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Untold Recipes by Nosheen » Recipes » Pakistani Recipes

Tandoori Shrimp

Modified: Mar 18, 2025 · Published: Jan 6, 2022 by Nosheen Babar · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

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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.

Shrimp skewers served with a side of chutney and pickled onions.

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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.

Jump to:
  • Why you'll love this recipe
  • Ingredient notes
  • Substitutions & variations
  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Expert tips
  • Recipe FAQS
  • Other tandoori recipes you may like
  • Tandoori Shrimp

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

Ingredients for a tandoori shrimp recipe.
  • 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: Lime juice's acidity helps tenderize the shrimp and reduce the fishy smell. I always use lemon or lime in all my seafood marinades, like in my Lahori fish recipe.
  • 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, measurements, and recipe instructions.

Substitutions & variations

  • Add garam masala: Most tandoori spice blends contain garam masala. I don't use any in this recipe, as it would overpower the shrimp's mild, sweet, buttery flavor. However, you can add ¼ teaspoon per pound of shrimp for a slightly different taste if you'd like.
  • Add food coloring: To achieve 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: If you like, you can source and use a ready-made tandoori masala to make this recipe even easier.
  • 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 in a 1:1 ratio to substitute the carom seeds (ajwain).

Step-by-step instructions

Lemon juice is being added to a prepared marinade.

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.

Oil is being added to a tandoori shrimp marinade.

Step 2: Mix in the cooking oil and give a final stir. The oil keeps the shrimp moist.

Tandoori shrimp are being marinated.

Step 3: Add the shrimp to this marinade and refrigerate in an airtight container for 30 minutes.

Tandoori shrimp on skewers in an air fryer tray.

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

What pairs well with this recipe?

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.

How do I know when my shrimp is done?

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.

What is the difference between tandoori shrimp and shrimp tikka?

A tandoori marinade is prepared using yogurt, and a tikka marinade is prepared with just lemon, ginger, garlic, and spices.

How do you store your leftovers?

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.

Tandoori shrimp skewers with chutney and onions on the side.

Other tandoori recipes you may like

  • Tandoori grilled lambchops in a tray lined with parchment paper, served with grilled corn, roasted baby egg plants, pickled red thai chilies and fresh lemon.
    Tandoori Grilled Lamb Chops Recipe
  • Pakistani Beef Roast With {Tandoori} Masala
    Pakistani Beef Roast With {Tandoori} Masala
  • An off white plate with cooked tandoori chicken garnished with red onions and quartered lemons is resting on a black surface.
    Tandoori Chicken Recipe
  • A white platter is filled with cooked tandoori fish, pickled onions and sliced lemons.
    Tandoori Fish

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!

Freshly cooked tandoori shrimp skewers.

Tandoori Shrimp

Nosheen Babar
Tandoori Shrimp, marinated in a spicy yogurt marinade, is placed on skewers and grilled, air fried or pan seared based on preference.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
marinating 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Pakistani
Servings 4 people
Calories 319 kcal

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.
  • Remove and serve immediately.

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.

Notes

Shrimp: I usually source peeled and deveined shrimp for this recipe. If you're cleaning the shrimp yourself, I would suggest you buy 1.5 pounds.
Cooking oil - Us a neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point, like avocado, canola, sunflower, or peanut.
Marinating the shrimp - Marinate the shrimp for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 1 hour. Over marinating them will make them tough and chewy.
Pickling the onions - It's best to pickle the onions overnight, but a minimum of 2 hours works in a pinch. Once your jar is opened, your pickled onions should be consumed within 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1personCalories: 319kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 26gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 191mgSodium: 1348mgPotassium: 524mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 371IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 184mgIron: 2mg
Have you tried this recipe yet?Mention @Untoldrecipesbynosheen or tag #Untoldrecipesbynosheen!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mehek

    June 22, 2024 at 12:48 am

    5 stars
    we're always on the look out for delicious and fun recipes and this one was just that.
    loved it !

    Reply
    • Nosheen Babar

      June 22, 2024 at 3:42 am

      Thank You Mehek! So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  2. Zoya Noon

    May 17, 2023 at 9:34 pm

    Absolutely delicious! And I loved how easy it was to throw together.

    Reply
    • Nosheen Babar

      May 17, 2023 at 9:49 pm

      Thank You!

      Reply
  3. Zoya Noon

    May 17, 2023 at 9:22 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! And I love how easy it is to throw together.

    Reply
    • Nosheen Babar

      May 17, 2023 at 9:49 pm

      Thank You for trying the recipe!

      Reply
5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Welcome to Untold Recipes by Nosheen!

Here, you'll find authentic Pakistani recipes inspired by my childhood—a curated space to explore nostalgic recipes for all aspiring home cooks. It's all here, from slow-cooked Mughal wonders to regional delicacies and street food favorites. I aim to make all the recipes approachable for beginner, intermediate, and advanced cooks alike.

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