Cinnamon Free Garlic Shrimp Skewers

Total time43 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time8 min

4.8

(5)

These skewers are everything you want from a grilled seafood dish — smoky, garlicky, bright with lemon, and ready to disappear off the platter in minutes. The marinade layers smoked paprika, turmeric, and crushed red pepper flakes over a base of olive oil and fresh garlic, giving each shrimp a bold, complex coating that tastes like it took far more effort than it did. For anyone navigating a sensitivity to warming spices like cinnamon, this recipe is a genuine win — the flavor is deep and satisfying without relying on any of the usual suspects hiding in spice blends or pre-made marinades. A quick 20-minute soak in the marinade is all the shrimp need before hitting a hot grill, where they pick up a gorgeous char in just a few minutes per side. Threading them through both the tail and body keeps them flat and ensures even cooking, so you're not fighting curled, unevenly done pieces. A shower of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon at the end ties everything together with a clean, herby finish. Serve them straight off the grill while they're still sizzling — these don't wait well, and honestly, neither will your guests.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the marinade and shrimp

1 ½ lb large shrimp (16/20 count), peeled and deveined, tails on
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For serving

2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1
If using wooden skewers, submerge them in water for at least 20 minutes so they don't scorch on the grill.
2
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, turmeric, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper until combined.

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