Cooking Social Club: Shrimp Roll- A Lobster Roll's Easygoing Cousin (and a Crowd-Favorite from Our Chicago Cooking Classes)

If you've ever had a lobster roll on a hot day and thought I wish this happened more often in my life — the shrimp roll is your answer. Same logic, same buttery toasted bun, a fraction of the cost, and a slightly nuttier, sweeter flavor. It's one of the most-requested dishes in our spring cooking classes in the Chicago area, and once you make one at home you'll see why.

The secret to a great shrimp roll is in the poaching liquid. You're not just cooking the shrimp — you're seasoning them from the inside with onion, coriander, and lemon before they ever hit the salad bowl. It's the kind of small, transferable cooking skill that shows up again and again in our hands-on group classes: a technique that makes a humble ingredient taste expensive.

A Quick Word on Shrimp

Look for domestic Gulf shrimp, either brown or pink, at size 26/30 or 21/25. You want them raw, shell-on, head off. Frozen is great — defrost overnight in the fridge, or under cold running water about an hour before cooking.

Ingredients

For the poach:

• 1 lb raw, shell-on, head-off Gulf shrimp

• 2 oz coriander seed

• 1 onion, peeled and medium-sliced

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Salt to taste

For the salad:

• 2 stalks celery, small-diced

• 2–3 oz fresh chives, finely chopped (or 2–3 scallions)

• Zest of ½ lemon, plus juice from the whole lemon

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

• 2 cups mayonnaise or 1 stick butter (two techniques — pick your fighter)

• Brioche or Hawaiian-style rolls, sized for stuffing lobster-roll style

Method

Poach the shrimp. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the onion, lemon zest, coriander seed, and a good pinch of salt. Let it bubble a minute to bloom the aromatics, then add the shrimp, shells and all. Cook for 5 minutes.

Pull the pot off the heat and strain out the shrimp. Cool them with as little cold water as possible — you want to stop the cooking without rinsing the flavor away. Peel and clean them (much easier on cooked shrimp than raw), then rough-chop into bite-sized thirds.

Build the salad — choose your method.

Mayo method: Toss the shrimp with celery, chives, lemon zest, juice, and chili flakes if using. Fold in just enough mayo to bind. Chill before serving.

Butter method: Brown a stick of butter in your sauté pan until it smells nutty. Add the celery, chives, lemon zest, and shrimp, tossing in the warm butter. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve warm.

Toast the rolls. Split each one lengthwise like a hot dog bun, but not all the way through. Brown the outsides in a hot pan until golden, then let them stand for a minute to firm up.

Pile the shrimp salad inside. Don't be shy about it.

Love recipes like this? Join one of our social cooking classes in Chicago this spring — small groups, big flavors, and a friendly room full of people building their cooking skills together. Great for date nights, friend outings, and team get-togethers in the Chicago area.