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Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Sriracha is the perfect party appetizer. The mild spiciness is tamed with a refreshing glass of Prosecco. Find out why this pairing works, and why you should serve it at your next dinner party or backyard BBQ.

Whether you’re looking for a fantastic holiday appetizer or snack for your next outdoor BBQ, these spicy grilled shrimp can be elevated for the fanciest dinner party, or most casual neighborhood gathering. Don’t let the sriracha in the title scare you. It has the perfect amount of heat like in our Sweet Chili Chicken (not overwhelming at all!). And it’s a perfect pairing for some bubbly to help cool your palate after each bite.

Spicy Sriracha Grilled Shrimp

Shrimp is one of the seafood dishes we grill the most around here (next to smoked salmon). It’s great as an appetizer or used in tacos or pasta.

Shrimp has a natural sweetness to it, making it great with a touch of heat to balance it out. But we like to go big with our flavors when it comes to shrimp.

This recipe calls for a spicy marinade. But don’t worry, it’s not over the top. There’s lots of balancing flavors. We’ve got some sweet and citrus from the orange juice to balance out the spiciness of the sriracha. If sriracha isn’t your thing you can substitute your favorite hot sauce (but we don’t recommend leaving it out entirely, as it’s balanced out by sweeter elements.

After the marinade we’re going to give it a coating in our ultimate dry rub (which has a balance of umami and sweet flavors).

Everything is in balance here. And it’s going to be ridiculous with a glass of refreshing and slightly sweet Prosecco.

Spicy Shrimp Marinade

Place all of the marinade ingredients in a large bowl or gallon size food bag, add the shrimp, mix together, and place in the refrigerator for a half hour (no more than 1 hour, as the acid from citrus can “cook” shrimp if left too long).

Don’t have sriracha? Use your favorite hot sauce, or be brave and add a tablespoon of chipotle in adobo sauce!

The Dry Rub

After the marinade time, remove the shrimp from the marinade (and discard the liquid). Skewer the shrimp onto pre-soaked wood skewers (or metal skewers; no need to soak metal ones). Then coat with the dry rub. This is going to give your shrimp even more flavor as the marinade caramelizes while grilling hot and fast. We use our Ultimate Dry Rub for this recipe (but feel free to use whatever you typically use for seafood or chicken).

How to Grill Spicy Shrimp

Set up your grill for direct heat and place your shrimp over direct heat for up to 3 minutes per side. The ideal internal temperature for shrimp is 120 degrees Fahrenheit using a good instant read thermometer like the Thermoworks Thermapen One. If the shrimp constricts, that is the sign they are overcooked and can get rubbery.

Serve to guests on the skewers, or remove from the skewer and serve as a finger food. Serve with the creamy dipping sauce to balance any heat.

Wine Pairing for Spicy Grilled Shrimp

I love a “Dry” style of Prosecco for this because it has just enough sweetness and fruity flavors to balance out that hint of heat from the shrimp, while creating great balance. The fruitiness compliments the grilled shrimp, while bringing out some of that natural sweetness from the meat. The wine also acts as a fantastic palate cleanser between bites. Alternatively you can pair with a semi-dry Riesling.

The idea is to create balance between the spicy flavors, the umami, and the sweet finished with the creamy coolness of the dipping sauce. The semi-sweet wine will bring everything together for an epic finale!  

This is going to be a hit at your next party!

More Grilled Shrimp Recipes

• Cilantro Lime Shrimp
• Grilled Prawns with Garlic Butter Sauce
• Shrimp with Garlic Wine Butter Sauce
• Grilled Shrimp with Chimichurri
• Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema
• Grilled Shrimp Cocktail

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