This is the shrimp salad we served at the Chattanooga Seafood Bash. People couldn't get enough of it. And the reason is simple — most shrimp salads are bland, overdressed, and built around mayo doing all the heavy lifting. This one starts with properly poached shrimp, chilled fast so they stay plump and firm, then tossed in Sneaky Sauce — a Cajun remoulade with smoked paprika, capers, Dijon, lemon, and just enough heat to make you go back for another scoop.
Sneaky Sauce is the move. It shows up in our shrimp po'boy too and for good reason — it does what plain mayo never could.
Sneaky Sauce — Cajun Remoulade
Make this first. It keeps in the fridge for a week and works on everything — shrimp salad, po'boys, burgers, fries, grilled fish. Make a full batch and thank yourself later.
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups mayo
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 3 tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon Lucky Cajun Black Label seasoning
Instructions: Blend everything until smooth. That's it — about 2 cups of creamy, spicy Sneaky Sauce. You'll use around ½ cup for this recipe. Save the rest.
The Shrimp
The technique here matters more than most people realize. Forty seconds. That's it. Overcooked shrimp are rubbery and they kill the salad before it starts.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound 31–40 count shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons Lucky Cajun Black Label seasoning
Instructions:
1. Season the water Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil with 2 tablespoons of Black Label. The shrimp absorb flavor from the poaching liquid — don't skip the seasoning.
2. Poach Add shrimp and cook for exactly 40 seconds. No more. Pull them while they still look slightly underdone — they carry over.
3. Chill immediately Ice bath or straight into the fridge for at least 20 minutes. Cold shrimp hold their texture and let the Sneaky Sauce shine without wilting anything around them.
Serving
Toss chilled shrimp with ½ cup Sneaky Sauce until evenly coated. From here you've got options:
Shrimp Salad Sandwich — soft bun, lettuce, tomato. This is the one that stopped people at the Seafood Bash.
Classic Shrimp Salad — spooned over mixed greens for a low-carb version that doesn't feel like a compromise.
Party Platter — served in a bowl with crackers or lettuce cups. One of the easiest appetizers you can make for a crowd.
Lucky Cajun Black Label is fresh-ground weekly in Tennessee with a Born On Date on every pouch. Shop Black Label.
