221 shrimp appetizer recipes

Classic cocktail sauce with horseradish heat, tangy ketchup, and fresh lemon for shrimp or crawfish. This bold, zesty sauce balances sweet tomato with sharp horseradish bite and works for any cold seafood platter.

Seafood lovers will adore this scrumptious dish made with shrimp, cream cheese and sour cream.

Hamaguri Shigure-Ni, a Japanese sweet-savory clam appetizer cooked in sake, soy sauce, and sugar. Only 4 ingredients. The sauce reduces to a glossy syrup that coats each clam. Served cool.

Classic New Orleans crabmeat ravigote with lump crab, bell pepper, pimiento, scallions, and a bright lemon-cayenne kick. No cooking required. Ready in 20 minutes.

Cajun crawfish or shrimp cocktail sauce loaded with horseradish, chili sauce, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. A fiery, no-cook dipping sauce ready in 10 minutes flat.

Steak and shrimp wonton filling with marinated beef, lemon-kissed shrimp, water chestnuts, and cilantro. A surf-and-turf twist for fried or boiled dumplings.

Chinese shrimp balls (pai chiao hsia chiu) rolled in stale bread cubes and double-fried until shatteringly crisp. Served with Sichuan pepper-salt dip. 30 pieces.

Homemade seafood sausage made with whitefish, salmon, and shrimp, seasoned with parsley and cayenne. Poached then grilled for a crispy skin and tender, briny bite.

Chinese popcorn shrimp with a cornstarch crust, tossed in sweet-and-pungent sauce with ginger, garlic, red pepper, and citrus zest. Crackling-crisp bite-sized shrimp.

Beach Party Shrimp Saute stir-fries unshelled shrimp with jalapeño, garlic, onion, and oregano in 10 minutes, finished with fresh lemon or lime juice. A bold, easy seafood appetizer or main.

Coconut shrimp De Jonghe: a tropical riff on the classic Chicago baked shrimp casserole, with garlic, paprika, sherry, parsley, and toasted coconut layered over plump shrimp. Bakes in one dish for an old-school dinner-party main.

A fun way to entertain the crowd, and these shrimp lejon are delicious.

Crispy bread-cup croustades filled with baby shrimp in a Swiss cheese sauce with lemon zest and Worcestershire. Makes 3 to 4 dozen freezer-friendly party bites.

A retro Southern appetizer of boiled shrimp suspended in seasoned consommé aspic with lemon, green onion, and a kick of hot sauce. Unmold onto crackers for a showstopping starter.

Party-ready shrimp mold using cream of shrimp soup, cream cheese, and gelatin for 12 servings. Baby shrimp and crab meat suspended in creamy gelatin make a vintage appetizer spread perfect with crackers or sourdough.

Marinated shrimp kabobs with picante sauce and Italian dressing, threaded with broccoli florets and cherry tomatoes. A make-ahead cocktail appetizer with three-color visual punch.