Asian Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Ginger Lime Peanut Sauce
Juicy shrimp marinated in a mix of lime juice, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil and grilled with vegetable skewers on the side. Served with a tangy ginger lime peanut sauce and an easy Asian Cucumber Salad.
Servings 4 to 6
Equipment
- Glass mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Large glass baking dish
- Bamboo skewers or metal skewers
Ingredients
Asian Cucumber Salad:
- 1 1- inch piece of ginger peeled and matchsticked or grated using the thicker part of the grater
- 1 English cucumber cut into slices
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1-2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 1-2 Tablespoons lime juice fresh squeezed, 1-2 limes
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Shrimp Marinade:
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 6 Tablespoons lime juice fresh squeezed
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 6 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger grated
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Shrimp Skewers:
- 2 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (with or without tails) ~1 kg
Vegetable Skewers:
- 1 red bell pepper cut into chunks
- ½ red onion cut into chunks
Ginger Lime Peanut Sauce:
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice fresh squeezed
- 1 Tablespoon ginger paste or minced fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or 2 Tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2-4 Tablespoons warm water for thinning as needed
Additional garnishes and sides:
- Lime wedges
- Fresh herbs: Mint, Thai Basil, Cilantro, Green onions
- Red pepper flakes and sesame seeds
- Sliced jalapeños optional or a spicy hot sauce
- White rice
Instructions
- If using wood or bamboo skewers, put them in water to soak.
For the Asian Cucumber Salad:
- Prepare the ginger and cucumbers. Place both in a medium glass bowl.
- Add the rest of ingredients to a small bowl. Mix well and pour over the cucumbers.
- Toss and cover. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or longer. Store in the dressing. The flavor gets better with time.
For the Shrimp Marinade:
- Combine all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and mix well.
For the Grilled Shrimp Skewers and Vegetable Skewers:
- Preheat the grill or smoker to 400°F.
- Lay shrimp flat in a single layer in a large glass baking dish. Pour the marinade over the shrimp. Cover with plastic and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 15 minutes, no longer.
- Skewer shrimp after marinating.
- Cut and skewer peppers and onions.
- Start by grilling the vegetable skewers for 5 minutes. Turn them, then add the shrimp to the grill. Cook the shrimp for 3 minutes per side, turning until they are pink and lightly curled, about 6–9 minutes total. Be careful not to overcook. Continue grilling the vegetables, turning occasionally, until tender and slightly charred, about 10–15 minutes.
For the Asian Ginger Lime Peanut Sauce:
- While the shrimp and veggies are grilling, whisk together the peanut sauce ingredients in a small glass bowl until smooth.
To serve:
- Serve the grilled shrimp immediately. You can drizzle lime juice on top before serving.
- Serve the shrimp with the peanut sauce and cucumber salad.
- You can also serve the shrimp with white rice, drizzling peanut sauce over the shrimp and veggies. Serve the Asian Cucumber Salad on the side.
