Published: 02/25/2019 | Updated: 03/29/2024
This easy shrimp and bacon dip is perfect for keto or low fat diets! A cheesy hot dip filled with crispy bacon and fried shrimp, it’s the perfect party appetizer that you can make ahead of time!
About 20 years ago, my mother-in-law gave me a copy of a page from a Maryland Seafood brochure that had a crab dip recipe on it. It is literally the only crab dip recipe I have ever made in my entire life.
I made it that first time as a newlywed for my crab-loving husband and it was so good that I never even took a risk trying another recipe! Twenty years later, it’s still our favorite even out of the ones we’ve tried at restaurants.
Unfortunately, the price of crab has increased so much in the last few years, that we don’t get to enjoy it very often anymore. And I’m only a fan of real, claw crab. I cannot do the imitation crab!
So a few months ago, when I was craving this crab dip, I decided to try it with shrimp instead since that’s still pretty affordable. I added some bacon because shrimp and bacon together are perfect.
It was delicious! It doesn’t look like much, but the taste is spot-on! It’s bursting with hot, gooey cheese and big chunks of shrimp and bacon in nearly every bite. We inhaled it!
Ingredients needed for this recipe:
- softened cream cheese
- sour cream
- mayonnaise
- lemon juice
- Worcestershire
- mustard
- garlic salt
- milk
- shrimp
- bacon
- cheddar cheese
How to Make Hot Shrimp and Bacon Dip
Most hot dips have one ingredient as their base and it’s normally either cream cheese, sour cream, or mayonnaise. This recipe actually uses all 3 so the end result is the creamiest, smoothest base possible. It also helps that one doesn’t overpower the other.
You first want to start by cooking your bacon and shrimp. I used 6 strips of bacon for my dip but you can really use as much or as little as you prefer. I used kitchen shears to cut my bacon into 1″ pieces and then fried in a medium size skillet until done. Save about 1 tablespoon of your bacon grease since you can use that to fry your shrimp.
For shrimp, I used raw shrimp that I peeled and deveined. Then, I fried the shrimp in the reserved bacon grease until no longer pink. Be sure to take them off as soon as they start to turn pink since you’ll also be cooking them in the oven where they can finish cooking.
Set the shrimp on a paper towel to cool. Since I used large shrimp, I cut them into 3 or 4 pieces each so they would be bite-size for the dip.
To make the dip, start with a fairly large bowl. Add 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire, mustard, and garlic salt, and stir until it’s completely smooth. Then, add one tablespoon of milk and stir well until you have a nice creamy base.
Add 1/4 cup shredded cheese, the chopped shrimp, and the crumbled bacon and fold into the dip mixture until it’s all incorporated. Spread into a pie dish or a 1-quart casserole dish and sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese on top. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until the cheese on top is nice and brown.
Is this Dip Good for a Low Carb Diet
This dip is perfect if you’re following a keto or low-carb way of eating! You may want to substitute the milk with heavy whipping cream or unsweetened almond milk, though.
If you’re doing strict keto, be sure to buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself rather than buying pre-shredded cheese also. The pre-shredded cheese is often tossed with starch to prevent it from sticking together.
Other than those substitutions, make sure you’re dipping with a low-carb option (i.e. cucumber slices, celery sticks, homemade cheese crackers, etc.).
Can You Make Shrimp and Bacon Dip Ahead of Time
Yep! You can easily make this the night before and just put it in the fridge, uncooked. The next day, remove the cover and bake as normal. You might need to add an additional 5 minutes or so to your cooking time, but keep an eye on it. It’s done once it’s heated through and the cheese on top is golden brown and melted.
I’ve never frozen this uncooked, so I can’t give any advice if that would work or not. If you test it, let me know how it turns out after freezing it and I will update the post!
Looking for more Healthy Recipes
Healthy recipes can be a great way to get your family into the habit of eating healthier. They are also perfect for when you have a lot of leftover food that you don’t know what to do with. Here are some of our favorites.
- Low Carb Bacon Cheeseburger Keto Casserole
- Hot Pizza Dip Recipe – Low Carb Appetizer
- Keto Breakfast Casserole with Ham and Eggs
- Keto Coconut Shrimp Recipe in Air Fryer
- Keto Coconut Mousse Recipe
- Easy Low Carb Mexican Chicken Soup
- Brussels Sprouts au Gratin Keto Recipe
Shrimp and Bacon Dip
Ingredients
- 6 strips Bacon
- 1/2 lb Large Shrimp raw, peeled and deveined
- 8 oz Cream Cheese softened
- 1/2 cup Sour Cream
- 2 Tbsp. Hellman's Mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp. Spicy Brown Mustard
- 1 tsp. Garlic Salt
- 1 Tbsp. Milk
- 1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pie dish or 1-quart casserole and set aside.
- In a medium skillet, cook bacon until it is crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain and cool. Once cool, crumble into smaller pieces.
- Leave about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in the skillet, and add the shrimp. Fry until just starting to turn pink, turning once to make sure both sides turn pink. Remove to paper towel to cool. Once cool, cut each large shrimp in 3-4 bite-size pieces.
- In a large bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and garlic powder. Stir until well combined. Add milk and stir until creamy and no lumps remain.
- Add 1/4 cup shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and shrimp pieces. Fold until it is all incorporated. Transfer to greased baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until it is heated through and the cheese on top is melted. Serve hot.
A delicious and healthy keto shrimp dip that is perfect for any party or gathering. This dip is full of flavor and has a creamy texture that will leave your guests wanting more. With only a few simple ingredients, this dish is easy to make and sure to be a hit with everyone.
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