Shrimp Cocktail
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Elegant and surprisingly simple—shrimp cocktail is always a hit. This version delivers perfectly tender shrimp and a zesty homemade cocktail sauce that rivals the best restaurants.
Few appetizers feel as special—or as simple—as a perfectly made shrimp cocktail. Adapted from Bon Appetit, this version features big, plump shrimp paired with a zesty, lemony, horseradish-spiked cocktail sauce. It’s surprisingly easy to make and tastes just as good as the shrimp cocktail served at the best restaurants.
The key is to use jumbo shell-on shrimp and keep a close eye on the clock. Have a timer and an ice bath ready—cook the shrimp for exactly 3½ minutes, then plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking. This quick shock is what keeps the shrimp perfectly tender and never rubbery.
“Excellent! I followed your directions exactly and the shrimp were more tender than I’ve ever previously prepared. Thank you for complete directions!”
What You’ll Need To Make Shrimp Cocktail
As with all of my shrimp recipes, I recommend buying frozen shrimp. Most shrimp are cleaned and flash-frozen shortly after being caught. Unless you live on the coast, the “fresh” shrimp you see in the seafood case is typically thawed frozen shrimp. Who knows how long it’s been sitting there, so you’re better off buying frozen and defrosting it yourself.
Shrimp have a dark vein running along their backs, which needs to be removed. It’s a bit tedious to do yourself, so look for shrimp labeled “shell split and deveined.” (If you need to do it yourself, use kitchen shears to cut through the shell along the back of the shrimp, from the head to the tail, then use a small paring knife to lift out the vein.)
Finally, be sure to buy raw shrimp instead of pre-cooked. This may sound obvious but it is a very common mistake, and cooking shrimp twice will result in very tough shrimp.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the water and ice bath. In a medium pot, combine the salt, sugar, and 6 cups of water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and cold water and set it by the sink—you’ll use this as an ice bath to stop the cooking later.
Step 2: Cook the shrimp. Add the shrimp to the boiling water and cook for exactly 3½ minutes, until they’re pink and opaque. This timing is spot-on for jumbo 16–20 count shrimp (the “16–20” refers to how many you get per pound). If you’re using a different size, adjust the timing as follows:
- 26–30 count: 1½ minutes
- 21–25 count: 2 minutes
- 13–15 count: 4 minutes
Step 3: Chill the shrimp. Drain the shrimp in a colander, then immediately plunge them into the ice water to shock them and stop the cooking. Let them sit until fully chilled, about 15 minutes.
Step 4: Make the cocktail sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, horseradish, lemon zest and juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Step 5: Peel and serve. Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails on for easy dipping. Arrange them on a platter filled with crushed ice, if using, and serve with the cocktail sauce on the side.
More Shrimp Recipes You May Like
Shrimp Cocktail
With plump shrimp, a bright-tangy sauce, and a foolproof cooking method, shrimp cocktail is always a crowd favorite.
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 pounds 16-20 shell-on shrimp, deveined, thawed if frozen (see note)
For the Cocktail Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- ½ teaspoon (packed) lemon zest, from one lemon
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- A few dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco, to taste
For Serving (Optional)
- Crushed ice
Instructions
- In a medium pot, combine the salt, sugar, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water and set next to the sink.
- Add the shrimp to the boiling water mixture and cook for exactly 3½ minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque. The water will not really return to a boil once you add the shrimp; that's okay.
- Drain the shrimp in a colander and then immediately plunge them into the ice water to shock them and stop the cooking process. Let sit until chilled, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, horseradish, lemon zest and juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Peel the shrimp, leaving just the tails attached. Transfer to a platter filled with crushed ice, if using, and serve with cocktail sauce on the side.
- Note: “16–20” refers to the number of shrimp per pound—that’s the size you’ll want for this recipe. Look for shell-on shrimp that are already deveined; they’re often labeled Easy Peel, Simple Peel, or Shell Split and Deveined. If you can’t find them, you can devein the shrimp yourself: use kitchen shears to cut through the shell along the back, from head to tail, then use a small paring knife to lift out the vein. If you’re using a different size shrimp, adjust the cooking time as follows: 26–30 count (1½ minutes); 21–25 count (2 minutes); 13–15 count (4 minutes).
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The cocktail sauce can be made up to a week ahead and refrigerated. The shrimp can be cooked a day ahead and served cold.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 174
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Sodium: 583 mg
- Cholesterol: 243 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I always boiled shrimp with Old Bay, vinegar, etc. Once I tried this recipe, I threw the old one away. These are the most perfectly cooked shrimp I have ever eaten, even at a restaurant. The flavor is spot on, and the shrimp are not rubbery or mushy. My husband worked outside all day yesterday, and I rewarded him with these shrimp, homemade coleslaw, and potato wedges. We had strawberry tiramisu for dessert. I know he loves me, but I got a lot of extra “love yous” during dinner. LOL
Hi Jenn,
If you don’t have kosher salt, can you use sea salt or table salt. If so, how much? Thanks!
Sure – the general rule is to use about half the amount of table salt as kosher salt, so you’ll need about 2 tablespoons. Enjoy!
Jenn your cook time to ice bath is spot on for 16-20ct. I love when I haven’t boiled shrimp in a while so google something and am like “oh yeah 3-3 1/2 min. Exactly!!! And the salt sugar you do like me too. Omg, I just wanted some perfectly cooked jumbo shrimp to dice for street tacos, with some grilled pineapple, diced onion and a guajillo, chipotle mayo drizzle with avocado, but then I ate so many of the damn shrimp straight outta the shell I had to make another batch. The tacos were also amazing, I had enough leftover for 1 taco and ate it for breakfast!! At least shrimp are pretty lo cal though, lol.
These were FABULOUS! So many compliments and requests for how to make them. Thanks so much!!