Southern Shrimp Dip

A party pleasing appetizer recipe with shrimp, cream cheese, Cajun seasoning and tons of flavor perfect on crackers.

JUMP TO RECIPE

The Super Bowl is right around the corner so I’ve been thinking about what kind of spread I want to put out for the big game.

Not that I can even tell you which teams are in the playoffs. My family has been tossing around the cold from hell for the last month and ALL. OF. THEM. have been cooped up at home for Christmas break (including Husband) so I’m about half crazy right now. 

I look forward to Super Bowl Sunday for totally different reasons than most folks. Since the game is always played on a school night and we were always sticklers for the kids getting a good night’s sleep (plus we turn into pumpkins when the sun goes down), we started our own little tradition years ago and are still keeping it going.

I decorate and make appetizers like we’re having a football party. I shove small tables together around the coffee table in the living room and make an entire island of snacks and finger foods. We pile around when the game comes on, eat our faces off, watch the game (and commercials), enjoy the halftime show (or stare in confused silence depending on the year) then the kids go to bed before the second half starts. 

I think this is “special” to us because we’re one of those families who eats supper together every night (complete with vegetables and the blessing) and we eat at the table. With no TV. 

One of The Boy’s friends was over at suppertime when I was setting the table one night. He chuckled and said, “What, are we gonna have a big family dinner or something?” And the kids were all like… Uh… yeah. Duh? 

I legit thought most people do it like we do but according to my teenagers and their friends, it’s not as common as I thought. For what it’s worth, my kids' friends love it. More than a few have told my kids and/or me they like suppertime at our house.

So anyway, NOT having a sit-down supper, eating party food instead, AND doing it in the living room around APPETIZER ISLAND is something my family really looks forward to. And so do I.

A FEW NOTES ABOUT MAKING SOUTHERN SHRIMP DIP

• If you don’t have pimento cheese, you can make some using my recipe (recipe here), you can buy some (usually in the deli section near the other sandwich spreads and coldcuts) OR, you could substitute the pimento cheese with 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese and 1/3 cup of mayo.
• You can substitute salad shrimp with larger steamed or boiled shrimp, chilled then chopped into ½-inch pieces.
• For a creamier texture, allow pimento cheese to come to room temperature before preparing recipe.
• The horseradish, hot sauce and Liquid Smoke are all optional BUT, my opinion is that the dip is so delicious because of each of them.

This dip is PERFECT for any party but especially football and tailgating parties because it makes a TON and it’s served cold so you can have it outside without worrying about it being in the sun or heat.

I usually just serve this with crackers. I don’t exactly know WHY but I think this is best served on the Town House brand butter crackers (like Ritz but oval shaped and little more buttery tasting to me). I used water crackers in these photos because that’s what I had on-hand but I recommend butter crackers. 

Recipe for Southern Shrimp Dip

Southern Shrimp Dip

Yield: 1 Quart

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

A party pleasing appetizer recipe with shrimp, cream cheese, Cajun seasoning and tons of flavor perfect on crackers.

Ingredients

• 1 24-oz bag frozen salad shrimp, thawed
• 2 8-oz packs cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup pimento cheese (see notes)
• 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup finely diced onion
• 1 cup minced green onions

Instructions

1. Spread shrimp onto paper towels or clean kitchen towels to dry off a bit while the rest of the recipe is made.
2. Combine cream cheese and pimento cheese in a large bowl then mix on medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
3. Add horseradish, hot sauce, Liquid Smoke, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and diced onion (not green onions) then continue mixing until well combined.
4. Fold in shrimp and green onions. Taste for seasoning then add more Cajun seasoning to taste.
5. Refrigerate in an airtight container overnight or at least 4 hours. Serve with crackers.

Notes

• If you don’t have pimento cheese, you can make some using my recipe (recipe here), you can buy some (usually in the deli section near the other sandwich spreads and coldcuts) OR, you could substitute the pimento cheese with 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese and 1/3 cup of mayo.
• You can substitute salad shrimp with larger steamed or boiled shrimp, chilled then chopped into ½-inch pieces.
• For a creamier texture, allow pimento cheese to come to room temperature before preparing recipe.
• The horseradish, hot sauce and Liquid Smoke are all optional BUT, my opinion is that the dip is so delicious because of each of them.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2022/01/southern-shrimp-dip.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2022

shrimp, salad shrimp, tiny, cocktail, dip, salad, appetizer, cajun, southern, cream cheese, pimento cheese, mayo, mayonnaise, best, how to, original, recipe, football, tailgating, super bowl, party, seafood, cold, chilled

appetizers, dip

cajun, southern

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