6 Easy Shrimp Marinades

These 6 shrimp marinade recipes take only minutes to make and add a ton of flavor. Add the marinade ingredients and the raw shrimp to a bag for 15 minutes, then cook however you’d like.

6 Shrimp Marinades Overview

These six shrimp marinade flavors are easy to make and use fresh ingredients. Shrimp requires only 10-15 minutes marinating time to get the full flavor that you need. In fact, if you let the marinade sit too long it can actually start to cook the shrimp if it contains lemon juice or something else acidic.

Here's a few quick tips to help you get started before choosing your favorite marinade flavor below:

• THAW SHRIMP FIRST: Frozen shrimp will not properly absorb the marinade. Make sure to thaw the shrimp first.
• USE UNCOOKED SHRIMP: Cooked shrimp will not absorb the marinade in the same way. Uncooked fresh shrimp is grey in color, while cooked shrimp turns pink.
• TAIL OFF IS BEST: Shrimp that is peeled and deveined with the tail removed is best. This allows the marinade to fully cover the whole shrimp for maximum flavor. If you’re using jumbo shrimp (or large shrimp), keep the tail on as this keeps them more juicy and tender while cooking.
• FOOD SAFETY: Leftover marinade that was with raw shrimp and has not been cooked should never be used.

1.Sweet and Spicy Marinade

• 1 lb raw shrimp - peeled and deveined
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp honey - or pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 2 garlic cloves - minced
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

1. First, make sure the shrimp is thawed. Frozen shrimp will not marinate properly.
2. Add the marinade ingredients to a bowl and mix together thoroughly. Add shrimp and toss together until coated. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes.
3. Cook the shrimp with or without the marinade sauce (see ways you can cook shrimp with my tips at the end of this post).

2. Lemon Garlic Marinade

• 1 lb raw shrimp - peeled and deveined
• ¼ cup lemon juice - from one large lemon (or use orange juice)
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest - grated lemon peel
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 fresh garlic cloves - minced
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

1. First, make sure the shrimp is thawed. Frozen shrimp will not marinate properly.
2. Add the marinade ingredients to a bowl and mix together thoroughly. Add shrimp and toss together until coated. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes.
3. Cook the shrimp with or without the marinade sauce (see ways you can cook shrimp with my tips at the end of this post).

3. Barbecue Marinade

• 1 lb raw shrimp - peeled and deveined
• ½ cup barbecue sauce
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp chili powder

Instructions

1. First, make sure the shrimp is thawed. Frozen shrimp will not marinate properly.
2. Add the marinade ingredients to a bowl and mix together thoroughly. Add shrimp and toss together until coated. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes.
3. Cook the shrimp with or without the marinade sauce (see ways you can cook shrimp with my tips at the end of this post).

4. Honey Mustard Marinade

• 1 lb raw shrimp - peeled and deveined
• 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp whole grain mustard
• 3 garlic cloves - minced
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

1. First, make sure the shrimp is thawed. Frozen shrimp will not marinate properly.
2. Add the marinade ingredients to a bowl and mix together thoroughly. Add shrimp and toss together until coated. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes.
3. Cook the shrimp with or without the marinade sauce (see ways you can cook shrimp with my tips at the end of this post).

5. Basil Balsamic Marinade

• 1 lb raw shrimp - peeled and deveined
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves - minced
• 2 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

1. First, make sure the shrimp is thawed. Frozen shrimp will not marinate properly.
2. Add the marinade ingredients to a bowl and mix together thoroughly. Add shrimp and toss together until coated. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes.
3. Cook the shrimp with or without the marinade sauce (see ways you can cook shrimp with my tips at the end of this post).

6. Chili Lime Marinade

• 1 lb raw shrimp - peeled and deveined
• ¼ cup lime juice - about 3 limes
• 3 garlic cloves - minced
• 1 Tbsp lime zest - grated lime peel
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

Instructions

1. First, make sure the shrimp is thawed. Frozen shrimp will not marinate properly.
2. Add the marinade ingredients to a bowl and mix together thoroughly. Add shrimp and toss together until coated. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes.
3. Cook the shrimp with or without the marinade sauce (see ways you can cook shrimp with my tips at the end of this post).

Quickest Way To Thaw Shrimp

Raw thawed shrimp is best for marinating. It’s easy to thaw shrimp fast. Here’s the quickest method if you're using frozen shrimp:

1. Add the frozen shrimp to a large bowl. Run the frozen shrimp under cold running water or soak in cold water for 10 minutes.
2. Drain the shrimp then pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Now the raw shrimp is thawed and ready to marinate!

How To Cook Marinated Shrimp

There are a variety of ways that you can cook shrimp. Pan frying is typically my go-to because it's fast and easy. But you an also barbecue, bake it or cook in the air fryer.

Cook Shrimp In A Frying Pan

1. Add a bit of cooking oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the shrimp and leftover marinade to the pan. Cook until shrimp turns pink and opaque on one side and then flip over to cook the other side (about 1-2 mins each side). Remove shrimp from pan immediately (to avoid over cooking).

Cook Shrimp On The Grill

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Add shrimp to skewers or a grill pan. Shrimp can be cooked 1-3 minutes per side, or until they turn pink. Flip them halfway through.

How To Bake Shrimp

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the marinated shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle any leftover marinade overtop.
2. Bake until shrimp is pink and opaque, about 5-8 minutes. Flip halfway through.

Cook Shrimp In An Air Fryer

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp to the air fryer basket in a single layer (careful as the basket will be hot!).
2. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until shrimp has turned pink and opaque. Shake the basket halfway through cooking.

How Do You Know When Shrimp Is Cooked?

Visually, you'll be able to tell when shrimp is cooked by the color. Raw shrimp is translucent and grey and cooked shrimp will turn pink and opaque.

When you marinate the shrimp you might not be able to tell if it changes color. If this is the case, go by the time. Cooked shrimp takes only 3 to 6 minutes to cook depending on the size.

Shrimp Marinade FAQs