Name: Shrimp Dip with Cream Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened on counter for 30 minutes; 2/3 cup Mayo; 1/3 cup Sour Cream; 2 tablespoons Chili Garlic Sauce; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce; 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning, or Lawrys seasoned salt; 3/4 pound Shrimp , cooked

Classic Shrimp dip with cream cheese is easy to make with simple ingredients of cream cheese, cajun spices, and shrimp that come together in 10 minutes for game day parties or holiday appetizers! Creamy, spreadable appetizer party dip everyone will enjoy!

Party tray with beer and shrimp dip for guests

Today’s recipe is for a retro classic shrimp dip recipe. It’s creamy, flavorful cold appetizer dip and comes together in about 10 minutes. The flavors remind me of one of my most popular shrimp appetizers…. the Spicy BBQ shrimp because it has the spicy cajun flavors everyone loves!

While that favorite is delicious, sometimes when you are entertaining you want a cold shrimp appetizer recipe that you can make ahead and not spend time cooking when your guests arrive! This Spicy Shrimp Dip with cream cheese is just what you need for those times!

It has the flavors of a Louisiana Shrimp that they serve in the south. The shrimp dip with cream cheese is creamy and spreadable and full of everything that makes the best dip! A little heat with a chili garlic sauce and Worcestershire sauce and a little tangy from the sour cream and mayo.

This recipe came from my mom’s recipe book and it looks like it came from the Shreveport newspaper sometime in 1971. I made a few tweaks in it to give it a little more current spin, but as you’re eating a bite on a cracker it will remind you of a day in the south with the delicious flavors!

Using a chip to scoop the dip from the serving tray!

PIN THIS FOR YOUR SUPERBOWL PARTY!

This Shrimp Dip is so versatile.

It works for casual get togethers like game day parties. (Pin this for using for your Super Bowl party!!)

But you can serve it for special occasions too!

Shrimp gives the appearance of fancy (but really it is not!) so I’m making this for New Year’s Ever but it would work equally as well for a make ahead shrimp dip for a starter for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients for the Best Shrimp Dip

Shrimp (fresh or packaged)
Cream Cheese
Cajun Seasoning or Seasoned Salt
Worcestershire Sauce
Mayo
Sour Cream
Chili Garlic Sauce
Optional:
- Chives
- Fresh Garlic

How do you make Shrimp Dip with Cream Cheese?

Louisiana Shrimp Dip can be made in 10 minutes. It’s one of the most flavorful cream cheese dips for crackers you’ll find!

Blend all of the ingredients to combine them to combine completely. By doing this, the dip is very flavorful and you get the cheese dip flavor in every bite.

Add the shrimp last and stir until just combined. Make sure the shrimp is fully dried (you can toss them in a paper towel to dry them off.) This will prevent watering down the dip.

Game day beer and shrimp dip ready for eating on the buffet

Substitutions and tips for the Best Shrimp Dip Recipe:

When making a cream cheese dip you will want to leave the cream cheese out for about an hour before mixing it together. The shrimp dip will blend so easily if you let it soften a little before making it.

You can use canned shrimp to make the shrimp dip… the original recipe called for it. I like larger shrimp and feel fresh shrimp has more flavor so I prefer the fresh but I’ve never had a complaint when I’ve used the canned dip!

Buy the shrimp when it’s on sale and keep it in your freezer for when you entertain.

PRO ENTERTAINING TIP: Almost all shrimp comes to the market/grocery store frozen. When it’s on sale ask them if you can buy it still frozen. While you can refreeze the shrimp if you buy it already thawed out from the seafood counter it could dry out when refreezing. This will keep your shrimp moist and delicious for when you need it!

I used this chili garlic sauce because that is what I had and I love the spice it adds to make the best-flavored cream cheese shrimp dip. If you

Don’t have chili garlic sauce in your pantry? You can use chili sauce, tomato sauce, or a little ketchup with a dash of horseradish or fresh garlic stirred into it as a substitute.

Consistency tip: When making the party shrimp dip you’ll want to make sure it’s easily spreadable and thin enough that your cracker or chips don’t break when dipping! If it seems a little thick you can thin it with a little bit of milk. Start with a teaspoon and see if that does it. Keep adding it in small amounts until its perfect for every bite!

This shrimp appetizer is super popular in the south. Partly because it has notes of cajun/creole in the cream cheese dip.

If you have a cajun seasoning for a seasoned salt use that! I used the Cajun seasoning from my homemade recipe I had on hand, but you can mix it up yourself if you need some quickly!

Creamy shrimp dip with crackers and chips on a serving bowl.

Need other Dip Ideas? Check out all of our Party Dips!

Serving Suggestions for Cream Cheese Shrimp Dip:

Serve the dip with a couple of full-sized shrimp on top so people know it has shrimp in it! (Trust me on this, you don’t want to have anyone with a shellfish allergy accidentally eat some!)

Shrimp dip can be served with chips, crackers (trinkets and ritz crackers are favorites in our house) or even with tortilla chips!

Do you have people who love spicier dips? Add a little hot sauce (start with 1 teaspoon and see how you like it!). You can also spice it up by adding a teaspoon of chili flakes to it!

Common Questions with Shrimp Dip?

What size shrimp should I buy for shrimp dip? Any size shrimp will work for this shrimp dip appetizer. I like the presentation of the large shrimp on top of the dip so I usually buy the largest ones that are on sale!

Can I make this cream cheese shrimp dip ahead of time? This is the perfect make-ahead shrimp appetizer! You can make it 2-3 days ahead before serving it. Store it in an airtight container and be sure and stir it well before serving. You will probably have to add a little milk at the last minute to get it to the spreadable consistency that works best!

Can I freeze cream cheese dip? I do not recommend freezing the shrimp dip. It gets a funny texture if you freeze it.

This 5 minute crack dip comes together in 5 minutes and is perfect for serving with crackers. Ideal for pool side snacking, game day snacking or just to serve with cocktails!

More Cold Dip Recipes:

Hot Appetizer Dip Recipes you may enjoy!

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Yield: 12