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    Home » Blog » Pantry

    11 Easy Dipping Sauce Recipes for Shrimp

    Published: Feb 16, 2020 · Modified: Feb 6, 2023 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

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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.

    Several containers of different dipping sauces are laid out for shrimp.

    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!

    Jump to:
    • 11 Easy Shrimp Dipping Sauce Recipes Kids Love
    • Start with Perfect Shrimp
    • Pick Your Favorite Shrimp Sauce (or Two!)
    • Homemade Remoulade
    • Bang Bang Sauce
    • Spicy Sandwich Sauce
    • Funky Ketchup
    • Cocktail Sauce
    • Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce
    • Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce
    • Cilantro Dipping Sauce
    • Buffalo Sauce
    • Chimichurri Sauce
    • Chipotle Aoli
    • More Seafood Recipes for Kids
    • 💬 Comments

    11 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!

    • A clear mixing bowl is filled with frozen raw shrimp.
      How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp
    • A blue plate with roasted shrimp next to lime wedges. Fresh parsley is sprinkled over the top. A blue napkin is under the plate.
      How to Cook Frozen Shrimp
    • A serving dish filled with boiled shrimp with caraway seeds.
      Seasoned Boiled Shrimp

    Pick Your Favorite Shrimp Sauce (or Two!)

    A platter of shrimp has several cups of dip on the platter.

    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.

    • The remoulade sauce is on a plate with mini crab cakes and a spoon. Lemon wedges are scattered around and green onions sprinkled on top.
      Spicy Remoulade Sauce for Crab Cakes

    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:

    • The bang bang sauce is in a dipping cup on a plate, surrounded by chicken nuggets.
      Bang Bang Sauce for Shrimp or Chicken

    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.

    • A mason jar of homemade spicy sauce in front of sliced bread.
      Spicy Sauce for Sandwiches

    Funky Ketchup

    We all know that straight-up ketchup is likely to be most kids’ preferred dipping sauce but I love this 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 a garlic 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.

    • A platter of chicken nuggets has a cup of copycat Chick-Fil-A sauce for dunking.
      Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce

    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.

    • A mason jar with creamy homemade ranch dressing has a spoon showing the texture in a drip.
      Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

    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.

    • A super easy homemade buffalo sauce sits in a mason jar with a spoon.
      Easy Homemade Buffalo Sauce

    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.

    • A blue plate holds a serving of rice with chunks of steak drizzled with fresh green chimichurri sauce. Fresh tomatoes are sliced in the back.
      Chimichurri Sauce for Grilled Steak

    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:

    • A serving of fish and chips has a lemon wedge on the side.
      Easy Fish Recipes for Kids
    • The grilled tilapia is on a dinner plate with a dollop of dill aoli, red rice, and a cob of corn.
      Seasoned Grilled Tilapia
    • A photo collage shows some of the easy shrimp recipes for dinner including a shrimp po'boy, shrimp rice bowl, and shrimp tacos.
      35 Easy Shrimp Recipes for Busy Nights
    • A platter of cheesy crab melts have green onions sprinkled over the top.
      Easy Cheesy Crab Melts

    More Pantry Recipes

    • A mason jar filled with homemade buttermilk dressing sits next to a bunch of green onions and a bowl of cherry tomatoes.
      Easy Buttermilk Herb Dressing
    • A pot of warm homemade teriyaki sauce is on the stove top.
      Thick Teriyaki Sauce in 5 Minutes
    • A mason jar filled with mustard vinaigrette is in front of a salad.
      Mustard Vinaigrette
    • A tomato pizza sauce is being mixed in a bowl.
      Marinara Pizza Sauce

    Reader Interactions

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    1. 30 meatless meals for Lent your kids will actually eat - Peanut Blossom says:
      February 18, 2021 at 1:07 pm

      […] Serve it with one of our favorite dipping sauces for shrimp. […]

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for moms.

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