Homemade Shrimp Cocktail Sauce (So Easy!)

Name: Homemade Shrimp Cocktail Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: ½ cup ketchup; ½ tbsp prepared horseradish (or more depending on preference); 1 garlic clove (crushed or mashed); ½ lemon (squeezed); 2 tbsp finely diced celery; 1 tsp tabasco sauce (optional); ½ tbsp worcestershire sauce (optional)

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Homemade shrimp cocktail sauce is so easy and takes only 5 minutes to whip up. It's made with ketchup, prepared horseradish, diced celery, crushed garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce (optional), and tabasco sauce (optional). Serve alongside some prawn cocktail, steamed shrimp, or lobster tails.

This homemade cocktail sauce recipe only covers the cocktail sauce. If you'd like a recipe with shrimp and cocktail sauce, try this steamed shrimp cocktail recipe.

What You Will Love

This is the best cocktail sauce recipe because it's tangy, spicy, and has a little bit of crunch with the diced celery. Once you try this tangy cocktail sauce, you will think store-bought cocktail sauce is "meh", not to mention you are dodging the high fructose corn syrup.

This easy shrimp cocktail sauce will take your shrimp cocktail appetizer to a whole new level because it's customizable. Not enough horseradish or wanting to add some heat, no problem! It's easy to make your own cocktail sauce from scratch, so give this delicious dip a try.

Ingredient Notes

ingredients to make homemade shrimp cocktail sauce.

Ketchup: Use any type of ketchup available. Substitute Heinz chili sauce for ketchup.
Prepared horseradish: Prepared horseradish is the horseradish you buy at the grocery store that's in a jar (it might be found in the fridge section). Fresh horseradish is a root found in the produce section of the grocery store. Don't use fresh horseradish; buy prepared horseradish in a jar.
Crushed garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves. Mash the garlic using a mortar and pestle or press the garlic using a garlic press.
Celery: Finely dice fresh celery. This adds a little flavor and crunch to the shrimp cocktail sauce.
Lemon: Use fresh lemon juice.
Worcestershire sauce (optional): This unique flavor adds another dimension to the shrimp cocktail sauce. It's optional, so if you don't have any on hand, you can omit it.
Tabasco sauce or hot sauce (optional): For some spicy kick, add hot sauce.

See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.

Quick Overview

step-by-step overview of how to make homemade shrimp cocktail sauce.

Dice the celery, crush the garlic, and squeeze the lemon. Add all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and stir.

How To Make Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

Finely dice the celery. Crush the garlic using a garlic press or mortar and pestle. Squeeze the lemon juice to remove the seeds.

ketchup, garlic, diced celery, horseradish, and tabasco sauce in a bowl.

Combine ketchup, crushed garlic, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and tabasco sauce in a small bowl.

mixing the homemade shrimp cocktail sauce with a spoon.

Mix the shrimp cocktail sauce.

Taste the cocktail sauce. Add more horseradish if desired.

Serve with large shrimp and fresh lemon wedges.

shrimp being dipped in shrimp cocktail sauce.

Tips and Tricks

For a classic shrimp cocktail, serve this classic cocktail sauce with steamed shrimp cocktail.
Taste the cocktail sauce and adjust the amount of horseradish sauce to your personal preference. You might like additional horseradish.
Steam shrimp (or prawns) using a steamer! Shrimp cooks quickly, so a delicate steam ensures that it's not rubbery or overcooked.
Try this seafood cocktail sauce with your favorite seafood: prawns, shrimp, lobster, or crab. Serve with slices of lemon.

Variations and Substitutions

Substitute equal parts chili sauce for ketchup.
Omit the tabasco hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce if desired.
Use lime juice in place of lemon juice.

homemade cocktail sauce with steamed shrimp.

Storage

Store the homemade cocktail sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days.

FAQs

What's the difference between Heinz chili sauce and ketchup?

Heinz chili sauce is basically amped-up ketchup. You can substitute chili sauce for ketchup.

What is shrimp cocktail sauce made of?

Shrimp cocktail sauce has ketchup, lemon juice, prepared horseradish, and garlic.

What sauces are good with shrimp?

Homemade cocktail sauce and garlic butter sauce are great with shrimp.

Quick & Easy Appetizers

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