Make-Ahead Marinated Shrimp

What I can tell you for sure, though, is why Make-Ahead Marinated Shrimp have a permanent spot in the party rotation.  Marinated Shrimp are quite tasty, and are very frequently requested.  But their most winning feature may be this:  you have to make them 48 hours ahead.

The recipe starts with cooked shrimp.  I don’t use pre-cooked shrimp, but I’ve used both boiled shrimp and roasted shrimp.  You can have the seafood counter steam your shrimp, if you prefer.  I’m sure I’ve done that, too.  It doesn’t matter, do whichever is easiest.  I usually serve Marinated Shrimp as an hors d’oeuvre with toothpicks.  I like to dip them in cocktail sauce, but they’re plenty flavorful without it.  Marinated Shrimp bruschetta are nice with drinks, too.  You can spread toasted baguette slices with Boursin or something similar, and top that with a fat Marinated Shrimp and, maybe, a sprinkle of parsley.  

I’ve also made them to use in a shrimp salad, but not the mayonnaise kind, of course.  My favorite shrimp salad is these Marinated Shrimp, diced avocado, minced shallot, over a bed of lettuce and dressed with a citrusy vinaigrette.  If you chop the shrimp a bit, you can serve the salad in a lettuce cup, instead.

This morning there were a still a few left so I warmed them up in some melted butter and had them for breakfast over grits.  

Print Recipe

Marinated Shrimp

An easy make-ahead recipe. In fact, it's best made two days ahead!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. cooked shrimp
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 T. capers
• ½ cup vegetable oil or olive oil
• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• 1½ t. celery seed
• 1 t. salt

Instructions

• Put the shrimp and onion in a zipper bag.
• Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over shrimp. Refrigerate 48 hours before serving.