This Cilantro Lime Shrimp is an incredibly quick and easy weeknight dinner that is packed with flavor! Make on the grill or in your favorite skillet. Perfect for enjoying as a rice bowl or toss in a tortilla to make cilantro lime shrimp tacos!
Easy 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, it 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!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Flavors: who doesn’t love cilantro + lime together! 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 shrimp: you can also use small shrimp, but if you are grilling I would recommend getting bigger shrimp or prawns so you don’t have to worry about them falling threw the grill grate!
- 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: this is the cilantro in our cilantro-lime marinade.
Shrimp vs. Prawns
I am a really big fan 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 – I have made notes in the recipe for both!!
How To Make Cilantro Lime Shrimp
To begin making this easy shrimp recipe, toss the olive oil, lime juice, salt, and cilantro in a small bowl. Mix to fully combine and then toss in the raw shrimp to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Then choose the cooking technique that works for you!
Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp
Yes!! You can grill it (shown in the picture) or you can simply sauté in a large cast iron skillet – I prefer the grill because it leaves a nice smokey flavor! The recipe card provides the instructions for both options.
What To Serve With Cilantro Lime Shrimp
We love to either use regular cilantro lime rice or cilantro lime cauliflower rice to make these delicious shrimp into a tasty rice bowl. Or we serve them up in our favorite tortillas for some easy cilantro lime shrimp tacos! Add some grilled avocado, cotija cheese, lime wedges, or a little avocado crema for even more added flavor. Just don’t forget to serve alongside some fresh homemade guacamole and a mango margarita, because those always hit the spot!
Recipe FAQ
- frozen vs. fresh shrimp: we prefer to use fresh shrimp. Frozen shrimp tends to be very watery and doesn’t cook as well after thawing. That being said, if you have to use frozen, it will work, just ensure you have drained them properly and gently squeezed out any excess water.
- freeze in marinade: You don’t want to freeze your shrimp in this marinade simply because of the high lime juice content (which is very acidic). If it were frozen in this particular marinade the extended exposure to the lime juice would change the nature of the shrimp – just keep the marinating timeframe short on this one – 30 minutes is all you need!
- storing leftovers: 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 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 Shrimp Recipes You Might Like
Cilantro Lime Shrimp
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 41 minutes
- Yield: approx. 2 servings
- Category: Entree
- Method: Grill/Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Cilantro Lime Shrimp – an incredibly quick and easy weeknight dinner that is packed with flavor! Make on the grill or stove top!
Ingredients
- 12 raw prawns or jumbo shrimp (or 18–24 regular-sized shrimp)
- 1/4 extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2–3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- cilantro lime rice or cilantro lime cauliflower rice
- grilled avocado
Instructions
- Combine olive oil, lime juice, kosher salt and cilantro in bowl; mix well.
- Add raw shrimp and toss to coat.
- Let marinate for at least 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Grilling Method:
- Heat grill to medium high heat (about 400-450 degrees F).
- Place shrimp/prawns over direct heat for 2 minutes per side.
Stove Top Method:
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil (or ghee) to a large cast iron pan (enough to coat) and bring skillet to medium-high heat.
- Add shrimp/prawns to pan and cook about 2 minutes per side, or until fully cooked.
Serving Instructions
- Squeeze additional fresh lime juice over shrimp as soon as it is done cooking (on the grill do this when you remove the prawns from the grill and have plated them. If you are cooking in the skillet, you can do this while they are still in the skillet if you would like).
- Serve over cilantro lime rice or cilantro lime cauliflower rice and grilled avocado.
Notes
- Kosher Salt: do not substitute regular table salt for kosher salt – it will be too salty!
- Rice: If you prefer serving over rice here is a great tutorial on making brown rice in the Instant Pot otherwise this Cilantro Lime Rice is good too!
- Storage: Store cooked shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 1679
- Sugar: 8.9 g
- Sodium: 1389.6 mg
- Fat: 17.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 349.8 g
- Protein: 60.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: cilantro lime shrimp, grilled shrimp, grilled prawns
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