Pickled Shrimp is an easy recipe that works as a party appetizer, a weeknight dinner starter, or a yummy addition to a salad. Made with flavorful spices, Old Bay seasoning, and lemons, this shrimp dish packs a punch that keeps friends and family returning bite after bite.
If you’re looking for more ways to use shrimp, try my Easy Shrimp Salad, Shrimp Scampi, or Cajun Garlic Shrimp.
In This Post
Shrimp is a staple ingredient in the South that everyone loves because it’s quick to make and can take on just about any flavor. This pickled shrimp is the perfect expression of this! Soaked in a briney pickling liquid, the longer the shrimp marinade, the better they get! This also means you can prep them the day before a party (when you have time).
Why You’ll Love Quick Pickled Shrimp Recipe
- Easy to Make: Once the shrimp is cooked, all you do is put everything in a large bowl or jar and let it marinate in the fridge.
- Versatile: You can eat this shrimp as is, add it to a salad, or pair it with drinks on the patio; the possibilities are endless! It’s like sunshine in a jar – always a good time.
- Make Them Ahead of Time: I love a recipe that I can prep when I have the time, and this is just that. Have a few minutes in the morning to make them. Have a few minutes during lunch, make yourself shrimp, eat some and then pickle the rest.
How To Pickle Shrimp
Ingredients
- Most of the ingredients are spices and flavor additions like Old Bay seasoning, celery seeds, coriander seeds, flat-leafed parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, garlic, bay leaves, and onion.
- Of course, you’ll need peeled and deveined shrimp that’s uncooked.
- You’ll need olive oil, white wine vinegar, and a lemon for the brine.
Recipe Variations
- I prefer uncooked, but you can use cooked shrimp and skip boiling it. It will have slightly less flavor since it isn’t boiled in Old Bay seasoning.
- You can leave out the red pepper flakes if you don’t like spice.
- Get creative with the fresh herbs and vinegar. Try dill or basil instead of parsley, or use champagne vinegar instead of white wine vinegar.
Instructions
- Step One: Boil the shrimp in water and Old Bay seasoning for about 2 minutes. Immediately put the shrimp in ice water and once cool, then drain.
- Step Two: Crush celery seeds and coriander in a bag with a heavy object like a rolling pin. Transfer them to a medium bowl, and then add the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, parsley, red pepper, salt, garlic, and bay leaves to make the pickling brine.
- Step Three: In a glass jar or serving bowl, layer the onions, shrimp, and lemon slices. Pour the pickling brine over these layers and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to serve.
Donya’s Tips For Making Easy Pickled Shrimp
- I like to serve this in one of my glass trifle dishes, so all the gorgeous ingredients are front and center.
- The shrimp only gets better with time, so feel free to make it up to 6 days in advance!
- I recommend taking the shrimp from the fridge about 10 minutes before eating. They are best cold, but not ice cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope. This is considered a quick pickle, and in fact, we don’t want the liquid hot. If it is hot, it will overcook the shrimp, which cooks so quickly.
Yup, I usually ask the fishmonger at our local market to do it. Otherwise, frozen shrimp is usually already prepared this way.
This will last about a week in the fridge, but I find it tastes best on day 3.
How To Serve Cold Shrimp
I enjoy this shrimp as an appetizer or served on this Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad. If you serve it as part of a larger small bites spread, pair it with Spicy Ranch Crackers and Outrageously Good Stuffed Celery.
More Pickled Recipes
If you tried this Pickled Shrimp Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 pound medium shrimp – peeled and devained
- ½ teaspoon celery seeds
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley – chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 lemon – sliced very thin
- ½ onion – sliced very thin
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 6 cups water and Old Bay seasoning to a boil. Add shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes, until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp and place in a bowl with ice water to cool. Drain shrimp when chilled.
- Add celery seed and coriander seed to a zip top bag and crush with a heavy object – I use a rolling pin. Place in a medium size bowl.
- Add olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, parsley, red pepper, salt, garlic and bay leaves. Stir, mixing well.
- In a glass jar or serving bowl, layer onions, shrimp and lemons. Pour pickling brine over layers. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator overnight until ready to serve.
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Karen
I made this recipe twice. Once as is, and the other with the removal of the red pepper flakes. For my husband and me, we thought it masked the shrimp (personal preference), but even with it you can’t go wrong! Great and easy recipe! Thanks so much!
Rebecca Fornell
Yum! I had the shrimp for dinner with some Panzella salad. Great summer recipe. Looks great and very tasty. Made exactly as written, next time I will do 2 pounds of shrimp.
Thank you so much, Rebecca! And, I appreciate the terrific rating.
~Donya
Kristie Nelson
Could you skip step one of cooking and buy the ready to eat shrimp from the deli and brine them? Would that lose a lot of flavor not cooking them in the Old Bay seasoning?
I’m sure that would work. Let me know if you try it!
~Donya
Mary Chapman
How many days in advance can you make this?
Donya
Hey there Mary!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, I think you’re really going to love it! Since this recipe is not a true pickling recipe, it won’t last quite as long in the fridge. This dish will keep for about 1 week if it’s refrigerated in an airtight container or jar, so I would recommend preparing the shrimp no soon than 6 days before you’re planning on serving it. I hope this is helpful, let me know how everything turns out, I’d love to hear what you think!
~Donya
Germaine M Schweibinz
Hello Donya, I am confused, it do you add the items in step #3 to the old bay water or to the ingredients in step #2?
Hey there.
You are going to cook the shrimp in the Old Bay seasoned water. Then you make the pickling blend to use with the cooked shrimp.
Enjoy,
~Donya
don
if i have brine left over, could i save it for later use??
Hey Don, I understand your desire to save that deliciousness but since it’s got the shrimp in it, I don’t think it’d be safe. Best to dispose of it and just enjoy the recipe again.
Thanks for stopping by!
~Donya
Dawna
What a beautiful dish! I think that if used within the time window considered safe for the shrimp, the brine would probably make a very yummy salad dressing. Just found this and am excited to try it!
Awesome. Let me know how you like it!
Happy New Year,
~Donya
Mary A Marshall
Looks and sounds fantastic! Can’t wait to try it.
hans susser
Mrs. Donya,
That looks like a wonderful dish 🙂
Regards, Hans
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