Shrimp Chimichurri

Shrimp chimichurri is the perfect healthy, grill-worthy summertime dish. This recipe features plump and juicy grilled shrimp bathed in a vibrant, herbaceous and slightly tangy chimichurri sauce. We love to pair this shrimp with steamed rice and grilled veggies to make it a complete high-protein dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple ingredients – only requires a handful of simple ingredients that add a ton of flavor to this dish
• Quick and easy meal – this dish only takes 15-20 minutes in total prep and cook time, making it a super fast dish from start to finish.
• Flavor packed – chimichurri sauce is teeming with bright, vibrant flavor from the fresh herbs, olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
• Healthy source of protein – one serving of shrimp packs 15 grams of protein with only 2 grams of fat, making it a healthy high-protein option.
• Super versatile – this dish goes great with anything, like a steaming bowl of rice or pearled couscous and grilled, sauteed, or fresh veggies, like asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes, or zucchini.

Ingredients

• Shrimp – we like to use raw medium shrimp with tails on. We’ve found that precooked shrimp with tails removed just dries up, while raw shrimp with tails on stay plump and juicy.
• Fresh herbs – fresh parsley, cilantro, and oregano make up the herby base of the chimichurri and add so much flavor and flair to this shrimp.
• Olive oil – loaded with plant-based fats, olive oil adds a ton of rich flavor to this sauce without making it feel heavy or greasy.
• Red wine vinegar – a splash of acidic red wine vinegar adds a little sharpness to balance out the herby flavors.
• Garlic – chimichurri is a pretty garlic heavy sauce, adding a punch of pungent flavor. It helps bind together all the other flavors. If you’re not a huge garlic fan, just use 4 garlic cloves; if you’re a garlic lover, use the full 8 cloves.
• Seasonings – red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper are simple seasonings that amplify all the bright flavors of the chimichurri.

Tips for Making Shrimp Chimichurri

1. Use raw, tail-on shrimp rather than precooked shrimp or tail-less shrimp, as they stay way juicier.
2. Soak wooden skewers about 20 minutes before grilling to prevent burning.
3. Cook shrimp until they begin to curl into a C shape and turn translucent or light pink in color. This will ensure shrimp are cooked through without over-cooking them and drying them out.
4. Brush shrimp with chimichurri again just before removing them from the grill to add a burst of vibrant flavor.

How to Make Shrimp Chimichurri

If you plan on grilling the shrimp, soak wooden skewers at least 20 minutes in water to prevent burning during grilling. I like to add an inch of water to a deep baking sheet and add the skewers. You can skip this step if you are using stainless steel skewers or a different cooking method.

In a blender or food processor, combine the parsley, cilantro, oregano, red wine vinegar, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Pulse until coarsely processed. Transfer the processed ingredients to a serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

Pour the olive oil over the mixture and let it stand for at least 20 minutes at room temperature before serving. Don’t skip this step, as it allows all the delicious flavors to meld!

Toss the thawed shrimp with half of the chimichurri sauce. Set the other half of the sauce aside.

Grilling: preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Add the shrimp to the skewers and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes. Brush with additional chimichurri. Cook another 30 seconds per side, or until shrimp are pink and tender. Remove and serve with more chimichurri, if desired.

Flat-top/Blackstone: preheat the flat-top to medium-high heat. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Add the shrimp in a single layer to the flattop and cook about 2-3 minutes per side, or until pink and tender. Remove from heat and toss with additional chimichurri sauce. Serve with more chimichurri, if desired.

How to Store

Store leftover chimichurri shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat shrimp, add a little bit of oil to a frying pan and warm over medium heat. Add the shrimp with a little bit of leftover chimichurri sauce (if you have any) and heat for 3-4 minutes, or until warmed throughout.

Recipe Variations

• Protein – replace shrimp with chicken, steak, salmon, white fish, or tofu.
• Herbs – chimichurri sauce typically uses fresh parsley and cilantro. We add a touch of oregano too. But you can use just one herb or add other herbs that you prefer, like basil, rosemary, or thyme.
• Cooking method – while we love to an excuse to break out the grill or Blackstone in the summer, it’s not always an option. Use an indoor grill, frying pan, griddle, or oven to cook this shrimp (just note, we have not tried oven-baking or indoor griddle method).

What to Pair with Chimichurri Shrimp

• Grains – white or brown rice, farro, or quinoa are quick and easy grains to serve with this dish, plus they go great with chimichurri sauce.
• Pasta – Israeli couscous, egg noodles, gnocchi, orzo, or risotto are simple options that compliment the chimichurri and shrimp. We use our pressure cooker couscous, garlic orzo risotto, and zucchini risotto a lot with this dish.
• Potatoes – mashed, fries, tots, oven-roasted, or air fried Russet potatoes, red potatoes, fingerling potatoes, or sweet potatoes are a great match. We love garlic herb potatoes and mustard potato salad.
• Vegetables – summer veggies like zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, tomatoes, asparagus, and green beans, and corn are excellent pairings for this summertime dish. Serve them grilled, steamed, sauted, air fried, oven-roasted, or raw. Another favorite is riced cauliflower.
• Bread – nothing is better at soaking up those delicious chimichurri juices like a slice of homemade white bread, dinner rolls, garlic bread, or homemade breadsticks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out our other grilling recipes

• Honey garlic chicken skewers
• Garlic Parmesan chicken skewers
• Easy turkey burgers
• Juicy chicken burgers
• Chimichurri chicken