Easy Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
A quick and flavorful Mexican shrimp cocktail, this dish combines cooked shrimp, diced avocado, and fresh pico de gallo with diced cucumber in a tomato-based sauce that's not too sweet or too tart, just the right blend of both with a slight kick and tanginess. Serve chilled with tortilla chips or saltine crackers for a tasty appetizer or a light meal. If you are looking for more delicious Shrimp Recipe Favorite, you will want to try these recipes Classic Shrimp Cocktail, Camarones a la Diabla, and Salt and Pepper Shrimp.
Tools
Ingredients
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
- 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
- 1 small onion , cut in half
- 2 garlic , peeled and smashed
- 8 cups water
For the Pico de Gallo:
- 1 medium onion , finely diced
- 4 Roma tomato , finely diced
- 1 bunch cilantro leaves , chopped
- 2 fresh jalapeño or 1 serrano , seeded, deveined, and finely diced
- 1 English cucumber , seeded, finely diced
For the Cocktail Sauce:
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¾ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 2 cups shrimp broth
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 chipotle peppers
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Maggi jugo
Instructions
- For the Sauce: Combine chipotle pepper, lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil, Worcestershire, and Maggi sauce in a blender jar. Blend until smooth, then transfer to a 4-cup measuring jar. Whisk in the ketchup until well combined, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Note: This Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Sauce yields about 4 cups.
- For the Pico de Gallo: In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, cilantro, onion, jalapeño (unseeded or seeded), and cucumber; mix well. Cover and refrigerate to allow the flavors to meld for 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- 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.
- How to Assemble: Once shrimp have chilled, arrange with pico de gallo and cocktail sauce in a 18 oz cocktail glass. Garnish the Mexican Shrimp Cocktail with the lemon.
Notes
How to Store
Transfer any leftover shrimp, pico de gallo, and cocktail sauce into separate airtight containers to store Mexican shrimp cocktails. Place them in the refrigerator and consume them within 2-3 days. Make sure to keep the shrimp chilled to maintain its freshness. Before storing, drain any excess liquid from the shrimp to prevent it from becoming soggy.
The pico de gallo and cocktail sauce can be refrigerated as is. When ready to serve, stir the ingredients quickly and assemble the cocktail as desired. Note that avocado tends to brown when exposed to air, so if using avocado in the cocktail, it's best to add it fresh right before serving to maintain its vibrant color.
Make-Ahead
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail can be partially made ahead to save time and make serving easier. The pico de gallo and cocktail sauce can be prepared in advance and stored separately in the refrigerator.
Simply cover them tightly with plastic wrap or transfer them to airtight containers and refrigerate until needed. The shrimp, however, is best cooked and added to the cocktail just before serving to maintain its texture and freshness.
If you want to save time on the day of serving, you can also pre-peel and devein the shrimp in advance and keep them refrigerated until you're ready to cook them. This way, you can quickly cook the shrimp and assemble the cocktail when ready to enjoy it.
How to Freeze
I don't recommend freezing the Mexican Shrimp Cocktail; freezing it will ruin the flavor and texture of the shrimp and sauce.
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.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Amount per Serving
Calories
175
% Daily Value*
Fat
10
g
15
%
Saturated Fat
2
g
13
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
7
g
Sodium
244
mg
11
%
Potassium
428
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
23
g
8
%
Fiber
4
g
17
%
Sugar
11
g
12
%
Protein
2
g
4
%
Vitamin A
678
IU
14
%
Vitamin C
30
mg
36
%
Calcium
81
mg
8
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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.
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