Y’all ready for a treat? Any cocktail recipe is always welcome here, and these shrimp cocktails are my staple for any party or get-together while still being simple and made in 5 easy steps.❤️
🍤A Shrimply Delicious Delight
This recipe always gives me flashbacks of living off these things on vacation in Mexico. As soon as I got home, I started craving shrimp cocktails and knew I had to make my own replication. I started experimenting with ingredients until I finally found the perfect combination and knew I had to share it with the world. I’m always getting compliments on this recipe and not one is left behind after bringing these to events!
🍸 Can’t Beat These Shrimp Cocktails!
The shrimp cocktail is the Southern belle of an appetizer: sweet, sassy, and oh-so-easy to make. I’m always bringing these to any get-together or party and have people practically begging for the recipe. And when I tell people they can be made in only 5 simple steps, they look at me like I’m crazy. So, have fun with this recipe, and don’t be surprised when you have people lining up for these!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- ⅓ cup yellow onion, chopped
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 pound chilled & cooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed (you can leave a few with tails for garnish)
- 8 ounces grape or roma tomatoes, chopped
- ½ large English cucumber, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- ½-1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1 ½ – 2 tsp salt, to taste
- 1 ½ – 2 tsp pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ cups chilled tomato and clam juice cocktail (I used Clamato)
- 1 cup chilled ketchup (I used Heinz)
- ½ large bunch cilantro – finely chopped
- 2 tbsp hot pepper sauce (Tapatio or Valentina)
- 2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted & diced
Make It Yourself!
Step One:
- In a small bowl, mix your chopped onions and lime juice together, and let stand for about 10 minutes.
Step Two:
- In a large bowl, toss together the cooked shrimp, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, jalapeno, salt, and black pepper. Then, proceed with adding the onion and lime juice and mix.
Step Three:
- In another small bowl, make the dressing by whisking the tomato juice cocktail, ketchup, chopped cilantro, and hot pepper sauce.
Step Four:
- Pour the dressing over the shrimp mixture, tossing until all the ingredients are well coated. Finally, fold in the avocados.
Step Five:
- Cover and chill thoroughly, at least 1-24 hours in advance
- Serve in a fancy martini or cocktail glass, and line the rim with delicious shrimp!
🪄 Tips and Tricks For the Perfect Shrimp Cocktail
- Source your shrimp: Freshness is key when it comes to shrimp. Most store-bought shrimp are sourced from shrimp farms overseas. However, I’ve found that wild-caught shrimp have the best texture, flavor, and presentation overall.
- Serving it: Over the years, I’ve realized that guests love a good presentation. Although there are no real rules, adding a garnish like fresh parsley or cilantro can make all the difference. If you’re looking to spice things up a little more, add about 1/4 cup of your cocktail into a martini glass and hang 2-3 shrimp around the rim.
- Beyond the basics: While these cocktails can be made 1-24 hours in advance, I’d suggest not adding any garnishes (like cilantro) or the avocado until you’re ready to serve to maintain the best freshness possible.
Feeling Bold? Try This!
- Cooking the shrimp: Of course, poaching is the easiest and most common way to cook your shrimp. However, I’ve been experimenting with new ways to add a boost of flavor to my shrimp cocktails. I’ve found that grilling or baking with garlic, herbs, or a marinade are amazing alternatives.
- Spicing it up: While everybody loves the traditional cocktail sauce, you can make yours unique by, quite literally, spicing it up! Instead of starting with a store-bought cocktail sauce, chili sauce can really add that punch of flavor you’re looking for.
- Top it off: Personally, I love that tangy and sweet taste, and including mango chunks in my cocktail sauce makes this dish perfect and gives it an exotic feel. This simple step can really add an extra touch.
🦀Shrimp Substitutions
- Vegetarian? My vegetarian friends need some recognition! If you’re a vegetarian and still want to make these cocktails, tofu will be your best friend! Tofu can be grilled and seasoned to have a similar texture and taste to shrimp, making the perfect stand-in!
- Not a fan of shrimp? Good news! There are so many other alternatives for shrimp that you can easily find at the store. Smoked salmon, scallops, crab, or lobster can be great substitutes for shrimp. Other seafood options can give a similar feel while still having their differences. Try some of these options if you’re looking to make this recipe your own!
🗒 Try It With
🫙How to Store Leftovers
Any leftover shrimp can be sealed and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days, and any leftover cocktail sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
🤔 Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen shrimp for this recipe?
Absolutely! Make sure you’re thawing your shrimp out completely before cooking them. This ensures they have the best possible flavor and texture.
What’s a good appetizer to pair with shrimp cocktails?
These cocktails could really go with just about anything. If I had to pick favorites, birria tacos, or fruity arugula and peach side salad are amazing dishes that complement the flavor of the tangy shrimp cocktails very well!
How many shrimp should I prepare per cocktail?
Personally, I like to use 2-4 shrimp per cocktail, but it can definitively vary depending on the size of the shrimp, guests’ appetite, etc. If you decide on larger shrimp, you’ll likely need less per cocktail. However, if you’re using smaller shrimp, you’ll need more.
Mexican Shrimp Cocktails
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup yellow onion chopped
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 pound chilled & cooked medium shrimp peeled, deveined, and tails removed (leave a few with tails for garnish)
- 8 ounces grape or roma tomatoes chopped
- ½ large English cucumber diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- ½-1 jalepeno pepper seeded and finely diced
- 1 ½ – 2 tsp salt to taste
- 1 ½ – 2 tsp pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups chilled tomato and clam juice cocktail I used Clamato
- 1 cup chilled ketchup I used Heinz
- ½ large bunch cilantro – finely chopped
- 2 tbsp hot pepper sauce Tapatio or Valentina
- 2 medium avocados peeled, pitted & diced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix your chopped onions and lime juice together, and let stand for about 10 minutes
- In a large bowl, toss together the cooked shrimp, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, jalapeno, salt, and black pepper. Then, proceed with adding the onion and lime juice and mix.
- In another small bowl, make the dressing by whisking the tomato juice cocktail, ketchup, chopped cilantro, and hot pepper sauce.
- Pour the dressing over the shrimp mixture, tossing until all the ingredients are well coated. Finally, fold in the avocados.
- Cover and chill thoroughly, at least 1 hour to 1 day ahead!
Nutrition
7-DAYS WITH
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