Name: Mediterranean Diet Shrimp
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 37 min
Ingredients: 6 Shish Kebab Skewers (Give or take a few); 1 lb large or jumbo shrimp (raw, shelled or unshelled); ¼ cup olive oil; ⅛ cup lemon juice; ⅛ cup lime juice; 1 Tbsp dried parsley; 2 Tbsp minced garlic

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Juicy, Filling, Mediterranean Diet Shrimp

What can be better than plump, juicy, grilled shrimp? Probably the fact that it also works well with your diet! Even if you’re not interested in the Mediterranean diet, grilled shrimp is a delicious summer dish that’s enjoyed by almost everyone.

This recipe features olive oil, lemon, lime, garlic, and parsley for its marinade. Shrimp are incredibly fast to thaw from frozen, and incredibly quick to cook. You’ll have a tasty meal on your plate before you know it!

What's this about a Mediterranean Diet?

There are countless recipes and guides for the Mediterranean diet, and you can get the gist of it from wiki. In short, this diet is modeled after cultures from around the Mediterranean. The diet prioritizes healthy fats like those in olive oils and fish, which is good for cholesterol management.

Personally, I love making recipes from this diet because they tend to have a high protein to calorie ratio, which is great when trying to lose weight and build muscle mass at the same time.

Alternative to grilling

I designed this recipe to grill the shrimp on wooden skewers. If you’re unable to grill you can also easily pan fry these shrimp. Leave the shrimp without skewers and fry them in a pan on medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. Fry for 5-7 minutes, and flip them halfway through.

Recommended side dishes

There are a lot of Mediterranean side dishes that serve well with these shrimp. Chickpea Salad is another great source of protein, and warm flavor packed Mediterranean Rice Pilaf is another of my favorites.

Of course, you don’t have to make everything part of the diet. I served this dish with grilled vegetables and street corn.

Alternative Marinade Choices

While I recommend keeping the olive oil, many aspects of this dish can be customized. Shrimp is often best marinated with an oil and acid combination, so you could substitute different vinegars or citrus elements for the lemon and lime juice. Cilantro is another common addition and substitute for the parsley. If you enjoy heat you could add cayenne powder or hot sauce to the marinade.

You can also add other elements to the skewers like onion and pineapple for a nice flavor meld.

Let’s grill up some Mediterranean Diet Shrimp!

First, let’s prepare the wooden skewers. I can get 7-8 large shrimps on a 1ft shish kebab skewer. Take out as many skewers as you need, and set them out in a tray of water for at least 20 minutes. I try to soak mine for a couple hours, soaking them well will help them stand up to the heat of the grill.

Next, thaw and shell your shrimps. I recommend using large or jumbo size shrimps for this meal. Thaw the shrimp in a bowl of cold tap water for 20 minutes, then pull off the shell up to the tail and discard.

Add the olive oil, parsley, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lime juice, and minced garlic to a bowl and mix. Add the shrimp, cover the bowl, and gently shake to coat the shrimp with marinade. Let the shrimps marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Skewer the shrimp on the shish kebabs, and preheat your grill to 400F. Grill with the lid closed for 3-5 minutes, until the tops of the shrimp are white. Flip the shrimp and grill for 2-3 minutes more, until they have the amount of browning you desire.

Serve and enjoy 🙂

Recipe for Mediterranean Diet Shrimp