24 Succulent Shrimp Appetizers for Every Kind of Gathering There’s no shortage of delicious ways to make quick-cooking shrimp the star of your first course. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 18, 2026 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Quick-cooking, bite-size, and easy to eat out of hand, shrimp were practically made for the appetizer course. They can also be prepared in countless ways to suit a variety of tastes and occasions. Grilled, fried, sautéed, or poached, shrimp are terrific blitzed into mousse to top toasts, pickled in an aromatic brine, or packed inside rice paper rolls with noodles, herbs, and vegetables. Served simply with a dipping sauce or layered with other ingredients, these shrimp appetizers are ready for your next party. Love these recipes? Join MyRecipes — your personal home for recipes — to easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place. 01 of 24 Grilled Shrimp Cocktail with Fresh Tomato Cocktail Sauce Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman Shrimp cocktail gets a seasonal glow-up with a lemony marinade, a beautifully charred finish, and a fresh take on cocktail sauce that makes the most of prime summer tomatoes. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 24 Dirty Martini Shrimp Cocktail Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Renu Dhar / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Upgrade the classic by poaching big, beautiful shrimp in a broth infused with lemon and shrimp shells, brining them in olive juice, and infusing jarred cocktail sauce with gin and vermouth. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 24 Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic Sauce) Diana Chistruga A staple at low-key taverns across Madrid and the south, gambas al ajillo is one of Spain’s most castizo (rootsy) tapas. While the dish is traditionally made to order in bustling bars, the Food & Wine Test Kitchen version brings those same vibrant flavors to your table in just 20 minutes. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 24 Spicy Shrimp Toast Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall 2011 F&W Best New Chef Stephanie Izard makes a savory shrimp mousse flavored with spicy sambal oelek, tangy preserved lemon, and Shaoxing rice wine to spread on white bread. After griddling each piece until deeply toasty, she slices them into strips and finishes with fresh cilantro, scallions, and an aioli drizzle. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 24 Chạo Tôm (Sugarcane Shrimp) Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This delectable Vietnamese appetizer from chef Cường Phạm is made by forming an aromatic shrimp paste around sugarcane skewers, which take on a smoky char when grilled. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 24 Blackened Shrimp Food & Wine / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Props Styling by Prissy Montiel Coat extra-large shrimp in a blend of 10 herbs and spices, then cook them in butter until they develop a blackened crust. Shower with parsley, then serve with lemon wedges, garlicky seasoned butter, and your favorite aioli for a flavor-packed appetizer. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 24 Creamy Shrimp Salad Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Lemon, Old Bay seasoning, Dijon mustard, and a trio of herbs flavor this mayonnaise-based shrimp salad from food writer Amethyst Ganaway. Serve with butter crackers or crostini for a scoopable appetizer. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 24 Honey-Pepper Coconut Shrimp Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Christine Keely / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer Sweetened shredded coconut and panko combine to create the shaggy, crunchy breading for these party-ready shrimp. Serve them with a mango-habanero aioli for dunking. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 24 Kelaguen Uhang (Coconut Pickled Shrimp with Chiles) Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Bring a bright, tropical spark to your appetizer spread with this refreshing citrus-marinated shrimp dish from Guam. The contrast of rich shredded coconut, zesty lemon, and hot chiles creates a perfectly balanced bite when everything’s served over crispy tostada rounds. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 24 Thai-Style Shrimp Cocktail Aubrie Pick Cook and chill large raw shrimp, then serve with a quick garlic aioli and super-spicy fish sauce–based dip for 2016 F&W Best New Chef Kris Yenbamroong’s creative take on this timeless appetizer. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 24 Shrimp Tempura with Miso Mayonnaise Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser Ready in just half an hour, this exceptionally light, crisp shrimp tempura from Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto is an ideal hot appetizer for anyone willing to do a little last-minute frying. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 24 Pork Belly, Shrimp, and Pickled Tomato Pintxos Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Pintxos are the Basque region’s answer to tapas. Thread and grill sticky-sweet pork belly, meaty shrimp, and bright, quick-pickled tomatoes for a whimsical appetizer with plenty of flavor. Get the Recipe Save 13 of 24 Lowcountry Pickled Shrimp Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Here, 1993 F&W Best New Chef Ben Barker poaches jumbo shrimp before submerging them in an aromatic pickling liquid. Fennel and coriander seeds, sliced onion and lemon, fresh ginger, and bay leaves perfume the firm, pleasantly crisp shrimp for a remarkably simple make-ahead appetizer. Get the Recipe Save 14 of 24 Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls) Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Filled with shrimp, rice noodles, and a rainbow of crunchy vegetables, these Vietnamese rice paper rolls from chef Andrea Nguyen make for refreshing handheld appetizers. Get the Recipe Save 15 of 24 Cracked Shrimp with Pineapple-Habanero Relish Greg DuPree Top Chef alum Carla Hall reimagines Bahamian cracked conch by swapping in shrimp — it’s battered, fried, and served with a spicy fresh pineapple relish. The relish can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to two weeks. Get the Recipe Save 16 of 24 Barbecued Shrimp Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne Also from Carla Hall, this recipe centers around a multitasking homemade barbecue sauce. A bit is tossed with the shrimp before grilling, more gets brushed onto the skewers as they cook, and the rest is saved for dunking. Get the Recipe Save 17 of 24 Fish and Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas Eva Kolenko / Food Styling by Carrie Purcell / Prop Styling by Nidia Cueva Studded with tomatoes and carrots, lime juice–cured seafood is piled atop fiery habanero crema. The crema can be made in advance, but build the tostadas just before serving to keep them crisp. Get the Recipe Save 18 of 24 Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee Using an air fryer for these shrimp saves time in both cooking and cleanup, not to mention that the results are utterly delicious. The crispy shrimp is breaded in a combo of coconut and panko; we like it with a Thai sweet chile dipping sauce. Get the Recipe Save 19 of 24 Shrimp Pakora Sliders with Coconut-Cilantro Chutney Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn Shrimp fried in chickpea flour and spiced with turmeric and Kashmiri chile powder shine in a King’s Hawaiian Roll, topped with a smear of herby coconut-cilantro chutney. Get the Recipe Save 20 of 24 Zucchini, Corn, and Shrimp Flatbread Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Grill store-bought naan and heap summer’s bounty on top: sweet corn, tender shrimp, fresh mascarpone cheese, and delicate ribbons of zucchini. Smoked paprika helps deepen the dish’s grill-kissed flavor. Get the Recipe Save 21 of 24 Lemony Shrimp Dumplings Food & Wine / Photo by Jacob Fox / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Stying by Gabriel Greco Chef Anita Lo keeps things simple by using store-bought gyoza wrappers for her flavorful steamed dumplings, pleating the dough around a citrusy shrimp filling and serving with an almost-instant dipping sauce. Get the Recipe Save 22 of 24 Coctél de Camarón (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail) with Saffron Jen Causey Saffron perfumes an umami-rich stock that creates the foundation for tangy, fiery shrimp topped with creamy avocado and fresh cilantro. Serve it solo, or with crisp tostadas or saltine crackers for an extra-hearty appetizer. Get the Recipe Save 23 of 24 Crispy Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Crêpes) with Shrimp, Pork, and Bean Sprouts © Quentin Bacon The late, legendary chef Charles Phan chased his idea of the crispiest bánh xèo for years: They should be crackly crisp, lacy thin, and wonderfully savory. He cracked the code by letting the batter rest overnight and then cooking it in a nonstick skillet. Get the Recipe Save 24 of 24 Shrimp-Stuffed Peppers © Joseph de Leo Simple yet impressive, these fruity, blistered peppers are stuffed with a gooey blend of cheeses and garlicky shrimp, baked until perfectly melted, and served alongside a vibrant mango-laced salsa fresca. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Ingredients Seafood Shellfish Shrimp Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit