New England Style Shrimp Rolls

New England Style Shrimp Rolls ~ this is the stuff foodie memories are made of…jumbo chunks of wild caught shrimp simply tossed with mayo and lemon and then stuffed into a butter toasted bun ~ life (and lunch!) doesn’t get any better.

*Today I’m partnering with Marina Del Rey Foods ~ Marina Del Rey sells top quality wild, responsibly caught, frozen seafood.

these meaty shrimp rolls have a sweet taste that resembles lobster

The first time I tasted Marina Del Rey Wild Caught Argentine Red Shrimp I got a flashback to the amazing lobster rolls I enjoyed every summer on the coast of Maine. If you’ve ever spent any time in New England you’ll know all about lobster rolls. People look forward to them for months, and they’ll drive all day and all night just to satisfy their craving.

the secret to great shrimp rolls

You don’t want to overwhelm the delicate flavor or texture with lots of extras. Purists will tell you that the classic New England roll is done in one of two ways ~ dressed with drawn butter, or with mayo ~ that is, with nothing else to interfere with the enjoyment of the pure shellfish. Today I’m going the mayo route, but I’ll jazz it up a little bit ~ I can’t help myself.

frozen shrimp makes summer shrimp rolls so convenient

I love this meal because I don’t have to think very far in advance to get it on the table. Marina Del Rey shrimp is already peeled and deveined! Fresh shrimp only lasts a day or two, but I can have shrimp at the ready in my freezer for a month or more. And frozen shrimp is often ‘fresher’ than the so called fresh shrimp in your supermarket. It has been flash frozen right on the boats, and stays that way, while ‘fresh’ shrimp has been thawed, and you can’t be sure how long it’s been hanging around.

how to thaw frozen shrimp

• method #1: Put your shrimp in a colander and run cool water over it until thawed, this will take just a few minutes, depending on how much shrimp you are thawing.
• method #2: Place your shrimp in a bowl of cold water and let sit for 5-10 minutes. You can also place your shrimp in a zip lock bag first, before immersing in water.

how to cook frozen shrimp for shrimp salad

• I just put my thawed shrimp into the steamer insert of my big stockpot and add just enough water to come up to the holes of the basket.
• Then I bring it to a boil, let it steam for a minute or two until the shrimp have started to curl and turn opaque, then shut off the heat, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes. The shrimp are perfectly tender and delicious.
• You could also saute them in butter for a more decadent flavor, but either way it takes just minutes.

how to make a classic shrimp roll

1. I want to have nice chunky pieces of shrimp for my rolls, so I only cut them in half for this recipe. Easy peasy. If your shrimp is larger, cut them in a large dice. Make sure they’re nice and dry.

2. Toss the shrimp in a simple dressing: mine is just mayo, onion, celery, and lemon juice with a little salt and pepper.

3. The next step, and it’s an important one ~ is to brush your rolls with melted butter and then grill or toast them. That buttery crunch of the toasted roll is a big part of the magic of this dish, so don’t skip this step!

4. Then stuff ~ and I do mean stuff ~ your bun with the shrimp salad.

5. Add chips, dill pickles and a wedge of lemon. You’re set.

The ‘thing’ about New England shellfish rolls is their simplicity.

So for this salad I’m going for the absolute minimum, the basics, like good mayo, some finely minced onion and celery, a squeeze of lemon, a good handful of snipped chives, salt and pepper, and that’s it. Could you get more creative? Sure, check out my ‘Make it your own’ suggestions under the recipe. But I suggest making the classic shrimp rolls before you mess with perfection 😉

Why choose wild?

• Wild shrimp is not farmed, it thrives in its natural habitat ~ the pure ice cold waters off the coast of Argentina, free from chemicals and pollutants.
• Wild shrimp eat their natural diet, with no added hormones or color.
• Wild caught shrimp actually has lower levels of sodium than farmed shrimp.
• The pink hue is the result of the same pigments that color flamingos, salmon, lobster, and carrots

Cole slaw is a classic New England accompaniment to shrimp rolls.

Any of mine from the blog would work perfectly, I’d suggest my Vidalia onion slaw, (remember you can use any sweet onion for this) my red cabbage and dill slaw, or, if you like a little kick, my classic vinegar slaw. Line your buns with the slaw before loading up with shrimp salad, or serve it on the side.

more summer shrimp recipes

• Shrimp Taco Salad
• Low Country Shrimp Boil
• Creamy Shrimp Bisque
• Shrimp in Romesco Sauce
• Shrimp in Lemon Sauce with Olives

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3.47 from 178 votes

New England Style Shrimp Roll

New England Style Shrimp Rolls ~ this is the stuff summer memories are made of…jumbo chunks of wild caught shrimp simply tossed with mayo and lemon and then stuffed into a butter toasted bun ~ lunch doesn't get any better!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Yield 4 servings

Calories 502kcal

Author Sue Moran

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 1 pound frozen wild caught shrimp
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/4 cup minced celery
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• 4 hot dog buns
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted

garnish

• paprika or Old Bay seasoning
• snipped chives

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Thaw the shrimp under cool running water for a few minutes until softened, and then steam it or saute it just until cooked through. Let cool then give them a rough chop.
• Put the shrimp in a bowl and toss with the mayo, onions, celery, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Taste the salad to adjust any of the seasonings. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Melt the butter and brush onto the open buns. Grill for a few minutes until toasty.
• Serve the shrimp salad in toasted buns, topped with a sprinkle of paprika or Old Bay, and some snipped chives.

Nutrition

Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 320mg | Sodium: 1352mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 310IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 248mg | Iron: 4mg

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is provided as a courtesy and although theviewfromgreatisland.com tries to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Make it your own ~

• To cut the fat in these New England style shrimp rolls use low fat mayo, or half Greek yogurt and half mayo.
• For an extra kick, top with pickled jalapeños.
• For a low carb option line small bowls or glasses with lettuce and or diced avocado, and then spoon the shrimp salad over top.