Grilled Watermelon Kabobs

Watermelon Shrimp Kabobs combine grilled shrimp with grilled watermelon with a sweet balsamic reduction and zesty lime. A healthy kabob recipe on the grill!

 

Use an easy grilled shrimp marinade, thread them with lush watermelon and zucchini, grill and top with a sweet balsamic reduction, extra virgin olive oil and fresh lime spritz.

I try to use this juicy fruit any way I can during the season. Watermelon feta salad, watermelon vodka cocktails, grilled watermelon slices and even watermelon kegs! You’ll really wow party guests with that one!

Why You’ll Love These Kabobs

What’s not to love about a sweet and savory summer dinner option?

• Unique flavor profile – We al love sweet, juicy watermelon during summer, but have you ever paired it with something savory and grilled it? So unique and delicious.
• Ready in under an hour – How many grilling recipes are that quick- including marinating time! Perfect for busy summer days.
• Perfect for summer – With juicy watermelon and zesty lime, the flavors of these kabobs make them perfect for summer enjoyment.

Ingredients

You only need a handful of ingredients to make the best ever watermelon shrimp kabobs.

• Raw shrimp – I like these to be medium-large in size. Make sure they are peeled, and I like to leave the tail on, but this is optional.
• Italian dressing – I used a simple grilled shrimp marinade of bottled Italian dressing. Shrimp don’t need to marinate long. Their tender skin and small stature make them the ideal food for quickly picking up flavors.
• Lime – We will be using fresh lime juice as well as lime wedges for these kabobs. If you’re feeling extra crazy, you could use the lime zest as well.
• Coarse kosher salt – Different salts measure differently, so keep that in mind if not using coarse kosher salt.
• Zucchini – I wanted another texture, but also another color on my kabobs and zucchini was the obvious choice since everyone’s summer gardens seem to be filled to the brim.
• Watermelon – You want this to be cut into cubes. I prefer to use a seedless watermelon to avoid crunching into a hard seed.
• Balsamic reduction sauce – You can easily buy this at the store, or make your own balsamic reduction sauce at home.
• Extra virgin olive oil – I like to drizzle my kabobs with a little olive oil at the end for added flavor.

Variations

There are plenty of ways for you to make these watermelon shrimp kabobs your own. Here are a few suggestions.

• Protein – Instead of using shrimp, try using other proteins like chicken, steak or pork. Alternatively, you can make them vegetarian by leaving the meat off entirely.
• Vegetables – Feel free to mix up the veggies! Red onion, bell pepper, or even jalapeños would be a fun way to mix things up.
• Seasonings – If you’re not a fan of balsamic, try using other seasonings. Soy sauce would add an interesting flavor profile.
• Herbs – Use things like fresh mint leaves, thyme, fresh ginger or cilantro to take the flavor up a notch.

How to Make Watermelon Shrimp Kabobs

You are going to love how easy it is to make your new favorite summer grilling recipe.

1. Marinate shrimp. In a large airtight plastic bag, combine the peeled shrimp, Italian dressing, lime juice and salt. Chill in refrigerator. Meanwhile, soak wooden skewers, if using them.
2. Add ingredients to skewers. Discard remaining marinade and thread shrimp, seedless watermelon cubes and zucchini onto the prepared skewers.
3. Prepare grill. Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Prep with cooking spray or rub grates with vegetable oil.
4. Add kabobs to grill. Grill on indirect heat. The time will depend on the size of shrimp you are using. Wait until the shrimp turn pink and start to curl.
5. Add garnishes. Remove the skewers from the heat and drizzle them with balsamic glaze, extra virgin olive oil and spritz with fresh lime juice.

Tips for Making Kabobs

Check out my tips below to make the most of your bamboo skewers.

1. Soak skewers. If you are using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them for a good long time before threading them. This prevents the kabobs from catching on fire.
2. Use metal skewers. Sometimes meat tends to spin around on the skewer, you can prevent this by using the double skewer method, using two skewers to anchor your food or using metal skewers with a swirl pattern or that are flat that prevents this from happening. The only drawback here is if you are making kabobs for a lot of people, you’ll be spending a pretty penny and may never use them again.
3. Grill basket. If you don’t want to mesh around with skewers at all, just get a grill basket. These things are fabulous!

Make It a Meal !

These things are fabulous for any grilled vegetable. I do my Grilled Potatoes in them a lot.

I’ll also serve them over a bed of almond rice pilaf or toasted couscous, but you can nix that if you are going low carb. They are also tasty over a bed of fresh greens or just served as an appetizer.

Storage and Freezing

How to Store Watermelon Shrimp Kabobs

You can store any leftover skewers in the fridge. I like to take mine off the skewer first and store the components in an airtight container.

Can I Freeze Watermelon Shrimp Kabobs?

Unfortunately, watermelon does not freeze well. That is to say, it freezes well, but becomes very mushy upon thawing. You can, however, freeze the shrimp separately for up to three months.

More Fun Grilling Recipes

Our family loves to grill all summer long; if you do too ,check out some of our favorite grilling recipes.