For The Best Shrimp Dish, Give It The Dirty Martini Treatment

There are so many different ways to cook shrimp. You can poach it for a classic shrimp cocktail, grill it for a quick and easy summertime treat, or whip out the frying pan to bulk up pretty much any salad, pasta, or stew. One creative way to prepare delicious shrimp, however, takes inspiration from none other than the dirty martini.

Dirty martini shrimp is just as fun and flavorful as it sounds. Shrimp, with their mild, slightly delicate taste, provide the perfect base for the elements of the iconic, briny drink. The saltiness of the olives plays off the natural sweetness, giving a pop of umami, while the botanicals in the spirits add a unique, interesting scent that enhances the natural flavors without overpowering them. You also get a nice contrast in textures between the buttery, oily olives and snappy shrimp. 

You can really get inventive with this dish, but at the surface level, you'll need at least vermouth, olives, and extra-large shrimp. To make sauteed dirty martini shrimp, simply cook down some garlic, fry the shrimp, and add vermouth, olives, and lemon to make a reduction. Use a splash of gin or vodka along with the vermouth, too, if you have it on hand. Serve with cocktail sticks or toss with some pasta and butter for a larger meal. A little parsley will also work wonders.

Another amazing way to incorporate the flavors of an easy dirty martini into shrimp is through a fancy cocktail sauce. You can create your own classic cocktail sauce, or make life easy and opt for store-bought. When you have one ready, add a few spoons of olive juice, a dash of gin, the same amount of vermouth, and mix. You could even toss the shrimp with olive oil, chopped olives, and some lemon for more flavor.

No matter which recipe you choose, opt for Castelvetrano olives if you can, as they have a mild flavor that won't overpower the shrimp. Or, any buttery Italian olive will work great. The gin, vodka, and vermouth proportions are also up to you, and you can find some pretty good zero-proof options if you want to avoid the alcohol.

If applying the dirty martini trick to sauteed shrimp, you can amp the flavor further by adding some olive juice along with the olives to it, or by using more aromatics like shallot or red pepper flakes. Marinating the shrimp in lemon juice and garlic for a while before cooking will also add more flavor. Or, dump a dirty martini right into the pan after the shrimp is cooked. Just make sure you have another one on tap for serving.