Looking for an easy seafood appetizer for your next party? Shrimp and Endive Cups are just what you need. If you are a fan of shrimp salad, these are sure to please.
Super easy to make. Great for entertaining. Pair them with these cucumber boats.
Sweet and spicy shrimp nestled in crisp endive leaves. Elegant, refreshing and so delicious. Low-carb, gluten-free, and a hit at any party.
When it comes to entertaining, I like it to be as stress-free as possible. Spending time with my guests is what it is all about.
Appetizers are a must at any party. Sometimes you can even make them the main event. I am not opposed to grazing on them instead of a huge meal. Cold or hot, they are always delicious.
We happen to love using shrimp in recipes. I always have bags of frozen shrimp waiting in the freezer. Super easy to work with. Quick to cook. Perfect in so many dishes. Have you tried this quick zoodles and shrimp stir fry? Great for any busy weeknight. Better than takeout too.
Shrimp And Endive Appetizer Ingredients
There are some unique flavours to these seafood appetizers.
- shrimp
- chipotle oil
- sweet chili sauce
- fig balsamic
- endive leaves
- enoki mushrooms
- sunflower shoots
As always I have included some substitutions below, these can be made so many ways.
Preparing These Shrimp Bites
They look fancy, but the effort is minimal. It’s always great when you can impress your guests with easy-to-make appetizer recipes.
Step One: Mix the sweet chili sauce with the fig balsamic and set aside.
Step Two: Wash the Belgian endive leaves, mushrooms, and pea shoots and set aside.
Step Three: Cook the shrimp.
Step Four: Assemble the shrimp stuffed endive leaves (see directions in recipe card) and serve.
Suggestions/Recipe Tips
Shrimp and be served hot or cold. I prefer to quickly cook mine, but cold shrimp appetizers are always delicious. The choice is yours. Be sure you use ready-cooked shrimp if you are serving them cold.
Mushrooms of any kind can be used. I think Enoki mushrooms are really elegant, but feel free to use whatever kind you like.
Sunflower shoots can be replaced with sprouts or even grated carrots.
Chipotle oil is used to cook the shrimp and adds a bit of heat. Any oil will work, and if you are serving cold shrimp you can skip this step.
Topping of sweet chili sauce and fig balsamic is so good. You can just use the sweet chili sauce on its own. You can also drizzle with a balsamic reduction if you prefer.
Serve these as soon as possible so the shrimp are still warm. If you are making them with cold shrimp, they can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge until needed.
What Is Endive?
Is endive a lettuce? It is a bitter tasting salad green that happens to be part of the chicory family. Did you know there are actually 3 kinds of endive?
Belgian endive (which is used in this recipe) is a small cylindrical head of lettuce. The leaves can be easily separated, making it perefect for appetizers. It can be used in salads, braised or baked. It also comes in a red varitey known as radicchio.
Frisée is darker in colour with a curly almost lacy texture, and has a more pronouned bitter taste. Perfect for using in salads.
Escarole is broad leafed and the least bitter of all the varities. The inner leaves are good for salad. The outer leaves are best used in soups and cooked dishes.
Shrimp Boats
Ingredients
- 12 Medium shrimp (thawed if frozen)
- 2 teaspoons Chipotle flavoured olive oil (or any spicy oil you like)
For the drizzle:
- 1 tablespoon Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Fig balsamic vinegar
For the endive cups:
- 6 Belgian endive leaves
- 3-4 Enoki mushrooms (per individual endive cup)
- 3-4 Sunflower shoots (per individual endive cup)
Instructions
- Mix the chili sauce and fig balsamic and set aside.
- Prepare the endive cups. In each cup add some sunflower shoots and enoki mushrooms. Place on a serving tray and set aside.
- If you are using fresh shrimp, remove shell, clean, rinse and pat dry. If you are using frozen shrimp, rinse and pat dry.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and sauté the shrimp until cooked. About 40 seconds per side (depending if you are using raw or pre cooked shrimp)
- Place 2 shrimp on each endive cup.
- Drizzle with the chili/fig sauce. Serve with and assortment of fresh veggies and dip.
Moop Brown
These look so refreshing and flavorful and like a perfect appetizer or party snack for large gatherings. Thank you for sharing.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
These shrimp boats are sure to be a hit at any party.
Kathryn
This was so good and I love the shrimp and endive combo! Make a delicious low-carb/high protein lunch so thank you for the recipe. Making again!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You are very welcome. I can make a meal out of these too!
Krysten Clark Wilkes
Such a fun, delicious appetizer! Perfect for summer or hosting friends over. I think I will make this again at book club. Really easy and the spicy sweet flavors were perfect.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
This seafood appetizer is sure to impress your guests.
Molly Kumar
These look so cute and would make a great party/bbq appetizers. Love the flavor combination of shrimp & chipotle. Perfect to use on endives. Saving to make soon.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You can make this as spicy as you like. Party perfect appetizers.
Jamie
I couldn’t find chipotle oil so used chili oil instead. The shrimp turned out so delicious and my friends loved the presentation of them in the endive cups!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You can mix and match the seasonings to suit you. Chili oil is a great substitute for sure.
Julie
I needed a nice appetizer for a party and made these. Everyone raved about how unique they were and asked for the recipe! Such a tasty way to prepare shrimp.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
These will for sure impress any guest. I love the fact they are so easy to make too.
Amy Liu Dong
Wow! This is a beautiful and elegant appetizer for me. Aside from that, it looks easy to make and delicious!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Elegant and easy is a win for sure. ENJOY!
Katie Crenshaw
I made this for a party appetizer with some fresh local shrimp. It was a huge hit. Everyone loved it.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
These are always the hit of any party.
Carrie Robinson
These would make the perfect appetizer for a summer get-together! So light and refreshing and flavorful. Yum! 🙂
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I love the lightness of these too.
Colleen
These shrimp appetizers are so simple to make, but they do look fancy and are delicious. Perfect party appetizers!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Simple and elegant wins the prize every time.
Nora
Our guests loved it! Thanks!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You are very welcome. So glad your guests enjoyed these shrimp appetizers.
Genevieve
This looks like an easy appetizer recipe that so fresh and perfect for all the seafood lovers in my family. I can’t wait to try it!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
If they are seafood lovers, these will be a hit for sure.
Amy Liu Dong
This is a simple, easy, and delicious shrimp appetizer recipe that everyone will love!
I am so excited to make this for my family!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
It is so easy, and sure to impress your guests.