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Nothing’s better for game day than a delicious shrimp dip like this Shrimp Surprise Spread. It’s great with chips and crackers too! Whip it up today for that next big game or family visit! Use my homemade cocktail sauce recipe to make this extra amazing!
How to Make this Shrimp Dip Perfectly.
I have been craving this shrimp surprise spread since last summer! My brother’s Mother-in-Law made it for a large family gathering and we literally couldn’t stop snacking on it, I think she actually had to make two batches to feed everyone as the first one disappeared in mere minutes! Who else remembers this crazy classic spread? I think it’s actually called Surprise Spread here in Canada.
The key to this dip is the seafood sauce so buy your favorite seafood sauce as the taste can differ brand to brand.
Ingredients
- 1 eight ounce package cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 four ounce cans small shrimp, drained well
- 1 250ml jar seafood cocktail sauce
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 4 green onions diced
- 1 large tomato diced
- 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese mixed
Directions
- Beat together the cream cheese, sour cream and mayo until smooth and creamy. Spread out on a large plate with an edge or in a 9×13 pan.
- Spread the seafood sauce over the cream cheese mixture gently.
- Sprinkle the shrimp over top of the sauce in an even layer.
- Layer the remaining ingredients however you like. I usually go green peppers, tomatoes, a little cheese, green onions and then the rest of the cheese.
- Refrigerate until serving.
- Serve with Ritz crackers for the BEST taste, but this also works with tortilla chips!
Tips and Tricks For Making the Best Shrimp Dip
This recipe is pretty straight forward but here are a few tips and tricks to mix it up and make it even better!
- A lot of people leave the shrimp out – and to be honest that’s totally OK, but it would also be excellent with crab.
- The key to this dip is the seafood sauce so buy your favorite seafood sauce as the taste can differ brand to brand.
- You can use any cheese you want but if you don’t want to overpower the flavor of the dip, mozzarella by itself is best.
I made it with a cheddar cheese mix, with plain mozza and I like both, to be frank but I *might* like it a little better with the plain mozzarella. That might be because I love the seafood sauce flavour so much that I don’t want anything to interfere with it! I have also seen it with red or yellow sweet peppers if that’s something you’d like to try as well, but the green pepper is my favourite.
Before eating it this past summer at the BBQ I honestly can’t remember the last time I had Surprise Spread. I know that I’ve eaten it before but man, has it been maybe since my 20’s when everyone got married and had babies? It might have been that long, this is very much a Canadian wedding/baby shower dip! As soon as I took one bite last year I knew that I remember it – and that I loved it.
So now, in the dead of winter, I finally got around to making it. You might know it as surprise dip, seafood surprise spread, shrimp surprise dip – basically you can take and and all combinations of those words and it’s usually this dip.
Now that I’ve made it, it’s definitely going back into the permanent party rotation!
Who else remember’s this dip? When’s the last time you had it?
Happy (non) cooking!
Love,
Karlynn
Shrimp Dip
Ingredients
- 1 8 ounce package cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 4 ounce cans small shrimp, drained well
- 1 250ml jar seafood cocktail sauce
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 4 green onions diced
- 1 large tomato diced
- 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese mixed
- Two boxes of plain Ritz Crackers
Instructions
- Beat together the cream cheese, sour cream and mayo until smooth and creamy. Spread out on a large plate with an edge or in a 9×13 pan.
- Spread the seafood sauce over the cream cheese mixture gently.
- Sprinkle the shrimp over top of the sauce in an even layer.
- Layer the remaining ingredients however you like. I usually go green peppers, tomatoes, a little cheese, green onions and then the rest of the cheese.
- Refrigerate until serving.
- Serve with Ritz crackers for the BEST taste, but this also works with tortilla chips!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Stephy says
love this dip, always a hit in our house, but instead of shrimp we do the fake crab meat, shredded/chopped up, salivating just thinking about it, need to make this soon!
Becky says
We have been making this for years! The only variation we make is we use 2 cans of flaked ham in place of the shrimp as we have family members allergic to shrimp. Always the first appetizer to go!!!!
Veronika says
This recipe is in an old Company’s Coming Cookbook (Appetizers) that I have. It was published in May 1985 (first edition). It’s called Surprise Spread (page 137). The original recipe uses 3 cans of shrimp instead of 2 although suggests that 2 cans can be used and the recipe uses 2 cups of mozza cheese instead of 2 1/2 (the more cheese, the better though, haha!). I bought canned shrimp last week and the cans are smaller now than they used to be… and the price keeps going up. This appetizer was very popular at baby and wedding showers back in the day. So So good!
I haven’t made this in a long long time. I had forgotten about this recipe but I will now make it again soon . Thanks for the memories!
Ellie says
Growing up in Canada, my whole family was obsessed with this dip! We would get so excited when my mom would make it, and eventually learned to make it with her. Such great memories. I didn’t realize it’s more of a Canadian dip. Living in the US now, I’m gonna make it for a 4th of July party and see how she goes! Whenever my mom used to bring it to parties and some people didn’t know what it was, surprise, my sisters and I, and a few others in the know would eat the whole thing! Haha! Thank you for posting this, I needed a refresher on the ratios.
Hilary says
My in laws always did surprise spread which I loved, but couldn’t remember the dip ratios. They’re ex in laws now so I couldn’t ask. I looked it up and found yours and was so surprised it had shrimp in it! Lol
We always did the base, tangy seafood sauce, red pepper, skipped the tomato and shrimp, green onion and mozzarella on its own.
We serve with tortilla chips – my fave!
CathyP says
Love this recipe originally on the famous Canadian cookbook The Best of Bridge.
Jillian says
This is the best dip in the whole world. Not even kidding a little bit.
Sandy Searls says
This dip is sooooo delicious!! Haven’t made it for a few years but plan on it week 😋
Susan says
Karlynn, I can’t find the Old Bay Seasoning in our Sobey’s grocery. Can you tell me where to purchase in Edmonton? Please?
Karlynn Johnston says
Safeway! I have occasionally found it at Superstore but Safeway always has it!
Melissa says
Hi!
Old Bay is not listed in the ingredient list. I am guessing you are adding it to the cream cheese mixture? How much do you use? Thanks!
Linda says
Amazon has it
Judy says
I’m surprised that there is no option to heat this dip in the oven to melt the cheese. I would imagine that it would be even more delicious served warm from the oven. Would a 350 preheated oven for 15 minutes or till cheese is melted and heated through work? This recipe sounds delicious.
Judy says
I’m surprised that there is no option to heat this dip in The oven to melt the cheese. I would imagine that it would be even more delicious served warm from the oven. I would think 350 preheated oven for 15 minutes or till cheese is melted and heated through. This recipe sounds delicious.
Nikki Krakauer says
I, personally, also prefer my cheese melted.
Trina says
Instead of shrimp and cocktail sauce, replace both with salsa. Also very yummy and good for those fussy people who don’t like seafood
Sissy says
But Trina, that isn’t the recipe anymore! Make up your own and post it!
Margo says
Can I add a can of crab to this as well as the shrimp?
Margaret says
Fresh shrimp is ticket. Recipe in the Best of Bridge cookbook
Margo Haynes says
Dear Karlynn, I know that you’re in Canada, but if you can find it in your frozen food section, here in the states, you can buy a bag of the small frozen shrimp that are small like the ones in the cans, they might be just a very slight hair bigger but the taste is so much better than the canned shrimp. I absolutely love your food blog. At 82, I no longer drink a cocktail because I’m on high blood pressure medications. But I would like to leave a message for Mr. Magpie – the cocktail recipes that he posts look so terrific, and they truly add to this blog! You two make a great team and produce one of the best food blogs in existence. Keep up your fantastic teamwork! You’re the blog I go to first! Wishing you both a blessed remainder of 2019!
arlene says
I served this at bridge club. It was a hit! Don’t need to change a thing with this one. Excellent!!
Leigh Dupont says
Added a can crab meat to the cream cheese mixture and some left over bbq salmon with old bay seasoning.On top i added jalapeno and lemon zest and some left over pico de gallo.=flavour town
Patti Steskal says
Looks good, definitely have to try this. I have fresh cooked shrimp and wondering if that would work? Think it probably would if I chopped them up. How much do you think I should use?
Dennis says
It calls for (2) 4 oz cans… I’m going out on a limb here and suggest maybe 8 Oz…
Nutmeg Nanny says
My husband will love this! Definitely need to make it for him!
Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie says
This does look like the best dip ever! I have to try it out soon!
Catalina says
I love shrimps! I was thinking to make something like that for the Game Day!
Delaney | Melanie Makes says
This is the perfect appetizer!
Dee says
I haven’t seen this before, but I now I have to try it! Looks delicious!
Amanda says
So perfect for either game day or a fun potluck or cookout in the summer!