Shrimp Remoulade

Shrimp Remoulade is one of my favorites since our visit to NoLa! Imagine plump, juicy shrimp tossed in a tangy Louisiana-style remoulade sauce, all nestled in crisp lettuce cups.

I love to add some boiled eggs, olives, and avocado for a bit of variety. It’s perfect as a daily salad or as a stunning, easy appetizer for any holiday gathering. This dish is a true New Orleans classic that never fails to impress. If you’re a fan of shrimp, you’re going to love my Shrimp Remoulade.

They sure know how to cook shrimp in Louisiana. From hearty Shrimp Creole to rich and decadent New Orleans BBQ Shrimp to a fully loaded Po’ Boy, I absolutely loved every single meal in our New Orleans’s trip.

I made this shrimp appetizer for a recent get together instead of regular shrimp cocktail, and it was an instant hit with everyone.

What is Shrimp Remoulade?

Remoulade sauce has its roots in French cuisine but has been heartily adopted and adapted by various cultures, most notably in Louisiana Creole cooking.

This New Orleans shrimp dish is as basic as cold boiled shrimp with their famous zesty mustard-mayo sauce, remoulade, pronounced Reh-mou-Lahd. It’s easy and super quick.

Often served as a first course appetizer during celebration times like Mardi Gras, I don’t see why you can’t fix yourself a quick lunch bowl with this simple theme.

Southern food always warms the heart and soothes the soul. It has tons of flavor and is seasoned with generous hands. No wonder I became the biggest fan of the food that comes from the southern region of America.

Your boiled shrimp doesn’t have to be boring and flavorless… You just have to do it New-Orleanian style!

Ingredients Needed

• Shrimp – I like a little larger sized shrimp, but you can use any.
• To boil the shrimp – Water, lemon slices, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, salt, Worcestershire sauce.
• Remoulade sauce – You can use store bought, but my homemade remoulade sauce is so easy and so much better. See below for ingredients.
• Lettuce – For serving. Something hardy. I love butter or Boston lettuce for this one, as they make great lettuce cups. In a pinch you can use any.
• For garnishings – Hard boiled eggs, olives, avocados.

Tips for Boiling the Shrimp

1. When making this dish, I always go for fresh shrimp. You can use frozen or pre-cooked shrimp, but fresh ones boiled just right are the best. I prefer jumbo or large shrimp because they look impressive on the platter, but medium ones are fine too. I make sure to devein and clean the shrimp thoroughly, and I remove all the tails and heads since they’ll be tucked into lettuce cups.
2. NEVER OVERCOOK SHRIMP. No one wants tough and rubbery seafood. All they need is a quick hot bubble bath and then I plunge them into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process immediately.
3. I often boil the shrimp ahead of time and keep them in the fridge, which is a great meal prep strategy. Plus, if I boil a big batch, I can use some for other meals throughout the week.

How to Boil Shrimp

Some folks might just boil shrimp in plain water, and that’s okay if you’re in a rush. But I like to add a bit of flavor by seasoning the water. It only takes a few extra pantry staples and a couple more minutes. I start by bringing water to a boil with some lemon slices, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, salt, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. I let it simmer for about 10 minutes to infuse the water with all those flavors.

Then, I crank up the heat to get a rolling boil and toss in the shrimp. Depending on their size, I cook them for about 2 to 4 minutes, just until they turn opaque. After that, I drain them quickly and plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and keep them juicy and tender.

Once they cool off, I pat them dry and refrigerate till ready to use.

Homemade Remoulade Sauce

I am using two different versions of Louisiana style remoulade. Basically, you just mix together the ingredients. You can get more specific details on my Remoulade post. The ingredients are…

Remoulade 1 (pink): Mayonnaise, Creole mustard, sweet relish, finely chopped capers, lemon juice, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Louisiana style hot sauce, paprika, Cajun or Creole seasoning, finely chopped parsley, salt & pepper.

Remoulade 2 (red): Creole mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, cayenne, sugar, finely chopped parsley, salt & pepper, extra virgin olive oil.

How to Serve

Prep your garnishings. Cut the avocados any which way you prefer. Same goes with hard boiled eggs. You can keep olives whole or slice them. You can mix all these garnishings together in a bowl or arrange them separately.

When ready to eat, I toss the cold shrimp with remoulade sauce in a bowl till well coated.

I start by arranging the lettuce on the platter, making sure each leaf is ready to hold a generous spoonful of shrimp. Then, I spoon the shrimp into each lettuce cup and arrange the garnishes around them to make it look inviting. And voilà, it’s all set! To really top it off, I like to bring out some sparkling rosé or crisp white wine.

1. A very popular and common way to serve shrimp remoulade in the south is over top of Fried Green Tomatoes… so yum!!
2. Instead of lettuce cups, how about serving these shrimp over a Wedge Salad?
3. Another fun way I like to serve this is over an avocado. I just halve the avocado, scoop out the pit, and then spoon the shrimp right over the avocado halves. It’s simple, looks great, and adds a creamy texture that pairs beautifully with the shrimp.
4. Some days I make a shrimp remoulade po’ boy!

Alpana’s Tips

1. When it comes to shrimp, quality really makes a difference. I always try to get fresh, wild-caught shrimp because the flavor is just so much better. You can use pre-cooked shrimp if you’re in a rush, but boiling your own with aromatic ingredients really takes the dish to another level.

2. For the remoulade sauce, my recipe makes more than you’ll need for the shrimp. Don’t throw it out! I keep the extra sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. It’s fantastic as a zesty sandwich spread, a dip for fries or veggies, or even as a dressing for a bold salad.

3. If you’re in the mood for something different, give the red remoulade version a try. It changes up the flavor but is just as delicious.

4. And when it comes to garnishes, feel free to get creative. I like adding cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, or even some crispy bacon bits for extra flavor and texture.

5. If you love a bit of heat, don’t hesitate to add more hot sauce or a bit more Cajun seasoning.

Let me know if you give my New Orleans shrimp remoulade a try. Personally, once my remoulade is ready in the refrigerator, I am on look out for any excuse to use it. These shrimp are one of the easiest ways to use that yum sauce.

Make these lettuce cups as a quick appetizer that looks so fancy with minimum efforts. Perfect if you have a long menu to fill out while entertaining.

Pin or bookmark this beauty, you might use it this holiday season. While you’re here, check out my collections of favorite Shrimp Recipes and Cajun Recipes.

Keep coming back to GypsyPlate to check what we have been cooking up for you. Take care…

Classic Shrimp Remoulade, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try some of our other great Cajun and Creole recipes:
Grillades and Grits
Cochon de Lait
Pastalaya (Jambalaya Pasta)
Maque Choux
Shrimp Boil
Yakamein

Shrimp Remoulade

Yield: 6 lettuce cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Shrimp Remoulade is a New Orleans classic. Today I am making lettuce cups with it. Great appetizer or keto friendly meal option!

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Ingredients

To Boil Shrimp

• 1 lemon, sliced
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 2 Tbsp salt
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

For Remoulade Sauce (see note 3 for other version)

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp Creole mustard
• 1 Tbsp Louisiana style hot sauce
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp sweet relish
• 1 medium sized garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp capers, chopped
• 1 tsp cajun or creole seasoning
• ½ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

For Serving

• 6 butter or Boston lettuce leaves
• 3 hard boiled eggs
• 1 cup black olives
• 1 Avocado
• ½ lemon, wedged

Instructions

1. Add lemon, bay leaves, chili flakes, salt and Worcestershire sauce to large potful of water. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to seep into the water.
2. Add shrimp to water and cook until opaque, 2-4 minutes depending upon the size of the shrimp. Drain in colander and immediately place shrimp in ice water bath.
3. Mix all remoulade ingredients together and cut garnishings to your desired shape.
4. Drain shrimp and mix with ½ cup remoulade sauce.
5. Arrange lettuce cups and garnishings on platter. Scoop equal portions of shrimp mixture into lettuce cups.

Notes

1. In a hurry? You can use pre-cooked shrimp, though I love the flavors this method imparts.
2. This makes a larger amount of remoulade than is needed for the shrimp. Refrigerate remaining in sealed container for up to two weeks. Leftovers are great as a sandwich spread or for dipping pretty much anything. Or just cook more shrimp! Refrigerate leftover shrimp in sealed container, but eat within three days.
3. This is for the more traditional pink version of remoulade. For the red version, which I also love, use:
   

• ¼ cup creole mustard
• 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp ketchup
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 medium sized garlic, minced
• ½ Tbsp lemon juice
• 1.5 tsp paprika
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• Cayenne, pinch
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ tsp salt

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 394Total Fat 30gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 288mgSodium 1165mgCarbohydrates 10gFiber 4gSugar 2gProtein 22g

Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.