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When I was a girl, my parents would sometimes drive us to Tybee Island in the evenings just to watch the shrimp boats head out. You’d see the horizon dotted with tiny lights, like fireflies dancing on the dark water, and I always imagined my father knew each captain by name. The smell of salt and diesel wasn’t pretty, but it felt like part of home, and it’s one of those memories that never really leaves.
Now, years later, whenever I make this dip, I think of those boats and that coast. It’s a simple recipe—no fussy extras, just shrimp folded into a creamy base with a little kick of spice—but it carries a taste of Savannah in every bite. Not grand or fancy, but honest and a little bold, the way the city has always been.
Why You’ll Love It
This dip is what I reach for when I don’t have the patience for fuss. You don’t have to sauté onions or chop herbs until your hands smell green. It’s creamy, a little sharp, a little spicy, and it’s all about the shrimp. My husband, who claims not to like “creamy things” (yet eats this with half a sleeve of Ritz crackers in one sitting), once admitted it’s the only dip that makes him forget about shrimp cocktail.
You’ll love it if you want something that feels like a party but doesn’t require hours of labor. You’ll love it if you’ve ever stood on a dock and smelled the sea air and thought, “I’d like to taste this.” And you’ll love it if you’ve ever found yourself in charge of bringing an appetizer and didn’t want to show up with another tired veggie tray.
Ingredient Notes
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Cream cheese: Don’t try to cut corners here with fat-free. It won’t set the same and it won’t taste the same. I leave mine out on the counter for a while so it softens—though once I forgot about it until bedtime and had to throw it away, which still stings.
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Sour cream: Adds the tang. You could swap Greek yogurt, but the flavor shifts.
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Horseradish: My mother would keep a jar in the back of the fridge that she used once a year for prime rib. The sharpness cuts through the heavy base here, and you’ll miss it if you skip it.
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Hot sauce: Use your favorite. I’ve used Tabasco, Crystal, and even a chipotle hot sauce that gave it more smoke.
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Cajun seasoning: Store-bought is fine. If you’re sensitive to salt, pick a low-sodium blend or cut the added salt at the end.
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Dried parsley: Honestly, it’s more about color than flavor. Fresh works fine if you’ve got it.
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Shrimp: Cooked, peeled, deveined. I’ve sometimes used leftover boiled shrimp from a low-country boil. If you pulse them in a food processor, you get that lovely texture that mixes right into the cream base.
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Paprika: A dusting on top makes it look finished. My mother always said paprika was “makeup for beige food.” She wasn’t wrong.
Instructions (Confessional Style)
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In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth. I use a whisk and some arm strength, but if your wrists ache like mine sometimes do, a hand mixer works wonders.
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Stir in the sour cream until the two become one. Don’t worry if it looks lumpy at first—it smooths out.
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Add the horseradish, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper. Taste it before folding in the shrimp, because it’s easier to adjust the spice now than later. (One time I dumped too much hot sauce and had to double the cream cheese just to fix it. That dip fed the neighborhood.)
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Fold in the shrimp gently, like tucking them into bed. You want the mixture to hold together, not turn into paste.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it chill for at least 3 hours, though overnight is even better—the flavors relax and get acquainted.
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Before serving, sprinkle paprika on top for color. Set out crackers, pour yourself a glass of sweet tea or maybe a cold beer, and dig in.
Variations & Substitutions
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Lighter version: Swap Greek yogurt for sour cream. The taste changes slightly, but it’s fresher.
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Smoky version: Use smoked paprika and a chipotle hot sauce. This works especially well in the winter when you want a cozier flavor.
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Extra shrimp-forward: Leave half the shrimp a little chunky instead of finely chopped, so you get bites of shrimp now and then.
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Cheesy upgrade: Fold in some shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack before chilling. It makes it heavier, but my son once called it “shrimp cheesecake dip,” which sounded worse than it tasted.
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No horseradish: If you really can’t handle horseradish, a spoonful of Dijon mustard adds some bite, though not the same nose-clearing zing.
Storage & Reheating Tips
This dip keeps in the fridge for 3–4 days, tightly covered. I wouldn’t freeze it—the texture breaks in odd ways. I once tried and it separated into a sad curdled mess that no cracker could rescue.
When serving leftovers, give it a good stir first. The flavors can settle, and sometimes a little liquid gathers on top. Just stir it back in.
And I’ll confess something: I’ve eaten it cold straight from the fridge with a spoon, no crackers in sight, standing there with the refrigerator light glowing on my face. It feels a little shameful, but it tastes just as good.
Closing Thoughts
Savannah has changed so much since I first started visiting—new restaurants, bigger ships, tourists on every corner. But when I make this shrimp dip, I can still hear the hum of the boats and see those flickering lights way out in the distance. Maybe that’s why I love it. Food doesn’t just fill our bellies; sometimes it pins down a memory that would otherwise float away.
If you make it, I hope it brings you a little taste of the coast, even if you’re landlocked. And if it ends up overshadowing your carefully plated shrimp cocktail—well, consider yourself warned.
Oh—and one more thing: keep extra crackers on hand. Somehow, there are never enough.
Savannah Shrimp Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 5 ounces sour cream
- 3 tablespoons horseradish
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 12 ounces cooked shrimp peeled, deveined, finely chopped or processed
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Crackers for dipping
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cream cheese and sour cream until smooth and lump-free.
- Add horseradish, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Fold in the chopped or processed shrimp gently, making sure it’s evenly distributed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Serve chilled with crackers and enjoy.
Notes