Grilled Harissa Shrimp

By Yossy Arefi

Updated October 10, 2023

  • Joel Goldberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(286)
Comments
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Harissa paste is a spicy North African condiment that is typically made from some combination of red chiles or peppers, garlic and a slew of fragrant spices, often including coriander and cumin. Here the paste is used alongside a bit of honey and lemon as a quick marinade for grilled shrimp. Prepared harissa varies quite a bit from brand to brand in its heat level, but this dish is meant to be punchy and spicy. Serve the grilled shrimp with rice or flatbread, or on top of a crunchy salad, and you’ll have an easy dinner sorted. Make sure that your grilling area is very well ventilated, as the paste will get quite smoky once it hits the hot grates.

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Ingredients

Yield:3 to 4 servings

  • ¼ cup harissa paste

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp

  • Bamboo skewers

  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, combine the harissa, honey, lemon juice, olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Let the shrimp marinate while you heat the grill (or grill pan) to medium-high. (If grilling indoors, you may want to open windows and make sure your space is very well ventilated, as the grilled shrimp might get quite smoky.)

  2. Step 2

    Thread the shrimp on bamboo skewers while making sure to poke the skewer through the thick end and the tail. Alternate with tomatoes, if using.

  3. Step 3

    Grill the shrimp until lightly charred and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Serve the shrimp with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
286 user ratings
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Comments

Leslie

Oven hack: preheat the oven to 450 with a skillet inside. Put shrimp and marinade into skillet. Roast 2-3 minutes then turn the oven off and leave another few minutes (so it spits less when you take it out.). I sliced the cherry tomatoes in half and mixed them into the marinade. They soften and cook in the oven into a bit of a sauce. I served over rice. I was short honey; next time I’ll add more.

ndchef

Always good to remind people to soak the bamboo skewers before using so they don't burn up!

Mary Young

Take this up a notch by adding a tiny bit of Mayo and a tiny pinch of baking soda to the marinade. Works every time.

Andrea in Tucson

I followed Leslie's advice and did this in a 450 oven plus I added some penne to the mix and we absolutely loved it! The perfect amount of spice and sweetness. We'll be making this sauce many more times, with or without shrimp!

AllisonT

Fast, easy and very good. I used jarred mild harissa which had a nice level of heat. Also did stovetop in a pan, removed shrimp and reduced sauce to make it thicker (my preferred shrimp throw off a lot of liquid when cooking).

michele

This was the first time I prepared the recipe - followed ingredients exactly. Grilled inside on grill-pan stovetop. Served with toasted naan bread and Mediterranean salad. May add a little garlic, top with cilantro. Delicious.

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Credits

By Yossy Arefi

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