The Best Cold Marinated Shrimp Appetizer – for Party or Pleasure!
When the weather heats up and the guest list starts filling, the last thing you want is a complicated appetizer keeping you stuck in the kitchen. That’s where this cold marinated shrimp comes in—fresh, flavorful, and almost effortless thanks to a smart shortcut: frozen cooked shrimp.
This chilled shrimp appetizer is all about bright citrus, a little tang, and just the right amount of savory bite. With pops of lemon, briny olives, and a hint of spice, every forkful feels light and refreshing—exactly what you want for warm evenings, backyard parties, or easy entertaining.
The best part? It only gets better as it sits. A quick marinade transforms these simple ingredients into something that tastes like you spent hours planning, when really, it’s just a matter of mixing, chilling, and letting the flavors do their thing.
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Marinated Shrimp Ingredients
- 2 lbs Medium Cooked, Shelled, Deveined Shrimp
- Lemon Juice
- Onion
- Black Olives
- Pimientos
- White Wine Vinegar
- Vegetable Oil
- Dry Mustard
- Bay Leaf
- Cayenne Pepper
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Lemon for Garnish
Tips for the Best Marinated Shrimp
Make it ahead for maximum flavor
This is one of those recipes that truly shines with a little time. Let the shrimp marinate for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better—the citrus, vinegar, and spices soak in and create a deeper, more balanced flavor.
Start with fully thawed, well-dried shrimp
If your shrimp are still watery from thawing, the marinade will get diluted. Pat them dry with paper towels so they can really absorb all that bright, tangy goodness.
Slice the onions thin
Thinly sliced onions soften beautifully in the marinade and won’t overpower each bite. Thick chunks can be a bit too sharp for a chilled appetizer like this.
Give it a gentle stir halfway through
If you remember, give the shrimp a quick toss while it marinates. This helps redistribute the flavors so every piece gets evenly coated.
Taste and adjust before serving
After chilling, give it a quick taste. Sometimes it may need a pinch more salt, a squeeze of lemon, or even a tiny splash of vinegar to brighten everything up.
Serve it well chilled
This appetizer is at its best straight from the fridge. Keep it cold until serving time, especially for outdoor gatherings.
Use a bay leaf—but don’t forget to remove it
The bay leaf adds a subtle depth while marinating, but be sure to take it out before serving.
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Kitchen Tools Required
Having the right kitchen tools can make a big difference when cooking. A rubber bottom mixing bowl makes prep work more manageable and measuring cups and spoons help you get the amounts just right. With these basics, cooking feels a lot simpler!
How to make the Cold Marinated Shrimp Appetizer
First take the frozen, cooked, shrimp and place them in a colander. Put the colander under cold running water until the shrimp thaw. This takes about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, put the lemon, onion, black olives, pimientos, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, pepper, cayenne, dry mustard and a bay leaf into a large bowl. I used a 5 quart mixing bowl with the rubber bottom and grip.
When the shrimp are thawed, add them to the bowl and stir. Place the shrimp mixture in the refrigerator, covered, and marinate overnight, stirring occasionally.
When ready to eat place the shrimp in a serving bowl.
Final Bite
This marinated shrimp appetizer is proof that simple ingredients can deliver big, fresh flavor with very little effort. It’s cool, citrusy, and made for those easy summer moments when good food and great company are all you need. Make it ahead, pour yourself something refreshing, and enjoy every bite—because effortless entertaining deserves a big, breezy cheers.
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The Best Cold Marinated Shrimp Appetizer – for Party or Pleasure!
Equipment
- 1 Colander
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Frozen Medium Cooked Shrimp, Shelled and Deveined
- 1 Lemon, Sliced Thin
- 1 Onion, Sliced Thin
- 2.25 Ounces Can of Black Pitted Olives Sliced (Drained)
- 2 Ounces Jar of Pimientos Diced (Drained)
- 1 Cup Lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Dry mustard
- 1 Bay Leaf
Instructions
- Place the frozen shrimp in a colander in the sink and run cold water over them while they thaw.
- In the meantime, add the remaining ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.
- Once the shrimp have thawed add them to the bowl and mix.
- Marinate the shrimp mixture, covered, and chilled, stirring occasionally for 24 hours.
- When ready to serve, discard the bay leaf and place the marinated shrimp in a large serving bowl.
- Garnish with lemon slices.