Name: New England-Style Shrimp Rolls
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lb shrimp (900 g), shelled, deveined, tails on and butterflied; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil; salt and pepper to taste; ½ cup (120 ml) mayonnaise; 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon zest; 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice; Pinch of Cayenne Pepper; ½ cup (120 ml) celery, diced; 2 tbsp (30 ml) shallots, minced; 1 tbsp dill, minced; salt and pepper to taste; Split top hotdog buns; 2 tbsp melted butter

These New England-Style Shrimp Rolls are easier and less expensive than traditional lobster rolls but just as delicious! When served with my easy corn salad recipe, you’ll have a classic New England dinner! Both of these dishes can be made ahead of time and all you have to do before serving is grilled the buns!

I grew up in New England and summers for me always meant lobster rolls down by the beach. But here in L.A. good lobster can be hard to find, at an affordable price, so instead, I find my New England Style Shrimp Rolls are the next best thing!

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How do you make Shrimp Rolls?

This shrimp roll recipe is super easy to follow. Essentially, you’ll roast the shrimp to bring out its best flavor. Then mix up the dressing, add some celery, shallots, and dill and then combine it all together and load it into a buttery split-top bun.

STEP#1: Prep the Shrimp

Purchase your shrimp with the tails on. This will prevent your shrimp from drying out when you roast it in the oven. I also find they are less expensive this way too!

I like to score the backs of the shrimp after cleaning them and removing the vein. Otherwise known as “butterflying”. This plumps them up while cooking and will give them a similar texture to lobster, but for a lot less money.

As your shrimp roast, turn them frequently with tongs so that they turn pink and opaque on all sides. This goes pretty quickly!

Once the shrimp is cooked through, remove the tails and chop them into bite-sized pieces around 1-inch in size. I wouldn’t go bigger otherwise it will be harder to fill the buns when it comes time to serve.

I like to place the cut shrimp in a large bowl so that it’s all ready to go when it comes time to toss them with the dressing. That way, you’ll be able to use the same bowl.

STEP#2: Prepare Dressing

You’ll love the flavor of the shrimp roll dressing! It is a wonderful lemony mayo dressing that is loaded with crunchy celery, shallots, and dill. It pairs beautifully with the shrimp and its flavors become even better the longer the salad sits in the fridge.

Add the dressing to the cooked shrimp and toss to coat well. I also like to reserve 3 tablespoons of the dressing and place in a separate bowl. That way I have a little more dressing to toss in to freshen the salad right before serving.

STEP#3: Grill the Buns

A critical component to this shrimp roll recipe is of course the split-top buns, which are a bit of a unicorn here on the West Coast. No seriously, they don’t exist. Not anywhere!

It’s the strangest thing I’ve come across, being an “east coat” transplant, the complete absence of a split-top bun. Why is that? I’m sure Westerners would love them as much as New Englanders do, but alas to no avail.

But, as is the case with most things these days, I found them on Amazon! They are also known as “hot dog buns” so don’t be confused. I buy a big batch of them and then freeze them. Yes, they are pricey, yes a tad inconvenient. But when you bite into the buttery, crispy roll that is as light as a feather, you’ll agree it was worth the effort.

Simply butter their sides with melted butter and grill on a griddle. I love this recipe for entertaining because this is the only “cooking” you need to do the day of the party. Everything else can be made the day before!

Then all you have to do is fill the buns with the shrimp salad and set them out on a platter. How easy is that?!

What to serve with shrimp rolls?

This recipe pairs beautifully with my summer corn salad recipe. It’s a match made in heaven! And for dessert (to continue the New England theme) go for my Triple Berry Cobbler or Plum crumble. And a fabulous summer dinner awaits!

MORE GREAT SUMMER RECIPES!

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