The BEST Homemade Cocktail Sauce Recipe is the perfect condiment to make your seafood taste divine. Why buy that jarred sauce from the grocery store when you can easily make your own and season it to taste?

If you’re looking for more homemade sauce recipes, Horseradish Sauce for Prime Rib and Homemade Dill Sauce for Salmon will make your taste buds happy.

What is Cocktail Sauce?  

Cocktail sauce is a traditional tomato-based sauce usually paired with seafood. It’s made with chili sauce, ketchup, grated horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce. The spicy kick comes from the prepared horseradish.

This dipping sauce has the right combination of ingredients, making it the perfect sauce that tastes amazing without being too strong.

I like adding a bit more grated horseradish, but I love a spicier sauce. Use this recipe as a base and adjust it to your family’s tastes. This homemade cocktail sauce is so much better tasting than the bottled stuff. This cocktail sauce recipe is enough sauce for one pound of shrimp.

I found the recipe in a vintage cookbook called Cooking for Comfort. You can find a copy of it here on Amazon.

I know a couple who shared a shrimp cocktail on their first date. Every anniversary they go to a new restaurant, have a shrimp cocktail, and toast their relationship.

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Is Homemade Cocktail Sauce gluten free?  

If you use the right Worcestershire sauce, the cocktail sauce is gluten-free.  You can find a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce here on Amazon.

You will also have to research the ketchup you use. Most of the big-name brands are gluten-free.

Is this Cocktail Sauce with Horseradish Keto friendly?

It depends on what type of ketchup you use.  If you use a keto-friendly ketchup like this one, it is.

Here’s How to Make Cocktail Sauce for Shrimp: 

Simple Ingredients

1/3 cup chili sauce

1/3 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons grated bottled horseradish

4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

One or two shakes of hot pepper sauce

Directions

1) In a medium-sized bowl, mix all the ingredients together and serve in a small serving bowl.

Tips for Making this Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

• This recipe is your base. Feel free to add grated horseradish or hot sauce if you prefer a spicier taste. Add less prepared horseradish for a milder sauce. Cocktail sauce is one of the easiest condiments to adjust for the right amount of heat.
• A simple garnish like a lemon rose helps elevate the dish and is super simple to make.
• Add slices of lemon and garnish the shrimp with either chives, Italian parsley, or dill.
• You can also use fresh horseradish in this recipe.
• Be sure to include lemon slices on your serving platter. Fresh lemon juice is a must when serving seafood.
• Homemade tartar sauce makes a perfect pair with this easy homemade cocktail sauce recipe.
• Keep this recipe handy for the holiday season. It’s the perfect dish to take to events or gatherings with cold seafood.

How long does homemade cocktail sauce last in the refrigerator?   

This easy cocktail sauce can last up to a week in the refrigerator if stored correctly in an airtight container.

What goes great with cocktail sauce?  

Cocktail sauce is a versatile condiment that’s not only just a spicy sauce for shrimp. It makes a good sauce for all kinds of dishes.

1) Shrimp Cocktails

What’s cocktail sauce without some shrimp? Regular shrimp or prawns are the perfect combinations with this great condiment.

2) Other seafood

Fried calamari, fried oysters, fish and chips, raw oysters, crab legs, and crab cakes are just some of the possibilities to accent your own cocktail sauce. The cooked crab would also taste even more impressive with a little cocktail sauce.

3) Vegetables 

Deep-fried mushrooms, onion rings, and baked breaded zucchini dipped in this sauce would be yummy. Mix the sauce with some mayonnaise or sour cream for a delicious dip.

4) Shrimp cocktail block of cheese

My mom told me about an appetizer they used to serve at her bridge parties.  You take a block of cream cheese and pour cocktail sauce over the top.  Add mini shrimp or your favorite seafood to the top, add some crackers, and you have a yummy appetizer. Top with fresh herbs or lemon zest for color.

You can also dip fried cheese like mozzarella sticks in this spicy cocktail sauce.

We’ve reached the end of How to Make Cocktail Sauce for Shrimp.  I hope you enjoyed it.

Let me know in the comments below how you liked this How to Make Cocktail Sauce for Shrimp Recipe. It’s so easy to whip up this seafood sauce at the last minute with simple ingredients.

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Printable Recipe Card for Best Cocktail Sauce Recipe with Nutritional Information