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Home » Recipes » Dressings, Sauces & Condiments

Cocktail Sauce

Published: May 31, 2021 | Last Updated: April 19, 2022 | Lisa 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links.

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Last Updated April 19th, 2022 at 02:14 pm by Lisa

An advertisement for a recipe for cocktail sauce to use with cooked shrimp.

Fresh Cocktail Sauce made in minutes for easy appetizers like Shrimp Cocktail. Dollop this seafood sauce on oysters, clams, crab, and more!

There are over 15 ways to use your leftover classic seafood sauce, also called shrimp cocktail sauce, in creative new ways...

⬆ Cocktail Sauce Video ⬆

Shrimp Cocktail History

Sauces and condiments for seafood originated in the 19th century and there are several types of cold or room temperature recipes.

No one knows where the name came from, but in the 1920s shrimp were often served and garnished with cocktail sauce. Some sources link the serving of the dish in cocktail glasses during the ban on alcoholic drinks during the 1920s prohibition era in the United States.

Who knows, but maybe that is how it got its name. Shrimp Cocktail became a wildly popular appetizer in the 1960s and 70s in the United States.

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My Mom served it for parties, and it was a Christmas Eve tradition in our home. She would serve large shrimp on iced bowls with crushed ice, topped with cocktail sauce.

Why This Recipe Works

  • It's so fresh, the celery adds a clean crunch.
  • The zip of prepared horseradish is so good.
  • Add Tabasco for additional heat if love hot sauce.
  • Using real lemon juice and zest gives it brightness.
  • The stuff in the jar is no match for homemade!
  • Use your leftover sauce in creative ways.

Let's Make It!

  • ¼ cup Chili Garlic Sauce Heinz or Vietnamese brand
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 lemon zest and juice
  • 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 1 cup celery 3 stalks finely chopped
  • optional: ¼ teaspoon hot sauce Tabasco
  1. Mix the ingredients; chili garlic sauce, ketchup, lemon zest and juice, Worcestershire sauce, prepared horseradish, celery, Tabasco hot sauce in a small bowl, chill in the fridge in an airtight container.
  2. It will keep up to 2 weeks refrigerated.
Cocktail Sauce Uses


Classic use is on seafood; shrimp cocktail, crabs, oysters, and crab.

Use the leftovers on
-Mix Bloody Marys, add tomato juice, and season
-Top ham and cheese omelets
-Dip deep-fried mushrooms
-Drizzle on crab cakes
-Sauce for burgers or hot dogs
-A dip for mozzarella sticks
-Top deviled Eggs
-Mix into meatloaf
-Eggroll dip
-Use as Onion Ring dip
-Drizzle on avocado toast

How Long Will Cocktail Sauce Last?


-Cocktail Sauce jar unopened keep 4-6 months on the pantry shelf
-Cocktail Sauce jar opened use within 1 month, keep refrigerated
-Homemade Cocktail Sauce use in 1 – 2 weeks, keep refrigerated in an airtight container

A clear glass platter full of cooked shrimp for shrimp cocktail with cocktail sauce nearby.
Shrimp Cocktail Recipe
The best Shrimp Cocktail (prawn cocktail) is made by oven-roasting, then dipping them in homemade shrimp cocktail sauce! The shrimp cooks in just 15 minutes and is such an easy appetizer for the holiday season, New Year's Eve, or party food for special occasions and celebrations. Roasting is a great way to go versus dealing with a large pot of boiling water, a sheet pan is so much easier with less cleanup, and the roasting adds deep rich, delicious shrimpy flavor.
GET THE RECIPE PIN IT
A clear glass plate with shrimp cocktail, cocktail sauce, and two glasses of champagne.

More Sauce Recipes

Lobster Ravioli With Lemon Butter Sauce
Lobster Ravioli with a Lemon Butter Sauce uses a baked ravioli technique you can prep ahead for dinner parties, holidays, and romantic nights. This recipe can be made ahead with wonton wrappers and baked instead of boiling the ravioli. It is a perfect recipe for the holidays or special dinners like Valentine's Day.
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A white plate filled with heart shaped lobster ravioli garnished with parsley.
Creamy Balsamic Horseradish Sauce
Creamy balsamic horseradish sauce is amazing on thick slices of Roast Beef for dinner, on prime rib, and as a spread on Roast Beef Sandwiches.
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Looking down into a wooden bowl with creamy balsamic horseradish sauce swirled in the center, and a wooden spreader resting on the edge of the bowl with a rustic beige tablecloth underneath and on a woven rattan placemat.
Remoulade
Remoulade sauce is a popular condiment or dipping sauce, usually paired with seafood, cold meats, and fried foods. Drizzle on baked fish, fried green tomatoes, or as a sandwich spread. Use it as a dip for chicken wings, hot french fries or bites of scrumptious crab cakes.
GET THE RECIPE PIN IT
A vintage spoon scooping up remoulade sauce to use on a recipe.

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Cocktail Sauce Plus 15 Uses!

Delicious Cocktail Sauce made in minutes and goes with easy appetizers like Shrimp Cocktail, oysters, clams and crab.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 34kcal
Author Lisa Hatfield

Equipment

Epicurean Non-Slip Cutting Board
Chef Knife
Classic Citrus Zester

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup Chili Garlic Sauce Heinz or Vietnamese brand
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 lemon zest and juice
  • 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
  • 1 cup celery 3 stalks finely chopped
  • optional: ¼ teaspoon hot sauce Tabasco

Instructions

  • Mix all the cocktail sauce ingredients; chili garlic sauce, ketchup, lemon zest and juice, Worcestershire sauce, prepared horseradish, celery, Tabasco hot sauce in a small bowl.
  • Keep chilled in the fridge, use within a week.

Notes

chili garlic sauce

Heinz or any Vietnamese brand works well in this recipe and are easy to find in any grocery store.

use leftover cocktail sauce

Classic use is on seafood; shrimp cocktail, crabs, oysters, and crab
  • Mix Bloody Marys, add tomato juice, and season.
  • Top ham and cheese omelets
  • Dip deep-fried mushrooms
  • Drizzle on crab cakes
  • Sauce for burgers or hot dogs
  • A dip for mozzarella sticks
  • Top deviled Eggs
  • Mix into meatloaf
  • Eggroll dip
  • Use as Onion Ring dip
  • Drizzle on avocado toast

how long to store

-Cocktail sauce jar unopened keep 4-6 months on the pantry shelf
-Cocktail sauce jar opened use within 1 month, keep refrigerated
-Homemade cocktail sauce use in 1 – 2 weeks, keep refrigerated in an airtight container
 

Nutrition

Serving: 12g | Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 538mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 134IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let's see it on Instagram! Follow us @Delicious.Table and tag us on your recipe photo with #delicioustable
Need ingredients or equipment to make this recipe? Shop Now Every cooking product recommended I own, use, and love how they perform in my kitchen. Happy Cooking! Lisa
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Delicious Table earns advertising fees from qualified purchases linking to Amazon.com

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jessica Robinson says

    December 22, 2020 at 4:08 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness this cocktail sauce is the best! So easy to make and such great flavors. Perfect for shrimp cocktail and so much more!

    Reply

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