Easy Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
This Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, also known as Cóctel de Camarones, is a deliciously succulent, tangy summertime appetizer that's elegant and very easy to make. It is packed with mouthwatering chopped vegetables, tender cooked shrimp, and a flavorful and spiced cocktail sauce you'll love!
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In other words, this shrimp cocktail is irresistible! And pretty, and I mentioned easy, right? It is precisely the kind of dish you will love to serve your guests. It looks fancy, it is fancy... but it's also incredibly simple to make.
So, let's get ready to make this classic, delicious appetizer you and your guests will love.
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Ingredients
You will find ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here are a few notes on what you'll need:
- Shrimp: Use cooked, chilled medium shrimp that have been peeled and deveined. I like to reserve a few tail-on shrimp for garnishing the serving glasses.
- Vegetables: Red onion, Roma tomatoes, English cucumber, celery, and jalapeño add crunch, color, and fresh flavor. Serrano pepper can also be used for a bit more heat.
- Clamato juice cocktail: This tomato and clam juice cocktail creates the classic, savory base for Mexican Shrimp Cocktail.
- Ketchup: Adds body and a touch of sweetness to the cocktail sauce.
- Lime juice and cilantro: Fresh lime juice brightens the sauce, while cilantro adds fresh, herby flavor.
- Hot sauce: Use your favorite hot pepper sauce and adjust the amount to taste.
- Avocado: Fold in diced avocado gently at the end so it stays intact and creamy.
How to Make Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
You'll find the full recipe in the recipe card below with step-by-step instructions, but here's a quick view of how easy it is to make this delightful appetizer:
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked and chilled shrimp with the chopped vegetables.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the Clamato juice, ketchup, lime juice, cilantro, and hot sauce.
- To assemble, pour the cocktail sauce over the shrimp and vegetable mixture and toss gently to coat. Fold in the diced avocado.
- Cover and chill until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes for the best flavor.
How to Make Shrimp for Shrimp Cocktail
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil with ½ onion, cut into chunks, 4 garlic cloves, and 1 lemon, halved. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the peeled and deveined shrimp with the tails removed, reserving a few tail-on shrimp for garnish if desired. Immediately turn off the heat and let the shrimp cook in the hot liquid until pink, opaque, and cooked through, about 1 to 3 minutes, depending on size.
- Drain and chill the shrimp until you're ready to make the Mexican Shrimp Cocktail.
Easy Tips for Making Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- If you have one available, use a vegetable chopper. It will literally cut chopping time at least in half. Plus, all the vegetables are a similar size, which adds elegance to the dish. I used the small grid on mine.
- Shrimp Cocktail should be served chilled, so it's a perfect make-ahead dish that's ready when you are.
- Reserve a few shrimp with tails to garnish the Shrimp Cocktail.
What to Serve With Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Cóctel de Camarones is a simple, flavorful, fresh dish that pairs well with salads and meats. I particularly love it with grilled corn or corn salads!
For another chilled shrimp recipe that's perfect for summer lunches, picnics, or casual entertaining, try these New England Shrimp Rolls with tender shrimp, a creamy dressing, and buttery toasted buns.
How to Store Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail is best served the same day it's made, especially once the avocado has been added. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 1 to 2 days for the best flavor and texture. Cooked shrimp on their own can generally be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.
Easy Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 pound chilled cooked medium shrimp deveined, and tails removed (*see notes)
- ⅓ cup red onion chopped
- 2 Roma tomatoes chopped
- ½ English cucumber finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper or serrano pepper seeded if desired for less heat, and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups chilled Clamato juice tomato and clam juice cocktail
- ½ cup ketchup chilled
- ¼ cup lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped, stems discarded
- 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
- 2 avocados chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped onion, Roma tomatoes, cucumber, celery, jalapeño, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked, chilled shrimp and toss gently to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the Clamato juice cocktail, ketchup, cilantro, lime juice, and hot pepper sauce. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and vegetable mixture and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Fold in the diced avocados just before chilling or serving. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until ready to serve, for the best flavor. Serve chilled.
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
More Shrimp Recipes You May Also Enjoy
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Unless I missed it, you didn't show the final assembly.
Thank you for catching that, Charles! The final assembly is simply combining the chilled shrimp and vegetables with the cocktail sauce, then gently folding in the avocado before chilling and serving. I can see how that could be clearer, though, so I’m updating the instructions to make that step easier to follow. I appreciate you pointing it out!
So easy to make and so delicious!
Thank you so much, Mary! I’m so happy you enjoyed it and found it easy to make. It’s such a refreshing recipe for warm days!
Easy to prepare and delicious!
Thank you for trying the recipe, Mary, and sharing how it worked for you!