic diets with virtually zero carbohydrates and no impact on blood sugar levels. The lean protein from shrimp combined with healthy fats from olive oil provides sustained energy without glucose spikes, and the fresh herbs add flavor without any added sugars.

Evolutionary Diet

This recipe aligns with Evolutionary Diet principles by featuring wild-caught seafood, olive oil, and fresh herbs while completely avoiding grains, legumes, dairy, and processed ingredients. The simple preparation emphasizes whole foods that would have been available to hunter-gatherers.

Flexible Dieting

This nutrient-dense recipe fits perfectly into a flexible dieting approach with easily trackable macros: approximately 35g protein, 14g fat, and less than 2g carbs per serving. The whole food ingredients provide excellent nutrition while being simple to log and adjust for individual targets.

Flexitarian Diet

This seafood-based recipe fits perfectly within flexitarian principles, featuring shrimp as a lighter animal protein option with abundant fresh herbs and healthy olive oil. The dish emphasizes whole, minimally processed ingredients and can easily be paired with plant-based sides.

Gluten-Free Diet

This recipe is naturally gluten-free, containing only shrimp, olive oil, fresh herbs, lemon, and basic seasonings with no wheat, barley, rye, or gluten-containing ingredients. It's a safe and delicious option for those avoiding gluten while providing high-quality protein and healthy fats.

Heart-Healthy Diet

These shrimp skewers are exceptionally heart-healthy, featuring lean seafood protein, heart-protective extra virgin olive oil, and antioxidant-rich fresh herbs and garlic. The recipe is naturally low in saturated fat and sodium while being rich in omega-3 fatty acids and anti-inflammatory compounds.

High-Protein Diet

This recipe is excellent for high-protein diets, with 1.5 lbs of shrimp providing approximately 35-40g of lean protein per serving. The preparation keeps the focus on protein while using minimal added fats and zero carbohydrates, making it ideal for those prioritizing protein intake.

Hunter-Gatherer Diet

These shrimp skewers are perfect for a Hunter-Gatherer diet with wild-caught seafood, olive oil, and foraged herbs—all ingredients that could have been obtained through fishing and gathering. The recipe contains no grains, legumes, dairy, or processed foods.

IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros)

This recipe is ideal for macro tracking with easily calculable macronutrients: high protein from shrimp (approximately 35g per serving), healthy fats from olive oil (14g), and virtually zero carbohydrates. The simple ingredient list makes it easy to accurately log and adjust portions to fit individual macro targets.

Intermittent Fasting

This nutrient-dense recipe is ideal for intermittent fasting eating windows, providing high-quality lean protein from shrimp, healthy fats from olive oil, and antioxidants from fresh herbs and lemon. The whole food ingredients support stable blood sugar levels and provide sustained satiety without any processed ingredients or added sugars.

Intuitive Eating

This recipe supports intuitive eating principles by offering a satisfying, flavorful meal made with whole ingredients that provide both pleasure and nourishment. The dish honors hunger with adequate protein and healthy fats while celebrating the sensory experience of fresh herbs, citrus, and grilled seafood.

Ketogenic Diet

This shrimp dish is excellent for keto with virtually zero carbs from the shrimp and herbs, while providing high-quality protein and healthy fats from the olive oil. The recipe naturally avoids all grains, sugars, and starchy vegetables, keeping net carbs well under 5g per serving.

Low-Carb Diet

With virtually zero net carbohydrates from the shrimp and fresh herbs, this recipe is ideal for low-carb diets. It provides high-quality protein and healthy fats from olive oil while completely avoiding grains, bread, pasta, and high-carb ingredients.

Low-FODMAP Diet

This recipe can be made low-FODMAP by using garlic-infused olive oil instead of fresh garlic and omitting the garlic cloves. The shrimp, fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, basil), lemon, and olive oil are all naturally low-FODMAP ingredients when prepared correctly.

Low-Sodium Diet

This recipe can easily be adapted for low-sodium diets by reducing or omitting the added salt, relying instead on the abundant fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, basil), lemon juice, and garlic for bold flavor. Fresh shrimp is naturally low in sodium, and the marinade contains no processed or high-sodium ingredients.

Macro Diet

Perfect for flexible dieting, this recipe provides clear macronutrient content with high-quality protein from shrimp, healthy fats from olive oil, and minimal carbohydrates. The straightforward ingredients and preparation make it easy to track and adjust portions to meet specific macro goals.

Mediterranean Diet

This recipe is a quintessential Mediterranean dish that emphasizes extra virgin olive oil, fresh seafood (shrimp), and abundant fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, basil) with lemon for flavoring. It avoids processed ingredients and red meat while showcasing the heart-healthy fats and lean protein that form the foundation of Mediterranean coastal cuisine.

MIND Diet

This recipe supports brain health with omega-3-rich seafood, extra virgin olive oil as the primary fat, and antioxidant-packed fresh herbs. The dish avoids butter, fried preparation, and processed ingredients while emphasizing nutrient-dense whole foods that support cognitive function.

Mindful Eating

These shrimp skewers are perfect for mindful eating with their engaging sensory qualities: vibrant green herbs, aromatic garlic, bright citrus, and the satisfying texture contrast of caramelized exterior and tender interior. The simple, whole food ingredients encourage slow, conscious appreciation of natural flavors and textures.

Paleo Diet

These grilled shrimp skewers are perfectly Paleo-compliant, featuring wild-caught seafood, fresh herbs, and healthy olive oil while completely avoiding grains, legumes, dairy, and processed ingredients. The simple preparation focuses on whole, unprocessed ingredients that would have been available to hunter-gatherer ancestors.

Paleolithic Diet

This recipe is fully Paleolithic-compliant, featuring wild-caught shrimp, olive oil, and fresh herbs while completely excluding grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugars, and processed foods. The simple grilling method and whole food ingredients reflect pre-agricultural eating patterns.

Pegan Diet

These shrimp skewers align with Pegan principles by featuring wild-caught seafood as a clean protein source with healthy fats from olive oil and abundant fresh herbs. The recipe is completely free of dairy, gluten, processed ingredients, and refined sugars while emphasizing nutrient-dense whole foods.

Primal Blueprint

These shrimp skewers follow Primal Blueprint guidelines with high-quality wild-caught seafood, healthy olive oil, and abundant fresh herbs. The recipe avoids all grains, legumes, refined sugars, and processed foods while providing excellent protein and healthy fats.

Primal Diet

This recipe is perfectly Primal-compliant with wild-caught shrimp, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh herbs—all whole, unprocessed ingredients. The dish avoids all grains, legumes, refined sugars, and processed foods while providing high-quality protein and healthy fats.

South Beach Diet

These shrimp skewers are ideal for all phases of South Beach Diet, featuring lean seafood protein, healthy olive oil, and fresh herbs while completely avoiding refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and processed foods. The recipe supports stable blood sugar with its low-glycemic profile.

Weight Watchers

This recipe is excellent for Weight Watchers, featuring lean protein from shrimp with minimal added fats and no processed ingredients. The dish is naturally low in calories while being satisfying and flavorful, using fresh herbs and lemon instead of heavy sauces.

Whole30

This recipe is fully Whole30-compliant, using only whole ingredients: wild-caught seafood, extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs, and lemon with no added sugars, grains, legumes, or dairy. The simple preparation highlights natural flavors without any non-compliant ingredients or recreations of treats.

Wild Diet

These grilled shrimp skewers exemplify Wild Diet principles with wild-caught seafood, organic herbs, and healthy olive oil—all whole, unprocessed ingredients that could theoretically be gathered or caught in nature. The recipe avoids all refined sugars, grains, processed foods, and industrial oils.

Instructions

1

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning on the grill.

2

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper until well combined.

2 min
3

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and add them to the bowl with the marinade. Toss gently to ensure all shrimp are evenly coated with the herb mixture.

1 min
4

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate the shrimp. Do not marinate longer than 30 minutes as the acid from the lemon can start to cook the shrimp.

15 min
5

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F to 450°F). Clean the grill grates thoroughly and lightly oil them to prevent sticking.

5 min
6

Thread 4-5 shrimp onto each skewer, piercing through both the tail and head ends so the shrimp lie flat. Leave a small space between each shrimp for even cooking.

3 min
7
3 min

Place the shrimp skewers on the preheated grill. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side until the shrimp turn pink and develop grill marks.

8
3 min

Flip the skewers and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes on the second side until the shrimp are opaque throughout and cooked through. Be careful not to overcook as shrimp can become rubbery.

9

Remove the skewers from the grill and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.

Frequently Asked Questions