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A retro Shrimp Cocktail recipe is the perfect appetizer, healthy snack or light meal to share at holiday gatherings, at summer picnics, and at potluck parties with friends. The easy homemade cocktail sauce and perfectly poached jumbo shrimp are a match made in heaven!
My mother-in-law serves a classic shrimp cocktail platter whenever she hosts a family get-together. The boys have come to expect it, and have grown up dipping the plump, chilled shrimp in a rich, zesty cocktail sauce. The easy appetizer always disappears fast, so today I hope that you’ll add the recipe to your regular party menu, too!
How to make this Shrimp Cocktail recipe:
Shrimp Cocktail became one of the most popular hors d’œuvres in the United States from the 1960’s to the late 1980’s. You’ll still find it on many restaurant menus today and in many home kitchens because it’s simple, delicious, and easy to prep ahead!
First, let’s start with the shrimp. I recommend using “jumbo shrimp” (16-20 count per pound), but I have included cooking instructions for smaller shrimp as well.
Cook the shrimp (with the shell on) for 3 1/2 minutes in a pot of hot water that has been seasoned with salt, sugar and lemon,
Transfer the shrimp to an ice bath to stop the cooking process, allow them to chill for 10 minutes, and then drain, pat dry, and peel. At this point, you can refrigerate the shrimp until you’re ready to serve them to your guests…making this the perfect prep-ahead appetizer for busy hostesses!
Shrimp Cocktail Sauce:
In Great Britain, it’s common to find Shrimp Cocktail served with a sauce made from ketchup and mayonnaise, while in the United States we traditionally serve the cooked shrimp with a sauce made from ketchup and horseradish. It’s sweet, spicy and incredibly flavorful! This homemade American shrimp cocktail sauce requires the following ingredients:
- Chili sauce
- Ketchup
- Prepared horseradish
- Vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Lemon juice
Simply stir together the sauce ingredients, cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to enjoy!
How to serve Shrimp Cocktail:
Shrimp Cocktail is often served in a glass, with the sauce in the actual bowl of the glass and the cooked, chilled shrimp hooked over the top. Some sources say that serving the shrimp in cocktail glasses coincided with the ban on alcoholic drinks during the 1920s prohibition era in the United States!
You can also display the shrimp on a platter with ice. To do so, add crushed ice to the bottom of a large plate or serving tray. Top the ice with the cold shrimp and arrange lemon wedges and parsley among the shrimp for an easy garnish.
Preparation and Storage Tips:
You can prepare both the shrimp and the sauce in advance, with no last-minute effort when you’d rather be visiting with your guests! The cooked shrimp will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The cocktail sauce will stay fresh in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
The cooked shrimp can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can even freeze extra cocktail sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months — just be aware that it will likely have a more watery consistency when thawed.
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Assume that you will need approximately 4 ounces of shrimp per person. For instance, this recipe calls for 1 lb. of raw shrimp, which will serve about 4 people. You can adjust the ingredients to serve any size crowd. For instance, double all of the ingredients to serve 8, or triple all of the ingredients to serve 12.
- Don’t want to cook your own shrimp? You can skip a step and purchase cooked cocktail shrimp behind the seafood counter at many grocery stores. Alternatively, you can make Shrimp Cocktail from frozen shrimp by purchasing a bag of peeled and deveined cooked Jumbo shrimp from the freezer case. Just make sure that you thaw the frozen shrimp and drain off any liquid before serving.
- If you want to cook your own shrimp from frozen, follow the same steps as outlined in the recipe, but leave the shrimp in the hot water for longer than 3 1/2 minutes (about 7-10 minutes).
- While I prefer the Jumbo (16-20 count) shrimp for this shrimp cocktail recipe, you can also prepare the dish with other size shrimp. You’ll just need to adjust the cooking time for the shrimp accordingly: for 26–30 count, poach 1½ minutes; 21–25 count, poach 2 minutes; 13–15 count, poach 4 minutes; 8–12 count, poach 5 minutes.
More easy appetizers that go well with this Shrimp Cocktail recipe on your party buffet:
- Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
- Aunt Bee’s Cheesy Spinach Squares
- 5-Ingredient Spinach Dip
- 10-Minute Holiday Crab Dip
- Easy Deviled Eggs
Shrimp Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE SHRIMP:
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 1 lb. jumbo shell-on shrimp, deveined (16-20 count/lb.)
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 1 cup chili sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 2 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Optional, for serving: lemon wedges; fresh parsley
Instructions
FOR THE SHRIMP:
- Fill a large pot with 6 cups of water. Add the salt and sugar to the water. Squeeze lemon juice into the pot, and then add the lemon halves into the water as well. Bring the water a boil, stirring to dissolve that salt and sugar. Once the liquid boils, turn off the heat. Add the shrimp to the hot water and allow the shrimp to poach, uncovered, for about 3 ½ minutes (stirring occasionally).
- While the shrimp cooks, prepare an ice bath by combining cold water and a lot of ice in a large bowl.
- When the shrimp is just pink and opaque, transfer the shrimp to the ice bath to immediately chill and stop the cooking process. Allow the shrimp to sit in the ice bath for 10 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and peel. Pat dry again, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
FOR THE SAUCE:
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve shrimp with chilled sauce and lemon wedges. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Assume that you will need approximately 4 ounces of shrimp per person. For instance, this recipe calls for 1 lb. of raw shrimp, which will serve about 4 people. You can adjust the ingredients to serve any size crowd. For instance, double all of the ingredients to serve 8, or triple all of the ingredients to serve 12.
- Don’t want to cook your own shrimp? You can skip a step and purchase cooked cocktail shrimp behind the seafood counter at many grocery stores. Alternatively, you can make Shrimp Cocktail from frozen shrimp by purchasing a bag of peeled and deveined cooked Jumbo shrimp from the freezer case. Just make sure that you thaw the frozen shrimp and drain off any liquid before serving.
- If you want to cook your own shrimp from frozen, follow the same steps as outlined in the recipe, but leave the shrimp in the hot water for longer than 3 1/2 minutes (about 7-10 minutes).
- While I prefer the Jumbo (16-20 count) shrimp for this shrimp cocktail recipe, you can also prepare the dish with other size shrimp. You’ll just need to adjust the cooking time for the shrimp accordingly: for 26–30 count, poach 1½ minutes; for 21–25 count, poach 2 minutes; for 13–15 count, poach 4 minutes; for 8–12 count, poach 5 minutes.
