Easy Shrimp Marinade (Ginger & Sesame)
- PREP 30min
- COOK 10min
- TOTAL 40min
We love this Asian-inspired marinade for shrimp. Quickly marinate your shrimp — 30 to 60 minutes is perfect. Any longer, and the shrimp will begin to “cook” in the lime juice.
This marinade is perfect for grilled shrimp, but you can roast them in the oven or cook them in a skillet. Below, we provide tips for all three cooking methods.
You Will Need
1 pound large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, ½-inch piece
1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 cloves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon Gochujang, see notes
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Directions
Marinate Shrimp
Combine the shrimp marinade ingredients in a bowl or zip-top freezer bag. Let the shrimp marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
If using skewers, soak wooden skewers in water while the shrimp marinate so they do not burn on the grill or in the oven.
Cook Shrimp
Grill (Recommended): Preheat your grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers in opposing directions (heads touching, tails outward) for flat skewers. See our photos for reference. Push the skewer through the head and tail of each shrimp. They will look like an interlocking circle, keeping the shrimp skewers flat.
Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side until opaque and cooked through.
Roast: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 5 to 7 minutes or until opaque and cooked through.
Skillet: Heat skillet over medium heat. Cook shrimp for 5 to 7 minutes until opaque and cooked. Watch for the honey burning in the pan (keep the heat between medium and medium-high).
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Frozen Shrimp: Thaw and drain frozen shrimp before marinating.
- Gochujang: A Korean chili paste, we find Mother-in-law’s Gochujang in stores around us. It can also be found sold in Asian or Korean markets. While it does not taste the same, Sriracha is a good substitute in this marinade recipe. Or leave it out.
- Best Cooking Method: This marinade works exceptionally well on an outdoor grill or in a grill pan. Roasting in the oven is our second-best method.
- Gluten-free: Use GF Tamari and ensure all other ingredients (specifically the fish sauce and gochujang) are marked gluten-free.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.