Grill/Barbecue

Grilled Shrimp With Herby Garlic Bread

by:
May 24, 2023
4.5
10 Ratings
Grilled Shrimp With Herby Garlic Bread
Photo by Melina Hammer
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 5 minutes
  • Serves 3 to 4
Author Notes

In this dish, the herb-packed marinade works double duty. Not only does it create succulent flavors for grilled shrimp, it also serves as an impromptu garlic bread spread, too. Just slather the marinade onto ciabatta, anoint it with olive oil, and place it on a hot grill for a quick kiss.

Marinating shrimp in herbs and garlic isn’t new, but it is a surefire way to highlight their plump meat and slightly sweet flavor. A little char adds crispiness, bringing the dish to a whole new level. Thread each shrimp using a pair of skewers so they don’t rotate as you flip them while grilling, and definitely drag everything through the juicy, saucy goodness at the end. —Melina Hammer

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 small ciabatta loaf, halved crosswise
  • Flaky sea salt, for serving
Directions
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, herbs, and olive oil. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the mixture. Toss to combine, coating the shrimp on all sides. Double thread shrimp onto a pair of skewers to anchor them in place and lay them on a sheet pan. (You may need 2 or 3 sets of skewers, depending on how long they are.)
  2. If you have a gas grill, heat it to high. If you have a charcoal grill, remove the grill grate and loosely bunch newspaper at the base of the chimney. Fill to the top with charcoal. Light the paper in a few places, which will ignite the charcoal. Burn until the flames subside: After about 10 minutes, the coals should begin to glow, turning gray and becoming ashen at their edges. Transfer the hot charcoal into a pile at the center of the grill for direct grilling.
  3. Arrange the skewers over the hottest zone and drizzle a little olive oil over the skewers. Grill undisturbed for 3 minutes, or until the edges start to appear opaque and the shrimp are charred in parts. Swap skewers as you turn them over for even grilling. Grill for 1 minute longer before transferring the skewers to a clean sheet pan or serving dish.
  4. Spread the reserved marinade from the bowl across the surface of the bread. Drizzle olive oil across the ciabatta—especially along the edges—and slather the marinade and oil to coat. Allow the oil to soak in for a minute or so.
  5. Place ciabatta face down over the flames. Grill the bread for 20 to 30 seconds, keeping an eye on it so that it chars in parts but doesn’t scorch. Rotate it and repeat until grilled to your liking.
  6. Remove shrimp from the skewers onto a serving platter and serve alongside the grilled bread. Drizzle a little more oil, sprinkle flaky salt, and eat at once.
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  • FrugalCat
    FrugalCat
  • Clare Colley
    Clare Colley
  • Jeannie'sgoodhomecooking
    Jeannie'sgoodhomecooking
  • Melina Hammer
    Melina Hammer
Melina Hammer
Melina is the author of 'A Year at Catbird Cottage' with Ten Speed Press. She grows an heirloom and pollinator garden and forages wild foods at her namesake Hudson Valley getaway, Catbird Cottage. Melina loves serving curated menus for guests from near and far seeking community amidst the hummingbirds, grosbeaks, finches, and the robust flavors of the seasons.

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8 Reviews

FrugalCat
FrugalCat December 3, 2023
Parsley and cilantro- my favorite herb duo. I slice the bread vertically for garlic bread- kind of like Hasselback potatoes.
 
Mefi
Mefi July 2, 2023
This was amazing. Such a nice light meal for a hot summer day. I served it with blistered shishitos and a side salad. We were scraping the bottom of the bowl for the herb sauce! Don’t let the haters get you down, this was great as-is.
 
Melina H.
Melina H. July 4, 2023
Thanks so much for the sweet words. And yay that you loved it too!
 
Clare C.
Clare C. June 18, 2023
This doesn’t seem like much marinade for the amount of shrimp, and certainly not enough for that plus to cover more than a small slice of bread, let alone “slather”-ing
Also, wouldn’t you take out what you are using on the bread before putting the raw shrimp into it?
Not best-written recipe I’ve ever read.
 
Melina H.
Melina H. June 18, 2023
However it seems at your end, it was abundant and delicious when I developed it. If you're worried it won't be enough (it isn't abundant on the bread, more a mix of the marinade and evoo slathered, which also is delicious), make a little extra. You are welcome to reserve marinade in advance of adding it to the shrimp, but it's not like chicken and the risk of salmonella. If you're sourcing very fresh seafood you can eat it raw, as in ceviche or crudo. Work with your comfort level. But please don't use that to judge a recipe, especially if you haven't made it.
 
Clare C.
Clare C. June 18, 2023
We live inland and there is no such thing as fresh seafood here. And the shrimp that isn’t farm-raising send is very expensive. I guess I’ll just have to pass on this.
(FYI - ceviche isn’t raw; it’s cooked by the citric acid in the marinade).
 
Jeannie'sgoodhomecooking
Jeannie'sgoodhomecooking June 11, 2023
In step one you combine everything, including the shrimp. Then reserve a tablespoon.
Then add the shrimp to the marinade….oops😊
 
Melina H.
Melina H. June 18, 2023
The Food52 team uploads all recipes, and sometimes they are too busy... Thanks for the flag!