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Shrimp Cocktail Dip

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The retro Southern favorite Shrimp Cocktail Dip gets an upgrade with herbaceous cream cheese, tangy cocktail sauce, and smoky grilled shrimp.

  • Author: Nicole Stover
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Grilling
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale

Cream Cheese Layer

  • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons chives snipped
  • 1 tablespoon red onion minced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay or favorite seafood seasoning

Cocktail Sauce

  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup chili sauce
  • 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, or more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay or seafood seasoning
  • Splash of hot sauce

Grilled Shrimp

  • 1 pound shrimp, large to jumbo, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay or seafood seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons chives, snipped, plus more for serving

Instructions

  1. Add all of the ingredients for the cream cheese layer to a bowl and mix until smooth. Spread into a shallow serving bowl. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
  2. Add all of the ingredients for the cocktail sauce to a bowl and mix to combine. Taste and add any additional seasoning. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
  3. Prepare your grill for direct grilling, preheating it to around 400 degrees. Make sure that your grates are clean.
  4. Pat the shrimp dry and add them to a bowl. Add the oil, Old Bay, lemon juice and zest, and seasoning. Toss to fully coat. 
  5. Skewer the shrimp onto metal skewers, or bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water. 
  6. Place the shrimp on the hot grates. Allow the first side to grill for 2 minutes. You will see the sides begin to turn opaque. When the shrimp easily releases from the grill give them a flip. Allow the second side to grill for another 2-3 minutes until pinkish-orange, opaque, and firm tot eh touch with a little give. Remove from the heat.
  7. Once the shrimp is cool enough to handle remove them from the skewers and pinch off the tails. Chop them into bite sized pieces. You want several to be able to fit on top of a cracker.
  8. Add the chopped shrimp to a bowl along with the chives and toss to combine.
  9. To assemble, spread the cocktail sauce over the cream cheese. Sprinkle the shrimp over the top. Garnish with additional chives and a sprinkle of Old Bay if desired.

Notes

  1. If you don’t have an outdoor grill you can use a grill pan or skillet to cook the shrimp. You can also use poach shrimp. Make sure to season them with the Old Bay and lemon zest along with the chives.
  2. Use your favorite seafood seasoning for this recipe. Old Bay is just a recommendation.