Dairy Free Basil-Lemon Shrimp Skewers

Total time50 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time10 min

4.9

(4)

Bright, herby, and built for the grill, these shrimp skewers are the kind of dish that disappears from the platter before you even sit down. The star is a blender pesto made entirely without cheese — just fresh basil, garlic, good olive oil, lemon juice, and a subtle warmth from turmeric and ginger that makes it taste more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Traditional pesto almost always calls for parmesan, so skipping it while keeping all that bold, vibrant flavor is genuinely impressive. The shrimp get tossed in a few tablespoons of the pesto before hitting the grill, then the reserved sauce goes right back on top at the end for a double hit of freshness. A quick two to three minutes per side over medium-high heat is all it takes to get that perfect pink, slightly charred edge. Squeeze a lemon wedge over everything right before serving and you've got a crowd-pleasing main that feels restaurant-worthy without any of the fuss.

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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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