Cocktail shrimp make for an elegant and easy appetizer to serve at your next gathering. Their versatility allows them to be served at cocktail parties, holiday celebrations and game day spreads alike. While shrimp cocktail may seem intimidating to prepare and present, it’s actually quite simple with a few tips and tricks. In this article, we’ll cover how to cook and cool shrimp, make accompaniments like cocktail sauce and cajun aioli, and artfully arrange everything on a platter with helpful serving suggestions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to serve up a beautiful shrimp cocktail platter:
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Shrimp – Go for large shrimp, sometimes labeled U-16/20 to denote around 16-20 shrimp per pound. Larger shrimp make for easier eating. Opt for shrimp that have already been cleaned, shelled and deveined to save time.
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Vegetables – Popular choices are celery sticks, cucumber slices, lemon wedges. Feel free to get creative with radishes, endive, or other crunchy vegetables.
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Sauces – Cocktail sauce and cajun aioli are classic pairings. I’ll share recipes for both.
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Ice – Crushed ice keeps the shrimp chilled for hours during service
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Herbs – Chopped parsley, chives or dill add a fresh finishing touch.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps for cooking shrimp and assembling the platter
1. Cook the shrimp
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
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Add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes until pink and opaque.
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Use a slotted spoon to transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking.
2. Make the sauces
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Cocktail sauce Combine ketchup horseradish, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.
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Cajun aioli: Whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire, and Cajun seasoning.
3. Prepare the ice
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Add ice to a blender and pulse to create crushed ice.
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Spread a 1-2 inch layer of crushed ice on a platter or in a bowl.
4. Arrange the platter
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Drain shrimp from the ice bath and arrange artfully on the ice.
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Surround with vegetable crudité and lemon wedges.
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Place small bowls of sauces on the platter.
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Garnish with fresh chopped herbs.
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Add serving spoons or small cups for sauces.
Handy Tips for Success
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Shop for shrimp when they go on sale and freeze until ready to use.
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Look for raw, shell on shrimp and peel/devein them yourself to save money.
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Make the sauces and crush the ice while the shrimp cooks to get ahead.
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Shocking in an ice bath stops the cooking and cools the shrimp quickly.
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Arrange veggies and garnishes in any way you find visually appealing.
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Swap in different dipping sauces like avocado yogurt sauce if desired.
Serving Suggestions
Cocktail shrimp platters work for all types of gatherings:
- Cocktail parties
- Holiday celebrations
- Game day spreads
- Birthday parties
- Bridal showers
- Baby showers
Complement your shrimp platter with:
- Lemon pepper chicken wings
- Zucchini fritters
- Vegan pasta salad
- Deviled eggs
- Stuffed mushrooms
Aim for 4-6 large shrimp per person when serving as an appetizer portion. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices for a restaurant quality presentation that looks as good as it tastes!
Storing and Serving Cold Shrimp
Proper storage and chilling are key for serving shrimp at optimal freshness and temperature. Here are some tips:
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Cooked shrimp can be stored in an airtight container topped with ice for up to 2 hours.
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Prepare sauces ahead of time and store covered in the fridge for 3-5 days.
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Crush fresh ice right before serving to keep it frosty.
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Serve shrimp platter immediately or within a few hours for best quality.
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For parties, display the platter over ice to keep chilled for around 3-4 hours.
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Place a small towel or napkin under the platter to catch condensation.
FAQs
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about serving shrimp cocktail platters:
How many shrimp do I need per person?
Plan on 4-6 large shrimp per person when served as an appetizer portion. Adjust up if shrimp is a main focal point.
What are good shrimp cocktail pairings?
Shrimp pairs well with creamy cajun aioli, zesty cocktail sauce, crunchy vegetables, and herbs like dill, chives or parsley.
How can I keep shrimp cold during a party?
Serve shrimp over crushed ice to maintain temperature. Top off the ice periodically if serving for over 2-3 hours.
Can I make shrimp platters in advance?
Yes! Cook, cool, and store the shrimp in the fridge 1-2 days ahead. Assemble the platter with fresh ice and garnishes right before serving.
What if I’m short on time?
Purchase pre-cooked, peeled, deveined shrimp and focus efforts on the sauce and presentation. This shortcuts the prep work.
Can I serve shrimp cocktail as an appetizer and entree?
Absolutely! Double up on the shrimp for a more substantial entree meal. Serve additional sauces on the side for dipping.
Elevate Your Next Gathering with Shrimp Cocktail
Impress guests with a shrimp cocktail platter that looks and tastes like it came from a five-star restaurant. Cooking shrimp only takes minutes, and the assembly is simple with the right techniques. Focus on quality over quantity by splurging on large shrimp. Pair with homemade sauces, fresh herbs, and artful arrangement over ice for a platter that’s sure to wow a crowd. Let cocktail shrimp be your go-to appetizer for parties, holidays, and game days all year long!
Why you’ll love this shrimp cocktail platter
Channel your inner Martha Stewart! Martha Stewart has a beautiful shrimp cocktail platter recipe that features poached shrimp, plenty of vegetables and a few different dipping sauces. I took some inspiration from one of the greats and gave it my own personal touch.
If you want the best deal, go to Costco. Everyone knows about those shrimp platters with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges. But I promise you this homemade version is 10 times better! It even comes with a special cajun aioli that you can make with things you probably already have in your fridge and pantry.
Quick and cheap! Shrimp only needs a few minutes to cook all the way through, and if you know what you’re doing, you can make this dish for less than $10. Grab shrimp when they’re on sale, and try to find ones that have already been cleaned, deveined, and shelled to save time.
The ingredients for this shrimp cocktail platter are simple and straightforward. Here’s what we need for both the platter and the cajun sauce:
- Large shrimp
- Cocktail sauce
- Cajun aioli, recipe follows
- Celery sticks
- Cucumber
- Lemon
- Chives
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Worcestershire sauce
- Old bay or cajun seasoning
- Shrimp: Look for large shrimp, sometimes labeled U-16/20. The number denotes the approximate number of shrimp per pound.
- Crudite: Get creative with your vegetables. You can add some slices of carrot, radishes, or endive leaves if you want to.
That way, I can save time in the kitchen by making the cajun aioli and the ice bath at the same time. But use any method that works best for you. Here’s how I like to do it:
Prepare boiling water and ice bath: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. While water is coming up to temperature, fill a large bowl with equal parts ice and water.
Bring water to a boil. Add shrimp to the water and cook for two to three minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Put the shrimp in the ice bath bowl and use a slotted spoon to take them out of the water. This will stop the cooking and quickly cool the shrimp.
Make aioli: In a small bowl, whisk together cajun aioli ingredients and set aside.
Crush ice: Add 4-5 cups of ice to a blender. Cover and pulse the blender’s “ice” or “crush” button until the ice is as fine as snow. Repeat until you have enough ice for a 1-2 inch layer on your serving platter.
Arrange platter: Drain the shrimp from the ice bath and scatter on top of the ice. Add the bowls of cocktail sauce and cajun aioli to the platter. Scatter celery sticks, cucumber slices and lemon wedges around the blank spaces of the platter. Sprinkle the platter with chopped chives and serve with two cocktail spoon servers for sauces.
Serve this shrimp cocktail platter for parties. If you’re having a party or just a small group of friends over, I think it goes really well with Vegan Pasta Salad and Lemon Pepper Wings.
You can add shrimp platters to your spread for Game Day, but it’s also easy to make them for any other kind of cocktail party.
How to make ahead & store
When cooking shrimp, put them in a container that won’t let air in and cover it with ice. Put it in the fridge for up to two hours.
Cajun Aioli: Mix and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
When it’s time to serve, break up the ice, spread out the shrimp and vegetables, add the sauce, and start the party!