Grill/Barbecue

Spicy Shrimp

by:
July 26, 2009
4.6
34 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 4 hours
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Serves a bunch of shrimp
Author Notes

This is dead simple, and totally delicious. I tend to grill up millions of them, take them off the skewers, pile them on a platter, and stick a few toothpicks on. People get the idea pretty quickly, and they disappear... I like them good and spicy, but you can adjust the amount of Sriracha as you'd like. - Helen —Helen

Test Kitchen Notes

We love Sriracha's heat, which is warm, lasting, and assertive without being overbearing. Helen combined the hot sauce with a few everyday ingredients -- olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and cilantro -- to create a sublime marinade for shrimp. The oil and sugar give the marinade some viscosity so it doesn't just season the shrimp but clings to it. But it's the sugar that makes this dish -- on the grill, the sugar caramelizes, giving the shrimp a laquered feel, and its sweetness balances the kick of the Sriracha. Buy some beer or Tequila. - A&M —The Editors

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Spicy Shrimp
Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup Sriracha
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds large shrimp (16 to 20 count), peeled and deveined
Directions
  1. Mix together the Sriracha, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, cilantro, and sugar. Season aggressively with salt and pepper. Put in a 1-gallon plastic bag, add the shrimp, and mix together in the bag. Marinate in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours. Or longer.
  2. Heat a grill. Skewer the shrimp (4 to 6 shrimp per skewer) and grill until pink and delicious, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
  3. Remove the shrimp from the grill, slide the shrimp from the skewer using a fork, and pile on a serving platter. Sprinkle with finely chopped cilantro, and throw a few toothpicks in a few shrimp. Watch them disappear.
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100 Reviews

nadiclori October 31, 2023
i'm was cok very yummy
 
Leslie J. July 19, 2023
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! So easy and delicious. We tend to serve it when we are entertaining, and everyone always asks about the recipe. My grocery store sells peeled raw shrimp already skewered, so that makes this even easier to dump on the marinade and grill or smoke. So good just thinking about it that I'm going to make some tonight!
 
erin April 13, 2023
I've made this at least a dozen times, and everyone I've shared this with has asked for the recipe. I've made shrimp tacos, a shrimp dip, and sauteed over pasta . Excellent for so many reasons besides ease.
 
anniette August 16, 2022
We usually end up tweaking recipes, but not this one. It is perfection as written. We love it more each time we make it. Thank you! A keeper, destined to become a classic.
 
Charles April 20, 2022
This marinade is super easy to make - followed the recipe as written. I made the full amount of marinade although I was cooking only half the amount of shrimp for which it calls. I think this amount of marinade would have been insufficient for two pounds of shrimp. I grill shrimp often (I live on the Florida Gulf Coast) and this definitely goes into the rotation - it makes great, spicy shrimp! We served it with Mom’s Portuguese Rice (recipe also on this site). We like spicy food and these two are a terrific match. Washed it down with a chilled, Rioja rose. Doesn't get any better than that
 
Nick K. September 10, 2020
This really is a fantastic recipe, and after I make it, I always end up thinking two things: One, why didn't I wait so long to make this again? And two, why didn't I make more for leftovers in salads, rice bowls, or tacos?

Make the recipe as is. I have a gas grill and set the burners to high. 3 min, then flip and turn the burners down slightly for about another 2 min. They come out great every time. Enjoy!
 
Cy Y. September 7, 2020
I was so surprised by the flavor of this shrimp. I halved the recipe and didn’t expect much but oh wow! Loved, loved the spicy 🌶 flavor! This recipe will definitely be a regular at my house. Thanks so much!
 
Casey M. August 4, 2020
This is my go-to grilled shrimp recipe -- deceptively simple and exceedingly delicious.
 
chop C. July 4, 2020
I have made this dish twice now in the last week. Love the ease of it and the taste. I tweaked the recipe just a touch and that is to use one tablespoon of worcestershire instead of one teaspoon.
 
smccassell June 19, 2020
Just made this but in oven at 500. With asparagus with ginger. Husband is very happy
 
Jacquie April 3, 2020
AhhMazing. Sharing the recipe. Making it twice for every share. This is so good!
 
bethL July 23, 2019
Made this 2x. It's a hit.
Very easy.

3 things:
-I don't have a bbq. So cooked it on stove-top in grill pan sprayed lightly with oil, without skewers.

-The first time I marinated for at least 2 hours. Last night I only marinated for about 45m and it was still very tasty. I'm not sure there was much difference.

-Ask if your fishmonger will remove shells and tails to save you time. Unless you're super fast at that.

 
Steve W. August 25, 2018
New to Food 52 so strictly as a courtesy I'm going to share the one 1st step of making virtually any shrimp dish. This will be especially helpful to those of you who insist on overcooking your seafood. Step one: place cleaned shrimp in a bowl, add about a teaspoon of baking soda, and some water, and stir until mixed. Brine for 15 minutes and pour off water. People will all comment how succulent and tasty your shrimp are. This also works wonderfully for thinly cut slices of chicken breast to keep juicy when stir frying.
 
Carolyn K. July 3, 2020
After brining the shrimp, do you rinse shrimp off??
 
cosmiccook August 1, 2021
Cooking shrimp w baking soda is a restaurant/Northern thing. I've asked several seafood stores in New Orleans if they do this and I get looks like I'm speaking Klingon. I don't care for the texture the soda produces or the taste. Then again, living in New Orleans we get our shrimp pretty much right fresh caught and off the boat.
 
Imbatnan June 18, 2022
Yup. Food52 already covered that
https://food52.com/blog/19776-4-little-genius-tricks-to-make-all-your-shrimp-dinners-better
 
Steve W. August 16, 2022
Since I don't want to affect the PH of any sauces I always rinse and pat dry for shrimp.
 
MikNik June 25, 2018
Grilled this last night exactly as written after marinating for about 3 hours. So, so good, and so, so easy. Heat level was pretty mild, in a good way.
 
Ko T. December 15, 2017
So easy, so tasty. Everyone that I introduced this recipe to loves it. I take it to potluck (cook them in my cast iron pan instead of on the grill), summer grilling session, beach picnic, camping trip, you name it. I love it!
 
Lucy October 20, 2017
Really easy and delicious both hot and cold. Cooked on a skillet due to the weather but a charcoal grill would be an excellent addition! Paired excellently with the sriracha lime corn salsa.
 
lawprof July 30, 2017
Absolutely wonderful! I varied the recipe a bit (Frank's instead of Sriracha, twice the garlic, juice of half lemon). After savoring the meal, I heated the remaining marinade, reducing it slightly, then cooled it, added: a splash of cider vinegar; diced onion, celery, sweet red pepper; and the left-over shrimp - and marinated it all for a few days. Result: and excellent shrimp salad.
 
Megan June 13, 2017
Have made this many times and always wish there was more! Tonight, I didn't have quite as much shrimp as I thought. Inspired by EmilyC's use of marinated broccoli on the grill in a recipe I can't wait to try (https://food52.com/recipes/71410-grilled-tahini-yogurt-broccoli-salad-with-bread-basil-and-almonds?from_feed=1), I decided to throw some broccoli florets in the marinade and then skewered them separately and grilled (they needed a bit more time than the shrimp). So delicious! We ate this piled up next to a chickpea salad w/chimichurri. Such a great warm weather meal!
 
Yvette August 8, 2016
This is such a great recipe - I plan on making these for the rest of my life.
 
ace June 25, 2016
i tried this recipe a few times, and sometimes substituted the prawns with chicken. it works! Really good recipe. Many thanks for sharing.
 
Corinne June 15, 2016
Can I use Frank's instead of Siracha?
 
zoemetro U. May 21, 2016
We made these for the umpteenth time last week. And my friends actually called and requested them again for our bbq gathering this evening. Thank you for the oh-so-simple-absolutely-delicious-addicting recipe.
 
essbee May 10, 2016
I'm very good at some things but none of those things is correct expressions of ratios. All I really want to say here is that this recipe scores high in terms of its simplicity to Wow! ratio. How I would express that mathematically is beyond me, but trust me when I say that this recipe produces compliments that are disproportionate to the effort that you will put into making it.
 
lfm May 3, 2016
People were literally chasing me around for these off the grill at our outdoor party.
 
Jo June 8, 2015
I jst made it for dinner wow!!! I cannot believe that i made this omg soooo good i used a cast iron
 
Lynn June 6, 2015
Is this gluten free?
 
ZiggyPiecrust May 17, 2015
Making these for probably the fiftieth time - this is the most requested dish I make and they are perfection every time. I will warn you that when seared inside in my Lodge cast iron pan - the fumes have been known to clear all guests out of the kitchen. Gotta love a dish that sparks a little danger and fear pre eating.
 
Very delicious! I did not include any salt in the marinade because of my father's high blood pressure and despite that he still loved it. The dish has a nice spice level, it's a bit more than warm but it does not burn. My younger sister found it a bit too hot, but she cooled off with some coconut rice we made to serve on the side.
 
Riveroaks April 28, 2015
I prepared these for the first time the other night and we all loved them. I split some baby romaine lettuce coated them with olive oil and salt and grilled them the same time I was cooking the shrimp. Put the chopped grilled romaine and cilantro on a platter and then put the shrimp on top. The smokiness of the lettuce and the fresh cilantro added to the hot shrimp.
 
Nela November 23, 2014
Could I make this recipe on a skillet? In the oven?
 
De J. August 26, 2014
Delicious with some grilled peaches to balance the heat!
 
ErinC August 20, 2014
This is great for a summer night with chips and guac (the guac cuts the spice of the shrimp nicely)--I used the leftovers as the protein in Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad (by Food52 contributor MollyandBrandon) and it was perfect! Love it by itself, but it was truly delicious with this summery noodle salad.
 
Danny July 19, 2014
I used these in place of chicken in a cobb salad for dinner recently and it was phenomenal. The heat of the shrimp was buffalo-like and paired really well with the blue cheese, hardboiled egg, avocado, etc. Thanks for sharing such a flavorful and easy recipe. It's a permanent addition to my recipe file.
 
Mary A. July 8, 2014
About how much salt is aggressive?
 
Hannah M. June 13, 2014
De-lish.
Especially delicious with this: https://food52.com/recipes/20537-crunchy-cabbage-salad-with-miso-ginger-dressing , but also amazing on its own.
 
kasia S. March 29, 2015
I have that recipe saved as well but I often make this shrimp with a simple cubed English cucumber, fresh corn and greek yoghurt + salt and pepper and touch of cayenne on the side to cool the palate.
 
Olaniyi May 19, 2014
Please can you tell me more about Sriracha and where to get one.
 
Janeths May 19, 2014
It's a type of chili sauce. You should be able to find it with the Tabasco and other hot sauces at your grocery.
 
Lucy's M. May 20, 2014
It's in the Asian foods section of my grocery store.
 
Manhattan T. May 21, 2014
It's got a rooster on the bottle with a green spout. The exact label reads "Sriracha Hot chili sauce TUONG OT SRIRACHA HUY GONG FOODS, INC." There's some Asian writing on the bottle as well. It looks like catchup or chili sauce. My local Target carries it.
 
rpacheco August 11, 2013
I've made these twice-- once for a potluck and once for the 4th of July. Both times, they were gone as soon as I scraped them off the skewers!! They are that delicious, but heads up: you might need to hide some if you want a chance to taste them for yourself. This recipe is definitely a keeper!!
 
AntoniaJames July 2, 2013
On the menu for the Fourth, for the spicy-food eaters in my house. They will love this! ;o)
 
Jennifer R. June 19, 2013
This recipe is easy and fabulous! Love it! One of our new favorites.
 
Janeths May 29, 2013
These are delicious! We had some huge shrimp that are great on the grill and this marinade was perfect. I didn't marinate it more than 15 minutes because it was a weeknight dinner but they still had a ton of flavour.
 
Charles B. May 28, 2013
Made these yesterday, big hit! Great Recipe!!
 
Lucy's M. May 28, 2013
These were a HUGE hit at my weekend cookout! My husband thought I was insane when he saw how much sriracha I was using (I doubled the recipe). Yes, they are spicy, but not blow-your-head-off hot. And yes, they were devoured by everyone, even those who kept saying "wow these are hot"! That's a keeper recipe.
 
Manhattan T. May 26, 2013
My husband and daughter are cilantro-averse so I just eliminated it. We marinated 'em for about 90 minutes and my husband brushed the shrimp while on the grill w/ additional marinade, making them pretty kicky. My daughter (17) ate them but didn't love the spice. My husband & I did -- and thought leftovers would be fabulous in a hangover omelette! Next time, I'll marinate some in more oil and less sriracha for those who prefer less spice. A cooling, mayo-based salad on the side would help, too.
 
Angela R. May 22, 2013
How you make this less spicy for those who can't take the heat?
 
Pimms1967 May 22, 2013
What's a good side dipping sauce one could make to cut the heat for those that can't eat really spicy, but still want to keep original recipe intact? I know several people who don't like cilantro, can I substitute flat-leaf parsley?
 
Amy S. July 6, 2014
Have you ever tried these with basil instead of cilantro?
 
shu-jin_rankin May 19, 2013
This is a fantastic recipe!! I made it as an app for a dinner party and it was a big hit. Thank you Helen.
 
dancerslikefood April 26, 2013
A great recipe - thanks for sharing! It's a refreshing change from the typical lemon/butter/herb shrimp marinade and it has a nice complement of flavors. I only marinated them for 1.5 hours, but they had plenty of flavor and a good amount of spiciness! Easy, fast, and delicious on the grill!
 
Pam A. April 12, 2013
broiled them without skewers -- about 2 minutes each side. worked beautifully. my husband said "this is now our shrimp dish, exactly like this."
 
DinnerClubRVA April 8, 2013
these were so, so good! every time I make them I get so many compliments. And they are one of the most popular recipes on my blog! (thedinnerclubrva.blogspot.com) thank you so much for the recipe!
 
denise&food March 26, 2013
This is very tasty but very hot. I took it out of the marinate and sauteed it. I actually liked it better the next day on a salad. It helped to have a dipping sauce to cool down he heat.
 
chef L. March 6, 2013
I made this recently and it was delicious, quick to put together, and flavorful. I added some oregano and served with mashed potatoes.
 
NancyJ December 13, 2012
Another way to do this, especially when you don't feel like the grill, or have langoustines instead of shrimp....follow the recipe. Sauté the shrimp in the marinade. Remove the shrimp. Cook down the marinade. Add cream or half and half. Reduce until its as thick as you like. Serve over pasta. A very adaptable recipe, thank you!
 
FrancineL February 11, 2013
Love this idea! Next time I will make it that way.
 
Miryam A. November 14, 2012
Love them!!!, I already cook them twice...
 
Musebe October 3, 2012
Didn't have Sriracha on hand so I ended up substituting with 1 tbs of chamorro doni (super spicy) and it turned out delicious! Thank you for sharing!
 
Musebe October 3, 2012
Didn't have Sriracha on hand so I ended up substituting with 1 tbs of chamorro doni (super spicy) and it turned out delicious! Thank you for sharing!
 
chop C. September 17, 2012
Tried the recipe last night and it was a hit.
 
Midge August 15, 2012
My husband made this last night without peeling (deveining, yes) the shrimp and it was fantastic. I can't wait to have it again!
 
CarlaCooks July 13, 2012
I made this last weekend and it was fantastic! My husband though I was trying to kill him when I put it on the cast iron grill (lots of spicy smoke), but he agreed that it was worth it in the end. I served it with warm bulger and some grilled vegetables, and it made for a perfect, quick, and super delicious weeknight meal. Thanks!
 
Katie June 15, 2012
I am making this recipe right now and cannot wait for the shrimp to finish marinating so that I can chow down! I know it's going to be scrumptious!
 
ZiggyPiecrust May 28, 2012
Have made this several times now but The Spicy Shrimp stole the show at our Memorial Day Weekend BBQ party yesterday - this recipe just ROCKS!
 
suby May 14, 2012
Love this recipe!!! My whole family loves this dish!!!! My grill was broken so I just cooked the shrimps in a pan. And still it turned out extremely delicious and tasty! Love the taste of spicy!!! Totally recommanded! It's an easy dish for beginners like me too! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
 
X May 13, 2012
A delicious recipe! Many thanks, Helen!
 
mick-cook April 15, 2012
We've made this so many times and it's been a huge hit with everyone we shared them with. Leftover shrimp are delicious thrown into a salad. I usually make kale chips to go with them.
 
chrissyleer April 12, 2012
beyond amazing!
 
Sandra April 3, 2012
I got this recipe out of the Food52 Cookbook I was gifted during the holidays. Followed the recipe exactly, and it was so delicious we did a little post about it! (www.recordsandgrammar.blogspot.com/2012/03/saturday-bbq-spicy-sriracha-shrimp.html)
 
vivek5 March 12, 2012
Just made this, and had some fun with the herbs - used a bit of basil and mint that i had on hand with awesome results. Definitely recommend trying different combinations!
 
Sthoppil June 18, 2011
I am making this my third time. Delicious. Make sure grill is very hot and get the shrimP to sear. I have also made tacos with the leftover and spread some sriracha and the marinade on the taco. Served with some grillled onions and squeezed with some lime.
 
student E. May 2, 2011
I made this last night -- delicious! Will definitely make it again. The Sriracha packs a serious punch, but in a good way. We didn't have skewers, so we grilled it in a grill pan, which worked great (next time I would finely chop the garlic so that it melts into the sauce).
 
Tony S. April 8, 2011
I've made this a bunch of times. If you want finger food for a party, it is hard to find a better recipe. I've found that serving a yogurt and cucumber dipping sauce on the side will allow even the people who shy away from spicy food to enjoy the dish.
 
eneilson April 7, 2011
This was fantastic!! Massive crowd pleaser, easy, and will definitely do again!
 
Cupcake921 April 4, 2011
Hi Helen, I must also let you know that this is a favorite recipe of ours as well. I just can't seem to get enough of it. So simple, yet so delicious. We have also used it as a marinade for steak - which was also a hit with our family! Thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
 
checker April 4, 2011
Hello Helen. I'm a bit late to the comments party, but I have to say that this is one of my favorite recipes on Food52. In fact, it is good that I am not a jealous type because this is the only thing I have ever made that my non-culinary boyfriend remembers both by name and enough to be able to stop at the store and get shrimp and cilantro when he wants it. Thanks for the great dish!
 
LuvLatte February 11, 2011
Can someone give me the Nutrional Info with this recipe, family members and friends are diabetic, so monitor added sugar, salt and fat. The Sriracha and Worcestershire both contain sugar, and sodium, are they both necessary for this recipe to be a success?
 
thebreukelenlife November 28, 2010
I would love to make this for a dinner party with some creamy polenta. I don't have access to a grill though, do you think broiling would work?
 
helicopterina November 28, 2010
i just pan sauted 'em recently when i didn't have access to a grill...and served with rice...and they were still a hit
 
katekirk November 2, 2010
we love love love this recipe. My husband cannot get enough of it. I did think it needed 2x more sugar, and I used brown rather than white because that's what I use for anything on the grill. It's so simple and delicious.
 
helicopterina June 28, 2010
This is a FANTASTIC recipe. And I love the simplicity, too. I've made it several times now and it was a consistently big hit. Thank you!!!
 
ellenl June 8, 2010
I sauteed smaller fresh shrimp with the marinade. It resulted in a nice sauce. I served the shrimp and sauce over rice--it was DELICIOUS!
 
lisa S. June 7, 2010
I made this when I had company over Memorial Day weekend. We decided to put the shrimp over mixed greens and make a dinner salad. It was wonderful!!!
 
Chef R. May 30, 2010
Sriracha is a chili sauce used in Thai, Vietnamese, and other Asian cuisine. It's readily available in most supermarkets, either in the sauce/condiment section or the Asian section. It's also available from many online sources if you don't find it locally. It's wonderful-tasting, and definitely worth looking for. It's not sweet like some chili sauces, but mostly features the flavors of red chiles & garlic, with an overall salty edge. It's absolutely pure, too. The maker is Huy Fong Foods in California.

I also love Huy Fong's Sambal Oelek & Chili Garlic products, too.
 
SaySchwartzAndBeSure November 4, 2009
Where do you buy Sriracha?
 
lacerise November 3, 2009
are the shrimp peeled or left in the shell?
 
lastnightsdinner October 31, 2009
I'm still dreaming about these. I wish I had stashed some in my bag for the trip home!
 
Butternut October 16, 2009
Lunadalutti: Hope you found yourself some Sriracha! It really is divine - smooth and rich like ketchup, but a brighter shade of red, garlic-y and nice and spicy. Unlike some other hot sauces, it adds flavor (not just burning heat), and the consistency makes it great either as condiment or ingredient.
 
Butternut October 16, 2009
Lunadalutti: Hope you found yourself some Sriracha! It really is divine - smooth and rich like ketchup, but a brighter shade of red, garlic-y and nice and spicy. Unlike some other hot sauces, it adds flavor (not just burning heat), and the consistency makes it great either as condiment or ingredient.
 
Butternut October 16, 2009
Lunadalutti: Hope you found yourself some Sriracha! It really is divine - smooth and rich like ketchup, but a brighter shade of red, garlic-y and nice and spicy. Unlike some other hot sauces, it adds flavor (not just burning heat), and the consistency makes it great either as condiment or ingredient.
 
Butternut October 16, 2009
Lunadalutti: Hope you found yourself some Sriracha! It really is divine - smooth and rich like ketchup, but a brighter shade of red, garlic-y and nice and spicy. Unlike some other hot sauces, it adds flavor (not just burning heat), and the consistency makes it great either as condiment or ingredient.
 
Butternut October 16, 2009
Lunadalutti: Hope you found yourself some Sriracha! It really is divine - smooth and rich like ketchup, but a brighter shade of red, garlic-y and nice and spicy. Unlike some other hot sauces, it adds flavor (not just burning heat), and the consistency makes it great either as condiment or ingredient.
 
Lunadalutti September 29, 2009
Seems really great! Here in Brazil, people cook shrimps in the most varied manners - fried in oil and garlic, steamed, or in recipes with african influences, often in very rich sauces. Curious enough, cillantro is a brazilian favorite in most seafood dishes.
I really like the mix of flavors in this marinade, but it's actually a guess: I have no idea of what Sriracha is like (i'll google it, don't worry); not really well known down these parts.
Thanks!
 
Butternut October 16, 2009
Lunadalutti: Hope you found yourself some Sriracha! It really is divine - smooth and rich like ketchup, but a brighter shade of red, garlic-y and nice and spicy. Unlike some other hot sauces, it adds flavor (not just burning heat), and the consistency makes it great either as condiment or ingredient.