Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Avocado Lime Sauce

Fire up your grill and make this Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Avocado Lime Sauce. Just 5 ingredients for a quick, healthy, flavorful, and easy grilled shrimp recipe for summer! Serve them as an appetizer or a main course with sides of your choice.

Last updated on August 13, 2020.

Grilling and summer go hand in hand. The days are long and the nights are warm (or hot if you live in Texas like me haha). Grilling just makes sense. And it seems like food just tastes better when it is made on the grill.

One of my favorite things about summer is fresh seafood. We grew up eating it at the beach (and at home) and it’s still one of my favorite things to eat.

These grilled cilantro lime shrimp are super easy to make. All you have to do is marinate the shrimp, quickly grill them up, and then make the sauce while the shrimp cook. Also, if you don’t have a grill you don’t need one! I’ve made these on a grill pan and they turn out perfect.

The shrimp get all their flavor from a peppery cilantro lime marinade. The pepper adds a nice kick to the shrimp along with the lime juice. The best part is, grilled shrimp skewers come together quickly and make an easy and healthy summer recipe!

Grilled cilantro lime shrimp

Just 5 ingredients to make cilantro lime shrimp with avocado lime dipping sauce. This easy grilled shrimp can be served as an appetizer or as the protein with some veggies and carbs or on top of a salad. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed more people as well.

Here is what you need:

• shrimp
• olive oil
• cilantro
• lime juice
• salt and pepper

First, if needed, peel and devein your shrimp. I left the tails on as I like how it looks, but you can remove them if you like. Then, add to a large resealable dish or bag and add the olive oil, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine and fully coat the shrimp. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes.

Once the shrimp is done marinating, heat up your grill over medium-high heat. Place shrimp on metal skewers. Grill for 5-6 minutes, flipping once halfway through over direct heat. While the shrimp cooks, make your avocado lime dipping sauce.

Finally, serve them up with the sauce and whatever else you like. I love doing some air fryer sweet potato fries or rice and some grilled veggies!

Grilled cilantro lime shrimp substitutions and additions

While these grilled shrimp skewers are super easy to make, there are a few ways you can change them up or add to them based on what you have on hand or like.

Here are a few suggestions:

• cilantro – if cilantro isn’t your thing (or you think it tastes like soap), parsley would be an easy substitute.
• lime juice – you could easily substitute lemon juice for lime. Lemon and parsley would be an easy way to change up this recipe!
• garlic – minced garlic would be a great addition to this marinade. Simply add it with everything else.
• spices – to spice it up a little more, add some more spices. Chili powder, cumin, paprika, or even taco seasoning would be delicious!

How long to marinate shrimp

How long you can marinate shrimp depends on the type of marinade you are using. When using an oil-based marinade, you can marinate for 1-2 hours. When using an acidic based marinade (lime, lemon, orange, or any citrus), you can marinate 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on how much acidity you have. If you let them sit too long, the acid will start to break down the shrimp and they will become soft.

Since this grilled shrimp marinade contains some lime juice but has more oil in it then lime, I like to marinate for an hour or so. Sometimes it is more and sometimes it is less, but at least 30 minutes. I usually don’t go over 2 hours as I want the shrimp to remain their integrity.

How long to grill shrimp

Grilled shrimp are quick and easy to make. First, light grill over medium-high heat and let it come up to temperature. Then grill over direct heat for 5-6 minutes, flipping halfway through. Grilled shrimp are done once they are pink and firm to the touch.

Avocado lime sauce for grilled shrimp

If you know me or know my recipes, you know I love a good sauce. So I figured this let’s make a delicious dipping sauce for grilled shrimp. It’s creamy, bold and fresh, and only 3 ingredients. You’ll want to put it on more than just this cilantro lime shrimp too.

Here is what you need:

• avocado
• lime juice
• cilantro
• salt and pepper

To make avocado dip for shrimp, simply add all your ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds to one minute. It takes a total of 2 minutes to make and we usually have leftovers for the week to use on other things – on grilled meats, in sandwiches, with breakfast, and just with chips.

To store avocado lime sauce, place in a small glass jar and store in the fridge. It should last up to 5 days. The top might get a little brown after a few days but still tastes the same (it doesn’t brown right away due to the lime juice).

More healthy seafood recipes

Shrimp Fajitas

Chipotle Salmon

Salmon Poke Bowl

Mahi Mahi Burgers with Chipotle Mayo & Cabbage Slaw

Whole30 Fish Taco Bowls

Cauliflower Shrimp Fried Rice

4.89 from 9 votes

Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Avocado Lime Dipping Sauce

Author: Kelly Nardo

Fire up your grill and make this Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Avocado Lime Dipping Sauce. Just 5 ingredients for a quick, healthy, flavorful, and easy grilled shrimp recipe for summer! Serve them as an appetizer or a main course with sides of your choice.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Calories: 327kcal

Protein: 21g

Carbs: 6g

Fat: 18g

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes

Marinate Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 11 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

ingredients

Cilantro Pepper Shrimp

• 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup packed cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• salt, to taste

Avocado Lime Dipping Sauce

• 2 medium avocado (about 200 grams)
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• salt and pepper, to taste

instructions

• Add shrimp to a large container or bag and add oil olive, cilantro, lime juice, pepper, and salt. Mix well to combine. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, a maximum of 2 hours.
• Heat either a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. While the grill heats up, pierce the shrimp through metal skewers.
• Grill shrimp for 5-6 minutes, flipping once halfway through, over direct heat. Shrimp are done when they are pink in color and firm to the touch.
• While the shrimp cooks, make the sauce. Add avocado, cilantro, lime, and salt and pepper to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds to a minute.
• Serve shrimp with sauce and enjoy!

notes

If you don't have a grill, you can use a grill pan.

Store extra sauce in a resealable glass jar. Will keep for 5 days (might get a little brown on top, but still good).

nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Grilled Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Avocado Lime Dipping Sauce

Amount Per Serving (1 /4 of shrimp + 1/4 of sauce)

Calories 327 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 1.9g12%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.8g

Monounsaturated Fat 9.8g

Potassium 253.5mg7%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 3.4g14%

Sugar 0.1g0%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 73IU1%

Vitamin C 4.4mg5%

Calcium 98mg10%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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