Shrimp Dip
This Shrimp Dip is always a hit at parties! With just a few simple ingredients, this dip can be made quickly (and made ahead of time if needed!)
MOM’S SHRIMP DIP RECIPE
I mentioned in a recipe post (for Salmon Patties) a few weeks ago that I was working on sharing some of my Mom-in-law’s most popular recipes. These were the recipes everyone wanted her to bring to all their get togethers. Chris started making this Shrimp Dip in the 70’s and it soon became a favorite amongst friends and family. It’s so easy to make and no one can stop themselves from going back for more!
This is a great recipe! This is a keeper. wow! wow! and wow! Thank you for sharing!
– Mark
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
I think what I love most about these classic recipes is that they are easy & quick! My mother-in-law only ever used the canned shrimp and salmon. The canned shrimp are tiny shrimp that require no de-veining, removing of tails or additional cooking. You just chop them up. And if you need a last-minute dip, you can make this fast without planning ahead. I find canned shrimp much easier to use in this than fresh. Having said all that, I have never tried this with fresh shrimp, if you do, please let me know how it goes for you!
Yes. You can make this dip the night before. Cover it and store it in the refrigerator.
Rippled potato chips are my favorite dipper to use in this dip. You can also use corn chips, Ritz, crackers, slices of bread or toast, slices of celery or carrots, etc.
Yes, you can add a touch of heat to this dip if desired. You get a very slight kick with the chili sauce but you can definitely add more. I’d suggest adding 1 teaspoon of Old Bay and some crushed red pepper flakes if you like them.
Nope, no need to rinse them before using them in this recipe unless that is something you prefer to do.
Any leftover Shrimp Dip can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- cream cheese– you’ll need to Soften Cream Cheese before using
- mayonnaise– some people use sour cream but I think that makes it a little too tangy in my taste.
- lemon juice– you have to use fresh squeezed lemon juice. The bottled stuff just won’t do this dip justice and will make it taste too fake and chemically.
- chili sauce– if you’ve never used chili sauce, you can typically find it by the ketchup in the condiment aisle. Check out my ingredient pic for a visual if that will help you find it.
- Worcestershire sauce
- dried minced onion – you could use fresh onion but the taste will be strong so that is why I think Chris always went with the dried onion so it wouldn’t overwhelm the other flavors.
- canned tiny shrimp– I used canned shrimp (not an affiliated paid link.) I linked a brand for you to see there. You can use any brand that you can find. Some stores only carry a 4 ounce can of tiny cooked shrimp. if that is all you can find, then use that. It will work here.
- shredded mozzarella cheese – this is optional but I began adding mozzarella cheese when I started making this and we loved it but if added cheese isn’t your thing, just leave it out, there recipe still works.
- sliced green onions – I love the color and the very light onion flavor this adds but since you’re adding dried minced onion, you can skip it if you prefer.
HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP DIP:
In a medium bowl beat together the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Add the lemon juice, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce and dried onion. Beat until smooth.
Chop up the shrimp into chunks. Stir chopped shrimp and mozzarella cheese into the cream cheese mixture.
Garnish with sliced green onions. Keep chilled. Serve with potato chips (or your favorite cracker.)
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Smoked Salmon Dip
- Million Dollar Dip
- Creamy Taco Dip
- Cheddar Ranch Dip
- Crab Dip
- Seafood Dip
- Poolside Dip
- Veggie Dip
- Southern Fried Shrimp
- Air Fryer Garlic Butter Shrimp
- Shrimp Tacos
- Fried Panko Shrimp
- Buttery Creole Shrimp
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
- Smoked Salmon Puff Pastry Bites
Originally published: March 2012
Updated photos and republished: February 2025
Shrimp Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounce block cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons chili sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
- 7 ounce can tiny shrimp
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
- sliced green onions (for topping, optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl beat together 8 ounce block cream cheese and1/2 cup mayonnaise until smooth.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 3 Tablespoons chili sauce, 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion. Beat until smooth.
- Chop up 7 ounce can tiny shrimp into smaller chunks. Stir chopped shrimp and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese into the cream cheese mixture.
- Garnish with sliced green onions.
- Keep chilled. Serve with potato chips (or your favorite cracker).
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
This is such a tried and true recipe. We all really loved it! Thank you! Also, someone had mentioned to add a bit of horseradish, and I will say, we did not like that flavor at all so I personally wouldn’t recommend it. We all felt it overwhelmed all the other yummy flavors. Thats what I get for going by commenters suggestions lol
can I heat this dip ???
Thank You
Very good!
Excellent recipe and everyone commented.
This reminded me so much of what my mother used to make. Thank you so much! The chili sauce does not make it spicy at all if anyone is worried about that 🙂 Thank you for including pictures of the ingredients you use, that is very helpful!
Can I use sour cream instead of mayonnaise?
You can, it will just be tangy
Will this keep in the fridge overnight before Thanksgiving? Can I make it the day before?
I think it should be fine. Just cover it.
I only use Heinz brand Chili Sauce in the tall glass jar. Hope this helps.
Made today and serving with seaweed and quinoa rice crisps.
This old standby always comes through! I’m thrilled to find this recipe making a comback! A little Old Bay never hurts! Frozen “salad shrimp” are great for this recipe.
Oooh yes – Old Bay – perfect!!
Very tasty. I did add tsp Old Bay and 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes which added little kick only put 1 Tbsp mayonnaise along with 1/3 cup sour cream. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much!! My mom and sister and I used to make this so much in the 70’s!! I’ve Googled the ingredients from time to time, to see if it would pop up, with no luck. I think it was because we used to include a packet of French Dressing Mix. (which they sure don’t make anymore) I love the idea of Chile Sauce, or even as someone else suggested, some zesty cocktail sauce. We used to add some chopped bacon and green onion. It’s so good!! I’m going to make this ASAP!!!
I’ve heard people mention the French Dressing Mix before! So my guess is that was used before the chili sauce. They both have that slight tang. I hope you love this one!
I just made this recipe and used fresh chopped red onion instead of dehydrated onion..gives it a bit more taste.
What do you mean by chili sauce?
You can see it in my ingredient picture above. It’s located near the ketchup 🙂
My former M-I-L made shrimp dip for every party back in the 70s and I always loved it but lost the recipe years ago. Thanks for bringing this back!!
This is a great recipe! This is a keeper. wow! wow! and wow! Thank you for sharing!
I have been making this since the 60’s but never used Chili sauce in it. And I always have grated a yellow onion directly into the bowl I am make this in. That way there are no big onion pieces or flakes for your teeth to trip over. Everyone really loves this stuff. Also, it you have any left over – put on English Muffins and top with a little shredded cheese. Then under the broiller for about 5 minuts. Yum!!!
Love the idea of putting it on an English muffin – yum!!
I love shrimp dip! I’ll have to try your recipe. The recipe I have doesn’t have cream cheese but uses Knox gelatin and Campbells’ tomato soup instead of chili sauce (very 60’s as well). The good thing about my recipe (and the two look the same) is that my family enjoys it every Halloween because I put it in a skull mold and flip it out! Everyone always laughs about how “gross” it looks and then they gobble it up. There are never any leftovers. Yum! I love recipes like this. They’re fun and remind me of growing up in the 70’s.
This was my mother-in-laws recipe. She was famous for it. Love these timeless recipes!
My mom made it the way you do but I can never find the recipe and she can’t remember how she made it. I loved it. I will try this one to see how it ranks against it ????
We had recipe called SHRIMP MOLD. It uses 1cream cheese at room temp cut it up with 1 tomato soup heat in microwave. Blend add 1cup mayo,3/4c gr. onions or blend raw onion by taste. Add canned shrimp drain and rinsed or use salad shrimp cooked or any cooked shrimp about 1cup. Mix all together.
Lots of memories. Good stuff! Much easier to make in a food processor.
I made this yesterday using imitation lobster, (local store had on sale) Was super impressed!!!
My mom made this in the 60’s and until she couldn’t anymore, every New Year’s Eve. But hers contained cottage cheese. No mayo. But I bet mayo is good too. Thanks for posting
Jenny
If I make a shrimp spread with cream cheese, can I make it the day before?Will it still be good the next day?
I tried this dip recipe, but added lump crab meat to the dip. It was delicious. We dipped Melba toast in the dip along with the shrimp. The guests all loved it at our last party.
I have been making this recipe for years. Instead of shrimp, I usually use canned crab, substitute seafood sauce for the chili sauce and add in some diced celery. Awesome dip, it is still one of our favourites. My hubby forgot once to put in the crab and it was still yummy.
Yep. I’d eat the entire bowl!
Oh, yeah, my mom made this for pinochole night in the mid-70s – she’d always bring me up a bowl with Ritz crackers to my bedroom. I can practically hear the Carpenters 8 track in the background!
Guess I know what I’ll be making for Labor Day!
Oh what memories! Hope you enjoy!
I made the retro shrimp dip for the first time on 8/29/2017. I used 1/2 lb of small frozen shrimp thawed and chopped up not to much and added 1 tablespoon of real horseradish not the creamy kind.this turned out to be the best dip i have ever made. I chilled it for 2-3 hours then we tested it. It was gone instantly. AAAA+
when do you add the dried minced onions
Do we rinse the shrimp?
Hi Chris! No need to rinse the shrimp! 🙂
I bet this would also be delicious made with canned crab instead!
I remember this dip. Canned shrimp has a saltiness that fresh doesn’t have. Very good either way.. I use the canned ones with tuna in macaroni salad.
Salmon tip, use canned red salmon as it has s better flavor.
I remember this dip. Canned shrimp has a saltiness that fresh doesn’t have. Very good either way.. I use the canned ones with tuna in macaroni salad.
Salmon tip, use canned red salmon as it has s better flavor.
Very good point Janies – it really does!
Love the canned Shrimp! Thanks for a delish retro Recipe! Gonna make!!????
My family served this dip at all holidays. As said before…such memories.
Hi Brandi!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Where did I see this before?? I see people mentioned the 70s/80s? Was it on a back label of something? U brought me down a memory land but I can’t figure out which one! Lol thx! mary can’t wait to try!????
Christine that is the recipe my mother-in-law:-law used and I now use. It’s still very popular request!
I remember this well! Haven’t had it for years but will soon be making it!
Please resend with the amount of sour cream thank u
Chili Sauce, Worcestershire sauce and lemon? Count me in!
I was a little hesitant on canned tiny shrimp, but there was an episode on guys grocery games where someone used it in their meal and it turned out great! So I’ll give it a shot.
try frozen small full cooked shrimp chopped up not to fine and add a tbsp of real horseradish keep the rest of the recipe the same. it comes out excellent
This was a favorite in my family when my mom was alive. I still have the recipe in her handwriting. The only difference in her recipe and yours is that she used seafood sauce instead of chili sauce. Thanks for the retro recipes, they bring such happy thoughts back to mind.
I am so glad you are enjoying them Linda and what a wonderful memory to have of your mom!
I used to make this dip a lot in the late 70s/early 80s. I started out using canned shrimp but switched to those tiny thawed frozen shrimp (same thing, just frozen) , which I liked better. My recipe also called for a tsp or two of horseradish then served with Ritz crackers. Great memories with these old recipes. I think I need to make a batch!
I ate this dip for a thousand years! I have not made it in so long. You have awakened marvelous flavor memories and I am headed to the store for ingredients right now! Look out dip, here I come!!!!
Yay!! So glad to hear that!! It never goes out of style 🙂
This looks so good!!!! Definitely pinning to try it out.
We made this dip for every party in the “old” days – it was the grown-ups’ dip (the kids got the onion dip – cheaper). Oh what fond memories!!!
This sounds really delicious and I’m eager to make it! I see a container of sour cream in the photo of all the ingredients but after looking over the recipe a few times, I’m not seeing it listed. Is it supposed to be listed but was left out? Or is it perhaps an optional ingredient? Thanks!
Amy – nope, that was a boo-boo on my part. Sorry about that! I fixed it!
When i got back here to look for a reply, i noticed the photo no longer had the sour cream. Haha
Thanks so much for clearing that up for me. This will be a delicious new recipe to add to my favorite “go-to recipes”.
I would love to send you a shrimp dip from my family. since 1978. A sure winner.
Shrimp Mold Connie 1978
1 PKG Knox Gelatin
¼ Cup Cold Water
½ Can Tomatoe Soup
3 oz. Cream Cheese
½ Cup Salad Dressing
2 Small Cans Shrimp
1 Cup Celery
½ Cup Onion
Soften gelatin in water. Heat soup until very hot and add gelatin. Let cool. Cream the cheese and mix with salad dressing. Add shrimp and stir mixture into soup. Add celery and onion. Pour into mold and refrigerate over night.
Unmold and serve with Chicken in a Biscuit crackers or another of your choice.
My mother made that recipe.
What MEMORIES you have brought back with this recipe!
Mine did too, but she always added a can of Cream of Shrimp soup to this recipe.. Yum