Tandoori shrimp skewers with lemon wedges and lettuce is the perfect appetizer for warm summer evenings. Marinated in a delicious sauce made of Greek yogurt, tandoori masala, lemon, ginger and garlic, this is a scrumptious recipe that will take your breath away!
Come summer and everyone's barbecuing like crazy, here in Alberta, Canada. One of my most favourite recipes is this beautiful, hot-off-the-grill tandoori shrimp. The star ingredient is, of course, my special tandoori masala that gives these shrimp kabobs their name and an awesome flavour and colour. Here's where you can find the recipe for tandoori seasoning -
And if you want other seafood recipes, do check out my prawns pulao and mustard fish curry too.
Ingredients in Tandoori Shrimp
- Greek yogurt - any thick yogurt can be used in place of Greek yogurt.
- ginger-garlic paste - easily available in Indian stores. You can make your own too if you so wish. Just put equal amounts of peeled ginger and garlic in a blender and whizz to get a smooth paste.
- tandoori masala - can be bought readymade from any Indian store if you don't want to make it from scratch.
- lemon juice - freshly squeezed lemon juice is always the best though you can use the store-bought one that comes in little plastic bottles.
- red chilli powder - I use Kashmiri chilli powder as it is mild and adds a pleasing red colour to food. You can substitute with anything from paprika to cayenne depending on how hot you want the shrimp to be.
- salt - I always prefer sea-salt in my recipes.
Other Ingredients
- raw shrimp - I bought peeled and deveined frozen shrimp for this recipe.
- lettuce leaves - there's curly leaf lettuce in this recipe but you can sub with any variety like iceberg or romaine.
- lemon wedges - or lime wedges if you want.
- cilantro leaves (for garnishing) - or parsley if you don't have cilantro.
- cooking spray - canola or olive. Your choice.
- wooden skewers - soak the skewers in water for some time to avoid burnt ends. I didn't as you can see in the picture!
How to make tandoori grilled shrimp skewers
1. Make the shrimp masala or marinade - in a deep bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, tandoori masala, lemon juice, Kashmiri red chilli powder and salt. Add the shrimp and leave in a cool place for about half an hour.
2. Thread the shrimp on skewers - I do this over a deep bowl to catch all the drippings. Spray all over with cooking oil.
3. There are two ways to cook the shrimp
- on a hot grill - remove the skewers from the bowl and place the skewers on a hot grill and cook for 4-5 minutes. Turn over and do the same on the other side.
- in an oven - place the bowl in a pre-heated oven (350 degrees) and bake for 10-12 minutes. Then broil for 4-5 minutes. Turn over and do the same on the other side. You can line the bowl with some aluminium foil first if you don't want the drippings to stick to the bowl. In this recipe I used a grill, so there was no need to line the bowl.
The shrimp is cooked through when the gray changes to a pinkish hue and becomes slightly charred on the surface.
Garnish with the chopped cilantro or parsley and serve hot over a bed of lettuce and lemon wedges.
Sides for tandoori shrimp (optional)
While barbecued shrimp tastes great on its own, you can pair with some interesting side dishes. So, what to serve with tandoori grilled shrimp? Here are two of my favourites -
1. Steamed white rice - grilled shrimp tastes great over plain rice. Try it for a more filling meal.
2. Mayonnaise dip - mix some mayonnaise, tomato ketchup and chili flakes for an easy, instant dip.
If you want more options, have a look at this post from Kitchn. It has a good variety of salads and sides to serve with grilled shrimp.
📖 Recipe
Tandoori Shrimp
Ingredients
The Marinade
- 3 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 heaped teaspoon tandoori masala
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- salt to taste
Other ingredients
- 400 grams or 0.88 lbs frozen raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 4 curly leaf lettuce
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- 1 sprig cilantro leaves chopped
- cooking spray
- 4 wooden skewers soaked in water for half an hour
Instructions
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a deep bowl and place the shrimp in it making sure to cover it completely with the marinade. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
- Thread the shrimp on wooden skewers, shaking off the excess liquid.
- Spray all over with cooking spray.
- Grill the skewers over a hot grill for 4-5 minutes until the shrimp turn an opaque pink and become slightly charred on the surface. Turn over and grill on the other side too.
- Alternatively, line a baking tray with aluminium foil and place the skewers over it. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 10 minutes. Then, broil for 4-5 minutes until cooked through and slightly charred. Turn over and do the same on the other side.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot over a bed of lettuce.
Notes
- Instead of using my homemade tandoori masala, you can use a store-bought masala too. Everest is a good brand available quite easily in Indian stores.
Nutrition
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Danielle Wolter says
i totally wish i was eating this shrimp right now. It sounds incredible!! I love tandoori spices 🙂
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy says
Hubby is just putting our new grill together. I think I need to make these delicious shrimp skewers this weekend. What a great way to get grilling.
Kylie | Midwest Foodie says
Can't wait to try these on the grill this summer! I'm always looking for new seafood recipes and this one definitely fits the bill.
Amanda Mason says
I am LOVING this recipe! That marinade!! Perfect high protein dinner or lunch or snack! I like it best over rice or in a lettuce wrap!
Saima says
The marinade really makes a difference in this recipe for sure!
Amanda says
I really love these on the grill! That marinade is super flavorful, and I love the depth the grill gives. Thanks for sharing!
Denise says
This looks incredibly delicious! I will have to try this soon on the grill, it will be devoured by my family for sure!
Pearl Rodrigues says
Tandoori shrimps are an absolute favorite. I have it often at this Indian restaurant close to my place. Now I have your recipe so definitely giving it a shot in my kitchen. Looks so so good
Saima says
Do try it, Pearl!
Jenni LeBaron says
The flavors in this tandoori shrimp sound so marvelous. I also love that the spice is perfectly balanced with a bit of Greek yogurt. I can't wait to eat this!
Marie says
This sounds so delicious! I love shrimp anyway, but I think this recipe will be a favorite.
Charity says
I love tandoori chicken and lamb but have never had shrimp tandoori! Can't wait to try this! Such a perfect recipe for summer!
lauren says
What a great way to spice up shrimp! This is perfect with summer just around the corner. Perfect to add to salads or have with some easy rice like you mentioned. The color and flavors in the marinade sound just divine.
Saima says
Yes, isn't it? Tandoori masala really ratchets up any meat or veggie.
Julie says
I definitely need to try this recipe! My 4 old's favorite food in the whole world is tandoori chicken (he begs us to order it at least once a week) so I can't wait to try this tandoori shrimp recipe for him!
Saima says
Oh, how sweet! I know, it feels great to cook things that our kids will have happily and without fuss. Mine were the same when they were younger!
Linda says
Oh yes, please! I love everything tandoori and tandoori shrimp will be my new favorite.
Jo says
Incredible, incredible looking shrimps. I looooove tandoori ..everything. Shrimps are definitely my favorite. Your photos are tempting me to try it soon
Emily says
Are the cooking times you listed for thawed shrimp? If so, would it be possible to use frozen shrimp that hadn’t been thawed out? Thank you!
Saima says
Hi Emily, I thawed the shrimp first. I wouldn't recommend using frozen shrimp because it releases a lot of water which dilutes the marinade.