Grill or air fry these Prawn and Chorizo Skewers with Lemon Dip. This easy shrimp and sausage appetizer has all the fun and flavour of the best Spanish tapas!
Small bites, finger foods, tapas . . . easy appetizers like these Prawn and Chorizo Skewers are by far my favourite way to eat when we have friends over. We're looking forward to sharing happy hour times again soon, once it's safe to do so.
In the meantime, Denis and I are snacking on fun Spanish tapas-style snacks like these Grilled Cajun Prawn Kabobs with Pineapple or Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Tapas and today, these shrimp and sausage skewers.
This is a simple finger food recipe made with large shrimp (or prawns) and Spanish chorizo sausage. They're a breeze to put together, but they pack a lot of flavour.
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Ready to make these fun Spanish tapas? Here's what you'll need.
🛒 Ingredients
chorizo: cured, ready to eat Spanish style chorizo, not the raw Mexican style.
jumbo shrimp or large prawns: you'll need one pound, which is about 21-25 shrimp.
lemon: you'll need the juice and zest of two lemons
garlic cloves: fresh is best, but you can substitute powdered garlic in a pinch
olive oil: extra virgin
sour cream: you can substitute Greek yogurt if you'd like.
chives: for flavour and for garnish. Feel free to sub any fresh herbs you have, like parsley or cilantro.
🦐Prawns or Shrimp: What's the difference?
I use the two terms interchangeably. While the two are scientifically distinct, we use them similarly in recipes. In the UK, New Zealand and Australia (and here on the west coast of Canada where we catch them wild) they are known as prawns. They are more commonly called shrimp in much of North America. You can read more about the differences in this article on prawns vs. shrimp.
Wherever you are, you'll find that wild-caught shrimp or prawns have the best flavour!
Get the low-down on cooking with shrimp in A Complete Guide to Cooking Shrimp and Prawns to make sure they turn out perfectly every time!
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's a quick overview of what you'll do to make these shrimp and chorizo skewers. Complete instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Begin by combining the ingredients for the lemon dipping sauce. Set this aside in the fridge.
- Next, combine the ingredients for the marinade. Toss with the prawns.
- Slice the chorizo into ¼ inch thick rounds.
- Thread the prawns and chorizo slices on skewers. You can wrap the prawns around slices of chorizo if the prawns you have are big enough, or you can simply alternate them on a skewer.
1. Thread the shrimp and sausage on skewers. 2. Arrange in air fryer. Fry at 400°F. for 3 - 5 min.
Grill or air fry the skewers, then serve with lemon dipping sauce for incredible appetizers or Spanish tapas!
Do you have an air fryer? If you're wondering whether you need one, see this post, Should You Buy an Air Fryer?
❓Do I have to remove the casing from chorizo?
Chorizo can be soft and uncooked, more commonly used in Mexican cuisine, or it can be cured and ready to eat. The latter is the type you'll find in Spanish or Portuguese dishes and is the type I recommend for this recipe. It comes in a casing or skin which should be removed as it will be tough to chew.
❓Can I make these Prawn and Chorizo skewers ahead of time?
These shrimp and chorizo skewers are best served hot from the grill or air fryer. However, you can certainly prepare both the marinade and the lemon dip well ahead of time. Since they only take a few minutes to cook, I'd suggest marinating and assembling them closer to the time you plan to serve them.
🍽 Serving suggestions
Serve these on their own, or make it a party and offer a few different tapas! Try some of these favourites:
- Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates
- Air Fryer Shishito Peppers with Lemon Aioli
- Tortilla Española - Traditional Spanish Tortilla
- Prosciutto with Melon and Mint
- Quick and Easy Persimmon Prosciutto Cheese Bites
- Spanish Spiced Almonds (Almendras Fritas)
- 21 Easy Finger Food Appetizers
and don't forget the Sangria!
📖 Recipe Card
Prawn and Chorizo Skewers with Lemon Dip
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp or prawns, (about 22), peeled and deveined
- 4-6 oz chorizo sausage 2 - 3 four-inch links
Lemon Dipping Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 medium lemon, juice and zest of
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives
Lemon Garlic Marinade
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Soak skewers in water if using wooden skewers.
- Combine the ingredients for Lemon Dipping Sauce and set aside.
- Combine the marinade ingredients and toss with prawns.
- Slice the chorizo sausage into ¼ inch slices.
- Thread the prawns and chorizo slices on the pre-soaked skewers. If the shrimp are large enough, thread them around each chorizo slice. If they're smaller, simply alternate them on the skewers.
- Air fryer instructions: Heat air fryer at 400°F. for 3 minutes. Arrange in air fryer basket in a single layer. Fry at 400°F. for 3 - 5 minutes or until no longer translucent.
- Grill instructions: Heat grill and cook shrimp for 2 minutes on each side or until no longer translucent. Don't overcook or they will be tough and rubbery.
- Serve hot with Lemon Dipping Sauce.
Marilyn
Easy to make in my air fryer! My shrimp were too small to wrap around the sausage, so I just alternated them on the skewers. Thanks for this recipe!
Flavour & Savour
I'm happy to hear you found a way to make it work for you! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Elise
Incredible! I cooked them on the grill and they were delicious! We loved the lemon dip, too.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Elise,
Finger foods are fun foods! So glad you liked these.