Oven Baked Shrimp Skewers

5 from 51 votes

These Oven Baked Shrimp Skewers are full of flavor from the cilantro lime marinade. It is loaded with fresh garlic, honey, and cumin. The shrimp cook in less than 10 minutes and are the perfect easy weeknight dinner.

Prep Time5

Cook Time7

Marinating Time30

Total Time42

Course: Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: people

Author: Brianna May

Equipment

Ingredients

4 cups loosely packed cilantro stems & leaves, rinsed & pat dry
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 limes, juiced & zested
1 Tablespoon honey*
1 teaspoon EACH cumin & Morton kosher salt*
2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 1/2 pound raw 21/25 large shrimp, peeled & deveined, pat dry

Instructions

In a large food processor, add the cilantro, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, honey, cumin, and salt. Blend until smooth.
Remove about 2 Tablespoons of the cilantro marinade and whisk it into the small bowl of melted butter. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the marinade and shrimp. Toss until well combined. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce the shrimp using the sharp end of the skewer.
Repeat threading 5-6 shrimp per skewer. You should have about 6 kabobs.
Bake for 7-8 minutes and broil if desired. Brush hot shrimp with butter sauce.

Notes

Honey: If you do not like sweetness in your marinades, omit the honey. I love the taste of the honey with the tangy lime juice.
Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
Dry the cilantro & shrimp. Removing excess water will prevent the marinade from becoming diluted. It will also help the shrimp to roast in the oven instead of steam.
Marinate. Allow the shrimp to marinate for at least 30 minutes (and for up to one hour) so they can absorb lots of flavor.
Do not overcook the shrimp. Depending on the shrimp size, you may need to reduce the cook time. I used 21/25 shrimp, which means that each pound has 21-25 shrimp. Shrimp is an extremely quick-cooking protein. The internal temperature only needs to be 140 degrees. If they are tough or rubbery, they were most likely overcooked. I recommend large or jumbo shrimp so they do not cook too fast.
Brush with butter. Everything is better with butter, right? The cilantro butter reinforces the flavor of the marinade and adds moisture.
Use leftover shrimp in a salad. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Leftover shrimp can dry out when reheated so I recommend eating them cold.

Nutrition