Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Cocktail with Apricot Horseradish Dipping Sauce Recipe

By
Sydney Oland
Sydney Oland: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Sydney Oland
Sydney Oland lives in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, where she develops recipes and owns and operates three businesses: a bean-to-bar chocolate company, an ice cream company, and a collective food production space. Previously, she wrote brunch and British food recipe columns for Serious Eats.
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Updated March 29, 2025
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Sydney Oland

It may not be a classic shrimp cocktail, but this version takes the traditional and wraps it in bacon, then pairs it with a sweet and hot apricot horseradish dipping sauce. With a light beer or a glass of sparkling wine, this easy to pull together dish makes a great, fun brunch item for a group.

Microwaving the bacon before wrapping the shrimp ensures that both are cooked well without overcooking. You can also use this trick for wrapping scallops as well, and it works just as well on the grill as it does in the skillet.

Recipe Details

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Cocktail with Apricot Horseradish Dipping Sauce Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 15 mins
Active 10 mins
Total 25 mins
Serves 4 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 12 strips bacon, cut in half (thin bacon works best)

  • 24 medium shrimp (24-31 per pound)

  • 2 ounces apricot preserves

  • 1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish

  • 2 teaspoons juice from 1 whole lime

  • Kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

  1. Place bacon on paper towel and microwave until fat begins to render but bacon is still soft, about 40 seconds, then allow to cool completely. Wrap a halved piece of bacon around each shrimp and secure with a toothpick, reserve.

  2. Combine apricot preserve, horseradish, and lime juice, then taste for seasoning adding additional lime juice, horseradish, or salt if necessary. Set aside until ready to serve.

  3. Heat vegetable oil in a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add shrimp making sure not to overcrowd the pan (cook in batches if necessary). Cook until bacon is brown and crisp and shrimp is opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Remove toothpicks and serve warm with dipping sauce.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
292Calories
19gFat
10gCarbs
19gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories292
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g25%
Saturated Fat 5g27%
Cholesterol 97mg32%
Sodium 952mg41%
Total Carbohydrate 10g4%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 19g
Vitamin C 2mg11%
Calcium 35mg3%
Iron 1mg3%
Potassium 238mg5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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