Tender boiled shrimp tossed in a creamy dressing with Dijon mustard, fresh dill, and a squeeze of lemon, then piled into buttery toasted rolls - this shrimp salad sandwich is basically a lobster roll's more affordable (and equally delicious) cousin. It's fresh, it's satisfying, and the whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes. If you love cold seafood sandwiches, this one belongs in your regular rotation.
Jump to:
- The Sandwich That Started as a Shortcut
- Why You'll Love This Shrimp Salad Sandwich
- Shrimp Salad Sandwich Ingredients
- How to Make the Best Shrimp Salad Sandwich
- Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Shrimp Salad Sandwich Tips and Variations
- Shrimp Salad Sandwich FAQ
- Recipes You May Like
- Your New Go-To Summer Sandwich
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
The Sandwich That Started as a Shortcut
I have to be honest - this shrimp salad sandwich recipe started because I was trying to take the easy way out. We were hosting a casual get-together last spring, and I'd originally planned to make lobster rolls. Then I looked at lobster prices and laughed out loud in the seafood aisle. Twenty-eight dollars a pound? For a Tuesday night hangout? No thank you.
So I grabbed a bag of shrimp instead, went home, and boiled them up with lemon and dill. I mixed together a quick dressing - mayo, Dijon, Worcestershire, some herbs - and loaded it all into buttered, toasted hot dog buns.
And here's the thing: nobody missed the lobster. My friend Lisa actually said, "These are better than that lobster roll place we went to last summer." I'm not sure I'd go THAT far, but she wasn't wrong that these shrimp salad rolls have something special. The Dijon gives the dressing a subtle kick, the Worcestershire adds this savory depth you can't quite put your finger on, and the fresh dill ties it all together.
Why You'll Love This Shrimp Salad Sandwich
- Ready in about 20 minutes - boiling shrimp takes 2-3 minutes, mixing the salad takes 5, and toasting the buns takes another 2. Most of your time is just waiting for the water to boil.
- A fraction of the cost of lobster rolls - same buttery toasted bun, same creamy filling, but at a price that won't make you wince at checkout.
- Fresh, layered flavors - the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, fresh dill, and lemon juice create a dressing that's creamy but bright, rich but not heavy.
- Make-ahead friendly - the shrimp salad filling actually improves after an hour or two in the fridge as the flavors meld. Mix it up in the morning and assemble sandwiches when you're ready to eat.
- Versatile serving options - pile it on toasted rolls, stuff it into a croissant, serve it on a bed of greens, or scoop it up with crackers. The filling works for any occasion.
Shrimp Salad Sandwich Ingredients
This recipe has three parts: the seasoned boiled shrimp, the creamy salad dressing, and the toasted rolls. Everything is simple and easy to find.
The Shrimp:
- 1 pound medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1 lemon (halved - one half for the boiling water, juice of the other half saved for the dressing)
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (a full sprig works great)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
The Shrimp Salad:
- 1 celery rib, finely diced
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
- 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (reserved from above)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
The Rolls:
- 4 rolls or hot dog buns (split-top buns are ideal for the lobster roll look)
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
Check the recipe card below for complete measurements.
Substitution Notes:
- Hot dog buns vs. other bread. Split-top New England-style hot dog buns give you that classic lobster roll look, but brioche buns, soft sub rolls, or even buttery croissants all work beautifully. The key is something soft that you can toast with butter.
- Mayo options. Regular mayo is traditional, but if you want a lighter version, try half mayo and half Greek yogurt. It'll be tangier and a bit lighter while still keeping that creamy texture.
- Skip the red pepper flakes? They add a gentle background warmth, but the sandwich is just as good without them if you're sensitive to heat or making these for kids.
How to Make the Best Shrimp Salad Sandwich
Cook the Shrimp
- Cut your lemon in half. Squeeze the juice from one half into a small bowl and set it aside - you'll use this in the dressing later. Keep the squeezed lemon half.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. Drop in both lemon halves, the dill sprig, salt, and pepper. Let it boil for a minute so the water picks up all those flavors.
- Add the shrimp and boil for 2-3 minutes. They're done when they turn pink and curl into a loose C shape. DON'T overcook them - shrimp go from perfectly tender to rubbery in about 30 seconds. When in doubt, pull them early.
- Remove the shrimp immediately and set aside to cool. Spread them on a plate so they cool faster, or dunk them in an ice bath if you're in a hurry.
Make the Shrimp Salad
- While the shrimp cool, finely dice the celery, green onions, chives, and dill. I like everything chopped pretty small so the flavors distribute evenly throughout the salad.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the diced celery, green onions, chives, dill, mayo, reserved lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir until everything is well combined. Taste the dressing on its own - it should be creamy with a noticeable tang from the Dijon and lemon, and a subtle savory kick from the Worcestershire.
- Add the cooled shrimp to the dressing and fold gently to coat. You want every shrimp covered in that creamy dressing, but don't stir so aggressively that you break them apart. At this point, you can cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors meld (highly recommended), or serve right away if you're impatient like I sometimes am.
Toast the Rolls and Assemble
- Brush your rolls with softened butter on both the inside AND the outside. Place them on a baking sheet and broil on low for just a few minutes until they're golden and crispy. WATCH THEM CLOSELY - buns go from perfectly toasted to burnt in the blink of an eye. I've lost more than a few buns to a 30-second distraction.
- Load each toasted bun generously with the shrimp salad and serve immediately. The contrast of the warm, buttery, crispy bun against the cool, creamy shrimp filling is absolutely incredible.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Storing the shrimp salad filling. The filling keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The flavors actually get better after sitting for a few hours, so making it ahead is a smart move. Just hold off on toasting the buns until you're ready to eat.
- Can I make the whole sandwich ahead? I wouldn't recommend assembling the full sandwiches in advance. The toasted buns will get soggy from the creamy filling if they sit too long. Keep the shrimp salad and the buns separate, then toast and assemble right before serving.
- Meal prep tip. This shrimp salad filling is a fantastic meal prep option. Make a batch on Sunday and eat it all week - on toasted buns one day, over a bed of mixed greens the next, scooped up with crackers for a snack, or stuffed into a halved avocado for a low-carb lunch. One filling, four completely different meals.
- Freezing. The mayo-based filling doesn't freeze well - the texture breaks down and gets watery once thawed. This one is best eaten fresh from the fridge.
Shrimp Salad Sandwich Tips and Variations
Here are some things I've picked up from making this recipe over and over again:
- Don't skip the seasoned boiling water. Boiling shrimp in plain water gives you bland shrimp. The lemon, dill, salt, and pepper season the shrimp from the inside out. It's a small step that makes a big difference.
- Pat the shrimp dry if they're very wet. Excess water dilutes the dressing. A quick pat with paper towels before mixing goes a long way.
- Chop the shrimp if you want. The recipe uses whole shrimp, which I love for big bites. But if you prefer a more uniform texture, roughly chop them into 2-3 pieces each.
- Turn it into a shrimp po'boy. Add shredded iceberg lettuce and sliced tomatoes to the roll. A few pickled jalapenos on top? Even better.
- Swap the bun for lettuce wraps. Have you ever tried butter lettuce cups for this? The leaves form a natural cup that holds the filling beautifully, and it's a perfect low-carb option.
- Use the filling as a dip. At parties, I've served this in a bowl with crackers and crostini. It disappears every time.
Shrimp Salad Sandwich FAQ
You absolutely can, and it's a great shortcut when you're pressed for time. Thaw the shrimp, pat them very dry with paper towels, and toss them directly into the dressing. The only downside is you won't get that extra layer of flavor from the seasoned boiling water. To make up for it, I'd suggest adding a bit more lemon juice and an extra pinch of salt to the dressing. The sandwich will still taste great.
Medium shrimp (41-50 or 31-40 count) are ideal because they're big enough to give you a satisfying bite but small enough that you don't need to chop them. If you're using larger shrimp (21-25 count), I'd cut them into halves or thirds so the pieces are roughly the same size in every bite. Tiny salad shrimp can work too, but they're so small that the texture ends up feeling more like a spread than a chunky salad.
The butter is your best friend here. Brushing the inside of the bun with butter and toasting creates a thin barrier that slows down moisture absorption. Beyond that, assemble the sandwiches right before serving. If you're packing these for a picnic, wrap the shrimp salad separately and fill the buns when you're ready to eat. I also like to tuck a butter lettuce leaf inside the bun before adding the filling - it adds crunch and acts as an extra moisture barrier.
Very much so! This shrimp salad sandwich is styled the same way as a New England-style cold lobster roll - creamy filling, buttered and toasted split-top bun, fresh herbs. The main difference is the protein and the price tag. Shrimp is much more budget-friendly, and once you load that toasted bun with creamy, herby shrimp salad, the experience is remarkably similar.
Recipes You May Like
If this shrimp salad sandwich is your kind of meal, check out these recipes too:
- Perfect BBQ Shrimp Recipe - Buttery, garlicky, and a little spicy. These BBQ shrimp are incredible with crusty bread for sopping up the sauce.
- Vietnamese Spring Rolls - Another fresh, no-cook recipe with shrimp that's perfect for warm weather. Light, crunchy, and full of herbs.
- Chick-fil-A Kale Salad - A hearty salad that makes a great side next to these shrimp rolls. Tangy dressing, crunchy toppings, and seriously addictive.
Your New Go-To Summer Sandwich
This shrimp salad sandwich has earned its spot as one of my favorite warm-weather meals. It's fast, it's fresh, and it feels special without requiring any special effort. The seasoned shrimp, the tangy Dijon and Worcestershire dressing, the buttery toasted buns - every part works together to create something that tastes way more impressive than the 20 minutes it takes to make.
Whether you're feeding a crowd at a backyard party or just treating yourself to a really good lunch, this one delivers. And if you've been spending lobster roll money when shrimp roll flavor is right here waiting for you - well, your wallet will thank you too.
Let me know in the comments how yours turns out! And pin this recipe so it's ready for you the next time a craving hits.
Happy cooking!
- Sophie
📖 Recipe
Shrimp Salad Sandwich
Tender boiled shrimp tossed in a creamy Dijon and dill dressing, then piled into buttery toasted rolls. This shrimp salad sandwich is fresh, satisfying, and ready in about 20 minutes — a budget-friendly twist on a classic lobster roll.
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (plus extra chopped for salad)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 celery rib, finely diced
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
- 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 4 rolls or hot dog buns
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add lemon halves, dill sprig, salt, and pepper
- Add shrimp and boil for 2-3 minutes until pink and opaque
- Remove shrimp and allow to cool completely
- In a mixing bowl, combine celery, green onions, chives, dill, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
- Stir dressing until smooth and well combined
- Add cooled shrimp and fold gently to coat
- Refrigerate shrimp salad for at least 1 hour for best flavor
- Brush rolls with softened butter on inside and outside
- Broil rolls on low until golden and lightly crisp
- Fill toasted rolls generously with shrimp salad and serve immediately
Notes
Store shrimp salad filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Assemble sandwiches just before serving to prevent soggy buns. Not recommended for freezing due to mayo-based dressing.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 sandwichAmount Per Serving: Calories: 480Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 210mgSodium: 890mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 28g
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