How Much Cocktail Shrimp Should You Serve Per Person? A Helpful Guide

Cocktail shrimp make for the perfect easy appetizer to kick off any party or gathering. Their delicious taste and simple preparation means your guests will be happy. But how much should you make per person? Providing the right shrimp portion is key to pulling off a seamless event.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about buying, preparing, and serving the ideal shrimp cocktail for your guests. Follow these tips and you’ll be the consummate party planner.

What are Cocktail Shrimp?

First, let’s cover the basics. Cocktail shrimp are simply boiled shrimp served chilled with a cocktail sauce for dipping. The sauce usually contains ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce.

Cocktail shrimp come with the shell on and sometimes with the tail as well. Leaving the shell helps retain moisture and flavor. The shrimp are typically boiled briefly in salted water spiced up with lemon, garlic, peppercorns, or other seasonings.

Once cooked, the shrimp are immediately chilled in ice water to stop the cooking process. This keeps them tender. They are best served within a couple hours of cooking for maximum freshness.

How to Buy Shrimp for Cocktails

When shopping for shrimp here are some tips

• Buy raw, shell on shrimp Pre-cooked shrimp loses its delicate texture

• Choose brightly colored shrimp with firm bodies that don’t smell fishy.

• U15 to U20 size shrimp offer a nice bite for cocktails. Avoid colossal sizes.

• Allow about 1⁄2 pound of peeled, cooked shrimp per person as a guideline.

• Buy a couple extra pounds to accommodate hungry guests going back for seconds.

The fresher the shrimp, the better the end result will be. Make sure to chill and serve the cooked shrimp soon after preparation.

How to Prepare Perfect Cocktail Shrimp

Follow these steps for flawless shrimp every time:

• Rinse raw shrimp under cold water and remove any debris. Leave shell on.

• Fill a pot with water, add salt, lemon, peppercorns, garlic, and bring to a boil.

• Once boiling, add shrimp and cook for just 1-2 minutes until pink. Don’t overcook.

• Drain immediately and transfer to a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes to stop cooking.

• Drain again and cover shrimp with plastic wrap over the bowl to keep chilled.

• Refrigerate until ready to serve. Peel shells off just before serving if desired.

Proper cooking and quick chilling are they keys. This locks in moisture and flavor. Now on to talk serving size.

How Many Shrimp Per Person?

As a general rule of thumb when serving cocktail shrimp appetizers:

• For a meal appetizer course, allow 5-8 shrimp per person

• For a stand-alone appetizer or passed tray, allow 8-12 shrimp per person

• For an all-shrimp cocktail buffet spread, allow 12-15 shrimp per person

Of course, appetite varies, so adjust amounts accordingly if you know you have extra hungry guests attending. It’s better to have too much than too little shrimp.

Below are some recommended shrimp counts based on your event:

• Cocktail party – 8 to 10 shrimp per person

• Wedding cocktail hour – 10 to 12 shrimp per person

• Corporate event – 8 to 10 shrimp per person

• Holiday gathering – 10 to 12 shrimp per person

• Formal plated dinner – 5 to 6 shrimp per salad course

• Backyard barbecue – 12 to 15 shrimp per person

• All-shrimp appetizer buffet – 15+ shrimp per person

Again, feel free to increase shrimp amounts for big eaters who gravitate towards the shrimp tray. Better too much than too little.

Serving Shrimp Cocktails

Here are some serving tips:

• Chill plates and serving bowls so shrimp stay cold.

• Provide small cocktail forks and cloth napkins for neat eating.

• Arrange peeled shrimp around rim of glasses for a classy presentation.

• Serve the dipping sauce in small ramekins for easy access.

• Garnish with lemon wedges, parsley, or edible flowers.

• Keep leftover shrimp stored over ice or refrigerated until ready to serve.

Properly chilled shrimp, attractive arrangements, and easily accessible sauce will make your shrimp cocktails shine.

Ideal Shrimp Cocktail Sauces

The sauce can make or break your shrimp cocktails. Here are some crowd-pleasing recipes to try:

• Classic cocktail sauce – ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice

• Spicy sriracha sauce – sriracha, mayo, lime juice, cilantro

• Cajun remoulade – mayo, Creole mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire

• Thai chili sauce – sweet chili sauce, lime juice, cilantro, ginger

• Tomato salsa – diced tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice

• Creamy dill sauce – mayo, sour cream, dill, shallots, lemon zest

Feel free to experiment with sauces to match the event theme or cuisine. Just make sure it packs lots of flavor.

Shrimp Cocktail Alternatives

Beyond traditional boiled shrimp, try these easy variations:

• Grilled shrimp skewers with pineapple teriyaki glaze

• Coconut shrimp with orange marmalade dipping sauce

• Bacon-wrapped shrimp with maple bourbon BBQ sauce

• Chilled peel-and-eat gulf shrimp with old bay seasoning

• Seared garlic shrimp with avocado pico de gallo

The options are endless! Use your imagination to create the perfect shrimp bite.

Key Takeaways

Planning the ideal shrimp cocktail means getting the portion size and serving style just right. Follow these key tips:

• Allow 5-15 shrimp per person depending on event type

• Buy 1⁄2 pound raw shrimp per person as a baseline

• Cook shrimp briefly until pink and immediately chill

• Serve peeled or shell-on with colorful garnishes

• Make sure dipping sauces are full of bold, complementary flavors

With the guidelines above, your shrimp cocktail will satisfy even the pickiest guest. The only thing left is to enjoy the party!