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Shrimp cocktail is one of those timeless appetizers that never goes out of style. With minimal ingredients and just a few simple steps, you can have a platter of perfectly chilled, tail-on shrimp ready to serve in under 30 minutes.
The homemade cocktail sauce takes this recipe from good to great — it’s a tangy blend of ketchup, chili sauce, lemon juice, and just enough heat from horseradish and Tabasco. Serve it in a martini glass, on a platter of ice, or however you like to present your shrimp for a special occasion.
Why You’ll Love It
Quick and easy. From stovetop to serving in about 25 minutes, with no fancy prep.
Elegant and timeless. A cold shrimp cocktail is always a crowd-pleasing classic.
Homemade flavor. The cocktail sauce is tangy, bold, and customizable to your taste.
Great make-ahead option. Shrimp and sauce can both be chilled in advance.
Ingredient Notes
- Shrimp: Extra jumbo shrimp give the best bite and stay juicy after poaching. Leave the tails on for dipping.
- Ketchup: Provides sweetness and body for the cocktail sauce.
- Chili sauce: Use classic American-style chili sauce (like Heinz), not Asian chili-garlic sauce.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed adds bright acidity.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds savory depth.
- Horseradish: Gives sharp heat — add more or less to taste.
- Tabasco: A few drops bring balance and zip.
Steps to Make This Recipe
- Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Rinse and set aside a bowl of ice water.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until pink and just curled.
- Transfer the cooked shrimp immediately to the ice water to stop cooking.
- Once cooled, drain and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Combine all cocktail sauce ingredients in a bowl. Stir, cover, and refrigerate until serving time.
- Serve the cold shrimp with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce on the side.
⏲️ Make-Ahead Tip
Cook and chill the shrimp up to a day ahead, and make the cocktail sauce in advance. Keep both covered and refrigerated until serving time.
Recipe Variations
- Add aromatics to the boil. Try a few lemon slices, peppercorns, a bay leaf, or crushed garlic in the water to infuse the shrimp with subtle flavor.
- Adjust the heat. Add more or less horseradish or Tabasco to the sauce to suit your taste.
- Use smaller shrimp. If using smaller shrimp, reduce boiling time to about 1½ to 2 minutes.
- Try store-bought sauce. If you’re short on time, use a good bottled cocktail sauce and jazz it up with lemon juice or hot sauce.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve chilled on a bed of crushed ice or in cocktail glasses.
- Pair with lemon wedges and crisp white wine or sparkling water.
- Add to a seafood platter for a holiday buffet or dinner party appetizer.
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Keep cooked shrimp refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Sauce: The cocktail sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Shrimp cocktail is meant to be served cold — no reheating needed!
Classic Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 pounds shrimp, extra jumbo, peeled, deveined, tails left on
- Kosher salt, for the shrimp cooking water
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- ⅔ cup chili sauce, *
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
- ⅛ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp prepared horseradish, optional
- Dash fine salt, or to taste
- A few drops of Tabasco sauce, or to taste
- Lemon wedges, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Prep the shrimp. Rinse the shrimp under cold water. Fill a bowl with ice and water; set aside.
- Cook the shrimp. Bring a pot of salted water (1 to 2 teaspoons salt per quart) to a boil and add the shrimp. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and curl slightly, resembling a loose "C." Immediately transfer the cooked shrimp to ice water to stop the cooking.
- Chill the shrimp. Drain, cover the bowl, and refrigerate the shrimp until serving time.
- Make the cocktail sauce. In a bowl, combine the ketchup, chili sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish (if using), salt, and Tabasco sauce. Stir to blend thoroughly. Cover and chill the sauce until serving time.
- Serve. Serve the shrimp ice cold with the cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
