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A platter of cocktail shrimp next to a cup of cocktail sauce
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5 from 4 votes

Shrimp Cocktail Recipe

Learn how to make shrimp cocktails and impress your guests! It's not as hard seems, and it will cost you FAR less than buying it pre-made!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Seafood
Keyword: Appetizer, Shrimp
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 130kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Ingredients

Cocktail Sauce:

  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 lemon zested and juiced (about 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
  • 1 tablespoon horseradish sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or to taste)

Instructions

  • Put water or broth in a large stock pot. Add onion, garlic, lemon (lightly squeeze lemon into the water and then throw the entire lemon halves into the water as well), thyme, and bay leaves. Season with salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes before adding shrimp.
    A pot with water, lemons, onion, and bay leaves
  • Add shrimp and simmer for about 2-3 minutes (depending on the size of the shrimp) or until the shrimp curls up and turns pink and is no longer transparent.
    Two shrimp on a wooden spoon
  • Quickly drain (discarding everything but the shrimp) and place the shrimp in a bowl of ice to cool quickly and to halt cooking.
    Shrimp being drained in a colander
  • Peel the shrimp (leaving the tail on if desired) and serve. If not serving immediately, refrigerate until ready to serve.
    Cooked shrimp in a bowl with ice cubes

For the Cocktail Sauce:

  • Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.
    Ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and tabasco sauce in a small mixing bowl

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 481mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 239IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1mg