Our Cilantro Lime Shrimp is an incredibly quick and easy weeknight dinner that is packed with flavor! Make on the grill or in your favorite cast iron skillet. Perfect for enjoying as a shrimp rice bowl or toss in a tortilla to make cilantro lime shrimp tacos on your next Taco Tuesday!
The Best Cilantro Lime Shrimp
Who doesn’t love the cilantro-lime combo!?! Right? The flavors are so light and refreshing and even though it screams summer, this great recipe can be enjoyed any time of year! Whether you are grilling shrimp or pan-frying shrimp, these fresh flavors can’t be beat. It is a super easy cilantro lime shrimp recipe that the whole family is going to love!
Looking for More Recipes Like This?
If you love shrimp recipes as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Blackened Shrimp!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Flavors: this flavor combination of these cilantro-lime shrimp can’t be beat! If you love it as much as we do, check out this Cilantro Lime Marinade that is great for steak or chicken!
- Quick: Shrimp are a great source of protein AND they are well-known for cooking incredibly fast!
- Versatile: Serve with cilantro lime cauliflower rice (if paleo/Whole30) or with cilantro lime rice or brown rice!
What You Will Need
- raw prawns or jumbo deveined shrimp: you can also use small shrimp, but if you are grilling we would recommend getting bigger shrimp or prawns so you don’t have to worry about them falling threw the grill grates!
- extra virgin olive oil: this helps build part of the easy shrimp marinade.
- fresh lime juice: the lime in cilantro-lime comes from freshly squeezed lime juice!
- kosher salt: don’t use regular table salt here – the result will be way too salty.
- fresh cilantro leaves: this is the cilantro in our cilantro-lime marinade.
How To Make Cilantro Lime Shrimp
The first steps to making this easy shrimp recipe are to gather the shrimp marinade ingredients and make sure all the shrimp are fully thawed, with the shell removed.
Substitutions
- Shrimp vs. Prawns: we are big fans of prawns (which just look like JUMBO shrimp). I tend to prefer them because they are so much meatier and they actually fill me up. Feel free to use either – we have made notes in the recipe for both!
Now place all of the marinade ingredients in a small food processor or blender. Blend until full combined.
Pour the cilantro lime marinade over the raw shrimp in a large bowl or in a large reusable bag. Let the shrimp marinate for about 30 minutes.
Next, remove large shrimp from the marinade allowing any excess liquid to drip off. Discard the remaining marinade and place them directly on the hot grill grates and let shrimp cook for 1-2 minutes per side or until they are perfectly pink in color.
Carefully remove these flavorful shrimp from the hot grill and serve any way you want!
Best Ways To Serve Cilantro Lime Shrimp
These perfectly grilled shrimp can be served in so many different ways. Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy them:
- Shrimp Rice Bowl: highly recommend making our Cilantro Lime Shrimp Rice Bowl or add to our Avocado & Brown Rice Bowl!
- Shrimp Tacos: serve on some flour tortillas or corn tortillas with all of your favorite taco toppings, like cilantro yogurt sauce, homemade guacamole, lime wedges, shredded cabbage, cotija cheese, etc.
- Salad: they would be perfect on top of a salad, like our Ultimate Grilled Shrimp Salad or a great protein option for any of your other favorite summer salads!
- With Side Dishes: enjoy as a main dish with some easy side dishes, like grilled broccoli, grilled potato wedges, and/or grilled brussel sprouts.
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- frozen vs. fresh shrimp: we prefer to use fresh shrimp. If you use frozen, it will work, just ensure you have drained them properly and gently squeeze out any excess water.
- How long can I marinate shrimp? Due to the high acidity level of the lime juice in this marinade recipe, you will only want the shrimp to marinate for 30 minutes. Extended exposure to the lime juice would change the nature of the shrimp.
Storage & Freezer
- Leftover Shrimp: place cooked shrimp in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze After Cooking: You can freeze your shrimp after cooking by quickly chilling shrimp after cooking and then placing on a baking sheet in a single layer, ensuring that they aren’t touching. Place in the freezer for 2-4 hours or until shrimp is fully frozen. Then place in a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer for 3-6 months.
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Other Simple Recipes You Might Like
Cilantro Lime Shrimp
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Marinate Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 46 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Grill/Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our Cilantro Lime Shrimp recipe is an incredibly quick and easy weeknight dinner that is packed with flavor!
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Shrimp:
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- zest of 1–2 limes
- 1/2 cup extra light olive oil
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- 1 lb large shrimp, raw and shelled*
For Serving:
Instructions
- Prep Shrimp: Ensure shrimp is shelled – you can leave the tail on if you want, personal preference.
- Make Marinade: Add lime juice, lime zest, extra light olive oil, cilantro and kosher salt to a small food processor or blender. Blend until combined.
- Marinate Shrimp: Place shrimp in a reusable silicone bag or glass bowl. Pour marinade over top and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate up to 30 minutes.
- Grill Shrimp: Ensure grill grates are clean and grill is heated to medium-high heat (about 400-450 degrees F). Place shrimp/prawns over direct heat for 1-2 minutes per side or until shrimp are no longer opaque and cooked through (this might be less for smaller shrimp and more for thicker shrimp).
- Serve: Serve over cilantro lime rice (or cilantro lime cauliflower rice) with some grilled avocado OR we love this Cilantro Lime Shrimp Rice Bowl!
Notes
- Stove Top Method: Add a tablespoon of olive oil (or ghee) to a large skillet (enough to coat) and bring to medium-high heat. Add shrimp/prawns to pan and cook about 2 minutes per side, or until fully cooked.
- *Shrimp: make sure to fully thaw any frozen shrimp, remove the shells, and tails (if desired).
- Storage: Store cooked shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 166
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 292.4 mg
- Fat: 7.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.9 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 182.5 mg
Originally published 6/19/19. Recipe retested and new photos added 7/22/24.
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