You can wow your guests by making shrimp cocktails yourself. It’s not as hard as it looks, and it will cost you a lot less than buying them already made.
As a party host, you want to impress guests with stunning dishes that are as delicious as they are beautiful. When serving up crowd-pleasing shrimp cocktails and platters, the presentation is key. From unique serving methods to clever styling tricks, there are many options for elegantly displaying shrimp at your next celebration.
In this article, we’ll explore 10 creative ways to showcase plump, juicy shrimp and elevate your party spread. Let’s dive in!
1. Serve in an Ice Bowl
One of the most eye-catching ways to present peeled shrimp is nestled in a homemade ice bowl, Fill a large bowl halfway with ice Place a smaller glass or stainless steel bowl inside and tape it down Fill the gap between with ice water and freeze until solid, Float lemon slices in the ice for color, Unmold the ice bowl and fill it with chilled shrimp for a chilled seafood station that doubles as décor,
2. Display on a Woven Seafood Platter
For a casually elegant look, serve shrimp on a woven seafood platter lined with greens. The natural fiber boats come in oval and round shapes at varying sizes to fit your party. Arrange shrimp over the bed of lettuce or kale to keep them cold. Accent with lemon wedges and fresh dill.
3. Stack in a Glass Cocktail Glass
For individual servings, an oversized glass cocktail or punch glass makes a beautiful shrimp vessel. Simply stack peeled shrimp inside, sprinkling with chopped onion, parsley or dill between layers. Serve with cocktail sauce on the side for dunking this edible tower of shrimp.
4. Spear with Cocktail Fruits
Take shrimp on skewers to the next level by alternating with colorful fruits and vegetables. Try pairing with pineapple chunks sweet grape tomatoes olives, or pickled vegetables. The variety of flavors and textures takes this appetizer up a notch.
5. Perch on a Seafood Ice Sculpture
For dramatic impact, have a seafood ice sculpture made, like a whale, sea turtle or octopus. Cover the ice creation with greens and artfully arrange peeled shrimp and other shellfish scattered over the design. This ocean-themed showstopper is sure to delight guests.
6. Serve in a Pineapple Bowl
Carve out a fresh pineapple half or hollowed-out pineapple “boat” to use as an edible vessel for chilled shrimp. Line with shredded lettuce or kale. Pile shrimp inside garnished with mint and lime slices for a tropical presentation with lots of flavors.
7. Display in Mini Cast Iron Skillets
Individual cast iron skillets make excellent petite servers for cocktail parties. Place 5-6 shrimp in each skillet over a thin layer of ice to retain chill. Sprinkle with paprika or Cajun seasoning and accompany with cocktail sauce. Allow guests to grab a skillet to nibble from.
8. Layer in a Glass Trifle Bowl
A clear glass trifle or punch bowl is ideal for showing off layers of shrimp and ice. Cover the bottom with crushed ice. Add shrimp then more ice and repeat layers. Scatter lemon slices between layers. The effect is stunning and keeps shrimp super cold.
9. Serve in a Salad
For a composed salad, layer shredded lettuce or spinach, diced mango, avocado, peppers, and onion in individual glasses or bowls. Top artfully with shrimp and fresh microgreens. The bed of salad keeps shrimp chilled and adds bright flavors and crunch.
10. Display Whole Shrimp on Ice
For show-stopping appeal, arrange whole unpeeled shrimp on crushed ice garnished with lemons and fresh herbs. Provide small bowls for tail shells and cocktail sauce for dipping. This old-school ice bar display is elegant and nostalgic.
Display Tips for Perfectly Chilled Shrimp
Incorporating ice into your shrimp presentation not only looks pretty but also keeps seafood chilled and fresh. Here are a few tips:
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Use crushed ice or ice cubes under and between layers of shrimp.
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Chill serving bowls or platters ahead of time.
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Work in small batches when layering shrimp and ice.
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Keep additional shrimp stored over ice until ready to display.
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Work quickly and return unused shrimp to ice if needed.
Pair with Perfect Accompaniments
Beyond ice and lemons, complete your shrimp presentation with tasty accents:
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Cocktail sauce and lemon wedges for dipping
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Diced avocado, mango, or pineapple
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Crudités like cucumber, carrots, peppers
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Fresh herbs like dill, cilantro, mint
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Crostini, crackers, or baguette slices
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Olives, pickles, capers for pops of brine
With endless options for displaying shrimp in creative ways, you can design a spread that’s tailored to your event theme and menu. Setup a DIY shrimp cocktail bar, embellish platters with edible blooms from your garden, or invest in a stunning seafood ice sculpture for a memorable centerpiece.
Keep shrimp chilled on ice for freshness and follow basic food handling guidelines. With these inspired shrimp presentation ideas, you’re sure create a display that delights guests and becomes the talk of the party!
How to Present Shrimp Cocktail
A shrimp cocktail is a naturally pretty appetizer for a party. It is also easy to garnish. Usually, just some parsley and fresh lemon wedges will do the trick. Here are a few more presentation ideas, depending on what you are going for:
- This is how the cocktail shrimp in the recipe below are served at a party: on a platter. If you think the shrimp will be out at room temperature for a while, it’s best to put them on a platter or shallow serving bowl with ice cubes on top of them. Either put lemon wedges in a bowl on the side or put them on the platter with the shrimp. Don’t forget that having too many lemon wedges is better than not having enough.
- Single servings—For this show, you want to make single servings with everything in a small cup or glass. In the bottom of the cup or glass, I like to put a spoonful of cocktail sauce. Then I like to hang the shrimp over the edge. You can choose how many shrimp to use based on the serving dish. There will probably only be room for one shrimp in a shot glass. If you use a cocktail glass, three to four shrimp should fit over the edge. Garnish each with a lemon wedge and parsley.
- When I make ceviche, I like to use small shrimp, but you can use medium-sized shrimp if you take off the tails and cut them in half or thirds. Mix the shrimp with fresh tomato, red onion, avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, a little hot sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add lime juice and toss everything together. You can even add chopped cucumber or celery. Put the food in a large serving dish or into individual serving cups. You don’t have to serve this style with tortilla chips, but I do.
Yes! Frozen shrimp is rich in flavor and still has the save great texture. Be sure to thaw them before serving them.
Make a small cut along the back of the shrimp shell with a knife or a tool for deveining. A dark vein will slowly be removed and come out.
Prepare the cocktail sauce according to the recipe card and then store it in the refrigerator.
Leftover shrimp cocktail sauce can stay in the fridge for two days.
Sure! Shrimp cocktail pairs well with crab and lobster too.
Cooking shrimp does not take long. Overcooking the shrimp will give the shrimp a rubbery outside texture. Once the shrimp turn pink and opaque, transfer them to an ice bath. The ice bath will store the cooking process and keep them chilled.
Save Money! Make it on Your Own
A good price for decent cocktail shrimp is upwards of $12 to $15 per pound. And 1 pound of shrimp doesn’t go way far when you are entertaining a lot of people. Well, I have a secret for you — it doesn’t HAVE to be that expensive. Making shrimp cocktail yourself will save you HALF of the price, and it will taste MUCH better because it is made from scratch. You don’t get weird-smelling, bouncy 3-day-old shrimp that has been sitting in the store’s refrigerated deli counter. You will be amazed at how cheap and easy this is to make, as well as how good it tastes. No one will ever know that you spent as much on shrimp as other people did on chips and dip.
