These spicy and delicious grilled cajun shrimp and sausage skewers are so addicting and flavorful! They are easy and take less than 15 minutes to make, and they happen to be paleo, Whole30, and keto.
I’m not usually a huge fan of surf and turf, but these grilled cajun shrimp and sausage skewers have been on rotation at our house recently. Not only are they packed with so much flavor, they are ridiculously easy to make and take no time at all (less than 30 minutes!). But it looks like a fancy indulgent meal and my husband first word when I served it was, “WOW” in a very, very good way.
In This Post…
- Grilled Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Skewers Recipe
- What You’ll Need
- Ingredient List
- Directions
- Helpful Tips
- FAQs
- Printable Recipe
Grilled Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Skewers Recipe
If you want to wow your backyard bbq guests with minimal effort, look no further than these grilled shrimp and sausage skewers. Jumbo shrimp and andouille sausage slices are coated in a spicy and flavorful cajun seasoning, and then cooked quickly on the grill. The result is a fantastic main dish, in which the shrimp and sausage are both insanely juicy and tasty.
What You’ll Need
Besides the main ingredients, there are a few key items to make these shrimp and sausage skewers:
- Wooden skewers or metal skewers to skewer the raw shrimp and sausage.
- A grill
Ingredient List
- jumbo shrimp: Use peeled and deveined raw shrimp with the tails on
- andouille sausage
- avocado oil or olive oil
- smoked paprika:
- garlic powder
- cayenne
- onion powder
- salt & pepper
- dried oregano
- thyme
Directions for Whole30 & Keto Shrimp and Sausage Skewers
These grilled shrimp and sausage skewers only take a few simple steps to make.
- Preheat the grill to medium high heat.
- Add shrimp and sausage in a large mixing bowl and coat evenly with avocado oil.
- Make the cajun seasoning in a separate bowl by mixing the spice ingredients together. I use a fork to whisk and remove any clumps.
- Sprinkle the cajun seasoning over the shrimp and sausage and toss together to coat.
- Thread the meats onto skewers.
- Grill 2-3 minutes per side until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
Helpful Tips for Making Grilled Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Skewers
- I used these metal skewers to grill these keto shrimp and sausage. If you are using wooden skewers instead, make sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes before threading so they don’t burn on the grill.
- I recommend using jumbo shrimp, and pat the raw shrimp dry with a paper towel to remove moisture before coating with avocado oil or olive oil. This allows the spice mix to coat evenly, and the shrimp won’t steam on the grill from its own liquid.
- I like to slice the sausage so there are the same number of slices as the shrimp. This ensures that I can cook them paired together as shown in the photos.
- You can thread the cajun shrimp and sausage separately on the skewers, but I have found that nesting the sausage in the inner curve of the shrimp makes them much more flavorful and juicy. Plus, they look so fun and pretty this way!
- Make sure to stand by the grill so you don’t cook the shrimp and sausage skewers longer than 2-3 minutes per side. Overcooking the shrimp will result in a tough and chewy meat.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe
Yes – these skewers are paleo, keto, and Whole30. To make sure the recipe is Whole30-compliant, make sure to use sugar free and nitrate free sausage. I used Niman Ranch‘s sugar free andouille sausage. If you can’t find Whole30 compliant andouille sausage, any other spicy sausage will work.
You can season the shrimp and sausage with cajun seasoning then skewer them ahead of time for up to a day. Just add them to the grill when you are ready to grill!
These Whole30 and keto shrimp and sausage skewers definitely have some heat, but it’s not overwhelmingly spicy. Andouille tends to be a spicy sausage, and the seasoning of the recipe also includes cayenne. To make the less spicy, just reduce or omit the cayenne peppers.
I like to serve these skewers with a refreshing salad and cauliflower rice. If you not following a specific diet, you can enjoy these with corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, baked beans, or white rice. You can even throw skewered bell peppers, onions, or zucchini on the grill along with the shrimp and sausage to serve together. I also think the spicy kick of the shrimp and sausage would go great with a fruit salad or grilled fruits as well!
Other recipes you might love…
- Grilled Lemon Curry Shrimp Skewers
- Paleo Coconut Shrimp with Sriracha Mayo Dipping Sauce (Whole30)
- Grilled Salmon Skewers with Lemon Garlic Marinade (Paleo, Whole30, Keto)
- Paleo Chicken Yakitori aka Japanese Chicken Skewers (Whole30, Keto, AIP Option)
- Easy Instant Pot Shrimp Cocktail (Paleo, Whole30, Low Carb)
Grilled Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Skewers (Paleo, Whole30, Keto)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined, with tail on
- 12 oz package of andouille sausage
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat the grill to medium high heat, oil the grates to prevent from sticking.
- Pat dry the shrimp. Count the number of shrimp you have, and slice the sausage into equal number of pieces.
- Add shrimp and sausage in to a large bowl and toss with avocado oil.
- In a separate bowl, whisk all the spices, except parsley.
- Sprinkle the meats with the cajun spice blend and toss to coat evenly.
- Thread shrimp and sausage on to skewers, tucking the sausage slices in the inner curve of the shrimp.
- Grill for 2-3 minutes per side, until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
- Sprinkle with parsley flakes before serving.
Want more delicious recipes? Check out my cookbook, Korean Paleo: 80 Bold-Flavored, Gluten- and Grain-Free Recipes!
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Definitely making this over the weekend == what a yummy addition to our backyard cookout!
Love your ‘Cajun’ blend of herbs and this combination of shrimp/sausage and it’s ON the menu!
Thanks!
These skewers look so delicious! Perfect for Summer – spicy and full of flavor!
OMG, these photos! So yummy. Now that I’m grilling every weekend I definitely need to try this.
I was drooling when you showed these off on IG, I am definitely going to make this dish the next time I make a grocery store run to get shrimp! Reminds me of New Orleans <3
I made these for dinner last night, they were super quick and easy and very yummy! Served with some sofrito rice and sautéed broccoli, we all enjoyed it! Thanks1