These shrimp appetizers have plump juicy cajun shrimp over creamy avocado on a crisp slice of cucumber. These shrimp cucumber bites are a delicious mouthful!

Closeup of shrimp appetizers with cajun shrimp over avocado spread on cucumber bites

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This is such an easy shrimp appetizer recipe but it is mouthwatering good and special occasion worthy. It will be the talk of your next party!

The flavor profile of these shrimp appetizers are similar to our shrimp avocado salad (one of our most popular shrimp recipes!), so if you enjoyed that, you will go crazy for these shrimp cucumber bites! My husband and son loved these! 

The inspiration for this recipe came from Kevin of Closet Cooking who’s blackened shrimp made my mouth water!

Easy Ingredients for Shrimp Appetizers:

This recipe yields 20-22 cucumber bites (depending on how many shrimp are in a pound of a shrimp). The homemade cajun spice sears on to the shrimp giving it an amazing spicy kick. If you prefer a milder appetizer, you can easily cut the paprika and cayenne in half.

Ingredients needed to make shrimp appetizers

Chef’s Tip on How to Cook Shrimp:

I add the shrimp to the pan using tongs just a few at a time without dropping the entire amount into the hot pan right away which can cool the pan quickly. Also do not crowd the pan or the shrimp will juice out and become rubbery. You want to achieve a good sear the shrimp to keep it plump and juicy. If your pan is too small to fit all of the shrimp in 1 batch, cook shrimp in 2 batches.

Two photos of shrimp being marinated in a bowl

How to cook shrimp in a skillet showing cajun shrimp blackened in a skillet

The avocado spread is so easy and the lime juice makes it taste like guacamole. Don’t skip the cilantro and generous squeeze of fresh lime juice over the finished shrimp avocado appetizers  – it ads amazing fresh flavor.

how to make avocado spread by mashing avocado and adding lime juice

This is a recipe you’ll never get tired of eating – good thing it is also a healthy appetizer with only 49 calories per bite! It is friendly for nearly every diet; gluten free, keto/low carb, grain free and paleo.

Assembled avocado shrimp bites on a platter

More Shrimp Appetizers:

Garnished shrimp appetizers with squeeze of fresh lime juice and cilantro

Shrimp Appetizers Print Friendly Recipe:

Shrimp Appetizers with Avocado and Cucumber

4.98 from 212 votes
These shrimp appetizers have plump juicy cajun shrimp over creamy avocado on a crisp slice of cucumber. These shrimp cucumber bites are a delicious mouthful!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 22 shrimp appetizers

Ingredients for Cajun Shrimp:

  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

For the Avocado Spread:

  • 1 avocado
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice, plus more to squeeze over finished appetizers
  • 1 English Cucumber, sliced into 22 rings

Instructions

How to Make Cajun Shrimp:

  • Place shrimp in a large mixing bowl and pat dry with paper towels. Add minced garlic, 1 Tbsp cilantro, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Stir well to combine.
  • Heat a large heavy pan over medium/high heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Once oil is hot, add shrimp in a single layer and sauté 2 min per side or until cooked through.

How to Make Avocado Spread & Assemble:

  • In a small bowl, mash together 1 avocado, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp lime juice until creamy. Divide the avocado mix over 20-22 cucumber slices.
  • Squeeze fresh lime juice over the shrimp avocado bites and garnish with more finely chopped cilantro. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving.

Nutrition Per Serving

49kcal Calories1g Carbs4g Protein2g Fat51mg Cholesterol240mg Sodium83mg Potassium95IU Vitamin A2.4mg Vitamin C34mg Calcium0.6mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Shrimp Appetizers with Avocado and Cucumber
Amount per Serving
Calories
49
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
2
g
3
%
Cholesterol
 
51
mg
17
%
Sodium
 
240
mg
10
%
Potassium
 
83
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
1
g
0
%
Protein
 
4
g
8
%
Vitamin A
 
95
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
 
2.4
mg
3
%
Calcium
 
34
mg
3
%
Iron
 
0.6
mg
3
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: shrimp appetizer
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 49
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Do you have a favorite shrimp appetizer? It’s so hard to choose just one!

4.98 from 212 votes (160 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Nina
    August 18, 2023

    Natasha, can you recommend a substitute for cilantro in this recipe?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 18, 2023

      Hi Nina! You can replace it with another fresh herb of your choice, like parsley.

      Reply

  • Jstlouis
    July 16, 2023

    So easy. One of my go to recipes. I can even make a dinner out of it. Yummo!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      July 16, 2023

      Great to hear that this is one of your go-to recipes! Thanks a lot for sharing.

      Reply

  • Bryan Hiquet
    June 23, 2023

    Awesome easy tasty recipe It took less than 30 minutes to prepare

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 23, 2023

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Bryan!

      Reply

  • Mariel
    January 19, 2023

    Can I use something other than cucumber? Maybe slice of thin zucchini? My doctor says no to cucumbers – anymore ☹️

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 19, 2023

      Hi Mariel! I think that would be fine. 🙂

      Reply

  • TCB
    January 1, 2023

    Made these for NYE and they were a hit! Simple, could be made a little bit ahead of time, healthy, and delicious!
    Definitely added to the “make again” list!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 1, 2023

      Yay! Thanks for sharing, good to hear that it was a success making this recipe.

      Reply

  • Ann Marie
    December 30, 2022

    Natasha, thank you for a keto snack. I’m gonna try this in February for a party, I’ve missed seeing your recipes since going keto.❤️

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 30, 2022

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Ann Marie! This is always a hit at a party!

      Reply

  • Mickey
    December 25, 2022

    I made these for Christmas as a friend is gluten-free. Didn’t have Cajun spices so used Trader Joe’s 21-spice blend. Sautéed day before – no problem. They were a huge hit. Thank you!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 26, 2022

      So glad they were a hit, Mickey! Thank you for the feedback.

      Reply

  • Kathy
    November 30, 2022

    Making these for a girls weekend. Can I make the shrimp a day ahead?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 30, 2022

      Hi Kathy! These are best fresh so the cucumbers don’t get mushy and the avocado turns brown but it should be fine to prep the shrimp a day in advance.

      Reply

  • Kathy
    November 30, 2022

    I’m making these for a girls weekend. Can I make the shrimp a day before?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 30, 2022

      Hi Kathy, That should work. I recommend assembling the day of.

      Reply

  • Lucienne
    October 13, 2022

    This appetizer stole the show at Thanksgiving dinner (at friends who own the best restaurant in town – so that is saying something). I did add a touch of Quebec artisan goat cheese on top of the shrimp – but otherwise made it exactly as written. What a tasty bite (or several as it is hard to resist).

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 13, 2022

      That’s wonderful and that sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing, Lucienne! 🙂

      Reply

  • Wendy
    September 1, 2022

    Hi,
    I am going to be making this recipe this weekend! They look amazing! Quick question, I am doing a ton of cooking and wondering if I could cook the shrimp a day before and assemble everything the following day? The shrimp should be ok right?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 1, 2022

      Hi Wendy, while that may work, it may make the shrimp a bit tougher after refrigeration. We prefer it fresh.

      Reply

  • Angela
    August 24, 2022

    OOPS..Just ask a question and addressed it to Helen…sorry Natasha 😉
    It’s about the paprika…smoked or regular?
    Thanks

    Reply

  • Jo
    August 7, 2022

    Made these for an appetizer for a brunch we attended today. We made the avocado spread and shrimp three hours ahead and stored both in refrigerator until just before serving. I assembled them right before serving. They were a huge hit. I made them exactly like the recipe. Thank you!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 8, 2022

      So glad they were a huge hit! Thank you for the feedback and review. 🙂

      Reply

  • Larry Dawson
    July 10, 2022

    OMG!!!!! Used fresh not frozen shrimp, sautéed, added a little salsa to the avacado mix then sprinkled Old Bay over the top made 2 dozen lasted 5 minutes

    Reply

  • Sharon
    July 6, 2022

    Made these exactly as recipe stated. Flavor ok. They were too slimy or slippery. Finally used a toothpick to pick them up to place on plate. Don’t think I’ll make these again.

    Reply

    • Lucienne
      October 13, 2022

      I was worried about the toppings slipping off as well – so I paper towel dried the cucumber to ensure they were as dry as possible. Seemed to do the trick.

      Reply

  • Millie
    April 3, 2022

    This recipe gets 5/5. I made this last night and they were a huge hit. Super easy to make. GF and a healthy appetizer.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      April 3, 2022

      Awesome! Thank you for the perfect rating, Millie.

      Reply

  • GorgiMom
    January 2, 2022

    This recipe ended up being a gem because it doubles as two in my family. First off I’d like to start off with, I used a large Florida avocado with juice from half a lime. This was because these were the only ripe avocados at the store and planned on making it New Year’s Eve (same day). We now know we prefer the Florida avocados 🙂 and for a family of 5, their size comes in handy. I was able to make many more than 22 shrimp bites and we all LOVED this. I used the other half lime to spritz the shrimp and yum! Fantastic! I do have one kid (out of 3) who has a thing against shrimp (she saw the legs one time and now thinks crazy thoughts about shrimp). So she opted to just eat the avocado spread on cucumbers, and I’ll tell ya she’s on to something! Even without the shrimp the avocado spread n’ cucumber slices are an excellent healthy winter break snack! Made some today (now January 2nd) for the family. And they all love it, including myself. Best part, I don’t have to feel bad about them being portion conscious because hello, it’s healthy food!! Thank you so much Natasha for this amazing recipe! My husband is already asking about when we will eat it again with the Cajun shrimp, which will be very soon!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 2, 2022

      Aaw, that is such awesome feedback. Thank you so much for sharing that with us, I love that you shared everything in detail. I appreciate it! I hope your family will love all the recipes that you will try.

      Reply

  • Edie
    January 1, 2022

    I made these shrimp appetizers for New Year’s Eve. So simple to put together and they are amazing!!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 1, 2022

      Aren’t simple and easy recipes the best?! I’m so glad you loved this!

      Reply

  • Steve
    December 26, 2021

    Made these for a Christmas Eve gathering I followed the recipe precisely as instructed. They flavors and textures blended together fabulously. Everyone commented on how they left a bright and refreshing taste on the palette. Thanks Natasha for another , “ spot on” recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 26, 2021

      Hello Steve, thanks for sharing that with us! I’m glad to hear that the recipe was a huge success.

      Reply

  • Daniel
    December 25, 2021

    Made these for Christmas potluck and they were both delicious and a big hit. Very festive. I’d suggest mashing your avocado first then adding the lime juice. Mine came out a little runny and tended to slide of the cucumber slice. Yum!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 26, 2021

      Hi Daniel, thank you for your comments and suggestion. That is useful info, thanks for sharing!

      Reply

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