Pistachio Shrimp Skewers

Name: Pistachio Shrimp Skewers
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Prawns 16 pieces 28 oz; Type 00 flour 1 ¼ cup; Beer very cold 5.3 oz; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp; Fine salt 1 pinch; Ground pistachio 1 cup; Sunflower seed oil 8 ½ cups

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Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Luisa Orizio

Pistachio shrimp skewers—straight out of Southern Italy—bring a splash of Sicilian flair right to your table. And look, these pistachio shrimp skewers are all about that crunchy bite and tender seafood. Really, they’re super tasty. Perfect for impressing guests or just treating yourself. Down south, especially during Christmas Eve, these skewers pop up as a fancy way to start a meal.

The mix of sweet shrimp and crushed pistachios, wrapped up in a light beer batter, gives you something a bit fancy without being hard to pull off. Folks love how the pistachio coating sticks and turns a beautiful golden color once it hits the hot oil—making each skewer shine on the appetizer platter. Pretty awesome. Compared to basic grilled shrimp skewers or shrimp kabobs, this version packs a nutty twist that really really stands out.

You'll even see some regional tweaks—sometimes different nuts, or even herbs for an extra kick—but it’s that classic pistachio crust that everyone in Sicily talks about during holiday dinners. And you know what? You don't have to wait for a holiday to dig into these pistachio-crusted shrimp. They’re perfect for anything from casual hangouts to fancy family dinners.

What makes these seafood skewers so special is the moist shrimp inside and the crispy outside—every bite’s a bit of a surprise. For sure. The beer batter is simple but does the trick, keeping things light while letting the pistachios shine. People often serve them with a quick squeeze of lemon or some tangy sauce, but honestly, they’re pretty hard to resist right off the skewer.

They go well with other healthy seafood dishes if you want a whole spread. So here's the thing: it is easy to see why these quick dinner ideas get passed around at Italian parties—there’s just something about the mix of flavors and that crunch that feels way way better every time. For anyone who likes shrimp with a twist, these nut-crusted shrimp skewers are a fun way to try something from Southern Italy with a bit of a modern edge.

INGREDIENTS

for about 16 skewers: Prawns 28 oz (800 g) - 16 pieces

for the batter: Type 00 flour 1 ¼ cup (150 g); Beer 5.3 oz (150 g) - very cold; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Fine salt 1 pinch

for coating: Ground pistachio 1 cup (200 g)

for frying: Sunflower seed oil 8 ½ cups (2 l)

Preparation

How to prepare Pistachio Shrimp Skewers

To prepare the pistachio shrimp skewers, first clean the shrimp by removing the head 1, legs, shell 2, and the internal black vein. For all the details, follow our cooking guide How to clean shrimp. Get 16 skewers and thread each shrimp lengthwise with a skewer 3.

Prepare the batter by mixing the flour with a pinch of salt 4, a dash of oil 5, and the chilled beer 6.

Mix with a whisk 7 until you get a smooth, lump-free mixture. Pour the seed oil into a pan and heat it until it reaches 356°F. When you are close to the indicated temperature, take the skewers and dip them one by one into the batter 8. Remove the excess, then pass each skewer into the pistachio crumbs 9.

Make sure the shrimp is perfectly coated 10. Dip 2-3 skewers at a time in the hot oil 11, no more to avoid lowering the temperature. Fry them for 3-4 minutes, then remove them from the oil with tongs 12.

Fry all the others in the same way and lay them out on a tray lined with paper towels 13. Salt to taste 14 and serve your pistachio shrimp skewers hot 15!

Storage

We recommend frying and consuming the pistachio shrimp skewers immediately.

Once cooked, they can be stored for a day in the refrigerator and then reheated in the oven.