Cucumber Shrimp Canapés for a weeknight

This simple Cucumber Shrimp Canapés recipe is a classic party appetizer that's fast, elegant, and always a crowd favorite!

When it comes to entertaining, We like to keep things simple. Grazing tables are a fun way to allow guests to pick and choose from a wide variety of appetizers and snacks. We love to include simple and elegant appetizers, like this Shrimp Canapés recipe.

🌟 Why you'll love this recipe

We've been making these shrimp, cream cheese, cucumber canapes for decades. It's a great recipe to make for parties!

• You only need a few ingredients plus some herbs and aromatics.
• These are simple to make in simply a few minutes, thanks to shortcuts like using thawed frozen previously cooked shrimp.
• They are the perfect party bite for your next gathering: a little crunch, a little sweet and savory, and succulent seafood in every bite.
• These look fancy and sophisticated without much effort.

🍤 Ingredient notes

Shrimp – to save time, this recipe uses medium shrimp or large shrimp, previously cooked with shells and tails off. Be sure to thaw your shrimp before using in this recipe. You could also buy fresh cocktail shrimp from your grocery store's seafood department and use that.

Cucumber – Peel and slice a large cucumber into thin, equally sized slices. To create uniform slices, use a mandoline or a sharp knife.

Lime juice – for some fresh tartness. You could use lemon juice as well, but We prefer the tanginess of the lime.

For the shrimp marinade, We made the own Copycat Marinade of the Costco Deli Lime Shrimp. We think it's pretty close to it! The marinade includes some olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and dill.

✅ Step-by-step instructions

Exact measurements of ingredients, instructions, and nutrition information are in the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this post. Here are some helpful tips to guide you as you make this recipe.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, and dill.
2. Combine shrimp and toss together until shrimp is coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for 5.

3. Meanwhile, lay out cucumber slices onto a serving tray in a single layer. Place cream cheese into a plastic Ziplock bag with one corner cut. You can also use a pastry bag with frosting tip if you want to create a pretty pattern.

4. Gently pipe cream cheese onto each cucumber slice until you have soft peaks. Each canape should get about a tablespoon.

5. Place shrimp on top of each canape.

🥒 Recipe FAQs

What is a canapé?

Canapés, hors d'oeuvres, and appetizers are all, basically, the same thing: dishes, either passed or served at a table, that start off a meal or party. They are often used interchangeably.

Canapés tend to refer to finger food that can be eaten in one bite. This cucumber canapé dish can definitely be considered a canapé, as it is a one-bite appetizer.

Can We make shrimp canapés advance?

You can slice the cucumbers and marinate the shrimp up to 24 hours in advance; keep refrigerated in an airtight container. Then when you are ready to serve, simply top each cucumber slice with cream cheese and top with the marinated shrimp.

🍽 Serving ideas

Serve these as appetizers at a party along with Meatballs in Romesco Sauce, Antipasto Skewers, and Marinated Feta Cheese.

More appetizer recipes

• Meatballs with Romesco Sauce
• Buffalo Chicken Bites
• Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp Recipe (gluten-free)
• Gougère Bites: Dairy-Free Cheese Puff Appetizers

Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you truly loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!

Cucumber Shrimp Canapés

By Marlynn Schotland Prep Time: 10 mins Total Time: 10 mins Servings: 24 servings These prawn canapés are perfect party bites that are simple to make!

Ingredients

For Shrimp & Cucumber Coins

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 cup whipped cream cheese
• 24 medium pre-cooked shrimp, deveined and tails off, If using large shrimp, slice each shrimp in half.

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, and dill.
• Add shrimp and toss together until shrimp is coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for 5.
• Meanwhile, lay out cucumber slices onto a serving tray in a single layer.
• Place cream cheese into a plastic Ziplock bag with one corner cut. You can also use a pastry bag with frosting tip if you want to create a pretty pattern.
• Gently squeeze out about a tablespoon full of the cream cheese onto each cucumber slice.
• Top with one medium pre-marinated shrimp.

Notes

Makes approximately 20-24 individual canapés Shrimp: You can use frozen pre-cooked shrimp that is thawed. If using large shrimp, slice each shrimp in half. If using medium shrimp, you can usually top each cucumber cream cheese round with a whole shrimp. This dish is best served immediately. If not serving immediately, store carefully covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 110 kcal, Carbohydrates: 3 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 38 mg, Sodium: 131 mg, Potassium: 96 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 2 g, Vitamin A: 345 IU, Vitamin C: 2 mg, Calcium: 45 mg, Iron: 1 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

This post was originally published on September 2, 2016. It was updated with all new photos, more helpful step-by-step, ingredients, and serving information, and updated recipe card and republished on August 10, 2022.