Cocktail sauce in a dish with 5 shrimp on the side with another dish and a white towel behind all on a white surface (with logo overlay)

Easy Homemade Shrimp Cocktail

Homemade shrimp cocktail is an easy appetizer for a get-together. Use a few simple ingredients to make your own sauce.

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Shrimp cocktail is something I’ve had at restaurants before as a common appetizer, at least here in the United States. When eating out, though, it can get expensive. Instead, try making this amazing shrimp cocktail recipe at home.

The ingredients are simple and it only takes a few minutes. You’ll want to give it time to cool before serving. It’s an easy appetizer to make, and you can increase the quantities for a larger get-together. If you do this, you’ll need to use a large bowl to mix the cocktail sauce. Of all the shrimp recipes I’ve made, this is easily the most simple.

If your grocery store doesn’t carry Texas hot sauce in particular, you can use any hot sauce. You could also try it with sriracha sauce or chili sauce for a different flavor. I’ve also seen shrimp cocktail served with lemon wedges or lime wedges.

I like to use jumbo shrimp for this recipe. The large shrimp tend to sit on the edge of the bowl and are easier to grab. You’ll want deveined shrimp, too, so they are ready to eat with your own homemade cocktail sauce.

Traditional shrimp cocktail is served with cooked shrimp. If you choose to get raw shrimp, you’ll need to precook the shrimp before making the shrimp cocktail recipe.

Shrimp Cocktail Step by Step

Ingredients

  • 12 oz cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tsp horseradish
  • 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp Texas hot sauce
Ingredients for homemade shrimp cocktail in bowls on a white surface.

Preparation

Rinse the shrimp in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

In a small bowl, combine all of the other ingredients.

Cocktail sauce with a wire whisk in a stainless steel bowl on a white surface.

Taste the shrimp cocktail. If it’s too spicy, add 1 tsp of ketchup. If it is not spicy enough, add 1/4 tsp of horseradish and more hot sauce.

Chill for 1 hour before serving in small glasses or a shot glass with the shrimp on the side.

Cocktail sauce in a dish with 5 shrimp on the side with another dish and a white towel behind all on a white surface (vertical)

Shrimp Cocktail Leftovers

Storage: Store any leftover shrimp cocktail in an airtight container. I suggest keeping the shrimp separate from the cocktail sauce.

Reheating: The shrimp cocktail is best served cool. You don’t want it to get to room temperature, especially the shrimp.

Freezing: You can freeze the cocktail sauce, but once the shrimp have thawed they shouldn’t be frozen again.

Recipe

Originally Published On: November 28, 2022

Cocktail sauce in a dish with 5 shrimp on the side with another dish and a white towel behind all on a white surface

Shrimp Cocktail

Homemade shrimp cocktail is an easy appetizer for a get-together. Use a few simple ingredients to make your own sauce.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course:
Appetizer
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
appetizer
|
ketchup
|
shrimp
|
worcestershire sauce
Dietary Needs:
Dairy-Free
|
Gluten-Free
|
Nut-Free
Meat:
Seafood
Servings: 4
5 from 5 votes

Ingredients

  • 12 oz cooked shrimp (peeled and deveined)
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tsp horseradish
  • 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp Texas hot sauce

Instructions

  • Rinse the shrimp in cold water and pat dry with paper towels
  • In a small bowl, combine all of the other ingredients
  • Taste the shrimp cocktail. If it’s too spicy, add 1 tsp of ketchup. If it is not spicy enough, add 1/4 tsp of horseradish and more hot sauce
  • Chill for 1 hour before serving in small glasses or a shot glass with the shrimp on the side
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Nutrition Facts
Shrimp Cocktail
Amount Per Serving (3 each)
Calories 124 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Trans Fat 0.01g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 107mg36%
Sodium 1062mg44%
Potassium 285mg8%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Fiber 0.3g1%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 463IU9%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 58mg6%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

10 thoughts on “Easy Homemade Shrimp Cocktail”

  1. This is actually something I really want to make for a Christmas appetizer this year. Going to follow your recipe!

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