These blackened shrimp avocado cucumber bites are the kind of appetizer that disappears before you even set down the platter. You get smoky, spicy shrimp, cool crisp cucumber, creamy guacamole, a snap of radish, and a bright squeeze of lime all in one fresh little bite.
Even better, they look party-worthy but take only about 11 minutes to make. Serve them for game day, a summer cookout, a holiday appetizer tray, or any time you need something that feels a little fancy without turning your kitchen upside down.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These blackened shrimp avocado bites are one of those appetizers that look impressive but take almost no effort. The shrimp cook in just a few minutes, the cucumber gives every bite a fresh crunch, and the guacamole adds the creamy richness that makes them feel a little more special than a basic snack tray.
They’re also easy to serve for almost any occasion. Put them out for game day, a holiday party, a summer cookout, or a quick light lunch when you want something fresh but filling. Each bite has a little heat from the blackened seasoning, a cool cucumber base, creamy avocado, and a bright finish from lime.
Best of all, this recipe is flexible. You can make it spicier, keep it mild, use homemade guacamole, or grab store-bought to save time. It’s simple, colorful, and party-friendly without requiring much prep.
What You’ll Need for Blackened Shrimp Avocado Cucumber Bites
The cool part is that making these blackened shrimp avocado bites doesn’t take long. I just prefer to make sure we have everything we need first.
Equipment
Let’s start by setting out our equipment. You probably have these somewhere in your kitchen already, but I like to make sure they’re clean and ready to go first.
- Sharp Kitchen Knife
- Large Skillet
- Lime Juicer
- Small Bowl (for mixing up guacamole)
- Serving Tray or Plate
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- Medium-Sized Shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Cucumbers, sliced about 3/4 inch thick
- Radishes, thinly sliced
- Olive Oil
- Cajun Seasoning
- Guacamole
- Lime
- Balsamic Vinegar or Balsamic Reduction
Key Ingredient Roles
I usually like to take a closer look at the ingredients I use for any recipe. Yes, I can be picky about it, but it’s better than making subpar appetizers! Here’s a quick look at the ingredients for these blackened shrimp avocado bites.
Medium-Sized Shrimp
1 pound medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
The shrimp provides a nice, protein-packed component for these bites. Because they have a mild flavor, they also go quite well with the other flavors in this recipe. While you could probably go with most sizes of shrimp, I’ve found that medium-sized shrimp fit the best on the cucumber slices.
Making sure the shrimp is safe to eat is the real trick to making a recipe like this. Fresh shrimp should not have a mushy or slimy texture. It also should not have an ammonia-like odor. I’ll often buy fresh shrimp with the shell still on to reduce the meat’s exposure to air. I also like to go with wild-caught shrimp when I can.
Important: Only buy fresh seafood if you intend to use it within the next two days. If not, a bag of frozen shrimp is good enough.
If they’re frozen, place them in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. They can also be thawed in cold water for 20 minutes, then refrigerated until I need them. (Medium-sized shrimp don’t take long to thaw at all, and neither do they need to be placed in hot water.)
The main thing is to avoid leaving them at room temperature for too long. The FDA recommends not leaving seafood out at room temperature for more than two hours. It also recommends keeping seafood on ice if it’s going to be out for any longer than that.
Keeping it in a cooler packed with ice is an option if you’re taking this to a picnic or the beach in the summer. Just keep in mind that it can go rancid faster if exposed to temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cucumbers
3-4 mini cucumbers, sliced into 3/4-inch slices
Cucumbers add a mild, refreshing sweet taste to these shrimp avocado bites. I like to use “mini” cucumbers, about 1 inch in diameter, to make them more bite-sized.
Radishes
2 radishes, thinly sliced
Radishes add a mild, peppery bite to these shrimp avocado bites. I like to slice them thin so they blend in well with the cucumber, guacamole, and Cajun spice.
Olive Oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
Olive oil gives you something to cook the shrimp in. If you use extra-virgin olive oil, it’s usually better to keep the burner on low to medium heat, since it has a relatively low smoke point compared to other grades of olive oil. Refined olive oil has a higher smoke point, making it more suitable for high-heat cooking. (An olive oil-based cooking spray might work too.)
Cajun Seasoning
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
We’ll use the Cajun seasoning to flavor the shrimp here. The neat part about Cajun seasoning is that it can be customized to your liking. Some people do like it spicier than others! I like to get a salt-free version when I buy it because I don’t like it as salty.
Making your own is also an option! Here’s what you’ll need to make your own Cajun seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Ground black pepper to taste
Evenly combine all these spices in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the spices to your liking. This Cajun seasoning is easy to double or triple if needed. Just store any leftover Cajun seasoning in a clearly labeled airtight container in your spice drawer.
Guacamole
Like the Cajun spice, the guacamole can be adjusted to your liking. I’ll usually mix up two medium avocados with cilantro, red onions, dried red pepper flakes, lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. (Some people like to put half a jalapeño in it, but you can leave that out if you think that would be overdoing it on the spice level.)
The amount can also be adjusted to your liking, as well. Some people like to spread a thin layer on the cucumber, and others like to put as much as half a tablespoon of guacamole on each cucumber slice. (I’m somewhere in the middle, lol.)
Lime
1 lime
You really want the fresh lime juice to drizzle over the shrimp avocado bites after you assemble them, so cut the lime in half and juice it with your lime juicer. It adds a delicious, bold flavor to these shrimp avocado bites.
Balsamic Vinegar or Balsamic Reduction
This adds a strong, pungent flavor when drizzled over the bites. Again, the amount can be adjusted to your liking. (I can get away with a few drops of balsamic vinegar on top of each bite.)
Printable Blackened Shrimp Avocado Bites Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 lb. shrimp peeled and deveined
- cucumbers sliced about 3/4 inch thick
- 2 radishes sliced thinly
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. cajun seasoning
- guacamole
- 1 lime
- balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction
Instructions
- Mash the avocados in a small bowl. Mix them with cilantro, red onions, dried red pepper flakes, lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.(Alternatively, you can use store-bought guacamole, but I like to make my own.)
- Slice the cucumber about 3/4 of an inch thick.
- Toss the shrimp in olive oil and Cajun seasoning until evenly coated. Transfer the shrimp to a skillet and cook 2-3 minutes on each side until blackened.
- Arrange the cucumber slices on the serving tray and top each one with guacamole. Place a thinly sliced piece of radish on top of the guacamole.
- Place one shrimp on top of each guacamole topped cucumber slice. Squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice on top and finish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction.
- If you have a hard time getting them to stay together, stick toothpicks through them. Toothpicks are also convenient for serving bite-sized appetizers.
Method for Making Blackened Shrimp Avocado Bites
Let’s get started with making these bites. They really do take a few minutes!
Step One: Make Guacamole
Mash the avocados in a small bowl. Mix them with cilantro, red onions, dried red pepper flakes, lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
(Alternatively, you can use store-bought guacamole, but I like to make my own.)
Step Two: Slice Cucumbers
Slice the cucumber about 3/4 of an inch thick.
Step Three: Make Blackened Shrimp
Toss the shrimp in olive oil and Cajun seasoning until evenly coated. Transfer the shrimp to a skillet and cook 2-3 minutes on each side until blackened. (Visible shrimp meat should be pink.) Try not to overcook, or the shrimp will develop a rubbery texture. Remove the shrimp from heat and transfer them to a plate.
Step Four: Assemble Blackened Shrimp Avocado Bites
Arrange the cucumber slices on the serving tray and top each one with guacamole. Place a thinly sliced piece of radish on top of the guacamole.
Place one shrimp on top of each guacamole topped cucumber slice. Squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice on top and finish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction.
If you have a hard time getting them to stay together, stick toothpicks through them. Toothpicks are also convenient for serving bite-sized appetizers.
Just to fancy things up a bit, I placed each appetizer on an Asian soup spoon. (These are the same spoons you might see at your favorite Ramen restaurant.) I then placed the spoons onto a serving platter.
Step Five: Serve Promptly
I like to serve these right away after assembling them so they aren’t just sitting around, waiting for the party to start.
Substitutes for Blackened Shrimp Avocado Bites
Because this is a really simple appetizer recipe, there aren’t too many substitutions. Some variations you could try:
I once caught my party guests assembling similar shrimp avocado bites with the same bread I used for gluten-free bruschetta instead of using cucumbers as a base. They said they liked it!
Scallops could also work in place of the shrimp.
Troubleshooting Tips for Blackened Shrimp Avocado Bites
I think thee blackened shrimp avocado bites are pretty easy to make. If they don’t go exactly right, these troubleshooting tips might help.
Shrimp Is Rubbery
The shrimp might be overcooked. This can be solved by making sure the heat isn’t too high and only cooking the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side. The shrimp only needs to turn opaque and pink, and start to blacken.
The Spices Got Too Black
Blackened seasoning can darken quickly in a hot pan. Use medium-high heat instead of the highest setting, and make sure there you use enough olive oil to coat the shrimp when you toss it with the olive oil and cajun seasoning.
The Cucumber Slices are Too Flimsy
This happens most often when the cucumber slices aren’t thick enough. They should be about 3/4 inch thick. (I also like the cucumbers to be as fresh as possible when I make these.)
The Bites are Sliding Apart.
It helps to avoid putting too much guacamole on each cucumber slice. Also, I’ll often secure the shrimp on top with toothpicks.
The Guacamole is Browning.
Avocado has a tendency to brown when exposed to air. It’s feasible to make the guacamole up to an hour or two ahead, but it should be covered with plastic wrap until you’re ready to assemble these bites.
FAQ About These Avocado Shrimp Bites
Have any questions about this recipe? I did my best to answer the most common questions here. If you think of one I haven’t answered yet, feel free to ask in the comments section.
Can I make blackened shrimp avocado bites ahead of time?
Making the guacamole and slicing the cucumbers ahead of time are feasible. Keep them in airtight containers or covered with plastic wrap until you’re ready assuble these bites.
Can I serve them chilled?
You could! Just chill the shrimp after cooking, and remember to get them out when you’re ready to assemble the bites.
Are blackened shrimp avocado bites spicy?
They can be spicy, mostly from the Cajun seasoning! The spice level can be adjusted to your preference, though.
How long can these sit out at a party?
At an indoors party, the shrimp can safely sit out for as long as two hours. Encourage your guests to try them, and they won’t even last that long!
More Appetizer Recipes
As usual, I like a little variety in my recipes. Here’s some more easy appetizer recipes to try at your next party.
Did you try this recipe? Feel free to let us know what you think in the comments section, and don’t forget to rate this recipe!
