Black Pepper Free Basil-Lemon Shrimp Skewers
These shrimp skewers are bright, herbaceous, and built for the grill — the kind of dish that looks impressive but comes together with minimal effort. The star is a blender pesto made from fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, zest, and a warm hint of turmeric and ginger, which gives the sauce a gorgeous golden-green color and a flavor that's anything but ordinary. Avoiding black pepper doesn't mean sacrificing depth here — the ginger adds a gentle warmth and the garlic brings that savory punch, so nothing feels missing. The shrimp get tossed in a few tablespoons of that pesto before hitting the grill, then the reserved sauce is spooned generously over the top right before serving, layering the flavor twice. A quick 2–3 minutes per side is all it takes for the shrimp to turn pink, opaque, and perfectly charred at the edges. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the platter and scatter a few fresh basil leaves on top, and you've got a dish that's as beautiful as it is satisfying.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
For the skewers
- 1 ½ lb large shrimp (21–25 count), peeled and deveined, tails on
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
- fresh basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
If using wooden skewers, submerge them in water for at least 20 minutes so they don't char on the grill.
- 2
Combine the basil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, turmeric, and ginger in a blender or food processor. Pulse several times until the herbs are roughly broken down. With the motor running, stream in the 1/2 cup olive oil and blend until the pesto is smooth and bright green, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
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