Spicy Shrimp Skewers with SunButter Sauce

April 14, 2019

As an appetizer or easy dinner, these Spicy Shrimp Skewers are paired with a delicious SunButter sauce for a food allergy-friendly meal made with just a handful of ingredients!

Nut Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Grain Free, Egg Free, Sesame Free

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by SunButter, however, like always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make the Chelsey Amer Nutrition blog possible!

Can you feel summer around the corner?! The sun is shining more, the days are getting longer, and I can feel sweet summer will be here before we know it.

Long summer days should be spent outside, not slaving over the stove in your kitchen, which is why I’m all about easy meals you can throw together. Not to mention, we’ll have our hands a liiiittle full this summer with our new bundle of joy, so the shorter the prep time, the better!

One of the easiest and most delicious proteins to prepare are shrimp. I’m talking less than 10 minutes from start to finish quick. That sure sounds pretty good to me!

You’re going to LOVE these Spicy Shrimp Skewers!

But cooking seafood scares a lot of people. If you’re wary of cooking fish and seafood at home, just roll up your sleeves and try it – you may be surprised just how simple it is (and see my tips below).

This is a great recipe to get started because the shrimp cook evenly on skewers. Of course, if you’re allergic to shrimp or just don’t feel comfortable, you can swap in tofu or chicken instead for an equally delicious meal packed with protein.

No matter what protein you use (although I am partial to these spicy shrimp skewers), you’re going to want to try this SunButter sauce. When I made this for dinner, my husband said this is the BEST SunButter sauce I’ve made yet. And that says A LOT because I’ve made quite a few SB sauces…

Maple Sriracha SunButter Sauce
Classic SunButter Dipping Sauce
Asian-Inspired SunButter Salad Dressing
SunButter Stir Fry Sauce

I usually use SunButter’s No Sugar Added variety for savory sauces because it’s made with just two ingredients: sunflower seeds and salt. Nada else!

Grab a SunButter coupon to make these delicious sauces!

The difference between an OK dinner and a completely fulfilling dinner is the sauce. The right sauce adds FLAVOR, which contributes to the S-Factor, or satisfaction.

Being satisfied from your meals is especially important when you have food allergies. When you have (medically necessary) restrictions, it’s easy to feel deprived. Crafting satisfying meals with foods that are safe to eat can alleviate this feeling.

And it can be just as easy as pairing spicy shrimp skewers with a delectable dipping sauce!

[Tweet “Try these Shrimp Skewers with a Spicy @SunButter Sauce (AD) for a food allergy-friendly meal made with just a handful of ingredients! #nutfree #glutenfree #soyfree”]

How to Buy Shrimp

You can buy shrimp in a variety of sizes, fresh or frozen. The bigger your shrimp, the fewer “count per pound.” For example, “colossal shrimp” have up to 15 shrimp per pound. Compare this to “jumbo shrimp,” which has 21-25 shrimp per pound.

You may have a preferred size (I like something in the middle), so I usually look for extra jumbo to jumbo shrimp (for 16-25 count per pound).

Next, you’ll decide if fresh or frozen is a better choice for you and your family. Honestly, it just depends on what’s available. We buy both!

If you’re new to cooking shrimp (and this is the most important!!!), I suggest buying cleaned and deveined shrimp. This way you don’t have to figure out how to devein a shrimp (which is effectively removing the poop!).

Now that you have clean, ready-to-cook shrimp, let’s get started…

Cooking Shrimp

There are so many ways you can cook shrimp – grilled, sautéed, baked – the opportunities are endless. These Spicy Shrimp Skewers are one of the easiest ways to cook shrimp because you’re threading shrimp onto a sturdy skewer. This means your shrimp should cook pretty evenly on both sides.

Now I know what you’re thinking… shrimp sometimes get that rubbery feeling. Blech! To avoid rubbery shrimp, simply avoid over-cooking them. Cook shrimp until just opaque. That’s usually just 2-3 minutes on each side.

Make It a Balanced Meal

Now all that’s missing to balance this meal are the VEGGIES! Serve over a salad or slaw (or on the side) or roast your favorite veggie. You can even use the leftover dipping sauce to encourage your kids to try a new vegetable (hello broccoli!).

Here’s how to make it…