Cold, tangy, and full of bold flavor, this Pickled Shrimp recipe is a classic Southern party appetizer with layers of boiled shrimp, lemon slices, onion, and capers. It’s easy to make and easy to love.
Pickled Shrimp has been on my list of entertaining recipes for decades. It works for almost any kind of gathering, from backyard cookouts to holiday cocktail parties. I’ve taken it to parties in a Pyrex dish and served it on silver platters for fancy occasions. It’s a shrimp cocktail with attitude, y’all.
What sets this recipe apart is the marinade. It hits all the right notes with vinegar for sharpness, lemon for freshness, and a touch of spice that wakes everything up. Add in capers and sliced onion, and you get a lovely balance of bold flavors.
If you’ve tried my Summer Shrimp Cocktail, this one takes that same love of chilled shrimp and adds a whole new layer. Serve it cold with cocktail sauce on the side and watch it disappear.
How to Make Pickled Shrimp
Start with fresh, peeled, and deveined shrimp. Cook them in salted boiling water until they just turn opaque and pink. No more than 5 minutes. Drain the shrimp in a colander and rinse with cold water to prevent any further cooking.
Now, using a container (or two) large enough to hold all the shrimp with a little extra space, start layering your ingredients. The jar I used in the photo holds one quart.
Start with half the shrimp, a layer of thin lemon slices, a layer of thinly sliced onions and a couple of tablespoons of capers. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, and another layer of lemon slices, onions, and capers. Add enough cider vinegar so that all the ingredients are covered and top it off with a drizzle (a tablespoon or so) of extra virgin olive oil.
Close the container and refrigerate for 6-8 hours. Serve with cocktail sauce on the side.
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Pickled Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp shelled and deveined
- 2 lemons thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon capers drained
- 1 cup cider vinegar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add shrimp to a pot of boiling, well salted water. Cook for 3-5 minutes or shrimp become pink and opaque.1 pound shrimp
- Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
- Layer shrimp with lemon slices, onion slices and capers in a container with a tight fitting top.2 lemons, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 tablespoon capers
- Pour over with vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil (note: add extra vinegar as needed to fully cover the ingredients)1 cup cider vinegar, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Allow to marinate for 6-8 hours refrigerated.
- Serve chilled with cocktail sauce on the side.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
My friend told me about a similar recipe so I looked it up – this sounds great! I would love it, but my partner isn’t a big lemon fan. Has anyone tried this with lime?
Yes, I believe everyone loves shrimp, LOL:-) I love love this, what a fun idea for a party! It looks pretty too:-) Hugs, Terra
Lana, this is something I have never tried before. Step 1 is to go to the store to get good shrimps…Excited much! Page, bookmarked!Thanks!
Thanks…can’t wait to make them!
How long can they sit in in the pickling mixture. Do they get tough if they sit longer than the 6-8 hours? How long will they keep ..can you make ahead for a party?
Debbie – they won’t get tough, but they will get very, very strong from the vinegar. Although some recipes do say to marinate for up to three days, I wouldn’t let them sit any more than 8 hours for sure.
What a wonderful way to prepare shrimp!! Perfect for snacking, even when not watching football ;-)
Shrimp?! Did someone say shrimp?! I love shrimp…I think I could eat it everyday! I haven’t ever pickled it, though. I’m pinning this to give it a try…sounds delish!
What a great idea! It looks wonderful and your photos are great :-)
WOW – would have never thought of doing pickled shrimp but i guess this is just like ceviche which i love. Very nice!
Never thought about that, but I guess it is something like ceviche. Except the shrimp are cooked first.
This is one of my all time FAVORITE recipes!! Whenever I make it I have to include extras “just for me”! Absolutely perfect for the Superbowl!!