Tasty Shrimp Boil Kabobs

Summer cookouts don’t have to mean standing over a grill for hours or dealing with a dozen different serving platters. I love a good shrimp boil as much as anyone, but sometimes I want all those flavors without the giant pot of boiling water and the mess that comes with it.

That’s why these shrimp boil kabobs are my go-to when I want that classic Low Country taste in a much simpler package. Everything goes on skewers – the potatoes, corn, sausage, and shrimp all get that garlicky cajun butter treatment. You can make them on the grill or in the oven, depending on what works for your day.

Want an easy dinner that looks like you put in way more effort than you actually did? These kabobs have you covered. Plus, the kids can help thread everything onto the skewers, which means less work for me.

What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?

For shrimp boil kabobs, you’ll want to use large or jumbo shrimp (around 16-20 count per pound) since they hold up better on skewers and won’t overcook as quickly. You can use either fresh or frozen shrimp – just make sure frozen shrimp are fully thawed and patted dry before threading them onto your kabobs. I recommend buying shrimp that’s already peeled and deveined to save yourself some prep time, though leaving the tails on can add a nice presentation if you don’t mind your guests removing them while eating. Wild-caught or farm-raised both work fine here, so just grab whatever looks freshest at your store or fits your budget.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Cajun seasoning: Don’t have cajun seasoning? Make your own by mixing paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and a pinch of oregano. Old Bay seasoning also works great for that classic seafood boil flavor.
• Sausage: Traditional andouille sausage is ideal, but kielbasa or smoked sausage work just fine. In a pinch, even Italian sausage will give you good flavor, though it won’t be as authentic.
• Shrimp: While shrimp is the star here, you could use peeled crawfish tails or even chunks of firm white fish like cod. Just keep in mind fish will cook faster, so watch your timing.
• Potatoes: Baby potatoes are easiest since they cook quickly, but you can use regular potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks. Just parboil them for about 10 minutes before threading onto skewers so they cook through.
• Butter: You can use olive oil instead of butter for a lighter option, though you’ll lose some of that rich, classic boil flavor.
• Fresh corn: Frozen corn on the cob works if fresh isn’t available. Just thaw it first and cut into pieces that fit your skewers.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Grilling

The biggest mistake when making shrimp boil kabobs is underboiling the potatoes, which leaves them hard and crunchy on the grill – make sure they’re fork-tender after the 10-13 minute boil so they only need to warm through and get those nice grill marks.

Overcooking shrimp is another easy trap to fall into, so watch for them to turn pink and slightly curl (they cook fast!), and consider using larger shrimp since they’re more forgiving on the grill.

To prevent your kabobs from sticking and falling apart, oil your foil-covered grill grates well before placing the skewers down, and if you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes beforehand.

For extra flavor, brush the kabobs with that garlic butter mixture right when they come off the grill while everything is still hot – the butter will soak in better and create a more flavorful finish.

What to Serve With Shrimp Boil Kabobs?

These kabobs are pretty much a complete meal on their own since they’ve got protein, veggies, and potatoes all in one, but I love adding a simple side salad with a tangy vinaigrette to balance out the rich, buttery flavors. A basket of warm dinner rolls or garlic bread is perfect for mopping up any extra cajun butter that drips onto your plate. If you want to go all out, whip up some coleslaw with a creamy dressing – the cool, crunchy slaw is a nice contrast to the warm, seasoned kabobs. And don’t forget extra lemon wedges and hot sauce on the table so everyone can customize their meal to their liking.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep any leftover shrimp boil kabobs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors actually get even better as everything sits together, so they make great leftovers for lunch the next day.

Reheat: Warm up your kabobs in the oven at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes, or until heated through. You can also microwave them for 1-2 minutes, though the oven will keep everything from getting rubbery. Add a little extra butter or a squeeze of fresh lemon when reheating to bring back that just-made taste.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2000-2200
• Protein: 90-110 g
• Fat: 90-105 g
• Carbohydrates: 210-230 g

Ingredients

For the cajun butter:

• 1/2 cup butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 1.5 tbsp cajun seasoning
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the skewers:

• 1.25 lb potatoes (look for small gold potatoes for better texture)
• 3 ears corn (cut into 1-inch thick rounds)
• 1 lb shrimp
• 12.8 oz sausage (I prefer Hillshire Farm smoked sausage)

For the garnish:

• 2 lemons (cut into wedges for serving)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley

Step 1: Prepare the Cajun Butter and Mise en Place

• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5 tbsp cajun seasoning
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1.25 lb potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 ears corn, cut into 1-inch rounds
• 1 lb shrimp, patted dry
• 12.8 oz sausage, cut into 1-inch rounds

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the freshly minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant—this blooms the garlic’s flavor into the butter.

Stir in the cajun seasoning, fresh thyme, and black pepper, then remove from heat and set aside.

While the butter infuses, cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces (about 1 to 1.5 inches), cut the corn into 1-inch thick rounds, cut the sausage into 1-inch rounds, and pat the shrimp dry with paper towels—dry shrimp will grill better and develop better color.

I like to use Kerrygold butter and quality smoked sausage because they really elevate the final dish with richer flavor.

Step 2: Parboil the Potatoes and Corn

• potatoes from Step 1
• corn from Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the cut potatoes, cooking for about 8-10 minutes until they’re just beginning to soften but still have some firmness in the center.

Add the corn rounds to the pot and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes—the vegetables should be partially cooked but not fully tender since they’ll finish cooking on the grill.

Drain the vegetables in a colander and let them cool slightly while you prepare the skewers.

Step 3: Assemble the Kabobs

• parboiled potatoes from Step 2
• parboiled corn from Step 2
• shrimp from Step 1
• sausage from Step 1

Thread the parboiled potatoes, corn, shrimp, and sausage pieces alternately onto skewers, dividing the ingredients evenly among them—aim for about 4-5 pieces of each ingredient per skewer.

Leave a small gap between pieces so heat can circulate and cook everything evenly.

I prefer to start and end with a potato piece as it acts as a buffer and helps hold everything in place.

Step 4: Grill the Kabobs and Build the Flavor

• assembled kabobs from Step 3
• cajun butter mixture from Step 1

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates.

Lay the assembled kabobs on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side until you see light char marks.

Flip the kabobs, brush generously with the cajun butter mixture from Step 1, then cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Flip once more, brush with more butter, and cook until the shrimp are opaque and pink and the sausage has light char marks—total cooking time should be around 7-8 minutes.

The shrimp will cook quickly, so watch them carefully to avoid overcooking.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

• grilled kabobs from Step 4
• 2 fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges

Transfer the grilled kabobs to a serving platter and finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side so guests can squeeze fresh citrus over their kabobs for brightness that cuts through the rich, buttery cajun flavors.

Tasty Shrimp Boil Kabobs

Delicious Tasty Shrimp Boil Kabobs recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 2100 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the cajun butter::

• 1/2 cup butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 1.5 tbsp cajun seasoning
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the skewers::

• 1.25 lb potatoes (look for small gold potatoes for better texture)
• 3 ears corn (cut into 1-inch thick rounds)
• 1 lb shrimp
• 12.8 oz sausage (I prefer Hillshire Farm smoked sausage)

For the garnish::

• 2 lemons (cut into wedges for serving)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley

Instructions

 

• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, then add the freshly minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant—this blooms the garlic's flavor into the butter. Stir in the cajun seasoning, fresh thyme, and black pepper, then remove from heat and set aside. While the butter infuses, cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces (about 1 to 1.5 inches), cut the corn into 1-inch thick rounds, cut the sausage into 1-inch rounds, and pat the shrimp dry with paper towels—dry shrimp will grill better and develop better color. I like to use Kerrygold butter and quality smoked sausage because they really elevate the final dish with richer flavor.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the cut potatoes, cooking for about 8-10 minutes until they're just beginning to soften but still have some firmness in the center. Add the corn rounds to the pot and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes—the vegetables should be partially cooked but not fully tender since they'll finish cooking on the grill. Drain the vegetables in a colander and let them cool slightly while you prepare the skewers.
• Thread the parboiled potatoes, corn, shrimp, and sausage pieces alternately onto skewers, dividing the ingredients evenly among them—aim for about 4-5 pieces of each ingredient per skewer. Leave a small gap between pieces so heat can circulate and cook everything evenly. I prefer to start and end with a potato piece as it acts as a buffer and helps hold everything in place.
• Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Lay the assembled kabobs on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side until you see light char marks. Flip the kabobs, brush generously with the cajun butter mixture from Step 1, then cook for another 3-4 minutes. Flip once more, brush with more butter, and cook until the shrimp are opaque and pink and the sausage has light char marks—total cooking time should be around 7-8 minutes. The shrimp will cook quickly, so watch them carefully to avoid overcooking.
• Transfer the grilled kabobs to a serving platter and finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side so guests can squeeze fresh citrus over their kabobs for brightness that cuts through the rich, buttery cajun flavors.