Cream Cheese Shrimp Dip

Finding a crowd-pleasing appetizer that doesn’t require hours in the kitchen can feel impossible, especially when you’re hosting last-minute get-togethers or need something to bring to a potluck. After all, impressive party food usually means complicated recipes with endless steps, and things get even trickier when you’re working with a tight budget or limited time.

Luckily, this shrimp dip checks all the boxes: it’s creamy and flavorful, comes together in just minutes with mostly pantry staples, and works perfectly with crackers, chips, or fresh veggies for dipping.

What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?

For this dip, you can use either fresh or frozen shrimp – just make sure frozen shrimp is fully thawed and patted dry before using. Pre-cooked shrimp from the seafood counter is actually the easiest option here since you can chop it up and mix it right in without any extra cooking. If you’re using raw shrimp, you’ll need to cook them first by boiling or sautéing until they turn pink, then let them cool before chopping. Size-wise, medium or large shrimp work great because they’re easier to chop into nice bite-sized pieces, but really any size will do the job.

Options for Substitutions

This dip is pretty forgiving, so feel free to make these swaps based on what you have:

• Shrimp: You can use fresh or frozen shrimp – just make sure frozen shrimp is fully thawed and patted dry before mixing. Canned shrimp works too, though the texture will be slightly different. Drain it well and give it a quick rinse.
• Cream cheese: Make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature for easy mixing. In a pinch, you could use Neufchâtel cheese (the lighter version), though the dip will be slightly less rich.
• Mayonnaise: Sour cream or Greek yogurt can replace some or all of the mayo if you prefer a tangier flavor. Just keep in mind that Greek yogurt will make it a bit thinner.
• Green onion: Regular yellow or white onion works fine – just use about 2-3 tablespoons since they’re stronger in flavor. You could also try chives for a milder onion taste.
• Garlic salt: If you only have regular garlic powder, use about 1/4 teaspoon and add a pinch of regular salt to taste.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with shrimp dip is using raw shrimp instead of cooked – make sure your shrimp are fully cooked and cooled before mixing them in, or you’ll end up with a food safety issue and a watery dip.

Overmixing the cream cheese and mayonnaise can make your dip too thin and runny, so blend just until smooth and stop there.

Another common error is not letting the dip chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving, which allows the flavors to come together and gives the dip a better, thicker consistency.

Finally, don’t skip draining your cooked shrimp well and patting them dry with paper towels – excess moisture will water down your dip and make it less appealing.

What to Serve With Shrimp Dip?

This shrimp dip is perfect for parties and game days, and it pairs best with something crunchy that can scoop up all that creamy goodness. I love serving it with butter crackers like Ritz or Club crackers, but sturdy tortilla chips work great too if you want something with a bit more crunch. Fresh veggies like celery sticks, bell pepper strips, and cucumber slices are also really good options if you want to balance out the richness of the dip. For a fancier spread, try it with toasted baguette slices or pita chips, which hold up well and add a nice texture contrast.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Keep your shrimp dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Since it has seafood in it, you’ll want to eat it pretty quickly to keep it fresh and safe. I always write the date on the container so I remember when I made it.

Make Ahead: This dip actually tastes better when you make it a few hours ahead or even the night before. The flavors get a chance to blend together and it’s one less thing to worry about when you’re getting ready for guests. Just give it a good stir before serving.

Serve: Let the dip sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving so it’s easier to scoop. If it’s been in the fridge for a day or two and looks a bit watery on top, just stir it up and it’ll come back together nicely.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1050-1150
• Protein: 30-36 g
• Fat: 96-104 g
• Carbohydrates: 14-18 g

Ingredients

• 6 oz shrimp (I use Bumble Bee canned tiny shrimp, rinsed and drained)
• 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature, about 70°F)
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for the creamiest texture)
• 1/3 cup green onion (finely sliced into 1/8-inch rounds)
• 3/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• black pepper

Step 1: Prepare the Shrimp and Aromatics

• 6 oz shrimp
• 1/3 cup green onion

Rinse and drain the canned shrimp thoroughly to remove excess salt and liquid.

Reserve about 6-8 of the largest shrimp pieces for garnish, then finely chop the remaining shrimp into small, bite-sized pieces.

Slice the green onion into thin 1/8-inch rounds, keeping the white and light green parts separate from the darker green tops for layered flavor.

This prep ensures your dip has a pleasant texture throughout with some visual appeal on top.

Step 2: Create the Creamy Base

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise

In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise, stirring together until completely smooth and no lumps remain.

I like to use a flexible spatula and work the mixture against the side of the bowl—this gives a creamier result than just whisking.

The softened cream cheese is key here; cold cream cheese will create a lumpy texture that’s hard to fix once you add the other ingredients.

Step 3: Build the Dip with Seasonings and Mix-Ins

• chopped shrimp from Step 1
• white and light green green onion from Step 1
• 3/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• black pepper

Add the chopped shrimp from Step 1, the white and light green parts of the green onion, garlic salt, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper to the cream cheese mixture.

Fold everything together gently but thoroughly, being careful not to break up the shrimp pieces any further.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed—I like to add a small pinch of fresh black pepper at this stage for subtle warmth.

Step 4: Finish and Serve

• dip from Step 3
• reserved whole shrimp from Step 1
• reserved dark green onion from Step 1

Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and arrange the reserved whole shrimp on top for an attractive presentation.

Sprinkle the remaining dark green onion pieces and a light dusting of black pepper over the surface as a final garnish.

Serve immediately with crackers and fresh vegetables like cucumber slices, celery, and bell peppers for dipping.

Cream Cheese Shrimp Dip

Delicious Cream Cheese Shrimp Dip recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Servings 2.5 cups of dip

Calories 1100 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 6 oz shrimp (I use Bumble Bee canned tiny shrimp, rinsed and drained)
• 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature, about 70°F)
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for the creamiest texture)
• 1/3 cup green onion (finely sliced into 1/8-inch rounds)
• 3/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• black pepper

Instructions

 

• Rinse and drain the canned shrimp thoroughly to remove excess salt and liquid. Reserve about 6-8 of the largest shrimp pieces for garnish, then finely chop the remaining shrimp into small, bite-sized pieces. Slice the green onion into thin 1/8-inch rounds, keeping the white and light green parts separate from the darker green tops for layered flavor. This prep ensures your dip has a pleasant texture throughout with some visual appeal on top.
• In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise, stirring together until completely smooth and no lumps remain. I like to use a flexible spatula and work the mixture against the side of the bowl—this gives a creamier result than just whisking. The softened cream cheese is key here; cold cream cheese will create a lumpy texture that's hard to fix once you add the other ingredients.
• Add the chopped shrimp from Step 1, the white and light green parts of the green onion, garlic salt, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper to the cream cheese mixture. Fold everything together gently but thoroughly, being careful not to break up the shrimp pieces any further. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed—I like to add a small pinch of fresh black pepper at this stage for subtle warmth.
• Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and arrange the reserved whole shrimp on top for an attractive presentation. Sprinkle the remaining dark green onion pieces and a light dusting of black pepper over the surface as a final garnish. Serve immediately with crackers and fresh vegetables like cucumber slices, celery, and bell peppers for dipping.