12 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp (2024)

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Need a unique dip for your shrimp cocktail appetizer? Or, introduce kids to shrimp with a tray of different dipping sauces for shrimp to see which one they like best.

12 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp (1)

Do your kids like shrimp?

My girls were both initially hesitant to try them but I used a few tried and true mommy tricks to coax them into trying them.

Hint? It is all about the dipping sauces to help entice them to try the new food.

Now roasted shrimp cocktail is one of the holiday appetizers they most look forward to having each year.

I hope this list of easy shrimp dipping sauces help you to enjoy a delicious seafood dinner with your family or set out a new shrimp cocktail for your next party!

12 Easy Shrimp Dipping Sauce Recipes Kids Love

If your kids are new to shrimp, a fun way to get them to try a taste is to offer a little tray of dips for them to dunk the shrimp in.

Make the game more about which dip is the tastiest so their attention is slightly distracted from the shrimp itself.

For the record, the Peanut will eat just about anything if there is mustard involved. Little Pea is obsessed with Chick-Fil-A sauce.

So whether you're looking for a fun way to introduce shrimp to your kids or a new twist on a classic shrimp cocktail, there's sure to be a dipping sauce on this list that works perfectly for you.

Start with Perfect Shrimp

The tastiest shrimp for dipping starts with perfectly cooked shrimp. To get perfectly cooked shrimp, you need two important steps:

1. Thaw the Shrimp Properly

If you're working with a bag of frozen shrimp, learn the best way to thaw frozen shrimp here.

2. Cook them Perfectly

Then, once they are thawed, use this trick for perfectly roasted shrimp for your appetizer tray.

In a rush? You can use still-frozen shrimp with this easy boiled shrimp recipe in just THREE minutes!

Pick Your Favorite Shrimp Sauce (or Two!)

12 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp (6)

Then, pile up those gorgeous pink shrimp on a platter and tuck in a few dipping cups of one or two of these delicious sauces for dipping shrimp:

Homemade Remoulade

My all-time favorite seafood dip is a spicy remoulade sauce.

I’ve tried store-bought prepared ones and they never hold up to the deliciousness of a homemade version.

My easy remoulade sauce for crab cakes works just as great as a shrimp dipping sauce.

Remoulade Sauce for Crab Cakes

This spicy cajun remoulade sauce for crab cakes is a great dipping sauce for shrimp or po'boy sandwich spread, too! Made from easy things you have in your pantry mixed with a few classic creole ingredients for a creamy sauce you'll want to use again and again.

4.97 from 51 votes

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Homemade Tartar Sauce

When you make your own homemade tartar sauce, you can make it either sweet or vinegary to match your mood.

Homemade Tartar Sauce

Make your own homemade tartar sauce in under 5 minutes for spreading over easy baked fish sandwiches or dunking frozen fish sticks for a delicious family dinner.

5 from 1 vote

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12 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp (8)

Homemade Yum Yum Sauce

This easy homemade yum yum sauce is great for making yum yum shrimp to serve over jasmine rice for dinner, but my kids love it as a condiment for dipping cooked shrimp or even chicken nuggets!

Homemade Yum Yum Sauce

Easy homemade yum yum sauce for dipping shrimp or chicken for an easy dinner or appetizer. You can adjust the spice level and texture to make the perfect dip for your family.

5 from 1 vote

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12 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp (9)

Bang Bang Sauce

This Bonefish Grill copycat recipe of their super popular bang bang shrimp appetizer is also delicious as a dipping sauce for shrimp or even chicken!

Sweet and spicy and just the perfect amount of creamy, my easy homemade bang bang sauce recipe comes together with 5 ingredients in just a minute:

Bang Bang Sauce

Homemade bang bang sauce is an easy Bonefish Grill copycat recipe that tastes amazing with shrimp or chicken. You can use this spicy sauce as a dip for an appetizer or drizzle it over a bang bang shrimp rice bowl or toss it with your favorite pasta and chicken and shrimp!

5 from 44 votes

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12 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp (10)

Spicy Sandwich Sauce

Originally this spicy sauce recipe was used for making reuben sandwiches, but it would make an absolutely perfect dipping sauce for shrimp, too.

You could even use it to drizzle over shrimp on a delicious toasted bun for a homemade shrimp po'boy sandwich.

Spicy Sauce

This creamy, spicy sauce is the perfect sandwich spread for a grilled rueben. It also makes an excellent dip or drizzle for shrimp.

5 from 1 vote

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Funky Ketchup

We all know that straight-up ketchup is likely to be most kids’ preferred dipping sauce but I lovethis slight twist of a ketchup-mustard version.
Get the recipe here.

Cocktail Sauce

I always have a spicy jar of cocktail sauce in our fridge, but you can find mild prepared ones at the store that are wonderful. If you feel called to make one from scratch, this is our favorite cocktail sauce:
Get the recipe here.

Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce

Fish is a conduit for butter. Period.

Can you think of anything yummier than agarlic butter shrimp dipping sauce?? Me neither.
Get the recipe here.

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce

And for the kids who are still totally skeptical about this fish business, serving up a dip they are more familiar with from their favorite fast-food chain definitely can’t hurt.

Though it was made for chicken, this homemade copycat Chick-Fil-A sauce is a surprisingly awesome dip for fish.

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce

Make the deliciously famous chicken nugget and french fry dip everyone adores with this easy copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce recipe that uses easy pantry ingredients you have right at home.

Serve the sauce chilled from the fridge with a warm fresh batch of oven baked or air fried frozen chicken nuggets or your favorite baked french fries or potato wedges.

5 from 1 vote

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Cilantro Dipping Sauce

Cilantro can be hit or miss with kids.

If yours love it like I do, this easy cilantro lime ranch sauce recipe is a great dip for spicy shrimp or for pairing with baked coconut shrimp.

Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

Homemade cilantro lime ranch dressing is made with buttermilk, ranch seasoning, and easy roasted tomatillos. Drizzle this over a taco salad, use a creamy taco sauce, or serve it with spicy sweet potato chips for an appetizer.

5 from 2 votes

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Buffalo Sauce

If you're looking for a little heat, buffalo sauce actually makes a fantastic dip for shrimp, especially crispy breaded shrimp.

Creamier than regular cocktail sauce, this homemade buffalo sauce recipe takes just 5 minutes and 3 ingredients to make.

Easy Homemade Buffalo Sauce

This easy buffalo sauce recipe can be used as a dip for chicken or shrimp, drizzled over a salad, or used in countless appetizer recipes. Make it ahead days in advance in just minutes!

5 from 2 votes

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12 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp (14)

Chimichurri Sauce

If you're looking for a brighter, fresher dipping sauce, my easy chimichurri sauce has oodles of parsley, cilantro, and red wine vinegar. It would be an amazing dip for roasted shrimp as well as the steak marinade the original recipe mentions.

Chimichurri Steak

Need an easy grilling recipe for flank steak? This delicious chimichurri sauce makes the beef tender and pairs so well with fresh tomatoes during the summer.

5 from 1 vote

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Chipotle Aoli

Don't be intimidated, this is just a fancy name for flavored mayo. Plain mayo is not my favorite, but mix in chipotle powder, lime juice, fresh cilantro and other seasonings, and I'm sold! This would be perfect for topping a shrimp taco as well as a tasty shrimp dip.
Get the recipe here.

More Seafood Recipes for Kids

Want to help teach your kids to love shrimp and other seafood dishes? Don't miss these family-friendly seafood recipes they're sure to love:

Easy Fish Recipes for Kids

35 Easy Shrimp Recipes for Busy Nights

5 Best Spices for Salmon

Sheet Pan Shrimp and Vegetables

12 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp (20)
12 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp (2024)

FAQs

What is shrimp dipping sauce made of? ›

Mix the catsup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of horseradish. Taste and add more if desired. Then stir in a few dashes of hot sauce if you like your cocktail sauce with extra kick.

What can you use besides cocktail sauce for shrimp? ›

There's a nice variety of seafood sauces to choose from: Cocktail Seafood Sauce, Tartare, Marie Rose / Thousand Island, or a Thai Chilli Lime Sauce for something fresher.

What is Jamie Oliver's dipping sauce for prawns? ›

Jamie Oliver's Marie Rose Sauce recipe is a simple blend of mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon juice, and Worcestershire Sauce with a pinch of Tabasco for added heat. Quick and easy to prepare, Jamie Oliver's Marie Rose Sauce is the ideal seafood dipping sauce.

What are the five great sauces? ›

The five French mother sauces are béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, and tomato. Developed in the 19th century by French chef Auguste Escoffier, mother sauces serve as a starting point for a variety of delicious sauces used to complement countless dishes, including veggies, fish, meat, casseroles, and pastas.

What's the difference between sauce and dipping sauce? ›

A sauce is a liquid substance used to enhance a dish. Gravy and pasta sauce are examples. A dip is usually thicker so it can stick to things dipped into it. Think about guacamole and chip dip.

What is fine shrimp sauce? ›

Lee Kum Kee Fine Shrimp Sauce is a thick, pungent sauce made from fresh silver shrimps. Its fermentation is taken place in a green house to ensure no impurities. It is great for marinating, steaming or stir-frying.

What is Yum Yum sauce made of? ›

Yum Yum Sauce is made of mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, sugar, paprika and water to thin the sauce out. That's it! It's really just a matter of the right ratios of ingredients to get the flavor you want!

What is a substitute for sauce? ›

Substitute Tomato Paste For Tomato Sauce

If you have a can of tomato paste in your pantry, you are in luck—this is the best substitution for tomato sauce. All you need is the tomato paste and water. Mix together 1 part tomato paste and 1 part water until well blended.

What goes well with shrimp cocktail? ›

Diced avocado, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and a touch of chili create a vibrant and satisfying accompaniment that beautifully enhances the shrimp's natural sweetness. Coleslaw makes an excellent side dish for shrimp cocktail, especially for those who enjoy a blend of tanginess and creaminess.

What are alternative names for hoisin sauce? ›

Hoisin sauce, also known as Chinese barbecue sauce, is a popular ingredient in many Asian cuisines.

What is in Bobby Flay's Bobby sauce? ›

The best part about the recipe for Bobby Flay's fry sauce? It requires just three ingredients: mayonnaise, roasted red pepper puree, and adobo sauce. Not only does it take very few ingredients, but it's also super easy to make. First, you prepare the pepper — it needs to be roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced.

What is Marie Rose sauce made of? ›

Marie Rose sauce (known in some areas as cocktail sauce or seafood sauce) is a British condiment often made from a blend of tomatoes, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and black pepper. A simpler version can be made by merely mixing tomato ketchup with mayonnaise.

What sauces do Chinese use for seafood? ›

Seasoned Soy Sauce (蒸鱼豉油, ZHĒNG YÚ CHǏ YÓU)

Seasoned soy sauce is a light soy sauce (i.e. a “regular” soy sauce) with seasonings added, usually for use in seafood dishes.

What are the 4 main sauces? ›

To the original four sauces (Velouté, Béchamel, Allemande, and Espagnole) enshrined by his predecessor, royal chef Marie-Antoine Carême a century earlier, Escoffier added Hollandaise and Sauce Tomate, and reclassified Allemande. (Mayonnaise, one of his essential cold sauces, is now considered the sixth mother.)

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