At your holiday party, I guarantee this Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip will become a recipe favorite for your friends and family. (All photos credit: George Graham)
There are certain traditions that make the holidays special, and of course, in the Graham family, those traditions usually involve food–turkey and cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving and a regal crown roast of pork for Christmas Day. Oh, and of course, a Christmas Eve gumbo with friends and family after church services the night before. For us, these are the culinary traditions that holiday memories are made of.
But, there is another tasty tradition in our family that has been passed through the generations that is most special–my brother Jackie’s Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip. To me, this simple recipe represents the holidays in South Louisiana, and is a sure way to spice up any gathering. We put it out at Thanksgiving and make even more as Christmas nears.
My older brother Jackie Graham was the real cook in the Graham family, and he perfected this Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip recipe many holidays ago. For years, he and his wife Lavonia–an equally talented cook–hosted our Thanksgiving family reunion in my hometown of Bogalusa, Louisiana. They would begin cooking the amazing feast two weeks before the event. It was an all day and night eating affair, and the taste of his famous Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip was reason enough for family members to make the trek from California, Mississippi, Florida, and beyond.
Louisiana ingredients spice up this Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip.
Be sure to use Louisiana wild-caught shrimp in this recipe, and to source the best Gulf seafood available, check out the listings on Louisiana Direct Seafood. The sauce in this dip is a zestier version of a traditional rémoulade infused with horseradish, Zatarain’s Creole mustard, and hot sauce. As with any recipe, you can certainly adjust the ingredients to your taste, but I would urge you to follow this one to a tee the first time out. While this Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip is guaranteed to clear up any sinus problem you might have, I can assure you it is addictive.
My brother Jackie is no longer with us, and these days our families celebrate the holidays in our own hometowns. But every year across the nation, there are Grahams–and new generations of Grahams–celebrating the holidays with a big bowl of Jackie’s Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip close at hand.
Thank you, brother.
This Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip will go fast. Make plenty.
- 4 large eggs
- 2 pounds small, raw peeled Louisiana shrimp
- 1 jar (16 oz) Creole mustard or coarse-grained mustard
- 1 jar (5.25 oz) prepared horseradish
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion (fresh, not pre-cut frozen)
- 1 cup finely diced green bell pepper (fresh, not pre-cut frozen)
- 1 cup finely diced celery (fresh, not pre-cut frozen)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Dash of hot sauce
- Ritz crackers, for serving
- In a large pot of cold water filled to the halfway point, add the eggs. Turn the burners to high and bring the water to a boil and immediately turn off the heat. Cover the pot and let sit for 12 minutes. Remove the hard-boiled eggs from the water (keep the water in the pot) and rinse under cold water. Peel the eggs and dice. Place the diced eggs in a bowl, cover and refrigerate.
- In the same pot of water over high heat, bring it to a boil. Add the raw shrimp. Bring the water back to a boil and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Remove one of the larger shrimp and test for doneness. If done, turn off the heat. Immediately remove the pot and strain the shrimp into a colander. Rinse with cold water to stop the carryover cooking and then dry the shrimp on a kitchen towel or paper towels. Put the shrimp in a bowl lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator to cool. (UPDATE NOTE: Be sure to dry the shrimp on paper towels before adding to the mustard mixture to prevent excess liquid.)
- In a large mixing bowl, add the mustard, horseradish, canola oil, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Add the diced vegetables and stir. Add the boiled eggs and stir to distribute evenly throughout the mixture. Add salt, pepper and hot sauce to your taste.
- Add the shrimp and stir to distribute evenly throughout the mixture. Cover and refrigerate until chilled (or overnight).
- For serving, fill a bowl with the dip and place on a tray surrounded by Ritz crackers.
Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip–a holiday classic.
YOUR SEAT AT THE TABLE: If you like this Cajun cooking story and Cajun recipe then accept my personal invitation to subscribe by entering your email at the bottom or top right of this page. It’s quick, painless, and FREE. You will receive an email alert and be the first to see when new Cajun cooking stories and Cajun recipes are added. Thanks, George.
Will make it tomorrow for myself and buddies at the deer lease. Sounds so good, can hardly wait to try it. Thanks.
Barron- Make plenty; it will go fast. I guarantee they will love it.
Holy moly! Geaux make you some. But you might need to double the recipe! Brought it to work, and within an hour, it was all gone. So next time I may have to triple the recipe. We love fresh-caught shrimp in Grand Isle. We also put a lot of crabmeat.
Love it!
Love our Cajun heritage and food, especially spicy foods. Will definitely try this recipe. Looks so delicious!
Thanks for sharing.
Drying the shrimp is critical! Please add me to your email list!
Hey Cathy – You are now part of the Acadiana Table family and will receive an email weekly when a new recipe is posted. Please keep commenting and join the discussion. All the best.
Can it be frozen?
Sarah – No. Freezing it will add ice crystals and a watery mess when you try to thaw it out. Make a batch in if you have leftovers, share with friends and family. All the best.
This recipe sounds like it is right up my alley. Will have to try it soon.
This is the best shrimp dip ever. I made this for my Christmas party and everyone loved it. One of my chef friends said it’s better than Brennan’s bernaise sauce, and i agree. Thank you for sharing it. I passed it on to several friends and family who requested it. Can’t wait to receive your recipes!
Ronnie-
Thanks for the credit, but it is my brother Jackie who perfected this recipe. He would be proud to be in the same league as the Brennan family. All the best and Merry Christmas to you and your family.
George,
I have made your shrimp dish twice and it was the hit of the party. Awesome!!
Hey Lon – Thanks so much for the great review. Happy New Year, my friend!
This is a really great recipe. We made it for a friend who doesn’t like mayonnaise and she flipped. It’s also easy. Highly recommend following the recommendations and making it the day before so the flavors can develop.
Hey Alan – Thanks for the great review, and you are correct to point out that making this dish in advance only makes it better. All the best to you and your family.
I couldn’t get that top subscribe invitation to hold still where I needed to put my info in. Kept jumping back up to the top. Anyway, looks like a great recipe. In fact, just by looking at the ingredients I can tell, so I’m going to give it 5 stars even though I haven’t tried it yet.
Love the whole idea of south Louisiana culture and cooking, except I have to look for recipes that aren’t too hot, as in chili pepper hot, which some call spicy, but I think spicy should refer to food with more than just one spice. Some dishes have a lot of different spices in them so they’re spicy. Hot is something else.
Hey Bobby- I entered your info and you are now subscribed. As for the spice level, my recipes are a starting point for making Cajun dishes, but feel free to adjust the spice level to your liking. All the best.