Old Bay Steamed Shrimp
If you’ve ever wanted to make shrimp cocktail feel a little more special without any extra effort, this Old Bay steamed shrimp is the answer. Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s a gluten-free, protein-packed appetizer that works for everything from casual weeknight snacking to holiday entertaining. The secret is a flavorful cooking liquid – Old Bay, fresh lemon, and apple cider vinegar – that infuses the shrimp with savory, tangy flavor you just don’t get from plain boiled shrimp.
It’s Shrimp Cocktail…But Elevated. 🦐
Instead of boiling the shrimp in water, we’re making a flavorful cooking liquid to infuse the shrimp with big flavor! Old Bay, fresh lemon, and apple cider vinegar gives savory and tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with a sweet and savory cocktail sauce.
I like to serve this as peel-and-eat shrimp, especially if we’re having it for a dinner or light meal at home. If I’m putting it out for a crowd, I would probably use shrimp without the peels to make them easier to eat! They’re…
🦐 Perfectly tender: Steaming locks in moisture, leaving the shrimp juicy and tender and infusing it with flavor.
⏰ Ready in 15 minutes: From start to finish, this is one of the fastest appetizers you can put on the table.
🍋 Bright & savory: Old Bay, fresh lemon, and apple cider vinegar create a cooking liquid that takes plain shrimp to the next level.
🎉 Perfect for entertaining: Serve it peel-and-eat style at home or peel them ahead for a crowd — either way it’s always a hit.
🥣 Better than jarred: The simple homemade cocktail sauce — just ketchup and horseradish — tastes so much fresher than anything store-bought.
For a balanced spread, cowboy caviar with tortilla chips and tzatziki with pita and veggies pair really well alongside the shrimp. Round it out with shrimp ceviche if you want to keep the seafood theme going.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this shrimp cocktail to the table: water, apple cider vinegar, Old Bay seasoning, lemon, jumbo shrimp, ketchup, and horseradish.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Use raw shrimp with the peels on – it makes a real difference in flavor since the shells protect the shrimp as they steam and help lock in moisture. And watch the cook time closely: shrimp goes from perfectly cooked to rubbery fast, so pull them the moment they turn pink.
- Variations: This is semi-steaming, semi-boiling, and that’s intentional – the cooking liquid infuses the shrimp with flavor in a way that pure steaming doesn’t. You can swap apple cider vinegar for beer if you’d like a slightly different flavor profile.
- Additions: A few garlic cloves or onion slices added to the cooking liquid will layer in even more flavor without any extra effort.
Steamed Old Bay Shrimp Recipe
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Old Bay steamed shrimp recipe is ready in 15 minutes and packed with flavor. Serve as a peel-and-eat appetizer with homemade cocktail sauce!
Ingredients
Steamed Shrimp:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 16 oz. jumbo shrimp (peel on)
Old Bay Cocktail Sauce:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. horseradish
- 1/4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
Instructions
- Mix Old Bay cocktail sauce. In a small bowl, stir together ketchup, lemon juice, horseradish, and Old Bay seasoning.
- Heat water, cider vinegar, Old Bay seasoning, and lemon slices in a large skillet over medium heat.
- When the mixture boils, add the shrimp, stir into the Old Bay mixture, and cover. Lower heat and steam for 3-6 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through.
- Let shrimp cool (or chill completely) before serving and serve with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Best served chilled or at room temperature.
Ingredients: Adjust the horseradish in the cocktail sauce to your personal heat preference – start with less and add more to taste. Jumbo shrimp work best here for the most satisfying peel-and-eat experience.
Prep ahead: These are great made ahead – steam the shrimp, chill completely, and serve cold with cocktail sauce. If you’re serving a crowd, consider peeling the shrimp before serving to make them easier to eat.
FAQs
You may have noticed that we are “steaming” the shrimp, but aren’t using a steamer basket. The trick to this is to use a large skillet (ideally at least 12 inches) so that the liquid is very shallow. This allows for a steaming hybrid of sorts. I actually prefer to let the cooking liquid fully season the shrimp, so the full contact is helpful here!
Shrimp cook very quickly, and we don’t want to overcook them as that’s when they turn rubbery and tough. So there are a few things to watch for:
– The shells of the shrimp turn pink
– The shrimp meat will turn white and opaque instead of translucent
More Shrimp Recipes
If you like this delicious shrimp recipe, you might also like some of these other easy shrimp recipes:
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer and founder of My Everyday Table, where she helps busy families take the stress out of weeknight dinners. With a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and almost 20 years of experience, Emily specializes in simple, nourishing recipes and weekly meal plans that actually work for everyday life. She’s a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor who believes delicious food and good nutrition go hand in hand.
Get started: Weeknight Dinners Guide | Weekly Meal Plans | About Emily
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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