Basil Chimichurri Shrimp – sauteed or grilled shrimp topped with an easy homemade Chimichurri sauce with fresh herbs. Serve as an appetizer or over a pile of steamy rice as a main dish – ready in 20 minutes!
Basil Chimichurri Shrimp is the ideal dish for entertaining friends or a quick weeknight meal that tastes elevated.
Tender, juicy shrimp topped with a chimichurri sauce that brings the bright herby flavor of a summer garden into your kitchen all year long.
Fresh simple ingredients – ready in just 20 minutes. Let’s go.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
- Make Ahead: make chimichurri, prep shrimp and store in fridge.
- Busy weeknights – dinner in a snap!
- Fresh herbs take the outside into your kitchen anytimE
- Light, healthy dish that’s still full of flavor.
- Grocery store ingredients.
- Basil is the main herb – a twist on the classic chimichurri green sauce or try fresh mint or fresh oregano.
WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE BASIL CHIMICHURRI SHRIMP?
Chimichurri Sauce:
- basil leaves
- Italian parsley (flat leaf parsley)
- red onion
- garlic cloves
- extra virgin olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- lemon juice
- sea salt and black pepper
- crushed red pepper flakes
Shrimp:
- large – jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- sea salt and black pepper
- paprika
- garlic powder
- olive oil
HOW TO MAKE BASIL CHIMICHURRI SHRIMP:
Chimichurri:
Add basil, parsley, red onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes to the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse 10-12 times pausing to scrape the sides or until it’s a light chunky texture then transfer to a shallow bowl.
Stir in remaining ingredients – olive oil and red wine vinegar. Taste and adjust for spices then set aside.
Season Shrimp:
To a medium bowl, blend salt, black pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
Use paper towel to pat shrimp dry the add to the bowl. Toss shrimp to coat.
Cook Shrimp:
Add olive oil to a large skillet. Once it’s hot, carefully place shrimp in the skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes per side (cook time varies with size of shrimp).
To grill Basil Chimichurri Shrimp skewers on the outdoor grill, soak wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes then thread shrimp onto skewers. Place skewers on a preheated grill over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes per side.
Serving:
Spoon some of the chimichurri sauce over the top of the shrimp (remaining chimichurri sauce can be served on the side) along with another squeeze of lemon juice.
I love some crusty bread too so I don’t miss a single drop of the chimichurri!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH BASIL CHIMICHURRI SHRIMP:
- As an appetizer – just add toothpicks!
- Enjoy as a dipping sauce with toasted baguette
- Serve chimichurri over Grilled Flank Steak (one of my favorite ways to enjoy chimichurri)
- It’s the perfect condiment with Sweet Potato Fries
- Creamy Parmesan Rice, Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes or fresh green beans on the side!
HOW TO SAFELY STORE LEFTOVER CHIMICHURRI SAUCE:
Transfer chimichurri to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 3 days. To serve, let the chimichurri sit on the counter a few minutes to come to room temperature.
To freeze chimichurri, add to ice cube trays and transfer to the freezer. Once the cubes are solid, transfer to a zip top bag and keep in the freezer up to 3 months.
Enjoy!
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Basil Chimichurri Shrimp
Equipment
- food processor OR large sharp knife
Ingredients
Basil Chimichurri:
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups basil leaves packed/stems removed
- 1/4 cup italian parsley stems reoved
- 1/4 cup red onion rough chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves peeled and rough chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil or more to preferred texture
- 2 tablespoons red wine viegar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
Shrimp:
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Basil Chimichurri:
- Add basil, parsley, red onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse 10-12 times pausing to scrape the sides or until it’s a light chunky texture then transfer to a shallow bowl.
- Stir in olive oil and red wine vinegar. Taste and adjust for spices then set aside.
Season Shrimp:
- To a medium bowl, blend salt, black pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Use paper towel to pat shrimp dry the add to the bowl. Toss shrimp to coat.
Cooking Shrimp:
- Add olive oil to a large skillet. Once it's hot, carefully place shrimp in the skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes per side (cook time varies with size of shrimp).
- Spoon some of the chimichurri sauce over the top of the shrimp (remaining chimichurri sauce can be served on the side) and (optional) another squeeze of lemon juice.We love this with some crusty bread too!
This garlicky, herby chimichurri is the perfect topping for shrimp – just don’t forget some crusty bread to get every last drop!