Shrimp Cheese Ball Recipe
Servings 12
Calories185 kcal
Cost $ 0.75 per person
Equipment
- mixer
- bowl
- spoon
- cutting board
- knife
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil if using pre-cooked shrimp you’ll only need 2 tbsp of oil
- 8 garlic cloves minced
- ½ small yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning or Old Bay/Cajun Seasoning
- ½ tbsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes skip if using a spicy taco seasoning
- ½ lb raw shrimp thawed, pat dried, peeled, tail removed, and cut into small pieces
- 3 tbsp lime juice or lemon juice
- 12 oz cream cheese, softened (or 1 1/2 packages)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans preferably toasted
- ½ bunch of parsley chopped (or cilantro)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and cook the onion for about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, the taco seasoning, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute and then add the chopped shrimp. If raw, let it cook for about 2-3 minutes or just until turn pink. If pre-cooked, warm up the shrimp for 30-60 seconds. Stir in 1 tbsp of lime juice. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer, mix cream cheese and the remaining 2 tbsp of lime juice in a large bowl. Stir in the shrimp mixture and 2 tbsp of pecans, mixing with a spoon until homogeneous. Place the soft mixture over a large sheet of plastic wrap and wrap tightly forming into a cheese ball. You may need to cover the ball with another sheet of plastic wrap.
- Store seafood cheese ball in the fridge until firm, about 2 hours. About 10 minutes before serving, mix the parsley with the remaining pecans in a large plate. Roll the cheese ball in the parsley mixture until covered and serve.
Recipe Notes
Make-Ahead and Storage
Prepare the shrimp cheese ball according to the instructions. Then store in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. About 10 minutes before serving, coat it with chopped pecans and parsley.
Freezing is a no-no because it contains shrimp that has been thawed and cooked and may become chewy. If not for that, you could freeze the cheese ball for up to 1 month, wrapped well in plastic wrap (without nuts and herbs) and then placed it in a freezer-safe bag. Next it just had to thaw the cheeseball in the fridge overnight and add nuts and herbs 10 minutes before serving.
Can I use pre-cooked shrimp in this cheese ball recipe?
I prefer to cook my own shrimp. It will absorb the spices while cooking and impart more flavor to the shrimp cheese ball. But you can use precooked shrimp. Be aware you will be only warming up the precooked for about 30-60 seconds before adding to the cream cheese mixture. Leaving it for more time under the heat will make it chewy.
Nutrition
Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 257mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 512IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg
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