Shrimp Roll Recipe
Featured Comment
“I love lobster rolls, but I don’t have a lobster budget. I’d never heard of shrimp rolls, so I decided to give this a try and I love it! I don’t like celery, so I added extra scallions in the celery’s place, and that was a mistake – too oniony. So other than my own bad sub move, this recipe is fantastic. I especially love how the flavor got all incorporated into the shrimp by boiling it in that seasoned mixture…yum! ~Michelle”
I’ve been making these shrimp rolls for longer than my shrimp salad. This was actually my original shrimp salad recipe that I turned into a sandwich. I’ve tested lots of flavors in the shrimp salad over the years but realized that keeping is simple is best with just a few flavorful ingredients. And of course, a warm buttery brioche hot dog bun is the perfect compliment my creamy shrimp salad.
If you’re a fan of Lobster rolls but don’t have access to whole lobster or lobster at all, shrimp rolls are a great alternative. Unless you live in a coastal town, lobster can have quite the hefty price tag, especially if you’re purchasing enough to feed a family. Shrimp rolls will save you money and give you a delicious sandwich as well.
Tips on Making The Best Shrimp Rolls
- Cook the shrimp at home! While using already cooked shrimp from the store may seem easy, remember that they are usually simple steamed or boiled without any additional flavor. Cooking shrimp at home will take extra 10 minutes AND you can do it ahead of time! You will add a lot more flavor to your shrimp salad this way.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp. Add shrimp to the mixture and cook until they’re all opaque and take them out. Allow the shrimp to cool until they’re not too hot to handle.
- Dice the shrimp into small pieces. This will help all the ingredients in the shrimp salad to incorporate evenly into one cohesive bite.
- Toast the bread! I can’t stress enough how much delicious flavor and texture it will add. Brush the hot dog buns with softened butter on both the inside and outside. Brown the buns under a broiler, keeping a careful eye on them to ensure they don’t burn.
- Stuff each toasted bun with the cooled or room temperature shrimp salad.
Can I Use Cooked Shrimp From the Store?
Yes, to save time you can use shrimp that come in a cocktail shrimp platter. But remember, that shrimp is steamed or boiled without any additional flavor, so the shrimp salad will not be as flavorful. If you can, do cook them at home in a flavored boiling water. It will only take a few extra minutes.
Make Ahead and Storing Recommendations
- Make ahead (shrimp): you can easily cook the shrimp per recipe, take them out and let them cool. Once cooled simply store them in the refrigerator in an air-tight food storage container. I recommend only making them a day ahead.
- Make ahead (shrimp salad): you can definitely prepare shrimp salad a day before and then just make shrimp rolls the next day. With that in mind, I don’t recommend making shrimp salad more than a day ahead.
- Storing: If you have leftovers, I don’t recommend storing shrimp salad in the bread because the bread will get soggy. Store shrimp salad in an air-tight food storage container, in the refrigerator, for 1-2 days.
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Shrimp Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
Shrimp:
- 1.5 lbs raw shrimp cleaned and deveined
- 1 lemon
- 3 dill weed sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp kosher coarse salt or coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
- 2 quarts water
Shrimp Salad:
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 3 tbsp scallions diced
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh minced parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh minced dill weed
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/8-1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher coarse salt or coarse sea salt
Shrimp Rolls:
- 4-5 brioche hot dog buns
- 2 tbsp salted butter melted
Instructions
Shrimp:
- Clean and de-vein shrimp. Cut lemon in half and squeeze a tablespoon of lemon juice out and set it aside for the shrimp salad.
- Bring water to boil, squeeze in lemon juice from lemon halves and throw in the halves as well. Add bay leaves, dill weed sprigs, salt, and peppercorns. Mix well and simmer for a few minutes.
- Add shrimp to the pot and cook until just turned pink and opaque. (Depending on the size, it will take about 2-3 minutes.)
- Take shrimp out and let them cool until easy to handle.
Shrimp salad:
- Dice shrimp and add them to a mixing bowl.
- Add diced celery, scallions, mayo, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, herbs, and spices. Mix everything very well.
- You can refrigerate shrimp salad for a couple of hours to chill or serve it at room temperature.
Shrimp Rolls:
- Preheat the oven broiler on low and brush hot dog buns with melted butter. Pull them apart very gently and brush some butter on the inside as well.
- Place buttered buns on a baking sheet and let them brown under the broiler. Don’t place it too close to the broiler so the buns don’t burn.
- Divide shrimp salad evenly among the warm rolls and serve with some lemon wedges on the side.
Video
Notes
- Make Ahead: You can prepare shrimp salad a day before and then just make shrimp rolls the next day. With that in mind, I don’t recommend making shrimp salad more than a day ahead.
- Using Pre-Cooked Shrimp: you can use pre-cooked shrimp (like ones that come in a cocktail shrimp platter). But remember, that shrimp is steamed or boiled without any additional flavor, so the shrimp salad will not be as flavorful. If you can, do cook them at home in a flavored boiling water. It will only take a few extra minutes.
- Bread: My absolute favorite rolls to use are brioche hot dog buns. They are soft, delicate, and have a pleasant sweetness that compliments this shrimp salad perfectly. If you can’t find brioche hot dog buns, use other hot dog buns like butter flavored ones.
- Gluten free option: You can also use gluten free bread if needed. I would stay away from pretzel buns only because they are so much more dense and it will be hard to eat shrimp salad with it.
- Storing: If you have leftovers, I don’t recommend storing shrimp salad in the bread because the bread will get soggy. Store shrimp salad in an air-tight food storage container, in the refrigerator, for 1-2 days.
Nutrition
More Shrimp Recipes For The Summer
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Always a spring/summer favorite. Have never had any go to waste!
I am so glad you enjoy the recipe!
Awesome recipe and easy to make. The family loved it.
SO glad you like it, Craig!
I love lobster rolls, but I don’t have a lobster budget. I’d never heard of shrimp rolls, so I decided to give this a try and I love it! I don’t like celery, so I added extra scallions in the celery’s place, and that was a mistake – too oniony. So other than my own bad sub move, this recipe is fantastic. I especially love how the flavor got all incorporated into the shrimp by boiling it in that seasoned mixture…yum!
I am so glad you liked it! I am sorry you added to much onion though, you will just have to make it again!
I didn’t use the apple cider vinegar( personal preference). They turned out excellent will be making these very often!
I am so happy to hear you like the recipe, Charlie!
Very Very Good ! We used cooked peeled Shrimp and added a little Saratchia /Mayo for the Dressing mixture with the Dill Weed , Celery , Red Onion , Pepper Seeds , Lemon Juice , Ginger , Salt and Pepper and Felt Leaf Parsley. The UMMINUS !
Yum! Glad you liked it!
Every bit as delicious as a lobster roll for about one quarter of the price! This was wonderful!!
I am so glad you liked it, Dave!
I am a active 80 year old retired physician whose passion is cooking, I was researching recipes for shrimp rolls and reviewed some recipes and then came to yours….you had the best ideas or how to make and present the sandwich. You were practical for the home cook. The recipe could easily be altered according to tastes of the cook….go with a top sliced Chicago Hot Dog brioche bun and saute the sides in buttered pan, change celery to salted and drained English cucumber, add tarragon to the diced herbs. Or, do none of these things. Your recipe is wonderful. I subscribed to your blog.
Hi Stuart,
Thanks for stopping by to share with me your love of cooking! I do try to make recipes that can easily be altered for personal taste, I am happy to hear that you take them and make them your own!