By Ali Slagle
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- 4(253)
- Notes
- Read community notes
The appeal of this grilled shrimp recipe lies in the combination of sweet shrimp, savory Old Bay and the singe of the grill, but the secret ingredient may be the baking soda, which keeps the shrimp snappy and tender. Old Bay seasoning is a beloved blend of sweet paprika, celery seed, dried mustard and other secret spices; it’s often used on Maryland blue crabs, but once you try it on shrimp, you’ll pine to use it elsewhere, too. (Try popcorn, corn or a Bloody Mary.) This recipe is brightened with lemon, garlic and parsley, but hot sauce, mayonnaise or drawn butter wouldn’t be out of place.
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
- 2teaspoons Old Bay or Cajun seasoning
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Salt and pepper
- 1½pounds large, tail-on shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry
- 1lemon
- ¼cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro leaves and stems
- 2garlic cloves, finely chopped
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
217 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 35 grams protein; 470 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat a grill to high. (You can also cook the shrimp in a cast-iron skillet over high heat, following the same timing.) In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, Old Bay, baking soda and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Step
2
Finely grate the zest of the lemon into a small bowl. Add the parsley and garlic and stir to combine. Cut the lemon into wedges for serving.
Step
3
Clean and lightly oil the grates. Grill the shrimp until well browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes. (If using a gas grill, cover grill between flips.)
Step
4
Transfer the shrimp to a platter and top with the lemon-herb mixture. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.
Ratings
4
out of 5
253
user ratings
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Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Sue W.
What about cooking the shrimp in an air fryer?
Anne B from St Mary's County, MD
We have been using Old Bay on our shrimp that we fry on the stovetop in a heavy skillet; we also often add a little jarred garlic to the shrimp when we turn the second time. One of our favorite meals served over Basil Pesto Spaghetti or linguini.
Louisiana Mimi
Please remove the tails of shrimp before including them in a dish that is to be eaten with a fork. What in the world do you do with the tails but choke or place them on the tablecloth. As for the idea of that leaving them on improves the flavor is silly. Make a stock with them and add that to the dish.
Lock McShane
Old Bay is also great on Deviled Eggs.
Frederika
We like Old Bay on French fries, also on coleslaw.
Lisa
I added the zest, parsley and garlic in with the other marinade ingredients and it was absolutely delicious.
Tika
Halved the recipe and opted for cilantro. SO YUMMY! Delicious cold for lunch the next day too
Marcia
Just a note that in Maryland, most crab houses use J.O. seasoning or a custom blend made by J.O. But I get it, Old Bay is much more widely available.
Jessica J
This was excellent, the addition of baking soda made the shrimp so springy and tender. I over seasoned with Old Bay so next time I will be a little less enthusiastic but overall a great recipe. The parsley was great with linguini and mushrooms added.
Cathy
The lemon-cilantro mixture was amazing! I used a cast iron skillet on the side burner of a BBQ - so easy! I'm not afraid of sodium, but this had wayyyy too much salt following the recipe exactly. I would recommend 1 tsp of Old Bay and no added salt - if someone thinks it's missing, you can always add more after tasting.
flower28
Parsley and lemon were nice, but way too salty
bwc
Old Bay can be a tad salty. Be mindful. Have made a few of times, and t did come out too salty on one occasion. Bad measurements on my part, I’m sure.
nancy s
Delicious and quick! Who cares if tails are on or off? Great last minute dinner!
Isabel
To each their own, but a plea to those new to making shrimp: for goodness sake, do not remove the tails before serving. They do not create any kind of obstacle to consumption, and you’ll be compromising your presentation. They serve as handy handles in a more informal setting, and some of us enjoy eating them. The idea of large shrimp denuded makes me feel sad.
Paul
Too salty - we used the new low salt Old Bay and it was too much for us...underlying taste was very good. We are trending to be low salt users and that influences our tastes.
marc
No need for extra salt in the marinade. Old Bay is salty enough.
Ellie
Does anyone know what does it mean to make the shrimp “snappy?” I thought it meant crispy but that wasn’t the case.
Patches
Quite good... easy and speedy. I threaded the shrimp.onto skewers for easier handling on the grill. I also found that some rice vinegar took the bite out of the raw garlic. Juice from them lemon would have done the trick as well.
Robin R.
I substituted mayonnaise for the olive oil. I've started doing this for all of my marinades destined for the grill - not only does it keep the marinade on the food, but less flare up from the dripping oil. Delish, and will do again!
Doug Williams
Leave the tails on if:A) You want your dish to appear "Chefy"; orB) You personally love eating shrimp tails and want to enlighten your guests; orC) You don't like your guests and want to observe how they deal with the topic. Personally, I like to pull them off with the rest of the shell and use them in broth.
Jack Craine
Are the shells edible when grilled this way? How does the baking soda affect the shells?
Easy and delicious
This was really tasty. We made shrimp and boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the kiddos who don’t like shrimp, and served with corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, and a big salad. Definitely a keeper.
Louisiana Mimi
Please remove the tails of shrimp before including them in a dish that is to be eaten with a fork. What in the world do you do with the tails but choke or place them on the tablecloth. As for the idea of that leaving them on improves the flavor is silly. Make a stock with them and add that to the dish.
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