Cajun Shrimp Cucumber Bites

The short answer: These Cajun shrimp cucumber bites take about 10 minutes and land around 130 calories with roughly 20g of protein per serving. You toss shrimp in a homemade Cajun spice mix, sear it hot, and set each one on a cold cucumber round with a dab of garlic lemon yogurt.

It’s 3:30 PM and the snack drawer is calling. So instead, you want something salty, spicy and crunchy that actually holds you until dinner. Cajun shrimp cucumber bites hit all of that, plus they look like party food.

It’s one of the snacks from our guide to high protein snacks under 150 calories, and it’s built the Clean Fit Fab way: real food, big flavor, and no seed oils.

Why these cajun shrimp cucumber bites work as a snack

• Shrimp is lean protein. A 3-ounce serving of cooked shrimp has close to 20g of protein for well under 100 calories.
• Cucumber adds crunch and water. So the plate feels big without adding many calories.
• The spice blend is homemade. That means you control the salt, and you skip the fillers.
• It’s fast. Shrimp cooks in about 3 minutes, so this is a real weekday snack.

Seafood counts toward your protein foods for the day. MyPlate suggests choosing a variety of protein foods, and seafood is one of them.

The flavor: what makes it taste so good

Plain shrimp is fine. But Cajun shrimp is a whole mood. The spice mix brings smoke and heat, then the cold yogurt cools it right down.

• Smoked paprika and cayenne for smoke and heat
• Garlic powder, onion powder and dried thyme for that Louisiana base
• Fresh garlic and lemon in the yogurt for brightness
• Scallion and parsley for a fresh, green finish

What you need

Here’s a quick look at the ingredients. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Cajun shrimp: raw shrimp, avocado oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, sea salt, black pepper
• Garlic lemon yogurt: plain Greek yogurt, garlic clove, lemon juice, sea salt
• To serve: cucumber, scallion, fresh parsley

Also, a note on fat: we cook with extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, butter or ghee. They taste better, and they’re real food.

How to make cajun shrimp cucumber bites

First, stir the Cajun spices together and toss the shrimp in them. Next, sear the shrimp in a hot skillet for 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the cucumber and stir the garlic lemon yogurt. Then top each cucumber round with yogurt and a shrimp. The full recipe card is below.

Cajun Shrimp Cucumber Bites

Smoky Cajun shrimp on cold cucumber rounds with garlic lemon yogurt. About 130 calories and 20g protein per serving.

10minutes

20gprotein

130calories

2servings

Servings

1x2x3x

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Ingredients Uncheck all

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Cajun shrimp

• 6 oz raw shrimp peeled and deveined, about 12 medium
• 1 tsp avocado oil
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 pinch black pepper freshly cracked

Garlic lemon yogurt

• 3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 small garlic clove grated
• 1 squeeze lemon juice
• 1 pinch sea salt

To serve

• 1 large cucumber cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

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1. Stir the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cayenne, salt and pepper together. Pat the shrimp dry and toss them in the spice mix.
2. Heat the avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in one layer and sear for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side, until pink and lightly charred.
   Start 2 min timer
3. Stir the Greek yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice and salt together.
4. Spread the cucumber rounds on a plate. Add a small spoon of yogurt to each, then top with a shrimp.
5. Finish with scallion and parsley and eat right away.

Calories 130Protein 20gCarbohydrates 6gFat 4gFiber 1gper serving, estimated

Serving ideas

Eat them right away while the shrimp is warm and the cucumber is cold. Also, they work as a snack plate, a light lunch with a handful of greens, or something to share when friends stop by.

Nutrition at a glance: each serving has about 130 calories, 20g protein, 6g carbs and 1g fiber. Numbers are estimates and change with your exact ingredients.

Swaps and variations

• Swap the shrimp for diced roasted chicken breast with the same spice mix.
• Use thick zucchini rounds or endive leaves instead of cucumber.
• Like it hotter? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the yogurt.
• No yogurt? Mash a little avocado with lime and salt instead.

Make-ahead and storage tips

Cook the shrimp up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Then build the Cajun shrimp cucumber bites right before eating so the cucumber stays crisp. Warm the shrimp in a skillet for a minute, or eat it cold.

Frequently asked questions

Save this one for your next long day. Want more? Try our chipotle lime tuna lettuce cups next.

This article is for general information and is not medical or nutrition advice.