This cold Shrimp Dip recipe is an easy appetizer with just a few ingredients. It’s thick and creamy, and full of delicious shrimp flavor. The recipe comes from my mom – it’s a Christmas Eve tradition for our family!.
Shrimp dip is a creamy, delicious appetizer that is a staple at parties and potlucks. But what exactly is in this popular dip? As a seafood lover and amateur chef, I decided to dig into the ingredients that give shrimp dip its uniquely savory and addictive flavor.
The Main Ingredients
The core ingredients in shrimp dip are quite simple:
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Shrimp – Small cooked shrimp, peeled and chopped, are the star ingredient They provide chunks of protein and loads of flavor.
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Cream cheese – Cream cheese gives the dip its rich, creamy texture It also helps bind the ingredients together
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Mayonnaise – Mayonnaise adds even more creaminess and tang. Plain mayo is most common, but sometimes recipes call for a flavored mayo like chipotle mayo.
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Onions – Finely diced onions provide a bit of crunchy texture and a mild oniony flavor.
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Celery – Like onion chopped celery adds crunch and a touch of flavor.
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Lemon juice – A squirt of lemon juice brightens up the dip with some acidity.
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Garlic – Minced or powdered garlic infuses the dip with aromatic garlic notes.
So just a handful of simple ingredients come together to make this dip so addictive and delicious! The creaminess pairs perfectly with the sweet shrimp and savory seasonings.
Extra Ingredients and Variations
While the ingredients above are the backbone of most shrimp dip recipes, there are many extra ingredients that can be added to put a unique spin on the classic:
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Spices and herbs – Old Bay seasoning, cajun seasoning, paprika, dill, and chives are all tasty additions.
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Hot sauce – A dash of hot sauce like Tabasco adds a hit of heat and vinegar tang.
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Worcestershire sauce – Adds depth of flavor and umami.
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Lemon zest – Brightens flavor like the juice but adds fine lemon particles.
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Green onions – Finely chopped green onions mix up the flavors and textures.
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Cheese – Grated cheddar, Monterey Jack, or parmesan lend their sharp, salty flavors.
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Sour cream – Sour cream can replace some of the mayo for more tang.
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Artichoke hearts – For a heartier, chunkier dip.
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Crab meat – For a seafood twist, a bit of crab complements the shrimp beautifully.
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Pepper Jack cheese – Spicy Pepper Jack raises the heat level.
There are really endless variations on shrimp dip out there. Feel free to experiment with different add-ins to invent your own signature version!
How is Shrimp Dip Made?
The actual process of putting shrimp dip together is quite straightforward:
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Cook the shrimp – If starting with raw shrimp, boil, grill, or saute the shrimp until just cooked through.
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Peel and chop shrimp – Once cooled, peel off the shells and chop shrimp into small pieces.
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Soften cream cheese – Let a block of cream cheese sit out to soften for easier mixing.
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Prep aromatics – Mince the onions, celery, garlic, and any fresh herbs.
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Make sauce base – Beat together the cream cheese, mayo, lemon juice, and any liquid flavorings until smooth.
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Add shrimp and aromatics – Fold in the chopped shrimp and aromatics until fully mixed in.
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Season to taste – Add any dried spices or herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
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Chill – Cover and refrigerate dip for at least 2 hours, until thickened.
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Garnish (optional) – Top with extra herbs or cheese before serving if desired.
And that’s it! The hands-on time is less than 30 minutes. The hardest part is waiting for that chill time so the flavors can meld.
Pro Tip: For convenience, using pre-cooked frozen shrimp eliminates the need to cook it yourself. Just thaw, peel, chop, and mix in!
Serving Suggestions for Shrimp Dip
A creamy, protein-packed dip like this begs to be scooped up with crackers, chips, and fresh vegetables:
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Pita chips – The quintessential shrimp dip pairing with a satisfying crunch.
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Tortilla chips – Classic and hearty for scooping.
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Bagel chips – Fun alternative with a bite of bagel flavor.
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Celery sticks – Scoop up the dip in the celery’s natural boat shape.
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Carrot sticks – Another crunchy veggie dipper.
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Cucumber slices – Cool, crisp cucumbers contrast the rich dip.
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Bell pepper strips – Strips of red, yellow or orange pepper add color.
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Crackers – Plain crackers like Ritz or oyster crackers are simple dippers.
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Crostini – Toasted bread slices or crostini are perfect little vehicles for the dip.
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Bagels and bread – Slices of crusty bread or mini bagels are satisfying and sturdy.
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Endive leaves – Classy and unique edible scoops.
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Potato chips – Potato chips add salty crunch and are highly addictive with shrimp dip!
For parties, set up the dip in a bowl surrounded by a smorgasbord of dippers so guests can customize their shrimp dip experience.
Pro Tip: Provide small plates for easily transporting the shrimp dip and accouterments from the appetizer table.
Tips for the Best Homemade Shrimp Dip
Through many potlucks and parties, I’ve picked up some helpful tips for making foolproof shrimp dip at home:
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Use fresh, not frozen, shrimp for the best texture. Or thaw frozen thoroughly first.
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Chop the shrimp into very small, uniform pieces so it distributes evenly.
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Make sure cream cheese is fully softened for smooth mixing. Let it sit out for 1-2 hours.
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When adding the shrimp, be gentle to avoid breaking up the pieces too much.
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For extra creaminess, use sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt in place of some mayo.
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Stir in any additions gently to retain the texture.
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Season conservatively at first, you can always add more.
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Refrigerate dip covered for 2-3 hours before serving so flavors meld.
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Garnish with fresh herbs, cheese, or paprika for a pop of color.
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Serve in a bowl on ice to keep chilled for buffets and parties.
Follow these tips and you’ll have a cold, creamy, seafood-packed dip that will be the first to disappear at any gathering.
Shrimp Dip Storage
With perishable seafood in the mix, you do need to take care when storing leftover shrimp dip:
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Keep leftover dip in an airtight container in the fridge.
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Use within 3-4 days for best quality and safety.
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Sealing the surface with plastic wrap before lidding can help prevent drying out.
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For longer storage, freeze dip in a freezer bag or sealed container for 1-2 months.
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Thaw frozen dip overnight in the fridge before serving again.
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Make sure dip reaches food-safe temperatures before serving.
Pro Tip: Dividing the dip into smaller portions in freezer bags makes it easy to defrost just what you need.
Easy Shortcuts for Store-Bought Shrimp Dip
Whipping up homemade shrimp dip does take some active time in the kitchen. For convenience, there are some shortcuts to pickup ready-made shrimp dip at the store:
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Refrigerated or frozen pre-made shrimp dips – These let you skip the assembly at home. Popular brands like Marzetti’s and Margaritaville make them.
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Shelf-stable tinned shrimp dip – Often found near tuna, these are handy to stash in the pantry until a dip craving strikes.
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Refrigerated shrimp cocktails – The pre-cooked shrimp can simply be roughly chopped and folded into ready-made cream cheese dip base or sour cream.
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Canned or pouched shrimp – Shelf-stable canned or vacuum-packed shrimp needs only a rough chop and mixing in. No cooking required.
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Frozen cooked shrimp – Bags of pre-cooked shrimp can simply be thawed and chopped before mixing into the other ingredients.
So if time is short, there are thankfully lots of market shortcuts for putting together quick shrimp dip with minimal work.
Fun Flavor Twists on Shrimp Dip
Once you master the classic, it’s fun to experiment with unique new flavor combinations. Here are some inventive ideas to inspire your own signature shrimp dip:
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Mexican – Mix in chopped green chiles, cumin, cilantro, Cotija cheese, and serve with tortilla chips.
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Buffalo – Make it hot with cayenne and hot sauce, serve with celery and blue cheese dippers.
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Mediterranean – Add sundried tomatoes, feta, basil, and tapenade topping.
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Thai – Infuse with red curry
Can I Use Fresh or Frozen Shrimp?
If you prefer to not use canned shrimp, substitute fresh or frozen. Just make sure the shrimp is cooked—never raw! But I will always prefer tiny shrimp from a can because it tastes like the way I remember it from my childhood.
Why You’ll Love This Cream Cheese Shrimp Dip
Shrimp dip is a must-make recipe that you’re going to want to keep in your back pocket. Here’s why:
- So creamy. Cream cheese, mayonnaise, a few spices, and tiny shrimp are used to make this shrimp dip. It will make a thick, creamy dip that you can eat with crackers, vegetables, and other things.
- Quick and easy. It only takes 15 minutes to make shrimp dip.
- Perfect for any occasion. It’s a tasty snack or party food, but I also make this shrimp dip recipe all the time.
I often ask myself, “What can I add to this recipe to make it better?” because it seems too easy. But it really needs nothing more. You just can’t go wrong with shrimp dip with cream cheese. Right?!.
To find out the exact amounts, see the recipe card below. This recipe only needs five things, plus black pepper if you like it.
- For this shrimp dip, you need tiny shrimp in a can. I always keep a can of tiny shrimp in our pantry. If you need to, you could also use cooked salad shrimp.
- Cream cheese—Use a block of softened cream cheese instead of the kind that you can spread.
- Do NOT use Miracle Whip for mayo! Miracle Whip is not mayo; it has corn syrup and spices added to it. Just use mayonnaise!.
- I love how fresh and bright green onions make food taste.
- Garlic salt—You can also use garlic powder and salt alone if you’d rather.
- Black pepper: I like to sprinkle some on top, but you don’t have to.
Make Louisiana Shrimp Dip in Minutes: An Easy and Delicious Recipe!
What ingredients do you need to make shrimp dip?
To make this dip, you’ll need these ingredients. Shrimp – cooked and prepped. You can also keep the cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp in the freezer and quickly defrost before making this. Green Onions – use the green onion for the flavor, crunch and color it gives to the dip. Celery – the diced celery gives a delicious crunch to this creamy dip.
How do you make old fashioned shrimp dip?
My grandmother’s old-fashioned shrimp dip is a retro classic that has been enjoyed at social gatherings and holiday parties for decades! In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to blend together cream cheese, mayonnaise, chili sauce, garlic powder, seasoned salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Fold in green onions, shrimp, and parsley.
How do you make cream cheese shrimp dip?
There’s a reason that it was so well loved: the cream cheese shrimp dip is flavorful, easy, and affordable! Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Fold in the green onion, chopped shrimp, and parsley.
How do you make shrimp dip from canned shrimp?
But because the canned variety tend to be packed in a seasoned brined, it’s best to drain the shrimp from the brine, rinse, and pat dry before mixing into the dip. 1 In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat on medium speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute.