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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    10-Minute Shrimp Dip with Cream Cheese and Cocktail Sauce

    Published: Jan 2, 2023 · Modified: Sep 18, 2025 by Barbara Curry

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    Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.

    Four-step collage for a quick shrimp dip recipe: layering chopped olives, shrimp, green onions, and shredded cheese in a glass dish, with a bowl of red sauce being mixed and chips ready for serving. Perfect for easy appetizers!.
    Four-step collage for a quick shrimp dip recipe: layering chopped olives, shrimp, green onions, and shredded cheese in a glass dish, with a bowl of red sauce being mixed and chips ready for serving. Perfect for easy appetizers!.

    This 10-minute shrimp dip appetizer layers cold cream cheese with jarred cocktail sauce and pre-cooked shrimp. It’s a terrific party appetizer that’s flavour-filled and tossed together with minimal time and effort. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers for dipping! Recipe yields 8 servings. 

    A glass dish with layered shrimp dip topped with shredded cheese is surrounded by tortilla chips. Some dip and chips are served on small white plates on a marble surface, with chips and crumbs scattered around.


     

    The Easiest Shrimp Appetizer You’ll Ever Make

    When you need a quick appetizer and don’t want to pull out a mixer, a layered cold shrimp dip is the way to go. Who doesn’t love the classic combo of spicy cocktail sauce and shrimp.

    It’s nothing fancy, just layers of cream cheese, cocktail sauce, and shrimp, but everyone always loves it.

    I think the magic is that it’s basically shrimp cocktail, but dressed up in dip form. Creamy, tangy, a little salty, and piled high with toppings. Just spread the cream cheese, and start adding layers.

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    Close-up of a glass dish containing layered shrimp dip with visible shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onions, salsa, and a creamy white base. A portion has been scooped out, revealing the layers. Tortilla chips are nearby.

    Want it spicier? Toss in jalapeños or add a little Old Bay seasoning. The dip holds up whether you scoop it with crackers, crunchy celery, or salty tortilla chips.


    It’s always good to have some easy appetizer recipes on hand for game days or last minute get togethers. Add some warm onion dip, because you always need a hot option to go with the cold ones. If you want to balance things out with something a little unexpected, strawberry pretzel crostini brings a sweet bite to the mix.

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      Ingredient Notes

      Ingredients for a layered shrimp dip.
      Gather the ingredients.

      Just the essentials here, check the recipe card for the full list:

      • Cream cheese (softened so you can spread it easily)
      • Cocktail sauce (tangy, a little sweet, a little spicy)
      • Cooked shrimp (tiny ones are my favorite, you can use fresh or frozen)

      Quick How-To

      Step 1: Add the layers

      Cream cheese spread in the bottom of a pie plate.
      Add the cream cheese layer.
      A layer of cocktail sauce on top of cream cheese.
      Spread a layer of cocktail sauce.
      Green onions on top of a layer of cocktail sauce.
      Add some onions.
      Black olive layer for a shrimp dip.
      Add black olives.
      Cooke shrimp sprinkled on top of the black olive layer.
      Add Cooked shrimp.
      Cheese added to the top of a layered shrimp dip.
      Top with cheese.

      And that’s it. No oven, no fancy equipment, just a crowd-pleasing dip that disappears every single time.

      A glass pie dish filled with creamy shrimp dip, topped with shredded cheese, sits on a marble surface. Nearby are a bowl of tortilla chips and a bowl of peeled shrimp, ready for dipping alongside empty plates.

      If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.

      A glass dish with layered shrimp dip topped with shredded cheddar cheese sits on a marble surface. Three small plates nearby hold servings of the dip and tortilla chips. A bowl of chips is in the background.

      10-Minute Cream Cheese, Cocktail Sauce & Shrimp Dip

      Author: Barbara Curry
      This 10-minute shrimp dip appetizer layers cold cream cheese with jarred cocktail sauce and pre-cooked shrimp. It’s a terrific party appetizer that’s flavour-filled and tossed together with minimal time and effort. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers for dipping! Recipe yields 8 servings. 
      No ratings yet
      Print Pin
      PREP: 10 minutes minutes
      COOK: 0 minutes minutes
      TOTAL: 10 minutes minutes
      Servings: 8

      Ingredients
       

      • 8 ounces cream cheese
      • ½ cup cocktail sauce
      • ½ cup green onions
      • ½ cup black olives
      • 1 cup cooked shrimp
      • 1 cup cheddar cheese grated

      Instructions
       

      • Spread the cream cheese in an even layer in a glass pie pan or 8 x 8 inch baking dish.
      • Spread the cocktail sauce on top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle green onions on next, then black olives, then chopped shrimp. Finish with a layer of cheese. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
      Barbara’s Tips + Notes
      • It will be easier to assemble if you let the cream cheese come to room temperature. 
      • Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before ready to serve so that the cream cheese can soften. 
      • You can use any size shrimp for this recipe, just chop it into small bite size pieces.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 450mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 0.2mg
      Follow Me On SocialDid you make this recipe? Mention @ButterandBaggage or tag #ButterandBaggage on Instagram!

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      Barbara Curry is the culinary adventurer of Butter & Baggage. With a dedicated enthusiasm for real butter made from happy cows she is in constant pursuit of delicious recipes and tasty dishes. She shares her experiences, ventures, and occasional misadventures because let’s face it things can get messy in any kitchen.

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