This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
I cannot wait for y’all to get grilling this impressive, flavorful meal — Spicy Curried Shrimp Skewers with Grilled Veggie Couscous!
I don’t know about y’all, but there is just something about grilled shrimp. The grill brings out a delicious flavor of even the most simply-seasoned shrimp. But here, the shrimp is anything but simple.
You’ll start by making a flavorful curry sauce that will be used for both the couscous salad, which is inspired by Mendocino Farms Spicy Curried Couscous, and to flavor your shrimp. Next, you’ll cook your couscous and toss it with some salt, pepper, and cilantro. After you season your veggies, skewer your shrimp, and brush with some of the curry sauce, it’s time to GRILL! Once all is cooked up, simply chop the veggies and add to the couscous with the remaining marinade then dinner will be served in no time.
I like to serve this up with the shrimp on a large platter and the couscous alongside for everyone to build their plates as they prefer, but don’t forget to include extra cilantro for garnish! While this is a full meal as-is, a simple greens salad goes great with this!
From the flavors to the presentation, these Spicy Curried Shrimp Skewers with Grilled Veggie Couscous are truly so impressive! Making this the perfect when hosting this grilling season, or when you want to “fancify” your weeknight dinner — you do you!
Spicy Curried Shrimp Skewers with Grilled Veggie Couscous
Ingredients
For the Curry Sauce:
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne ¼ teaspoon for mild, ½ teaspoon for spicy
For the Spicy Curried Couscous:
- 1 ½ cups Israeli couscous or orzo pasta
- 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper divided
- ¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
- 1 medium zucchini halved lengthwise and sliced into half moons
- 1 red bell pepper diced large
- ½ large red onion diced large
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the Shrimp:
- Twelve [6-inch] wooden skewers presoaked (see note)
- 1 pound peeled deveined and tail-off shrimp (21/25 count)
- ¼ cup of the Curry Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil.
Make the Curry Sauce:
- Meanwhile, add all of the Curry Sauce ingredients to a large bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set ¼ cup of the sauce mixture aside in a separate bowl to use for the shrimp later.
Cook the Couscous:
- When the water is boiling, add the couscous and cook al dente according to package directions (it typically takes about 6 minutes). When done, drain then add to the large bowl with Curry Sauce mixture and toss so that the couscous is well coated. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper and the cilantro. Toss once more and set aside.
Prep the Veggies:
- In a separate large bowl combine the zucchini, red bell pepper and onion. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt and remaining ½ teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat and set aside.
Prep the Shrimp:
- Next, thread the shrimp onto the skewers. Hold two skewers side by side, parallel to one another, upright and carefully thread the shrimp onto the skewers. I like to thread my shrimp on two skewers because food held together with two parallel skewers is less likely to spin or slither off. You should be able to fit about 4 shrimp on each set of skewers.
- Next, brush the shrimp on both sides with the reserved marinade so that the shrimp is well coated in the curry sauce. Then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside while your grill heats.
Grill the Shrimp and Veggies:
- Heat grill over medium-high heat (350- 400℉) and oil the grill grates. To do this, dip a wadded paper towel in a little oil and, using tongs, wipe the oil evenly over the grate. Be careful not to use too much oil, because that's a surefire way to start a good flare-up—a little goes a long way here.
- Once heated through, place a grill pan or cast-iron skillet on one half of the grill and add the veggies to the pan. On the other half of the grill, place the skewers on the grill grates and grill the shrimp with the lid on for about 3 minutes a side, or until or until they are just cooked through and are no longer transparent. The veggies should take 6 to 8 minutes to cook, you’ll want them tender with a nice char around the edges, tossing halfway through when you flip the shrimp.
Finish and Serve:
- Remove the veggies and shrimp from the grill. Add the grilled veggies to the couscous and toss until well combined. To serve, plate a scoop of the Grilled Veggie Spicy Curried Couscous and top with a shrimp skewer. Garnish with more cilantro, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Food Photography and Styling by Eat Love Eats.
Recipe says 1 1/2 C of couscous. Is that measurement for cooked or uncooked?
uncooked!
So easy and delicious! Next time I’ll omit the cayenne completely if making for the kids, too. But even 1/4 tsp was plenty to make it quite spicy (and I like spicy!!) perfect summer grilling recipe after a long weekend of eating tons of meat 😂
This was SO delicious! As soon as we were done with dinner, my husband asked if I could make it again!
I had one question. I have some family members that are dairy free. What would be a good substitute for the greek yogurt so they can make it too? Thank you!!
This was delicious!! Easy to make and very tasty. I thought it needed some lemon but otherwise great.
Will definitely make again. I don’t have access to a grill, so I roasted the vegetables at 200 c and then broiled the shrimp. And I only had whole coriander and cumin seeds in my pantry so I tried to crush them but then ultimately just used my immersion blender to blend the sauce together. Overall really good flavors and something unique/different!
My husband said this was “top five favorite recipes ever!”
heck yes! love to hear it, thanks for commenting!