Make This Recipe and You’ll Never Order Shrimp co*cktail Out Again (2024)

Recipes
Snacks and Appetizers

Learn how to make this simple shrimp co*cktail appetizer with a spicy homemade shrimp co*cktail sauce. You’ll never need to order from a restaurant with this in your kitchen arsenal.

Jaden Hair

Jaden is the founder of The Steamy Kitchen and the author of two bestselling cookbooks: The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook and Healthy Asian Favorites.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated April 26, 2022

8 Ratings

The Real Deal Shrimp co*cktail

I’ll be honest with you; I never order shrimp co*cktail at a restaurant. Why? Because almost always the shrimp is too cold, the sauce is jarred, and the dish is way overpriced.

But for some reason, a couple of weeks ago while on a trip to Asheville, North Carolina, I was possessed. It might have been the shock of the fresh mountain air. (In Florida, the largest mountain we have is a speed bump.)

With the waitress hovering over me, my finger stopped at the “Jumbo Shrimp co*cktail with Fresh Homemade co*cktail Sauce.”

The finger paused a little too long at the words “co*cktail Sauce,” and she took it as a sign of my order and zoomed off to make it happen.

Woooaaahhh.... $18 for a shrimp co*cktail! Are you kidding me? I was too embarrassed to change my order, because really, it was my own lingering finger's fault.

When the shrimp co*cktail arrived, I was still sulking (curse my slow finger!) but then I saw the plate. It wasn’t just a chef reaching into a bag of store-bought, precooked rubbery shrimp and glopping a spoonful of jarred sauce. It really was the real deal.

If you make a “C” with your forefinger and thumb, that’s how big the shrimp were.

Make This Recipe and You’ll Never Order Shrimp co*cktail Out Again (4)

Seasoning for Shrimp co*cktail

The tangy, spicy shrimp co*cktail sauce was a house recipe. Instead of just boiling the shrimp in plain water, the spices in their recipe really made the big difference between bland shrimp that serves as a carrier for the co*cktail sauce and a shrimp co*cktail with layers upon layers of flavors in every bite.

Yeah, $18 was still expensive for shrimp co*cktail. So, thank goodness I made buddy-buddy friends with Kevin, the food and beverage director at the resort, and he snuck me the recipe, including how to make the co*cktail sauce.

Make This Recipe and You’ll Never Order Shrimp co*cktail Out Again (5)

How to Boil Shrimp for Shrimp co*cktail

Boiling the shrimp with seasoning and aromatics makes this shrimp co*cktail flavorful.

Be sure to use a large enough pot, and make sure there’s plenty of water in it. Allowing the crustaceans to move around when boiling will help them cook quickly and evenly.

No Old Bay Seasoning? Here’s the Blend!

1 tablespoon celery salt
2 teaspoons ground bay leaves
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground ginger

Storing Shrimp co*cktail Sauce

Store any leftover co*cktail sauce in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. Homemade shrimp co*cktail sauce will keep in the fridge for one to two weeks.

More Spiced Shrimp Recipes

Skillet Shrimp Fajitas
Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos
Spicy Garlic Shrimp With Coconut Rice
Grilled Shrimp With Chermoula
Shrimp Etouffee

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Shrimp co*cktail

Prep Time15 mins

Ingredients

For the shrimp co*cktail sauce:

1/2 cup Heinz Chili Sauce (see recipe note)
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1/2 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

For the shrimp:

2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 lemon, halved
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
24 extra-large tail-on raw shrimp (more if you are using smaller shrimp)

Method

Make the co*cktail sauce:
In a medium bowl, combine the chili sauce, ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Tabasco, minced garlic, and cilantro. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Prepare an ice bath and cook the shrimp:
Have a large bowl of ice water ready and set near the sink.
To a 8-quart pot of water, add the Old Bay, lemon, garlic powder, garlic, chili powder, and salt. Bring to a boil. Add the shrimp to the pot. When the water returns to a boil, the shrimp should be done. The shrimp should be bright pink.
Drain and cool the shrimp:
Immediately, drain and place the shrimp into the ice bath to cool for 2 minutes. Peel the shrimp (leaving the tails on). Drain and serve with the co*cktail sauce on the side.

Snacks and Appetizers
Easy Shrimp
Thanksgiving Appetizers
Christmas Appetizers

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
135	Calories
1g	Fat
32g	Carbs
6g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	135
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g	1%
Saturated Fat 0g	1%
Cholesterol 30mg	10%
Sodium 1449mg	63%
Total Carbohydrate 32g	12%
Dietary Fiber 5g	17%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 78mg	392%
Calcium 72mg	6%
Iron 2mg	8%
Potassium 476mg	10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.