This Tandoori Shrimp recipe pairs a traditional Pakistani marinade with delicious locally sourced Gulf Coast Shrimp. A 5-minute prep, 30-minute marinade, and 5-minute cooking time make this tandoori recipe perfect for any occasion.
A tandoori marinade is a yogurt-based marinade I love to use in my cooking. Check out my tandoori chicken recipe, tandoori fish, tandoori grilled lamb chops, or my Pakistani beef roast with tandoori masala for more inspiration.
Tandoori refers to a cooking technique where food is cooked in a clay oven at intensely high heat. This tandoori shrimp recipe provides three alternate cooking methods: traditional grilling, air frying, or pan searing, which help achieve the same delicious flavor.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick & easy recipe: This is a great recipe, with a 5-minute prep, 30-minute marination, and a 5-minute cooking time.
- Many cooking options: Grill, air fry, pan sear, or even broil these tandoori shrimp. Use whichever cooking method is most convenient and appeals to you.
- Many serving options: Serve your shrimp as an appetizer or as a main course with some kaali masoor ki daal(brown lentils), basmati rice, and cilantro-mint chutney on the side.
- Seafood on a budget: With this fool-proof recipe, you can cook and eat much more seafood. Since cooking at home is about 50%-75% cheaper than ordering out, that's 2-3 times more tandoori shrimp in your future.
Ingredient notes
- Shrimp: I use extra large peeled and deveined shrimp for all my shrimp recipes. Don't use anything smaller than large shrimp, as there will be shrinkage after cooking.
- Yogurt: Full-fat yogurt is a must for this tandoori shrimp recipe. Yogurt is a meat tenderizer, and its fat helps keep the shrimp moist.
- Ginger-garlic paste: I like to use homemade garlic and ginger paste, but if you're in a time crunch, feel free to use a store-bought paste instead.
- Limes: The acidity in lime juice helps tenderize the shrimp and reduces the fishy smell.
- Spices: Most spices used in this tandoori masala are pantry staples. The only unique ingredients needed are carom seeds, known as Ajwain in Pakistan. These add a delicious flavor to the recipe, and I highly recommend sourcing them. For substitutes, please refer to the section below.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Add garam masala: Most tandoori spice blends have garam masala in them. I don't use any in this recipe, as it would overpower the shrimp with a mild, sweet, buttery flavor. However, add ¼ teaspoon per pound of shrimp for a slightly different taste if you'd like.
- Add food coloring: If you want that authentic restaurant-style red color without adding a large amount of chilies, use a few drops of food coloring or beetroot powder for this tandoori shrimp recipe.
- Use a ready-made tandoori spice blend: You can source and use a ready-made tandoori masala to make this recipe even easier if you'd like.
- Cook a tandoori fish tikka instead: This marinade works great with any seafood. Choose a meaty fish like mahi mahi, salmon, or barramundi, to name a few. Cut into 2" cubes, marinate, place on skewers, and cook using your preferred method.
- Opt for an alternative cooking method: Cook the tandoori shrimp on an outdoor gas grill, broil them on a baking sheet, or pan-sear them in a grill pan. Detailed instructions are provided below.
- Substitute the ajwain: Use dried thyme or oregano as substitutes for the carom seeds (ajwain) in a 1:1 ratio.
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Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Mix the ginger-garlic paste, spice powders, and lime juice and stir until everything is well incorporated and you have a smooth yogurt sauce.
Step 2: Mix in the cooking oil and give a final stir. The oil keeps the shrimp moist.
Step 3: Add the shrimp to this marinade and refrigerate in an airtight container for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Place the tandoori shrimp on soaked bamboo skewers and place it in your air fryer tray. Cook the shrimp for 4-6 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to flip them over halfway through for an even color. For alternate cooking instructions, refer to the recipe card.
Expert tips
- Pat the shrimp dry: Make sure to pat the shrimp dry before adding them to the marinade so it sticks to them.
- Don't marinate longer than 1 hour: Beyond an hour, the acid from the lemons in the tandoori marinade can start cooking the shrimp, which results in a tough texture.
- How to use wooden skewers: Try to source flat bamboo skewers as they help keep the shrimp secure, and make sure to soak them for a minimum of 30 minutes, preferably for a few hours.
- Don't overcook the shrimp: Seafood can get stringy if overcooked. For best results, stick to the suggested cooking time provided in the recipe card.
- Add some oil to the marinade: Adding ¼ cup of a high heat index oil, like avocado or canola, to the marinade helps make the tandoori shrimp more juicy and succulent.
Recipe FAQS
Make shrimp tacos and serve with black bean mango salsa or a spicy Mexican street corn salad. Add them to your favorite salad, or enjoy them my favorite way, with pickled onions (recipe provided in recipe card), chutney, and naan.
Uncooked shrimp is a greyish white with visible blue veins. When the shrimp turns opaque and the veins turn pinkish-white, it's time to remove them from the heat. Cook them beyond this point, and they will be chewy.
A tandoori marinade is prepared using yogurt, and a tikka marinade is prepared with just lemon, ginger, garlic, and spices.
Shrimp don't store and reheat well, so it's best to cook them in small batches. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container for up to 2 days maximum. I suggest eating the shrimp cold as a salad topping, as they don't reheat well. Freezing is not recommended for this recipe.
Other tandoori recipes you may like
If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Tandoori Shrimp
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Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp (see notes)
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon carom seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 lemon
- ¼ cup cooking oil (see notes)
Pickled Onions
- 1 red onion
- 10 peppercorn
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Soak your wooden skewers in water until fully immersed, for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and add the shrimp to this marinade. (see notes)
- After 30 minutes, remove the shrimp and place them on the skewers.
- Set your air fryer temperature at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the shrimp for 4-6 minutes total, flipping them over halfway through the cooking process.
Grilling the shrimp
- Preheat your grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place your skewered shrimp on the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the cooking process.
Broiling the shrimp
- Set your oven to broil on high.
- Place the skewered shrimp on a baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes on each side just until the shrimp turn opaque.
Pan searing the shrimp
- Preheat your grill pan and coat it with a nonstick spray.
- Place the shrimp skewers on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. minutes
Pickled Onions
- Add the vinegar, salt and sugar to the jar, close the lid and shake vigorously to mix everything.
- Add the peppercorn and thinly sliced onion to the jar and make sure the onion is completely immersed in the vinegar. (see notes)
- Place in your fridge for a minimum of 2 hours and preferably overnight.
- Remove and enjoy as needed.
Mehek
we're always on the look out for delicious and fun recipes and this one was just that.
loved it !
Nosheen Babar
Thank You Mehek! So glad you liked it!
Zoya Noon
Absolutely delicious! And I loved how easy it was to throw together.
Nosheen Babar
Thank You!
Zoya Noon
Absolutely delicious! And I love how easy it is to throw together.
Nosheen Babar
Thank You for trying the recipe!