Imagine serving these beautiful garlic shrimp and butternut squash party appetizers at your next party!
Combining the savory garlic shrimp and the sweet, nutty butternut squash creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures that will impress your guests and leave them wanting more. The vibrant colors of the dish will also make it a stunning addition to your party spread. Don’t be surprised if everyone is asking you for the recipe!
For a printable recipe ◄ click here.
Garlic Shrimp and Butternut Squash Party Appetizers
For this recipe, you’ll need:
- 24 Jumbo shrimp (1 pound)
- Medium Butternut squash
- Extra Virgin Olive oil
- Butter
- Garlic cloves
- Red pepper flakes
- Smoky paprika
- Sea Salt and Pepper
Roast the Butternut Squash
Preheat the oven to 425°.
Ingredients:
- 1 Medium butternut squash
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Cloves garlic – minced
- Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
You will want to use a very sharp knife for cutting the squash. First, cut the squash crosswise where the cylindrical neck meets the round body.
Set the round bottom piece on the cutting board and cut it in half from top to bottom.
Remove the pulp and seeds from the round body halves.
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Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. You can use a sharp knife, but I found the vegetable peeler makes it easier.
Cut the neck into 1-inch slices, then, into 1-inch cubes.
Then, cut the remaining squash into uniform 1-inch cubes. Toss the squash cubes in olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and ground black pepper.
Transfer to a baking sheet. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
Roast in a 425° oven for 25 – 35 minutes until the pieces are charred on the bottom.
Tip* If I had used a dark pan, the squash cubes would have charred better on the bottom.
Sauté the Shrimp
Ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Butter
- 2 Cloves garlic – minced
- pinch of Red pepper flakes
While the squash roasts, cook the shrimp in olive oil and a pat of butter.
First, season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Heat olive oil, butter, garlic, and some red pepper flakes for a little kick of heat, in a skillet. Then, place the shrimp in the hot pan, seasoned-side down, and sauté the shrimp.
Don’t overcook the shrimp. It only takes a couple of minutes per side. Remove the shrimp to a bowl or platter to cool.
Assembling the Garlic Shrimp and Butternut Squash Party Appetizers:
(We are an Amazon affiliate and may receive a small percentage of any sales through the links in this post at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting this website!)
Allow the squash and the shrimp to cool to room temperature. Then, use wooden picks to skewer the squash and shrimp together. Garnish with parsley or chopped parsley, arrange on a serving plate, and serve.
Notice in the first pictures below that the skewer goes through the shrimp once. The second picture shows the skewer going through the shrimp twice. I like the second option better. However, I like the chopped parsley better than the whole parsley.
You can also see the appetizers displayed on both black and white plates.
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Garlic Shrimp and Butternut Squash Party Appetizers
Ingredients
Butternut Squash
- 1 Medium butternut squash
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- Sea salt and Pepper to taste
Sauté the Shrimp
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Butter
- 2 Garlic cloves - minced
- Pinch of Red pepper flakes
Instructions
Roast the Butternut Squash
Preheat the oven to 425°.
You will want to use a very sharp knife for cutting the squash. First, cut the squash crosswise where the cylindrical neck meets the round body.
Set the round bottom piece on the cutting board and cut it in half from top to bottom.
Remove the pulp and seeds from the round body halves.
Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. You can use a sharp knife, but I found the vegetable peeler makes it easier.
Cut the neck into 1-inch slices, then, into 1-inch cubes.
Then, cut the remaining squash into uniform 1-inch cubes. Toss the squash cubes in olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and ground black pepper.
Transfer to a baking sheet. Don't overcrowd the pan.
Roast in a 425° oven for 25 - 35 minutes until the pieces are charred on the bottom.
Tip* If I had used a dark pan, the squash cubes would have charred better on the bottom.
Sauté the Shrimp
While the squash roasts, cook the shrimp in olive oil and a pat of butter.
First, season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Heat olive oil, butter, garlic, and some red pepper flakes for a little kick of heat, in a skillet. Then, place the shrimp in the hot pan, seasoned-side down, and sauté the shrimp.
Don't overcook the shrimp. It only takes a couple of minutes per side. Remove the shrimp to a bowl or platter to cool.
Assembling the Garlic Shrimp and Butternut Squash Party Appetizers:
Allow the squash and the shrimp to cool to room temperature. Then, use picks to skewer the squash and shrimp together. Garnish with parsley or chopped parsley and arrange on a serving plate.
