Crunchy cucumbers, juicy Cajun-spiced shrimp, and creamy avocado combine forces in this recipe for our easy Shrimp Cucumber Roll-Ups. Made with just 10 ingredients in only 20 minutes, this bright and fresh cucumber shrimp appetizer is perfect for any party, any time of year.

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Why We Love This Recipe

As proud Coasties, seafood makes its way into nearly every meal of the day. These yummy shrimp bites with cucumber and avocado are among our favorites, especially during swimsuit season. Simply made with fresh ingredients, each nibble tastes like a summer party!

Aside from being absolutely crave-worthy, this cucumber bites appetizer recipe is also:

• Quick & Easy – You only need 20 minutes to assemble a party-sized appetizer platter!
• Fresh & Light – Fresh cukes, a quasi-guacamole avocado mash, and shrimp makes for a stellar flavor combination you can feel good about eating. 
• Made With Only 10 Ingredients – We’re all about simplicity here at Cream Cheese & Lemon Squeeze. This easy shrimp with cucumber recipe proves it!

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, you only need 10 ingredients total to make these delectable shrimp cucumber bites. Here’s your list:

• Cucumber – Opt for thin-skinned seedless English cucumbers for the best consistency. They’re the ones that are long, skinny, and typically wrapped in plastic. 
• Large Shrimp – We suggest reaching for 36/40 or 31/35 shrimp to fit perfectly on your cucumber slices. (The number designation is how many shrimp are in a pound, so the higher the number, the smaller they are!)
• Cajun Seasoning – We’re die-hard Tony Chachere’s fans, but you’re welcome to use any cajun seasoning blend you prefer.
• Neutral Oil – You want an oil with a high smoke point and mild flavor — think avocado, vegetable, safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, or peanut. Skip EVOO, coconut, or sesame oil.
• Avocado – Go for Haas! They’re higher in fat, creamier, and WAY more delicious than regular.
• Lime Juice – Fresh lime juice tastes way better than the bottled kind. To get the most juice from your fruit, give it a firm roll on the countertop for 10-15 seconds before slicing it open. If you simply *must* use a bottled brand, opt for Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice as it tastes the closest to fresh that we’ve tried. 
• Cilantro – We love the bright, herbaceous flavor of cilantro, but we know it’s not for everyone. Feel free to swap in lemony parsley if you prefer.
• Yellow Onions – For some crunch and bite in your avocado mash. In a pinch, feel free to swap in red, white, or even green onions.
• Parmesan Crisps – These add a bit of crunch to this recipe. I like to buy individual snack packs and break them into small pieces by hitting the closed bag with a rolling pin. They’re also super simple to make on your own. 
• Salt – For seasoning. We prefer kosher salt since it’s easier to not overdo it, but feel free to use whichever variety you prefer.

How To Make Shrimp Cucumber Roll-Ups [Cucumber Shrimp Bites]

This shrimp and avocado appetizer comes together in a flash. Here’s how:

Step 1: Prepare Shrimp. Pat shrimp (20) completely dry using paper towels and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cajun seasoning (2 teaspoons) and toss to evenly coat. Heat oil (1 tablespoon) in a large skillet. Once shimmering add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the edges are golden and the center is cooked through. Remove from heat immediately. 

Step 2: Avocado Mash. As your shrimp are cooking, mash together the avocado layer ingredients together in a bowl.

Step 3: Assemble. I like to cut the ends off of the cucumber and peel the cucumber first Then cut the cucumber in half. Peel the top of the cucumber until it’s even and begin to make strips with your peeler.

Arrange your strips on paper towel as cucumber holds a lot of water. I pat them down and I line them overlapping one another on parchment paper. Once you have done that you can add any fillings you want, gently roll it up and secure it with a toothpick! 

Optional Variations

While we love these shrimp avocado cucumber bites just the way they’re written, there’s always room for you to make your own mark on any recipe on the site. Here are a few simple ways to shake things up:

• Smoked Salmon Bites – Swap in cold-smoked salmon for the shrimp for a fun and easy twist on the original.
• Shrimp Cucumber Salad – Rather than assembling individual bites, turn this into a lovely side dish or appetizer salad instead. Chop the cooked shrimp into bite-sized pieces, and rather than mashing the avocado, dice it. Toss all the ingredients together in a bowl till well combined, then serve in a single piece of head lettuce (e.g. Bibb or butter lettuce). 
• Cucumber Shrimp Bites – Place cucumber slices (1/4″ thick) in a single layer on your serving dish. Cover with a dollop of avocado, then place a piece of shrimp on top.

Expert Tips

• Taste The Cucumber before you assemble everything. It doesn’t happen often, but we’ve both encountered the odd bitter cucumber in the mix, even if they look perfect from the outside. Do yourself a favor and snack on an end-piece to make sure it’s good to go.
• Add A Decorative Edge to the cucumbers by peeling stripes down the side.
• Buy Frozen Shrimp that are already peeled and deveined to cut back on prep work.
• Don’t Overcook The Shrimp! When cooked properly, shrimp are tender, juicy, and perfectly succulent. When they’re overcooked, they become rubbery and unappealing. Make sure to only cook them until they *just* turn pink and opaque, then immediately remove them from the heat. If you see them starting to tighten up into “O’s,” you know you’re overdoing it.
• Storage. These cucumber shrimp appetizers are best served immediately, but if you do have leftovers, place them on a plate covered in paper towels (the cucumbers will release liquid!) and squeeze extra lime juice over the top to prevent the avocado mash from browning.

FAQs

More Seafood Appetizer Recipes

• Exploring the Art of Smoked Salmon Dip
• New Orleans Crawfish Bread (No Mayo!)
• Shrimp Dip Without Cream Cheese (Dairy-Free Dip)
• Cajun Crab & Corn Bisque

If y’all tried this sumptuous recipe for Shrimp Cucumber Roll-Ups, holler and let us know how it turned out for you by giving us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and commenting below. You can also always feel free to tag us (@creamcheeseandlemonsqueeze) in your social media posts so we can cheer you on.

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XO,

Anna & Ashley