Cajun Shrimp Boil Skewers with Corn, Sausage, and Potatoes
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Bite-sized boiled potatoes, sweet corn, and smoky chorizo unite with juicy shrimp on a skewer, slathered in a mouthwatering Cajun butter. Then they’re grilled to charred perfection to make these shrimp boil skewers. They’re packed with flavor, hearty, spicy, and finger-licking delicious!
This BBQ recipe is super simple in concept, but so amazingly flavorful, so you’ll quickly forget how easy they are to make. The Cajun lemon garlic butter takes them over the top, adding so much flavor and zing that it lets these ingredients shine.
Ingredients needed
This recipe takes everything you would have in a shrimp boil but puts them on skewers, lathers them with a delicious cajun butter, then grills them to perfection. This is what you need:
- Nugget potatoes: Bite-sized potatoes add a hearty element.
- Corn: Cut each ear of corn into four corn pieces for a burst of sweetness.
- Chorizo sausage: Adds a smoky, spicy kick. Andouille sausage is another great alternative. Use mild Italian sausage if you want to avoid the heat.
- Tail-on shrimp: Juicy shrimp take on a delicious char from the grill.
- Lemon: For zesty freshness.
- Salted butter: The velvety base of the cajun butter.
- From the spice rack: A blend of paprika, chili powder, oregano, and sea salt make up our cajun spices. You can also use a cajun seasoning blend.
- Garlic clove: For savory depth.
Tips for buying shrimp
The star of these skewers is the shrimp! If it’s your first time visiting the shrimp section in your grocery store, you’ll find plenty of options – here are our tips on what to look for:
- Size: Smaller shrimps will be more difficult to thread through the skewers, so look for medium to extra-large shrimp, which are more substantial. Larger shrimp also have more surface area to soak up the delicious cajun butter!
- Shells: You can find shrimp with their shell on, or pre-peeled shrimp. While the shell-on shrimp will have a little bit of extra flavor while grilling, the peeled shrimp are better for easy eating.
- Tails: To tail, or not to tail? We opt to keep the tails on.
- Deveined: To make prep, presentation, and eating easier, opt for deveined shrimp. Otherwise, remember to remove the dark vein running along the back of the shrimp before threading it onto the skewer.
- Raw: Some frozen shrimp come pre-cooked. This recipe calls for raw shrimp that you’ll grill.
- Fresh: If you have access to fresh, high-quality shrimp then that’s a great option. However, if you live somewhere where frozen is your only option, that will still work great for this recipe. Thaw them in the fridge before grilling.
What to serve with shrimp boil skewers
These shrimp boil skewers have veg and protein, so they can work as a standalone meal for lunch or dinner – just add some fresh lemon wedges and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
To fill up your plate, enjoy them with typical shrimp boil sides, such as:
- Quinoa Cornbread Muffins
- Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes
- Smashed Potato Salad
- Four Cheese Mac and Cheese
- Lazy Deviled Eggs
- Broccoli Coleslaw with lemon buttermilk dressing
- Or enjoy a simple spring mix salad with a lemon vinaigrette.
Recipe FAQs
Can I add anything else to the skewers?
Sure, feel free to customize these and add or omit what you’d like. Our top picks are some peppers or onions. Cooking times may vary depending on what ingredients you opt to add.
Can I make these if I don’t have a grill?
Sure, just use a grill pan on your stove top for a similar result.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Sure! While quality is better in fresh shrimp, you can always opt for frozen should that be more convenient for you. Let the shrimp thaw in the fridge before grilling.
Where can I find skewers?
Many supermarkets sell bamboo skewers, or you can find some stainless steel skewers online. If using wooden skewers or bamboo skewers, we suggest soaking them in water for at least 30 minutes before adding the shrimp boil ingredients to prevent them from burning on the grill.
Cajun Shrimp Boil Skewers with Corn, Sausage, and Potatoes
Ingredients
- 24 nugget potatoes
- 3 ears corn (cut into 4 pieces each)
- 1 ½ lb chorizo sausage (sliced into 1 ½ inch pieces)
- 1 lb tail-on shrimp
- ½ lemon (cut into wedges)
Cajun Lemon Garlic Butter
- ½ cup salted butter
- ½ teaspoon EACH: paprika and chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: oregano and sea salt
- 1 clove garlic (finely minced)
- Juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and let them boil for 10 minutes. Add the corn and the chorizo and boil for another 5 minutes. Drain the pot.24 nugget potatoes, 3 ears corn, 1 ½ lb chorizo sausage
- Skewer the potatoes, corn, sausage, and shrimp onto 12 long skewers. Place the skewers on a baking sheet.1 lb tail-on shrimp
- Oil your grill and preheat it to medium-high. In a small pan over medium heat, add all the Cajun lemon garlic butter ingredients. Let the butter melt then pour half of the butter into a small bowl. Keep the other half warm.½ cup salted butter, ½ teaspoon EACH: paprika and chili powder, ¼ teaspoon EACH: oregano and sea salt, 1 clove garlic, Juice of ½ lemon
- Baste the skewers with the butter then grill for 10 minutes, turning halfway and basting once more.
- Serve the shrimp boil skewers with the lemon slices and the warm butter on the side.½ lemon
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
I needed something summery today and these for the bill. The chorizo was wonderful on the skewers!