Homemade Shrimp Cocktail Recipe with Classic Cocktail Sauce

Easy Shrimp Cocktail with Zesty Homemade Sauce

If you’re looking for a homemade shrimp cocktail recipe that’s simple, reliable, and perfect for entertaining, this one delivers every time. Shrimp cocktail is a classic appetizer for football parties, tailgating, holiday gatherings, and New Year’s celebrations — and once you learn a few timing tricks, it’s surprisingly easy to make at home.

Below you’ll learn how to cook shrimp for cocktail so it’s tender (not rubbery), plus a quick shrimp cocktail sauce recipe you can customize from mild to spicy. You can even prep everything ahead of time for stress-free hosting.

Why You’ll Love This Shrimp Cocktail

• Fast + easy: Shrimp cooks in minutes and the sauce is no-cook.
• Perfect texture: Cooling the shrimp immediately stops overcooking.
• Make-ahead friendly: Prep up to 24 hours in advance.
• Customizable heat: Add more or less horseradish to taste.
• Party-ready: Looks fancy, but it’s totally doable.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Shrimp:

• Large raw shrimp (peeled & deveined, or shell-on)
• Water
• Salt
• Lemon wedges (optional, for the pot and serving)

For the Cocktail Sauce:

• Ketchup
• Prepared horseradish or horseradish sauce
• Lemon juice
• Worcestershire sauce
• Salt, to taste

Food safety note: If you want a quick refresher on safe seafood handling and storage times, the USDA has a helpful guide here:
Seafood safety basics (USDA).

How to Cook Shrimp for Cocktail

The #1 reason homemade shrimp cocktail disappoints is overcooked shrimp. The fix is simple: cook just until opaque, then cool immediately.

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (add a lemon wedge or two if you’d like).
• Add shrimp and cook until they turn pink and opaque (typically 2–3 minutes depending on size).
• Immediately cool the shrimp so they don’t keep cooking in residual heat.

To keep the shrimp from overcooking, cool them off immediately after they are done boiling. There are a few ways to do this:
dump the contents of the pot into a colander, then rinse with cold water, or add a bunch of ice cubes to the pot and stir.

Once cooled, pat the shrimp dry (this helps the sauce cling better), then refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

How to Make Cocktail Sauce

Of course, you can buy cocktail sauce too — but it’s pretty easy to make homemade cocktail sauce and it doesn’t even need to cook. Just whisk the ingredients together!

We partnered with Silver Spring Foods to bring you this delicious, easy recipe for homemade shrimp cocktail. #GiveItZing with Silver Spring — and that’s exactly what horseradish does for this easy cocktail sauce recipe.

Family-owned Silver Spring Foods is the world’s largest grower and processor of horseradish. They offer a variety of horseradish products and flavors — it’s hard to choose just one!

I went with the specialty Horseradish Sauce for the cocktail sauce this time — creamy and tart with a bit of heat. It also goes well with roast beef sandwiches, tuna or chicken salad, baked potatoes, burgers, and veggies.

Quick tip: Start with a smaller amount of horseradish, taste, then add more until it’s “just right” for you. This is the easiest way to dial in the heat level.

Serving Ideas

Serve shrimp cocktail chilled with lemon wedges and a bowl of sauce in the center. For parties, I love placing the shrimp on a platter over crushed ice — it keeps everything cold and looks extra festive.

Hosting tip: If you’re making multiple appetizers, keep shrimp cocktail cold while you prep other foods by leaving it in the fridge until the last minute. Set it out right before guests arrive (or right before kickoff).

Make-Ahead & Storage

• Make ahead: The shrimp and cocktail sauce can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated until serving.
• Store separately: Keep shrimp and sauce in separate airtight containers for the best texture.
• Leftovers: Use leftover shrimp in salads, wraps, or a quick shrimp taco bowl the next day.

Shrimp Cocktail FAQ

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes! Thaw shrimp completely in the refrigerator (or use a quick cold-water thaw), then pat dry before cooking. Thawed shrimp cooks quickly, so watch it closely.

How do I know when shrimp is done cooking?

Shrimp is done when it turns pink and opaque and curls into a loose “C” shape. If it curls into a tight “O,” it’s usually overcooked — which is why immediate cooling matters.

Can I make cocktail sauce ahead of time?

Absolutely. Cocktail sauce can be made 1–2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Give it a quick stir before serving.

What can I add horseradish to besides shrimp cocktail?

Horseradish is delicious in roast beef sandwiches, deviled eggs, mashed potatoes, dips, and even mixed into a mayo-based sauce for burgers.

More Easy Appetizers

If you’re building a party spread, don’t miss these reader favorites:

• Jalapeño Poppers
• Air Fryer Appetizers (Party Favorites)
• Air Fryer Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce

Would you like to see more of our favorite recipes?

Join our email list here: Fabulessly Frugal Subscription Center.

Nutrition info may vary depending on the ingredients you use.

Homemade Shrimp Cocktail Recipe

Enjoy this easy, flavorful homemade shrimp cocktail sauce! Perfect as an appetizer and entertaining for football or holidays!

5 / 5 ( 1 Review )

Print Rate

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes minutes

Serves: 8

Adjust Servings: 8

US CustomaryMetric

Ingredients

• 6 to 8 cups water
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 lemon reserve 1 teaspoon of juice for sauce
• 2 pounds frozen medium or large shrimp in shell

Homemade Cocktail Sauce

• ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 3 tablespoons Silver Spring Foods Horseradish Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

Instructions

• Add water, salt, and a lemon cut in half to a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add frozen shrimp. Let cook for a few minutes, about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink. Then either remove the shrimp from hot water and rinse with cold water, or add ice to the pot to cool it down and keep the shrimp from continuing to cook.
• Let shrimp cool enough to handle, then drain water, if not already done. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails intact.
• For the cocktail sauce, whisk the ingredients together until combined. Store sauce and shrimp in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

Shrimp and sauce can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated until serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 2869mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g

Recipe Adapted From: Mel's Kitchen Cafe