Spiced, grilled shrimp with Alabama white sauce is a fantastic recipe inspired by America’s ‘Southern’ cuisine. Serve at your next barbecue or summer party or turn these into grilled shrimp bowls over rice or salad with some sweet corn, green onions and avocado, plus that delicious sauce drizzled on top.

About This Grilled Shrimp Recipe

Grilled shrimp or prawns as we call them in Australia can be served in many ways and it’s a delicious and healthy protein option. Shrimp can be simply seasoned, rubbed in a spice blend, or marinated before being grilled on a barbecue, pan-fried on the stove or broiled in the oven.

In this recipe, I wanted to use frozen shrimp as it’s more affordable and I always have a stash in my freezer. Great thing is that you can use pre-cooked or raw frozen shrimp here, or fresh, of course. It’s a forgiving kind of recipe! 

I wanted to use a BBQ spice rub to season the prawns – a little bit influenced by Cajun or Creole flavours – and to serve, I decided to try Alabama white sauce (read more below)! 

Once rubbed in a spice flour mix, the prawns can be grilled on a barbecue or pan-fried in a skillet until golden browned and crispy. You can serve them on a platter or a board with the sauce drizzled over and some in a bowl on the side. 

I also had a vision of serving this dish as grilled shrimp bowls over salad or rice with some sweet corn, tomatoes and avocado and have that uniquely flavorful and tangy white BBQ sauce drizzled on top. 

What Is Alabama White Sauce?

If you’re not from the United States, you might not be familiar with Alabama white BBQ sauce. It was invented by Robert Gibson at Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q in Decatur, AL, where smoked chickens were pulled from the pit and dipped in a delicious, tangy white sauce made primarily with a mixture of mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Today’s recipes for Alabama white sauce include a variety of ingredients and range from cook to cook. And while this white BBQ sauce is usually served with barbecued or grilled chicken, I thought it would work well with grilled shrimp too.

What Does Alabama White Sauce Taste Like?

Alabama BBQ sauce is quite different from the traditional red, tomato-based BBQ sauces. For starters, there are no tomatoes! The taste is quite complex: it’s quite tangy, and slightly sweet, with lots of umami (that fifth savoury flavour) and a bit of spice to keep things exciting. It’s almost like a creamy, white salad dressing!

It goes well with any traditional barbecued or grilled meats, especially poultry, but you can also repurpose it in a potato salad, coleslaw or over grilled vegetables.

How To Make Alabama White Sauce

Step 1. Gather the ingredients: mayonnaise for the base, apple cider vinegar (white vinegar or lemon juice will also work here), salt and pepper, Dijon mustard, horseradish cream, Worcestershire sauce (if you have it), garlic and onion powder, and cayenne pepper (or a little red chilli).

Step 2. Combine and whisk together, it should have ranch dressing consistency and a little pink tint to it. Store in a jar in the fridge if made ahead of time. It should keep for a week.

How To Make Spiced Grilled Shrimp

Step 1. Defrost the shrimp if frozen. Place in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot!) water for 5-10 minutes. Once the water is very cold, swap for warmer water again. The shrimp will thaw out pretty quickly this way. Once defrosted, strain and pat dry with a kitchen paper roll. If using fresh shrimp/prawns, peel the shell but leave the tails on.

Step 2. Gather ingredients for the spice rub: a little flour of choice, garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin powder, salt, pepper and cayenne or chili. There is also a little bit of either brown sugar or a sugar-free alternative.

Step 3. In a bowl, combine the spice rub and the flour (if used). Sprinkle all of the prawns or toss the prawns through, whichever way will coat them evenly. Do this just before cooking the prawns!

Step 4. If pan-frying: heat a thin layer of oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once sizzling hot, add the prawns without overcrowding the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy, usually longer on the first side. You may have to do this in batches.

If grilling outside: heat a barbecue grill plate to sizzling hot and spray with a little oil, cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side.

Serve the shrimp on a platter or a wooden board with the sauce, some of it drizzled over. Garnish with some herbs (cilantro/coriander or chopped green onions). Or, you can assemble grilled shrimp bowls.

Try This Next Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip

Grilled Shrimp Bowls

Another option is to turn this recipe into grilled shrimp bowls, which make for a nutritious and complete meal. Think Buddha bowls or those ‘healthy nutrition bowls’ with lots of colours, textures, fun ingredients and a fabulous sauce, of course.

For the base of the bowls, you can use regular white rice, brown rice quinoa, cauliflower rice or shredded lettuce. I love lots of colours so I used red cherry tomatoes, yellow sweet corn, green avocado and green onions as other toppings.

If using corn, I recommend charring or grilling it slightly after boiling. You can do this on a barbecue or in a frying pan. Canned or frozen corn is also okay to use here.

Prepare the toppings/ingredients for the bowls ahead of time. Some of it can be chopped while the shrimp/prawns are cooking. You can use store-bought pre-cooked rice or quinoa or black rice/quinoa packets. Once everything is ready, assemble the bowls and top with grilled spiced shrimp.

I love to drizzle the sauce on top but you can serve it on the side.

Nutrition Notes

There aren’t too many calories in grilled shrimp, which makes them a great choice for those watching their daily calories or trying to lose weight. You’re looking at about 155 calories in 100 grams (3.5 oz) of grilled or baked shrimp. That’s about 10 pieces. This number doesn’t take into account spices, flour, any oil it might be cooked in or the sauce. But, it’s a great low base with lots of protein and minerals! 

Spiced and coated in a little flour, this grilled shrimp is still low in carbohydrates and gluten-free (flour dependent) and can be Paleo and Whole30 friendly if use something like tapioca/cassava flour for coating. You can omit flour altogether, but it does add extra crispiness.

As I mentioned above, you can turn the finished shrimp into a complete meal by serving a few vegetable sides or making shrimp bowls with your choice of vegetables, grains, herbs and so on. 

Nutrition Macros

Grilled shrimp & sauce. Per serve (10-12 prawns + 2.5 tbsp sauce): 423 calories, 5.4 g total carbs, 0.8 g fibre (4.5 g net carbs), 24 g protein, 8.1 g fat.

Grilled shrimp bowls with rice & sauce: 650 calories, 45.8 g total carbs, 5.4 g fibre (40.4 g net carbs), 29 g protein, 14.3 g fat. Includes shrimp and sauce as above, 1/2 cup cooked white rice, 1/4 cup corn, 1/4 avocado, 4-5 cherry tomatoes, and 1/2 cup lettuce.

More Healthy Shrimp Recipes

Full Recipe & Ingredients

Find the full list of ingredients, instructions and extra cooking notes below. If you have questions or cook this recipe, please let me know in the comments and rate this recipe so it’s easy for others to find.

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Description

Inspired by America’s Southern cuisine, this recipe for Spiced, Grilled Shrimp with Alabama White Sauce is fantastic for any time of the year but especially in summer. Serve at your next barbecue or summer party or turn these into grilled shrimp bowls over rice or salad with some sweet corn, green onions and avocado, plus that delicious sauce drizzled on top. You can grill the shrimp or prawns on the barbecue or pan-fry them on the stove, and both pre-cooked and raw crustaceans can be used. 

• Make the sauce ahead of time to save time. Combine all ingredients in a bowl or a jar. Whisk or shake well until smooth and set aside. Can be left in the fridge for a few days.
• Defrost the shrimp if frozen. Place in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot!) water for 5-10 minutes. Once the water is very cold, swap for warmer water again. The shrimp will thaw out pretty quickly this way. Once defrosted, strain and pat dry with kitchen paper roll. 
• Season the shrimp. In a bowl, combine the spice rub and the flour (if used). Sprinkle all of the prawns or toss the prawns through, whichever way will coat them evenly. Do this just before cooking the shrimp/prawns!
• Grill the shrimp. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once sizzling hot, add the shrimp without overcrowding the pan. Cook for 1.5-2 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy, usually longer on the first side. You may have to do this in batches. 
• Make shrimp bowls. Prepare the toppings/ingredients for the bowls ahead of time. Some of it can be chopped while the prawns are cooking. You can use store-bought pre-cooked rice or quinoa or black rice/quinoa. Corn can be out of the can or you boil some corn on the cob and even grill it in a pan for extra colour, not essential though. Dice up the veggies and set aside. 
• Serve the shrimp on a platter or a wooden board with the sauce, some of it drizzled over. Garnish with some herbs (coriander/cilantro or green onions). Alternatively, assemble the shimp bowls with sauce over the top.

Notes

• Shrimp – I use shrimp and prawns interchangeably here, as in Australia we say prawns or king prawns for large shrimp. I use frozen shrimp as it’s more affordable and for this recipe, it can be frozen raw or frozen pre-cooked. In both cases, you will defrost it, coat in the spice rub and grill/pan-fry until crispy. If it’s raw, it will cook just fine and if it’s pre-cooked, it will just get crispy on the outside and heat up. If using fresh raw shrimp, simply peel the shell and remove the vein but leave the tails on. 
• Base options for grilled shrimp bowls: 1/2 cup of cooked white or brown rice, quinoa, 1 cup cauliflower rice, 1-2 cups shredded lettuce), and 1/2 cup of beans of choice. You can use pre-cooked pouches of black rice or mixed rice and quinoa as well. 
• Corn can be canned or frozen or corn on the cob, maybe ⅓ or ½ of the cob in a bowl per serve, corn can be grilled or just cooked in boiling water.
• The nutrition label below is for grilled shrimp and sauce only, see Nutrition Notes above for macronutrients for shrimp bowls.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4 oz / 115 g shrimp (about 10-12 pieces) + 2.5 tbsp sauce
• Calories: 423
• Sugar: 1.1 g
• Sodium: 1015.1 mg
• Fat: 8.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 5.4 g
• Fiber: 0.8 g
• Protein: 24 g
• Cholesterol: 197.5 mg

Keywords: Prawns, Prawn Recipes, Shrimp Recipes, Alabama Sauce, BBQ Sauce, Shrimp Bowls, Protein Bowls, Healthy Dinners, Dinner Meals, Healthy Meals

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Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip

My Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip was a Denny family favorite long before anyone heard of Ranch Dressing! And this family favorite Ranch Dip is a delicious low-carb and keto dip recipe and in my family this makes an appearance at every holiday gathering!

PIN Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip to try it later!

My Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip is one of my favorite memories from childhood! As early as I can remember, my Grandma Denny made a fantastic dip that she served with carrots and celery as an appetizer at every family gathering. In those days we called Grandma’s homemade ranch dip just *Vegetable Dip* as if there was only one kind of dip that could possibly be served with veggies.

This was long before the introduction of Ranch Dressing to the American culinary scene, and obviously my Grandma Denny was ahead of her time, because  now people all over the country are eating Ranch Dip with veggies. And in my own extended family, there would never be a holiday gathering without this delicious homemade Ranch Dip on the table.

Of course there’s nothing wrong with making Ranch-Style Vegetable Dip using a package mix if that time-saver works for you. But my grandma’s Homemade Ranch Dip is a bit fresher tasting as well as being low in carbs, and if you usually use the mix but don’t have a package on hand I bet you’ll love my Grandma’s recipe.

Grandma Denny always used full-fat mayo and sour cream, but for anyone wanting lower fat you can obviously make this with reduced-fat products if you prefer. Or if you don’t like mayo, you might prefer the variation below for Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip, made with Greek yogurt and blended cottage cheese for a higher protein, lower-fat dip.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

Can you make this dip with onion powder?

I love the flavor the grated onion gives to my Grandma Denny’s homemade ranch dip. But if you prefer or want to save time, just use 1 tsp. onion powder.

Can you make this homemade ranch dip with Greek Yogurt?

I sometimes make a variation of this that I call Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip that’s lower in fat and higher in protein. For that variation follow this recipe but replace the sour cream with one cup of cottage that’s blended in the food processor until it’s nearly smooth and replace the mayo with one cup fat-free Greek Yogurt. (This is the version I would make when I was strictly following the original South Beach Diet.)

Want a version of ranch dip with more texture?

You can make a variation of this homemade ranch dip recipe with a little chopped red onion, finely diced cucumber, and finely diced red pepper if you’d like a chunkier dip. I would use about 2 T of each.

How to Make Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. My Grandma always used Bon Appetit Seasoning Salt as the secret seasoning in her vegetable dip, but it’s no longer being made (sob!) If you still have Bon Appetit, use it, but now I use Beau Monde Seasoning (affiliate link). If you’re in Europe you can also use Trocomare Seasoning. (affiliate link)
2. Grate a small amount of raw onion into a bowl.  (I use the large side of a box grater; don’t use a microplane grater which just turns the onion to liquid.)
3. Add mayo and sour cream to bowl.
4. Then add Beau Monde Seasoning and dried dill weed (affiliate link).
5. Mix all ingredients together well with a whisk. You can use a food processor as well, but the whisk is quicker.
6. Let the dip chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or two for best flavor.
7. Serve with raw vegetables like celery, sugar snap peas, bell pepper strips, jicama, radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower.
8. This is also good with carrots or as a dip for baked sweet potato fries for those who don’t mind more carbs.
9. I tested this out on my friend Robin and she gave it two thumbs up!

More Tasty Vegetable Dips You Might Like:

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Ingredients

• 1 cup sour cream (see notes)
• 1 cup mayo (see notes)
• 1 tsp. grated onion
• 2 tsp. dried dill weed
• 2 tsp. Beau Monde Seasoning (see notes)

Instructions

1. Grate onion into a bowl, using the large side of a box grater or flat grater (not a microplane grater.)
2. Add all other ingredients to the bowl and stir together with a whisk (or you can use a food processor, but it’s not necessary.)
3. Chill an hour or so before serving.

 

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Notes

I only use Daisy full-fat sour cream and full-fat mayo for this recipe but if you prefer to make a lower-fat version of the recipe you can definitely use reduced fat sour cream and mayo.

My Grandma always used Bon Appetit Seasoning for this. When that was discontinued I started making it with Beau Monde Seasoning (affiliate link), which is almost identical in flavor.

This will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Nutritional information doesn’t include vegetables and is calculated on 1/4 cup serving size.

Recipe from my Grandma Denny, who was a wonderful cook!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 245Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 564mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip is great for low-carb diets.Eat with low-carb vegetables like celery, sugar snap peas, jicama, bell pepper strips, radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower for low-carb diets. If you’re making this for the original South Beach Diet the Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip variation above is better for South Beach. 

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Appetizers to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
Kalyn was making this dip recipe long before the existence of the internet, and it was first posted on this site in 2005 (probably without a single photo in those days.) The recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.

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