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These garlic shrimp crostini with avocado is the perfect bite-size appetizer that are great for any gathering or party you attend.
There really isn't much better than finger-food appetizers. You can just walk around and talk with friends and family while eating at the same time! From pepper jack cheese crackers to homemade pizza rolls, you can never go wrong with some food you can hold in your hand.
These shrimp crostini are actually in honor of my grandmother who absolutely loves shrimp. I think she could eat shrimp every singe day and be perfectly happy. Actually I know she would be ecstatic.
It really is quite funny to me how much she loves shrimp, but hey I could eat pizza every sing day and be super happy so I can't judge too much.
When browsing Pinterest for shrimp appetizer recipes, I came across a garlic shrimp and avocado crostini from Salt and Lavender. Inspired by what I saw, I decided to do my own version of this simple appetizer.
The shrimp are actually good enough on their own so if you don't want to make the crostini you certainly don't have to, but it definitely makes for a great appetizer to have with the avocado.
Like any shrimp recipe, these can be prepared fairly quickly. So I hope you give these shrimp crostini a try. You don't need a party to enjoy these!
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Recipe Ingredients
- Baguette - you want a bread with some crunch on the outside but chewy on the inside.
- Olive oil - helps toast the bread.
- Garlic powder, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, cumin - enhances the flavor
- Avocado - creates some creaminess that offsets the crunch of the bread and flavor of the shrimp.
- Lime - prevents the avocado from browning and adds some brightness.
- Garlic - you can never have enough of it.
- Shrimp - use fresh shrimp if possible and devein them.
How to Make Shrimp Crostini
- Place sliced baguettes on parchment-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and garlic powder.
- Brush each side of the baguette with the oil and bake at 350°F or until they are crisp.
- Mash the avocado in a bowl with the lime juice, salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in large skillet over low heat and add the garlic, cooking for 2 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp as well as the spices. Turn the shrimp once or twice and cook until they are pink, about 5 minutes.
- Spread the avocado over the cooked baguette and place shrimp on top.
Best Bread for Crostini
You want a bread that is crunchy on the outside but soft and chewy inside for these shrimp crostini appetizers, so a sourdough or French baguette works best.
How Do I Know Avocados are Ripe?
Don't take the chance of buying avocados the day of and not having any ripe avocados. Buy a few days ahead of time while they're still firm and then leave at room temperature until soft.
You'll know when ready when the avocado yields to firm pressure. Also make sure the stem is still in the avocado when you buy it so air can't get in and brown the avocado.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use wild shrimp when possible. It is healthier for you and just tastes better.
- If you want to make more shrimp avocado crostini, just make sure you have more avocado.
- Add cold oil to a cold skillet and let heat up to proper temperature before adding the shrimp. You’ll know it is ready when the oil starts to shimmer.
- Shrimp cook quickly so cook two minutes per side or until pink and opaque. If you cook too long, the shrimp will be tough.
Other Appetizer Recipes
- Crab Cakes
- Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Pizza Pretzels
- Shrimp Empanadas
- Buffalo Quinoa Bites
- Vietnamese Chicken Wings
If you’ve tried these shrimp crostini or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Garlic Shrimp Crostini with Avocado
Ingredients
- 10-12 baguette slices (about ½" thick)
- 6 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 avocado
- Juice of ½ lime
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 12 large shrimp, peeled, deveined
- 2 big garlic cloves, cut into slivers
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and move rack to the top. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place baguette slices in even layer.
- Add 3 tablespoon olive oil and garlic powder to small bowl and mix. Brush each side of baguette slices with oil mix. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until they're as crisp as you like.
- Prepare the avocado by mashing in a small bowl and mixing with lime juice, salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- While baking crostini, heat 3 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over low heat. At the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high and add the shrimp, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to blend and cook the shrimp. Turn shrimp once or twice and cook until they are pink, about 5 minutes.
- Spread crostini with mashed avocado and place shrimp on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use wild shrimp when possible. It is healthier for you and just tastes better.
- If you want to make more shrimp avocado crostini, just make sure you have more avocado.
- Add cold oil to a cold skillet and let heat up to proper temperature before adding the shrimp. You’ll know it is ready when the oil starts to shimmer.
- Shrimp cook quickly so cook two minutes per side or until pink and opaque. If you cook too long, the shrimp will be tough.
Sylvia Duer says
Thank you for sharing this recipe, Ryan, and thank you for making them for me. They were delicious!
Ryan says
Of course! Glad you enjoyed them!
Alex says
Hallelujah these are heavenly
Ryan says
Glad you enjoyed them!
Betty Tatar says
Can I cook the shrimp ahead of time (2 hours) and assemble the crostini once I get to my party destination?
Ryan says
The max for cooked shrimp outside the fridge is 2 hours so it is cutting it close. If you keep cool while transporting then possibly.