It’s easy to make THE BEST grilled shrimp marinade with lime juice, soy sauce and garlic. You can make this easy shrimp recipe in less than 30 minutes. It’s great for making shrimp tacos, stir-fry, or a surf and turf dinner on the grill!
2011 was a hot summer day in Los Angeles. I pulled out my laptop and began writing this blog. The first recipe I ever posted was this recipe for Grilled Shrimp with THE BEST shrimp marinade. This is still one of our family favorites and one of the most-read recipes on the blog after more than ten years!
The combination of flavors in the marinade pairs well with Mexican food, Chinese food and American food. In the past ten years, I’ve used this marinated shrimp in Shrimp Tacos, a stir fry with THE BEST Stir Fry Sauce, and a surf and turf dinner with grilled steak.
You can also skewer and grill the shrimp, which tastes great. Serve them with rice, quinoa, or vegetables. Lots of different things can be done, but one thing is for sure: you’ll be using this shrimp marinade recipe for years to come!
It’s quick, simple, made with just 7 ingredients and the flavor combination is perfect. Why it works:
Another great thing about it is that it only takes 5 minutes to mix and 15 minutes to marinate.
Shrimp is a delicious and versatile protein that can be prepared in endless ways. While shrimp is tasty when simply seasoned and grilled or sautéed, marinating brings its flavor to the next level. Allowing shrimp to soak in a flavor-packed marinade infuses it with extra juiciness and big, bold flavors.
But exactly how long should you marinate shrimp to get the most out of your marinade without ruining the texture? Keep reading for tips on the ideal shrimp marinating times and techniques for tender flavorful shrimp every time.
The Benefits of Marinating Shrimp
Before diving into specifics on marinating duration, let’s first overview the benefits of marinating shrimp:
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Enhanced flavor – Marinades contain acidic, salty, sweet, and savory ingredients that penetrate the shrimp and make it far more flavorful than plain seasoning alone.
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Tender texture – Acidic marinade components like lemon juice lightly break down shrimp proteins resulting in a more tender silky texture.
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Moisture – Marinades introduce extra moisture into the shrimp, keeping it juicier when cooked.
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Easy to season – Tossing shrimp in a marinade coats all surfaces evenly, removing the hassle of seasoning each piece.
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Endless variety – From Mediterranean to Thai and barbecue shrimp, marinades offer limitless global flavor options.
With so many benefits, it’s easy to see why marinating can take shrimp from bland to 5-star restaurant quality. Now let’s discuss ideal marinating times.
How Long to Marinate Shrimp
Shrimp marinating times can range anywhere from 15 minutes to overnight depending on the marinade ingredients, shrimp size, and personal preference. Here are general guidelines:
- 15-30 minutes: Best for strong acid marinades containing citrus juice or vinegar
- 30-60 minutes: Ideal for milder marinades focused on herbs, garlic, oil, etc.
- 1-4 hours: Allows maximum flavor infusion if marinade lacks acidity
- Overnight: Works for large shrimp and thicker marinades containing dairy, like buttermilk
As a rule of thumb, never marinate shrimp for longer than 2 hours in an acidic marinade to avoid “cooking” the shrimp and altering its texture.
Always marinate shrimp in the refrigerator, not at room temperature. The cool temperature prevents the surrounding marinade from prematurely denaturing proteins and cooking the shrimp.
Marinating Considerations
When determining the optimal marinating time, keep these key considerations in mind:
Shrimp Size
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Small shrimp: Marinate for less time, as flavors will penetrate quicker. Aim for 15-30 minutes.
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Large shrimp: Need a longer marinating duration for flavors to reach the center. Marinate for 30-60 minutes.
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Jumbo shrimp: Up to 1-2 hours may be needed depending on the marinade thickness.
Marinade Intensity
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Acidic marinades: Contain citrus juice, vinegar, yogurt, wine, etc. Only marinate for 15-30 minutes to avoid “cooking.”
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Mild marinades: Lack acidity and contain oil, herbs, spices, etc. Can safely marinate for longer periods, like 1-4 hours.
Marinade Thickness
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Thin marinades: Quickly penetrate the shrimp. Opt for shorter marinating times of 15-30 minutes.
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Thick marinades: Require more time to coat and soak into shrimp. Marinate for at least 60-90 minutes.
Shrimp State
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Frozen, dethawed shrimp: Dethawing causes moisture loss, so marinate for the full recommended time to rehydrate.
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Previously cooked shrimp: Already tender, so focus on infusing flavor. Marinate for 30-60 minutes.
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Raw shrimp: Needs time to absorb marinade and become tender. Marinate for at least 60-90 minutes.
Tips for Marinating Shrimp
Follow these tips for flawlessly marinated shrimp:
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Pat shrimp dry before marinating so the marinade evenly coats vs. being repelled by moisture.
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Use a non-reactive dish like glass or stainless steel; acidic marinades can react with metal.
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Make sure shrimp is fully submerged in marinade, stirring a few times if needed.
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For convenience, double or triple the marinade recipe to have extra for basting.
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Don’t rinse off all the marinade before cooking – leave a light coating for continued flavor.
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Discard leftover marinade after use due to contamination from raw shrimp.
Signs Shrimp is Over-Marinated
It is possible to overdo it when marinating shrimp. Watch for these signs you’ve gone too long:
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Mushy, opaque texture throughout
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Tough, rubbery texture (over-acidified)
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Cooked appearance before hitting the heat
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Strangely firm yet limp texture
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Strong acidic or spoiled taste
If you notice any of these issues, your shrimp has been over-marinated. For best results, stick within the recommended marinating duration for the ingredients used.
10 Delicious Shrimp Marinade Recipes
To get you inspired, here are 10 phenomenal shrimp marinade recipes to test out:
1. Easy Lemon Garlic Marinade – The classic! Juice, zest, garlic, and olive oil.
2. Chile Lime Marinade – Spicy and zesty. Douse shrimp in hot sauce, lime, cilantro, and a pinch of sugar.
3. Cajun Shrimp Marinade – The robust Cajun holy trinity of onion, celery, bell pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme, cayenne, garlic, and lemon make this marinade sing.
4. Coconut Curry Marinade – Exotic yet approachable. Blend coconut milk, red curry paste, lime, fish sauce, brown sugar, and cilantro.
5. Whiskey Marinade – Boozy with tons of flavor. Mix whiskey, apple cider vinegar, garlic, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, and cracked black pepper.
6. Tandoori Yogurt Marinade – Creamy and fragrant. Combine Greek yogurt, tandoori seasoning, lemon, garlic, and ginger.
7. Jerk Shrimp Marinade – Spicy and herbal. Mix scotch bonnets, allspice, thyme, cloves, nutmeg, brown sugar, and rum.
8. Harissa Shrimp Marinade – North African flair. Harissa paste, olive oil, cumin, paprika, garlic, and lemon do the trick.
9. Sesame Ginger Marinade – Savory Asian essence. Blend soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and chili garlic sauce.
10. Greek Shrimp Marinade – Bright and bold. Lemon, garlic, oregano, parsley, olive oil, and red wine vinegar are the base.
Achieve Shrimp Perfection
With so many possibilities for infusing shrimp with flavor, marinating is one of the best techniques to master for next-level seafood.
Keep marinating times brief when using acidic ingredients, allow ample time for penetration with larger shrimp, and stick to recipes for success. In no time, you’ll be able to whip up restaurant-worthy shrimp right from your own kitchen.
For even more flavor, consider double marinating. Marinate once as usual, pat dry, then marinate again in a different mixture. The combinations are endless!
How to cook shrimp
- Set the grill over medium-high heat, about 450°F, whether it’s inside or outside.
- Take the shrimp out of the marinade with tongs and put them right on the grill.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. How long this takes will depend on how big the shrimp are that you use in the recipe. For smaller shrimp, you’ll only need 1-2 minutes per side. For jumbo shrimp, you’ll need 3-4 minutes per side.
- Warm up a cast iron or grill pan over medium-high heat on the stove.
- Place the shrimp in the hot pan or skillet, being careful not to crowd it. Use tongs to remove the shrimp from the marinade.
- Cook the shrimp for two to three minutes on each side. If the shrimp are small or large, add or take away one to two minutes.
- If you want to know when shrimp is done, flip it over or take it off the grill or skillet when it starts to turn opaque white with pink spots.
- If the shrimp are frozen, put them in a colander and run cold water over them in the sink for three to five minutes. The shrimp will be thawed before being added to the marinade.
- If your shrimp are extra big and say “16-20,” which means there are 16–20 shrimp per pound (as seen in this post), you can put them right on the grill without worrying that they will fall through the grates.
- If your shrimp are medium or small (marked 31–40 or below), I suggest putting them on grill-safe foil or a flat grill basket so they don’t fall through the grates. And if the shrimp are small enough, you can put them on metal or wooden skewers and put them directly on the grill.
- If you are cooking the shrimp on the stove, don’t put too many things in the pan at once. The shrimp won’t cook all the way through, and the outside won’t get a nice crust. If you have to, work in batches. There is no need to cook the shrimp all at once; the first batch will still be warm when you take the second batch out of the pan.
- Do not rinse the marinade off the shrimp before cooking. If you’re grilling the shrimp, you can put it on the grill right after marinating it. Use tongs to shake off any extra marinade from the shrimp before adding it to the skillet if you’re cooking it in a skillet. Any extra marinade that drips through the grill grates when you put the shrimp on it will be used. When cooking shrimp in a skillet, the marinade will stay in the skillet because it has nowhere else to go. This means that the shrimp will not get that beautiful sear on the outside. Also, this is why I say not to crowd the skillet when cooking the shrimp on the stove.
- Can I use this marinade on other seafood? Yes, especially if I want to grill it. This marinade is great for giving seafood a lot of flavor before I grill it. I can use it on up to a pound of scallops, tilapia, swordfish, cod, or halibut. Lemon marinade should only be used for two hours on seafood, the same as with shrimp. I recommend 15-30 minutes.
- Is the marinade hot? No, it’s not very hot. You can make it spicier by adding 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder to the marinade.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce? Coconut aminos are a good choice if you are allergic to soy or gluten or just don’t like the taste of soy sauce. This sauce can be used instead of soy sauce because it doesn’t contain soy, gluten, or a lot of salt. That’s why I think you should add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the marinade if you use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- How many pounds of shrimp can this recipe marinate? It can marinate one pound of shrimp. It’s easy to double the recipe and marinate two pounds of shrimp. To do this, move your mouse over the word “servings” in the recipe card below and change it from 4 to 8. This will make all of the ingredient amounts in the card double.
- Yes, you can make the marinade ahead of time. Just mix the marinade ingredients together, cover it, and put it in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, make sure that the shrimp doesn’t sit in the lime juice for more than two hours. If it does, it will change texture and become tough.
- How long should you marinate shrimp? Shrimp can soak up a marinade in 15 minutes, but you can marinate it for up to two hours.
Step by step instructions
- Prepare the marinade. In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, chili powder, lime juice, crushed garlic, soy sauce, and chili powder. Add the red pepper flakes and whisk to mix.
- Marinate the shrimp. Add the shrimp to the marinade and toss to coat. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for 15 minutes. Note: The shrimp can be marinated for up to two hours, but not longer than that. If you do, the acid from the lime juice will start to “cook” the shrimp, like in a ceviche.
How to Marinate Shrimp // 10 Second Living
How long do you marinate raw shrimp?
Marinate raw shrimp for at least 1 hour, and no more than 2 hours. Avoid marinating shrimp overnight, because the flesh of this fish is so delicate it could become tough. In a rush? You can get by with 30 minutes or marinating time, though the flavor is best with 1 hour. The great thing about this shrimp marinade recipe?
How do you marinate shrimp?
In a medium bowl, mix the olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Stir until the garlic is fully incorporated. Place shrimp in the bowl and toss to combine. Place it in the refrigerator and marinade for 1 hour**.
How long do you marinate shrimp before grilling?
Using a medium-sized bowl, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, soy sauce, Dijon Mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the shrimp and let marinate for at least one hour or overnight. As the building block of grilling, marinating is important!
Can You marinate shrimp with citrus?
Not Marinating Too Long: If using a lot of citrus in your marinade, make sure not to let your shrimp sit in it too long. The acid in the marinade can actually start to eat through your shrimp and make it mushy. 30 minutes to an hour is plenty of time for a citrus-based marinade to work.