Learn how to make the perfect shrimp cocktail at home, including homemade cocktail sauce, and cook them so they are always tender, juicy, and delicious.
This quick and simple but delicious cocktail uses Ketchup, cayenne pepper, fresh lemon juice, horseradish, granulated onion, and garlic as seasonings to give exquisite flavor—perfect stater for Father's Day or any other special occasion.
How to Make a Shrimp Cocktail
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Combine the ketchup, granulated garlic, granulated onion, cayenne pepper, lemon zest, juice, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Mix well, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Note: This Shrimp Cocktail yields about 1 ½ cups.
In a medium pot filled with water, squeeze the lemon and drop it in along with onion, garlic, lemon, peppercorns, bay leaves, and shrimp bouillon in a pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, set a cover on top slightly ajar, and cook for 10 minutes. Drop the shrimp into the liquid and turn off the heat.
Cook the shrimp, occasionally stirring, until they curl and turn pink for about 3-½ minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to shock them and stop the cooking process. Let it sit until chilled, about 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry; refrigerate if not serving right away. If refrigerated, bring the shrimp to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
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- Fish Stew "Paraguayan Style"
- Salt and Pepper Shrimp
- Chili Garlic Shrimp
- Honey Garlic Shrimp
- Shrimp Fried Rice
📖 Recipe
Easy Shrimp Cocktail
Tools
Ingredients
For the Cocktail Sauce:
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish; taste the sauce and adjust with more horseradish if you want to add an extra kick.
- Zest from 1 lemon
- ¼ cup lemon juice (from about 1 to 2 lemons)
- ⅛ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ⅛ granulated onion
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper; taste the sauce and adjust to taste.
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Maggi Seasoning , optional
For the Shrimp:
- 2 pounds (16 to 20-count) shrimp, fresh or frozen, peeled, deveined, with the tails
- 3 tablespoons Knorr Shrimp Bouillon or Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
- 1 small onion , cut in half
- 2 garlic , peeled and smashed
- 8 cups water
Instructions
For the Sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, granulated garlic, granulated onion, cayenne pepper, lemon zest, juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and Maggi Seasoning. Mix well, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Note: This Shrimp Cocktail yields about 1 ½ cups.
For the Shrimp:
- In a medium pot filled with water, squeeze the lemon and drop it in along with onion, garlic, lemon, peppercorns, bay leaves, and shrimp bouillon in a pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, set a cover on top slightly ajar, and cook for 10 minutes. Drop the shrimp into the liquid and turn off the heat. Cook the shrimp, occasionally stirring, until they curl and turn pink for about 3-½ minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to shock them and stop the cooking process. Let it sit until chilled, about 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry; refrigerate if not serving right away. If refrigerated, bring the shrimp to room temperature 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- To properly store shrimp, cover and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; the temperature in your refrigerator should be between 35° F and 38° F.
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
