Pickled Shrimp

Pickled shrimp – Boiled shrimp layered with lemon slices, onion, and capers and marinated in cider vinegar. Serve with cocktail sauce on the side.
Today I’m sharing another great recipe for a party. And it’s a good one for any kind of get-together. Whether you’ve got a crowd coming over for the Super Bowl, or having cocktails with friends, this Pickled Shrimp is always a favorite.

Now, of course, everybody loves shrimp, don’t they? Boiled and seasoned just right served along with a fiery horseradish cocktail sauce. Yum! Never have met anyone who didn’t like them. And these pickled shrimp are really just that taken to another level. A level brought about by pickling. And what a kick you get from the pickling solution. Wow! It’s a shrimp cocktail with attitude, y’all.
How to Make Pickled Shrimp
This is one of those recipes that don’t have exact measurements. Just use what you need to make up your container of 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.
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.
🧾 More Recipes You’ll Like
- Winter Shrimp Salad
- Gazpacho and Garlic Shrimp with Cheese Toasts
- Cilantro Lime Shrimp
- Shrimp and Grits
- Shrimp Creole
- Creamy Shrimp and Pasta
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
I’d LOVE to know what you thought!
Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked it!
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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.
- 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.
- Pour over with vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil (note: add extra vinegar as needed to fully cover the ingredients)
- 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 health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
More Pickled Shrimp Recipes …
- Pickled Shrimp from Saveur
- Pickled Shrimp recipe by Frank Stitt via Martha Stewart
- Citrus Pickled Shrimp from Food and Wine
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!!