These tangy, herby, lemony pickled shrimp are so good you’ll want to make a double batch! They’re perfect for sharing (or not!) and, with our recipe, are surprisingly easy to make.
I love these pickled shrimp as a light dinner and for entertaining (they always go quickly). Serve them with crackers, crusty bread and butter, or make a sandwich. They’re even great added to salads and light pasta dishes (like this orzo pasta salad).
I didn’t know how much I loved Southern-style pickled shrimp until our friend Richard introduced us to them. Now, I can’t get enough. Once you try this easy pickled shrimp recipe, you’ll be hooked, too. They are seriously good! For another Southern-inspired shrimp recipe, see our easy shrimp and grits!
Key Ingredients
- Shrimp: For the best results, I recommend large or jumbo shrimp. They’re less likely to overcook and dry out. Look for fresh shrimp that feels firm and has a slightly sweet smell. If you’re using frozen shrimp, thaw and drain them before cooking them.
- Lemon: I use lemon juice for the pickling liquid and a whole lemon for the shrimp cooking liquid.
- Cajun or Creole Seasoning: This adds a ton of flavor to both the cooking liquid and the pickling liquid. I love my homemade Cajun seasoning, but feel free to use what you have. I also like to add a bay leaf to the cooking liquid.
- Onion: This might be my favorite part! I love pickled onions, and since we add lots of sliced onion to the pickling brine, you end up with perfect shrimp and pickled onions. I usually use sweet onions, but yellow or red onions work too.
- Apple Cider Vinegar and Oil: These are the base of your pickling liquid. Apple cider vinegar keeps things tangy, and the oil adds richness and helps the pickling liquid turn into more of a dressing.
- Herbs: I love stirring fresh parsley and dill into the shrimp before serving for a bright, fresh flavor.
How to Make Pickled Shrimp
Just like when making shrimp ceviche, I quickly cook my shrimp before they go into the pickling liquid. This way, we can season them perfectly before they soak up all that tangy brine.
The pickling liquid itself is extraordinarily flavorful, made with lemon juice, spices, onion, and herbs. You’ll combine everything in a bowl with ice water to get it nice and cold, then pop it in the fridge while your shrimp cook.
A quick boil is all you need for the shrimp. Three minutes in the seasoned water is the sweet spot for plump, juicy shrimp. Once the shrimp are cooked, they go straight into the chilled pickling liquid! Let them hang out in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (or longer if you want).
When you’re ready to serve, the options are endless! I love them with crackers, buttered toast, or tossed into a salad. And don’t forget about those onions from the brine. They pickle, too, and are seriously delicious!
Seriously Good Pickled Shrimp
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
We cannot get enough of this pickled shrimp recipe. The shrimp turn out tangy, herby, and so delicious! You will quickly cook the shrimp before adding them to the brine. It’s easy and guarantees the perfect texture!
You Will Need
For Cooking the Shrimp1 pound (450g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lemon
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
For the Pickling Liquid2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from half a large lemon
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons (88ml) apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup (60ml) avocado oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup (120ml) ice water
1/8 teaspoon gochugaru Korean red chili flakes or use crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup (15g) fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
Directions
1Make the pickling liquid. Add the lemon juice, salt, Cajun seasoning, sliced onion, cider vinegar, oil, ice water, chili flakes, and black pepper to a bowl large enough to hold the shrimp once it has cooked.
2Stir until well blended, then chill in the refrigerator while you cook the shrimp.
3Bring 8 cups (1.8L) of water to a boil in a large pot. Cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice into the boiling water, and add the lemon halves.
4Add the tablespoon of salt, Cajun or Creole seasoning, bay leaf, and black pepper.
5Add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes, then transfer them to the chilled pickling liquid using a slotted spoon, stirring them around the pickling liquid a few times.
6Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
7Stir in the fresh herbs before serving.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Keep the shrimp in the brine in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The shrimp do firm up as they sit, but are still delicious!
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. The brine is included in the calculations, so fat and sodium are higher than what you will likely consume.
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Can I pickle raw shrimp/prawn for this dish rather than cook it first?
I’ve read your notes re this on the prawn ceviche recipe, and I understand the safety aspect, but I’d still rather pickle them from raw if that would work – or is the texture better with the pre-cook?
Love your site by the way!
Hi Julia, For this recipe, we recommend following the cooking directions before adding to the brine.
Thanks Joanne – I finally made these for friends last night and they were a big hit! One question – I dropped the poached prawns straight into the chilled pickling liquid as per instructions but they seemed to take a long time to cool, even in the fridge with an ice pack under the bowl. Any tips to chill the prawns more quickly so as to cease the cooking process more instantly? Thanks again, Julia 😊
Question: Can you leave out the Cajun spicy seasoning and still pickle the shrimp and have it taste good?
Hi Marian, The amount of seasoning doesn’t really make the shrimp spicy, but yes, you can leave it out and the shrimp should still be tasty.
those look so yummy, what do u eat them with?
These will not last long if you have shrimp lovers in your household. They are delicious 🙂 Our favorite way of serving them is on salads like our Orzo Pasta Salad. We also just like snacking on them.