If you are looking for one of the easiest recipes, look no further because these Smoked Pesto Shrimp Skewers are just that! The hint of smokiness along with the pesto makes the shrimp absolutely delicious!
I was really in the mood the other week for shrimp, but usually I just pan fry them which is always a win in my book…but can you believe I’ve never smoked them before! I know, crazy right! Once I had my mind set on smoking the shrimp I needed to pick out a rub/marinade for them. My go-to is usually some sort of Mexican flavor or Creole and I needed something new for my palate. Then it hit me! Pesto! Pesto would be so so good with shrimp. But let’s do jumbo shrimp, and on skewers cause who doesn’t love food on a stick!
What I really love about these Smoked Pesto Shrimp Skewers is how easy it is to put together and cook. My husband said this was his top 3 favorite meals I have ever made! A dish this simple is top 3. Pretty crazy seeing as I am a cookbook author (get my book HERE ) and this is a top 3 for him! 😉
Let’s talk pesto real fast. You can certainly make your own. A great option if you are dairy free or if you just have a great pesto recipe in general (My pesto recipe is down below). Sometimes, just buying pesto is the way to go. Again, maybe you have a pesto brand that is just killer. Either way you go, it will be great.
You can also bake these Smoked Pesto Shrimp Skewers in the oven. Obviously they will not have that smoky/grilled taste to it, which in my opinion totally added to the flavor profile. But I don’t want that to deter you from making these. They will still be delicious, just not “smoky.” If you do it in the oven, place on a wire rack at 400 degrees and let cook 5 min, flip and let cook another 5 minutes until shrimp is pink and opaque
Ingredients
- 3 lbs jumbo shrimp, deveined, shell off
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- Sliced Lemon
- OPTIONAL: 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 2 cups packed basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 juice of a lemon
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- OPTIONAL: 2 tbsp pine nuts
Instructions
- Mix all pesto ingredients into a blender. Set aside.
- Soak wooden skewers in warm water for 15 minutes.
- Take jumbo shrimp and place into a large bowl. Mix the pesto, salt, pepper, and optional red chili flakes until the shrimp is covered.
- Let marinate for 15 minutes. (Pretty much until your skewers are ready)
- Turn smoker to 400 degrees F.
- If you have a cast iron grate, you can put it on the smoker. Totally optional.
- Take your skewer and poke skewer through the tail and body. Repeat until skewer is full. About 5 shrimp each skewer.
- Place skewers onto smoker and let cook for 5 minutes. Flip and let cook another 5-7 minutes or until shrimp is opaque.
- Remove and enjoy.
- You can smoke the sliced lemon as well. Just set it directly on the grill and remove when you go to flip the shrimp.
- Rub some of the smoked lemon onto the shrimp
This pairs really really well with asparagus or cauliflower!
Whole30: yes
Paleo: yes
