Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my Mexican shrimp cocktail recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Shrimp:
The Size – I used medium shrimp (labeled 41/50 at the grocery store), but you can use smaller or larger shrimp if you like. For larger or jumbo shrimp, I recommend dipping the shrimp into the cocktail sauce instead of stirring in, unless you want to chop it up. Peel & Devein – I always get already peeled, deveined shrimp for convenience, though you could do it yourself. Fresh Or Frozen – Both will work, but you’ll need to thaw your shrimp if it’s frozen. I prefer to use raw shrimp and cook it fresh, but you can also buy cooked shrimp to save time. Just skip the cooking step in my recipe for Mexican shrimp cocktail.
Seasoning:
Lime Juice – You only need lime juice for the shrimp itself if you plan on marinating it instead of poaching. The acid “cooks” the shrimp in the marinade. I often use bottled lime juice for this step because it’s convenient and don’t notice a taste difference, but of course fresh is excellent. Sea Salt & Black Pepper
Mexican Cocktail Sauce:
The Sauce Base – I use a combination of ketchup, hot sauce, and lime juice for a balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy. I love this brand of ketchup with no added sugar, but you can use any kind that works for you. I’ve even made it with my homemade sugar-free ketchup. For the hot sauce, I usually use Tabasco, but Valentina or Tapatio also works well. Red Onion – For sharpness and crunch. If you want it a little milder, soak the onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry. White onion also works fine. Sometimes I add diced celery or cucumber for extra crunch. Fresh Cilantro – I love cilantro with Mexican flavors, so I use a lot (1/3 cup), but you can reduce the amount if you like it less. Dried cilantro is just not the same in Mexican shrimp cocktail, but if that’s all you’ve got, I’d use just a tablespoon. That’s not even the equivalent amount, but using too much would just ruin the texture. Tomato – Roma tomatoes work really well here. You could really use any type, though, as we’ll be dicing it. Jalapeno – I remove the seeds for less heat, as the hot sauce adds plenty. You can leave them in if you want it spicier. Avocado – I think the creaminess is a must to balance the heat! Cut it into cubes. Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Make Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card. If you want more depth, add 1-2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 2-4 teaspoons of horseradish, or 2-3 minced garlic cloves. I put garlic in practically everything, but felt that this Mexican cocktail shrimp was flavorful enough even without it.
Cook The Shrimp
There are two main ways that I cook shrimp for Mexican shrimp cocktail — poaching or marinating:
To poach: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the shrimp, and wait for them to turn pink. Then, transfer the shrimp to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. To marinate: This is similar to my shrimp ceviche. In a large bowl, marinate the shrimp with lime juice, sea salt, and black pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until the shrimp turns pink.
Make The Sauce & Serve
After you’ve cooked your shrimp, all you have to do is mix up the rest of the ingredients to create that spicy, zesty cocktail sauce!
Mix the sauce: In a large bowl, stir together the onion, tomato, and jalapeno, cilantro, ketchup, hot sauce, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Combine: Gently fold in the shrimp (if you want it mixed in) and avocado.
You can eat it right from the bowl, but it’s much prettier to transfer to a glass dish. I serve it with tortilla chips and mini bell peppers for scooping.
Storage Instructions
I don’t recommend making this appetizer too far in advance, because the acid in the lime juice continues to “cook” the shrimp and starts to make it tough, even if you refrigerate it. But if you have leftovers, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day (and add the avocado only right before serving).
Depending on how you’ll serve your Mexican shrimp cocktail, you can remove the tails or leave them on. Remove the tails if you’ll be mixing it into the sauce like I did, or leave them on if you’ll be dipping the shrimp into the sauce. Don’t cook shrimp with the heat on. Shrimp is very easy to overcook, so I never cook it in boiling water. To poach it instead, add it to the water only after turning off the heat. It turns out more juicy using only the residual heat. If you poach your shrimp, you can flavor the water. Sometimes I like to add bay leaves, fresh herbs (like parsley or cilantro), or lime wedges (or even just the peel). You can marinate shrimp for up to 8 hours. My bare minimum is 30 minutes for the shrimp to “cook”, but a couple more hours adds extra flavor. Don’t go past 8 hours, though, because after that it turns mushy. Add clam juice for flavor and a runnier consistency. If you like your Mexican shrimp cocktail runnier and with more briny flavor, you can add clam juice a little at a time at the end. If you don’t have any, the water you used to cook the shrimp would also work.
More Healthy Shrimp Recipes
There are so many light and versatile ways to cook shrimp! If you’re a fan, here are some of my other easy recipes with it: Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email.
