Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Pineapple

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These Grilled Shrimp Skewers have juicy shrimp, sweet pineapple, lightly charred edges, and plenty of lemon-garlic flavor. They cook in minutes, making them an easy way to bring something fresh and colorful to your dinner table.

Grilled shrimp on skewers cooked until lightly charred and tender

Serve these grilled pineapple shrimp skewers for a quick summer dinner, cookout, or easy weeknight meal. When you do not feel like grilling, my Pan Seared Shrimp is another quick option. Add Cilantro Lime Rice, Garlic Butter Rice, or a fresh vegetable to make either one a complete meal.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick enough for an easy dinner: Large shrimp cook in just a few minutes on each side.
Sweet and savory: The pineapple becomes warm and lightly charred while the shrimp pick up lemon, garlic, and smoky paprika.
Easy to season your way: The smoky lemon-garlic seasoning can be replaced with Cajun, Creole, Old Bay, or jerk seasoning.

ingredients to make juicy grilled shrimp skewers

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here are some notes about the ingredients you’ll need to make this grilled shrimp skewers recipe. Find the exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Large shrimp: Use raw shrimp that have been peeled and deveined. Leaving the tail on for presentation is optional. I prefer 16/20 or 13/15 shrimp because they stay juicy on the grill and are large enough to thread securely onto skewers.
Pineapple slices: Cut each slice into four sturdy pieces. Pieces that are too small can soften, break, or fall from the skewers as they cook.
Olive oil: Helps the seasonings coat the shrimp and keeps them from sticking to the grill.
Fresh garlic: Minced garlic gives the marinade more flavor than garlic powder alone.
Lemon juice and zest: The juice adds brightness while the zest gives the shrimp a stronger lemon flavor without adding more liquid.
Smoked paprika: Adds color and a smoky flavor.
Salt and black pepper: Season the shrimp throughout.
Red pepper flakes: These are optional if you want a little heat.
Parsley and lemon wedges: Add these after grilling for a fresh finish.

You will also need metal or wooden skewers. If you use wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before grilling.

How to Make Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Marinate the Shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry, then toss them with the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and seasonings. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes so they pick up the flavor without sitting in the lemon juice too long.

Combining shrimp with a garlic lemon marinade, then tossing to coat and marinating before threading onto skewers

Build the Skewers

Alternate the shrimp and pineapple, leaving a small amount of space between each piece. Pierce each shrimp through both the thick end and thinner end so it stays secure and does not spin on the skewer.

Prepare the Grill

Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Clean and lightly oil the grill grates so the shrimp release more easily.

Threading marinated shrimp onto skewers, then grilling until lightly charred, juicy, and cooked through

Grill the Skewers

Grill for about 2 minutes per side. The shrimp are ready when they turn opaque, have lightly charred edges, and curl into a loose “C” shape.

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Finish and Serve

Remove the skewers before the shrimp curl tightly. Sprinkle them with parsley and serve with fresh lemon wedges.

Tips for Juicy Shrimp and Charred Pineapple

Choose large shrimp: Smaller shrimp cook too quickly and can become dry before the pineapple has time to warm and char.
Dry the shrimp first: Excess water dilutes the marinade and makes it harder for the shrimp to brown.
Do not marinate longer than 30 minutes: Lemon juice can begin changing the shrimp’s texture if it sits too long.
Keep the pineapple pieces sturdy: Larger pieces stay on the skewers and are less likely to burn or fall through the grates.
Leave a little space: A small gap between the shrimp and pineapple allows the heat to reach more of each piece.
Oil the grill grates: This helps prevent the shrimp from sticking when you turn the skewers.
Watch the shape of the shrimp: A loose “C” means they are done. A tight curl usually means they have cooked too long.

Change the Flavor With Homemade Seasonings

The smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes give the shrimp a smoky, lightly spicy flavor that works well with the lemon, garlic, and pineapple. You can also change the seasoning profile by replacing those dry spices with one of these homemade spice blends while keeping the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and zest.

Cajun Seasoning: Use this when you want more pepper and heat. Start with about 1 tablespoon per pound of shrimp.
Creole Seasoning: This adds paprika, garlic, herbs, and peppers without covering up the sweetness of the pineapple.
Old Bay Seasoning: Choose this for familiar seafood flavor from celery seed, paprika, mustard, and warm spices.
Jerk Seasoning: Its warm spices and heat work especially well with grilled pineapple.

Since these blends contain different amounts of salt, simply skip the salt or salt to taste after the skewers are grilled.

Grilled shrimp skewers recipe with juicy shrimp and sweet pineapple

Easy Swaps and Variations

Use frozen shrimp: Thaw them completely, drain any liquid, and pat them very dry before adding the marinade.
Skip the pineapple: Make the skewers with shrimp only, or add pieces of bell pepper, red onion, or zucchini.
Use another citrus: Lime juice and zest can replace the lemon for a different fresh flavor.
Add a butter finish: Brush the cooked shrimp lightly with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce or Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce.
Cook without an outdoor grill: Use a grill pan on the stove. When you do not want to use skewers, my Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp is another quick option that allows you to cook the shrimp from frozen.

What to Serve With Grilled Shrimp Skewers

These grilled shrimp skewers with pineapple can be served as the main protein for an easy dinner. Turn them into a shrimp bowl with a rice base using my Cilantro Lime Rice for a fresh lime flavor or Garlic Butter Rice for something more savory. Then, top them with easy salsas or sauces like Mango and Peach Salsa or Avocado Cream Sauce.

For a vegetable, add Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli, Sautéed Green Beans, or Sautéed Asparagus. A cool Cucumber Onion Salad is another good choice for a warm-weather meal.

For shrimp-only skewers, the grilled shrimp works well on top of Lemon Orzo Pasta or Cauliflower Rice Risotto.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make ahead: Peel and devein the shrimp, cut the pineapple, and mix the marinade in advance. Keep everything separate and marinate the shrimp no more than 30 minutes before grilling.
Store: Remove the shrimp and pineapple from the skewers and refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Warm the shrimp briefly in a skillet over low heat or microwave them in short intervals. Stop as soon as they are warm so they do not become rubbery.
Freeze: Freezing the finished skewers is not recommended because reheated shrimp can become tough and the pineapple may soften.

FAQs

Can I use frozen shrimp for grilled shrimp skewers?

Yes. Thaw the shrimp completely and pat them dry before marinating. Wet shrimp make it harder for the marinade to coat them and prevent the edges from charring properly.

Should I leave the tails on the shrimp?

You can leave the tails on for presentation or remove them to make the skewers easier to eat. The cooking time stays the same.

Do I have to soak wooden skewers?

Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to help keep them from burning. Metal skewers can be used immediately and are also dishwasher safe.

Can shrimp and pineapple cook on the same skewer?

Yes. Use large shrimp and sturdy pineapple pieces so they cook at a similar rate. Remove the skewers as soon as the shrimp turn opaque, even if you would prefer more color on the pineapple.