These grilled Cajun Shrimp or Prawn Kabobs are skewered with pineapple and cooked to perfection over high heat. They're packed with smoky, spicy flavours! These gluten-free, low-carb shrimp skewers with pineapple make a fun-to-eat appetizer or main dish year-round. An ideal cajun appetizer for Mardi Gras!
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Skewered food is fun to eat: Grilled Cajun Prawn Kabobs with Pineapple. Or . . . Grilled Cajun Shrimp Kabobs with Pineapple. Whatever you call them, prawns or shrimp, these seafood skewers are delicious!
- Quick to make: Seasoned with Cajun spices and seared on the grill, these shrimp kabobs take only a few minutes to cook. What could be more succulent than Cajun shrimp on the grill?
- Versatile: Paired with smoky grilled pineapple, these skewers make a tasty appetizer or main course.
- Mardi Gras appetizer: Plan to make these soon! You'll be glad you did!
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🍤 Prawns or shrimp make great appetizers!
Prawns (or large shrimp) make popular appetizers and can be seasoned with a variety of flavours.
Try these Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers or Gin-Gingered Prawns at your next get-together, too.
And if you have an air fryer, you'll love these Prawn and Chorizo Skewers with Lemon Aioli Dip and these incredibly popular Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Tapas.
You'll want to check this round-up of my best healthy shrimp recipes for lots more ideas!
But let's get started making these Cajun Grilled Shrimp Kabobs with PIneapple!
Ready to grill? Here's what you'll need.
🛒 Ingredients
- fresh or frozen prawns or large shrimp: peel, but leave the tails on for extra flavour as they cook
- fresh ripe pineapple: simply the best!
- Cajun seasoning mix: homemade or store-bought
- avocado oil or other high-heat oil like grapeseed oil
- fresh oregano for garnish
- skewers: wooden or metal. If you use wooden skewers, remember to soak them for at least 30 minutes first.
🔪 Step-by-step instructions
- Homemade Cajun seasoning mix is very easy to make. See How to Make Cajun Seasoning Mix. This combination of Cajun spices is my favourite! Mix a batch, use some of it for this recipe and have it ready for your next Cajun meal! In a hurry? Use store-bought Cajun seasoning, often available in the spice section.
- First, if you will be using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent flare-ups on the grill. Use short skewers for appetizers and longer ones if you're using these skewers as a main dish.
- Next, in a small bowl, make a marinade by combining the Cajun seasoning mix with olive oil or butter.
- Remove the shells from the prawns (if they haven't already been removed) but leave the tails intact. They add extra flavour.
- Toss the prawns with the marinade and let them stand in the refrigerator.
- Meanwhile, prepare the pineapple chunks. If you're not familiar with the best way to cut a pineapple, see How to cut a pineapple.
- Next, thread the marinated prawns and the pineapple chunks on the skewers. For appetizers, use a small skewer with a piece of pineapple between two prawns. If using large skewers, alternate two prawns with one pineapple chunk and repeat.
- Grill on an oiled grate or grilling stone or an indoor grill pan over high heat. Prawns or shrimp only take a few minutes to cook. Grill for 3 minutes on one side, then flip and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side or until shrimp are no longer translucent. Overcooking results in tough rubbery prawns! Remove the shrimp kabobs from the heat to a platter and sprinkle with finely chopped fresh oregano.
👍🏼 Helpful Tips
Keep the pineapple pieces small
Cut the pineapple into small bite-sized pieces. If they are too large or too thick, they will prevent the shrimp from having contact with the grill.
Use an oil with a high smoke point
Since you will be grilling these shrimp kabobs over high heat, I recommend using an oil with a high smoke point like avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
The smoke point is the temperature at which oil begins to break down into free fatty acids and visibly produce smoke. If you heat an oil past its smoke point, the fat in it starts to break down, releasing free radicals and a chemical called acrolein, resulting in scorched food with a bitter taste and an acrid aroma. You'll have ruined food and a smelly kitchen!
Don't overcook!
Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. They only need to be grilled for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Overcooked shrimp becomes rubbery and tough very quickly. The pineapple cubes will be warmed through, but not hot.
FAQ's
Prawns and shrimp are different species, and their bodies have slight differences, too. What you call them also seems to depend on where you live!
However, for those of us only concerned with cooking and eating them, they can be used interchangeably in most recipes.
I use both terms to refer to the same thing: delicious little seafood bites!
🍽 Serving suggestions
If you've bought a whole fresh pineapple, you'll have some leftover. Use it to make this refreshing Grilled Pineapple Strawberry Sangria to serve with your skewers!
These grilled prawn kabobs are delicious with a fresh salad on the side. Try one of these!
🗒 More easy Cajun recipes
Love Cajun flavours? You may like these recipes, too.
🗒 More appetizer recipes to try
- Easiest Ever Parmesan Crisps
- Air Fryer Thai Peanut Chicken Wings
- Easy Japanese Chicken Yakitori Skewers
- Easy Lemon Curd Fruit Dip
📖 Recipe
Grilled Cajun Prawn Kabobs with Pineapple
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb prawns or large shrimp (about 20) fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or other oil with a high-smoke point
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning mix homemade or store-bought
- 10 cubes fresh pineapple
- fresh oregano leaves for garnish
Instructions
- If using bamboo skewers, soak in water to prevent burning on the grill.
- Rinse prawns (or large shrimp) and pat dry. Leave the tails on.
- Combine oil with Cajun seasoning mix and toss with prawns. Refrigerate while you cut the pineapple.
- Using a sharp knife and a cutting board, remove the crown and bottom of the pineapple. Trim off the outer skin, then remove the eyes with a small paring knife. Stand the pineapple up on its bottom. Slice it from top to bottom into quarters, then remove most of the center core. Slice into triangles or cubes. Refrigerate leftover pineapple and save for another use.*
- Place the prawns and pineapple wedges on skewers, alternating in a pattern.
- Grill over high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until prawns are no longer translucent. Avoid overcooking, as prawns will become tough and rubbery.
Marg
Thanks for a great idea. We both loved the spicy shrimp and sweet pineapple. A keeper recipe!
Elaine
Happy to hear that! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Paula
I made these last weekend as finger food and just put one prawn and one piece of pineapple on each. They were devoured! Will definitely be making these again!
Flavour & Savour
That's a great idea!