Cilantro Pesto Grilled Shrimp Recipe

Fire up the grill for this vibrant Tex-Mex twist on classic grilled shrimp! Sheila Lukins' recipe gets a flavorful upgrade with a zesty cilantro pesto. Succulent shrimp marinated in homemade pesto then grilled to perfection – a quick, easy, and incredibly delicious meal.

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 51 mins
Calories 301.2 kcal
Protein 47g
Rating 5.0 (6 Reviews)
Cilantro Pesto Grilled Shrimp 11

Recipe Actions

Share this recipe:

Recipe Author

Chef Forktionary, author of this recipe

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Standardized by Forktionary.

Ingredients for Cilantro Pesto Grilled Shrimp

Cook Smarter with Sous, Your Kitchen Companion

Missing an ingredient for this Cilantro Pesto Grilled Shrimp? Need a perfect wine pairing or a healthy side dish idea? Don't guess—ask Sous! Your AI-powered sous-chef is ready to help you swap ingredients, adjust serving sizes, and discover flavor tips in seconds.

How to Make Cilantro Pesto Grilled Shrimp

  1. **Prepare the Cilantro Pesto:** Combine 1 cup packed cilantro leaves, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
  2. **Make the Pesto:** With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil until smooth. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate (makes about 3/4 cup).
  3. **Marinate the Shrimp:** In a bowl, toss 1 pound shrimp with 6 tablespoons of the cilantro pesto. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes (longer is better!).
  4. **Prepare the Skewers:** Thread the marinated shrimp onto long metal skewers, about 5-6 shrimp per skewer.
  5. **Grill the Shrimp:** Preheat grill to high heat. Grill skewers for 3 minutes per side, or until shrimp are pink and cooked through (about 3 inches from the heat source).
  6. **Finish and Serve:** Remove shrimp from skewers. Toss with the remaining 6 tablespoons of pesto and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

Sodium

7 g

Sugar

0g

Fat

15g

Carbs

0g