Lemon Poached Shrimp
Feb 12, 2020, Updated May 12, 2025
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Chilled, cooked shrimp. I can eat a bucket full of Lemon Poached Shrimp, if given the opportunity. Add a spicy dipping sauce, and all I need is to be set up with a bowl to discard the tails.
That’s why I love this easy Lemon Poached Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce. It’s great as a light lunch all alone, or it serves well as a make-ahead appetizer for your next book club or gathering of friends.
Lemon Poached Shrimp
Just a handful of simple ingredients come together for a poaching liquid that takes shrimp to the perfect spot for dipping into a cocktail sauce. Lemon Poached Shrimp are a fantastic appetizer any time of the year.
Ingredients
- 1 pound tail-on frozen shrimp
- 3 cups water
- 1 lemon
- 10 peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, add water, peppercorns, salt and bay leaf. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice into the pan before also adding lemon halves right into the mix.
- Bring pan to a boil and reduce heat to medium, simmering for 10 minutes. Add frozen shrimp to the poaching liquid and return to a boil, cooking for about 6 minutes. If shrimp are thawed, reduce cooking time to 4 to 5 minutes.
- Drain liquid and shrimp into a colander. Let shrimp cool, then serve with cocktail sauce. Shrimp can be made up to a day ahead and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
- For the Cocktail Sauce:
- 1 cup Whole30-compliant ketchup (I used The New Primal)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish (read the label to ensure Whole30 compliance)
- Mix together in a small bowl and serve with chilled shrimp. Can be made ahead and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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