Less Expensive Than Lobster Rolls, But Just As Good!
These warm, buttery Shrimp Rolls are the quintessential summer sandwich. Fresh shrimp is grilled until juicy and plump, then chopped into bite-size pieces and tossed with a quick dressing made mostly from melted butter (you’re welcome!). There’s also a little fresh lemon juice and a tiny bit of mayo. Stir in lots of fresh herbs, and I mean a lot — tarragon, dill, and chives is our perfect trifecta — then pile high onto toasted brioche split-top buns.
This is a true taste of summer in New England! But don’t be fooled, these are 100% Connecticut-style seafood rolls.
New England Style vs. Connecticut Style — what’s the difference? New England style rolls are mayonnaise-based, while Connecticut style seafood rolls are butter based. For me, it’s a no-brainer. I’ll take warm, melted butter over mayo any day of the week!
If you love these flavors, be sure to try my Couscous Salad with Tarragon Roasted Shrimp, Easy Broiled Lobster Tails, or 10-Minute Cilantro Lime Shrimp next. And check out all of my delicious seafood recipes for menu inspiration!
Ingredient Notes
- Raw shrimp: You can use frozen shrimp or fresh, but make sure they’re not already cooked. If using frozen, they’ll need to thaw completely first. Season with extra virgin olive oil, fresh tarragon, Kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Shrimp roll dressing: This is made from melted butter, a tiny bit of mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, more tarragon, and fresh dill.
I like to serve warm shrimp rolls with lemon wedges on the side in case anyone wants an extra squeeze. For serving, you can use any type of bun that you like, but I recommend using brioche buns, which are soft and buttery.
Step-by-Step Directions
Full quantities and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Prepare the shrimp. Season the shrimp with olive oil, chopped tarragon, Kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Grill the shrimp until just pink and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side over medium-high heat. Cool slightly, then chop into bite-size pieces.
- Toast the buns. Split-top buns should have exposed sides, which makes them even more delicious when they’ve been toasted in butter. Just 1-2 minutes per side is good!
- Toss with dressing. Toss the chopped cooked shrimp with melted butter, mayo, lemon juice, chives, tarragon, and fresh dill. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Assemble, then serve! All that’s left to do is spoon the warm shrimp mixture into the toasted brioche buns, then garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- For the best flavor, use wild-caught shrimp (fresh or frozen and thawed is fine). I’d suggest large or extra-large shrimp, about 16-20 count.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp, or they will become rubbery.
- Use real butter for the best flavor. Can’t stress this enough. The flavor is really prominent here, so avoid imitation butter or margarine.
- Garnish the shrimp rolls with fresh herbs, such as tarragon or dill. This adds a ton of flavor.
If you don’t have a grill, you can easily pan-fry the shrimp! To do this, heat some butter or oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they are pink and cooked through.
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- To make-ahead: The shrimp can be grilled and tossed in the shrimp roll dressing up to 1 day in advance, but these are so good fresh that I recommend cooking just before eating.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftover cooked shrimp separate from the buns. The shrimp will keep in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat: warm the shrimp gently in a microwave or in a small skillet on a stovetop over medium high, until just warm again. Toast fresh buns in a little butter, then spoon the filling inside. Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy!
- I do not recommend freezing the shrimp salad. Enjoy fresh!
Serving Suggestions
Serve these shrimp rolls with a side of coleslaw, pickles, homemade potato chips, a crisp salad, or a bowl of tomato gazpacho for a complete and satisfying meal.
For more easy summer side dishes, consider pairing them with: No Cook Broccoli Salad, Light Israeli Couscous Salad, or cool, refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you can’t find fresh shrimp, you can use frozen shrimp. Just be sure to thaw them completely before cooking.
- Instead of shrimp, consider trying these rolls with picked lobster meat or langoustines.
- If you don’t have brioche buns, you can use any type of soft bun.
- If you don’t have lemon juice, you can use lime juice or a splash of white wine vinegar.
- Instead of tarragon, consider tossing the raw shrimp with a little Old Bay seasoning.
It simply wouldn’t be summer without these. I know you’re going to love them! If you make this Connecticut-style Shrimp Roll recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
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30-Minute Warm Buttery Shrimp Rolls
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the shrimp
- 1 lb extra large shrimp raw, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp fresh tarragon finely chopped
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter melted and hot
- 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or a splash of white wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp chives thinly sliced, plus more for serving
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
- Lemon wedges for serving
Remaining ingredients
- 4 New England-style top split buns these look like hot dog buns, but are cut along the top instead of on the side – you may need to trim the sides off (see note)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Prep the shrimp. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. (If you don’t have a grill, you can pan sear or poach the shrimp in butter.) While the grill is preheating, place shrimp in a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil, then season with 1 Tbsp finely chopped tarragon, 1 tsp Kosher salt, and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Toss well. Place shrimp on skewers, leaving at least 1-2 inches at the bottom of each skewer. It’s okay if they’re close and touching.
- Cook the shrimp. When the grill is hot, coat with nonstick cooking spray. Add shrimp skewers in a flat even layer. Cook until the shrimp is opaque and just cooked through, about 2 minutes on the first side and 1-2 minutes on the second side. Remove the skewers and allow to cool slightly.
- Toast the bread. While the shrimp are cooling, toast the buns. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 Tbsp unsalted butter. Once melted, toast the buns for about 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Add more butter, if needed.
- Chop the shrimp. Once the shrimp are cool enough to handle, remove them from skewers. Place on a cutting board then chop into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a large clean bowl.
- Dress the shrimp. To the shrimp, add 3 Tbsp melted butter, 1 Tbsp mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp chives, 1 Tbsp chopped tarragon, and 1 Tbsp chopped dill. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then divide evenly between toasted buns. Garnish each shrimp roll with a slight sprinkle of paprika and more thinly sliced chives. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and chips or coleslaw.
Notes
- To make-ahead: The shrimp can be grilled and tossed in the shrimp roll dressing up to 1 day in advance, but these are so good fresh that we recommend cooking just before eating.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftover cooked shrimp separate from the buns. The shrimp will keep in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat: warm the shrimp gently in a microwave or in a small skillet on a stovetop over medium high, until just warm again. Toast fresh buns in a little butter, then spoon the filling inside. Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy!
- We do not recommend freezing the shrimp salad. Enjoy fresh!
- If the top-sliced buns have crust all around, you’ll want to slice a tiny bit off of each side. The reason for this is that you want the bread to toast in butter and become golden brown.
- If you want to make lobster rolls instead, either use 1 lb uncooked lobster meat (a mix of tail meat, claws, is knuckles is fine) that you cook in melted butter or use 1 lb cooked frozen lobster meat. Thaw overnight, then toss with the above dressing.
- We do not recommend using pre-cooked shrimp for this recipe, as the tend to be overcooked.
Nutrition
Photography by Jo Harding.
These are absolutely delicious! They’re the best shrimp rolls I’ve made and I’ve tried several different recipes all claiming to be the “best”. I sauteed the shrimp in butter and toasted the outside of the buns in the pan drippings. I’m not sure which was the best part, the bun or the filling! The only change I made to the filling was to add a pinch of Old Bay. Fantastic!
Oh my gosh, this looks absolutely incredible Sadie!! WIsh I could reach through the screen and grab a bite! Thanks for sharing! xo, Ari
I have made this recipe 4 times now! There is no need to change ANTHING! I too, brown the rolls in the shrimp drippings and add some unsalted butter! This is the best shrimp Roll recipe, hands down! I’ll definitely be serving it with lobster when we head to Maine in August. Or i just may use their fresh shrimp! The crew will love it! Thank you so much for sharing this! 😍
Now that’s what I like to hear! I struggle to buy lobster rolls when I’m out because I know I can make them so much better at home. And yes, I know this calls for shrimp, but I’ve made it with shrimp, lobster, langoustines — anything that benefits from being served warm and buttery in hot roll. So glad you agree, Lori! Cheers, Ari