Mexican Shrimp Cocktail is perfect for holiday celebrations as well as all year round. When served in a Margarita glass rimmed with lime juice and Tajin, this yummy appetizer looks and tastes super festive! When my husband and I are in Mexico for New Year’s Eve, this fabulous Mexican shrimp cocktail recipe is enjoyed along with a bottle of cold cerveza like Corona, Modelo or Pacifico. I’m excited to share this colorful Mexican recipe with you today!
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Recipe
This delicious Mexican shrimp cocktail recipe begins with 1/2 pound of cooked and peeled shrimp. When I’m in California I buy cocktail shrimp at Costco in the frozen section. It comes in a 2-pound bag. Simply defrost it in the refrigerator and it’s ready to go! When I’m at my home in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, I get up early in the morning to buy fresh shrimp at the La Cruz Fish Market. It’s right next to where the fishermen dock their boats and sell their fresh catch of the day. On the Pacific coast of Mexico the grocery stores have very small frozen food sections. The Mexican diet includes a lot of fresh fish, vegetables, corn tortillas and other foods made without preservatives.
Ingredients for Shrimp Cocktail Sauce
These are all the ingredients you’ll need to make the shrimp cocktail sauce for this recipe: 1 cup of Ketsup, 4 tablespoons Horseradish
, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
, 4 teaspoons lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (Cholula Mexican Hot Sauce 
or Tabasco), 1/3 cup chopped red onion, 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves, 1 avocado. For rimming the serving dishes: lime juice and Tajín Clásico Seasoning
. For garnishes: sliced jalapeno and wedges of lime.
How to Make Shrimp Cocktail
In a medium-sized bowl, add all the ingredients for the shrimp cocktail sauce – except the avocado. With a wooden spoon or spatula, mix the ingredients until blended. Fold the shrimp into the cocktail sauce. Refrigerate for one hour to allow the ingredients to marinate and the flavors to blend. Just before serving time, chop the avocado and fold it into the mix.
Depending on the desired serving portion of the Mexican shrimp cocktail, select Margarita glasses or small dessert cups. Squeeze lime juice into a small saucer while sprinkling Tajin into another. For festive rimming, dip the rim of each serving glass or cup into the lime juice and then into the Tajin. Spoon the shrimp cocktail into the serving cups. Squeeze one slice of lime over the shrimp appetizer and lightly sprinkle the top with more Tajin. Garnish with slices of fresh jalapeno and a slice of lime.
Serve your flavorful Mexican shrimp cocktail with oyster crackers, saltine crackers, or Mexican-style tostada chips. This appetizer is perfect for holidays, Cinco de Mayo festivities, special occasions, dinner parties, or a special treat any day of the year.
Mmmm…get ready to dazzle your taste buds! This is one shrimp cocktail recipe you’ll want to make again and again. For those who like things extra spicy, add a few more drops of hot sauce on top. Buen provecho!
Best Serveware for Mexican Shrimp Cocktail > SHOP THIS POST
For a festive Mexican flair, serve this shrimp cocktail recipe in Margarita glasses with a cactus stem. The ones shown below are very similar to mine. You can purchase them straight through Amazon. For Cinco de Mayo celebrations, use colorful Mexican napkins.
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Recipe
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 Servings 1x
Description
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail is perfect for holiday celebrations as well as all year round. When served in a Margarita glass rimmed with lime juice and Tajin, this yummy appetizer looks and tastes super festive!
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketsup
- 4 tablespoons horseradish
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, like Cholula Mexican Hot Sauce
or Tabasco - 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 Haas avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
- 1/2 pound shrimp, cooked and peeled
- For rimming serving dishes: lime juice and Tajín Clásico Seasoning
- Garnishes: sliced jalapeno and lime slices
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the ketsup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, and hot sauce. With a wooden spoon or spatula, mix until well blended. Add in the onion and bell pepper and mix again. Fold in the shrimp. Refrigerate for one hour.
- Just before serving time, fold in the chopped avocado. Rim the serving glasses with lime juice and Tajin. Spoon the shrimp cocktail into the serving glasses. Squeeze one slice of lime over the top of the appetizer. Sprinkle a little bit more Tajin on top. Garnish with sliced jalapenos and a slice of lime.
- Serve Mexican shrimp cocktail with oyster crackers, saltine crackers or Mexican-style tostada chips.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Lunch, Snack, Party
- Method: By hand
- Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Keywords: Mexican shrimp cocktail, shrimp cocktail, shrimp cocktail recipe
MEXICAN SHRIMP COCKTAIL RECIPE > PIN IT TO PINTEREST
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SHRIMP COCKTAIL RECIPE > YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever enjoyed shrimp cocktail at an ocean-front restaurant? Do you remember the fabulous taste of fresh shrimp served with a tangy shrimp cocktail sauce? What do you think of this Mexican recipe? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
I can’t eat shrimp so when my husband asked for a shrimp dish over the holidays I was stuck. I saw this recipe and knowing he loved Mexican food I decided to give it a go. HE LOVED it and has asked whether I will make it again s a special treat. Perfect for a fun starter.
★★★★★
I loved this light and healthy recipe! My kids loved that the shrimp are cooked! All the great ceviche flavor, no scary raw shrimp.
★★★★★
This is a fun, delicious alternative to regular shrimp cocktail. The jalepenos really make it POP! I loved it!
★★★★★
This shrimp cocktail looks so yummy! I love anything Mexican – I love the addition of avocado with this shrimp cocktail!
★★★★★
Eat this for breakfast on Sunday mornings, it is the BEST cure for a hangover!! I omit the avocado because I don’t care for it and also the horseradish.
★★★★★
Shrimp cocktail is always such a huge hit when we serve it. I never really thought about using the minis and this recipe looks amazing.
Girrrrllllll this looks amazing! You did a great job. I’m pinning it.
★★★★★
I’m a fan of shrimp — specifically breaded shrimp — but my husband LOVES shrimp cocktails.
★★★★★
We make something very similar to this every year for Christmas Eve! It’s one of my favorite dishes that my mom makes!
Shrimp Cocktail as you describe it is similar to what we call our Oyster Cocktail. Of course we use oysters instead of shrimps. Our Oyster Cocktail, however, is not for the faint-hearted as it is very spicy.
This looks so good! I need to make this for my hubby for sure.
This looks lush! I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a shrimp cocktail but i’ll defo try the recipe out! looks so delicious!
OH my word! Every single dish looks as though its comes straight out of a cartoon thats how much they’re bursting with colour! The shrimps looks AMAZING! MY GOD im so hungry now I would do anything for a shrimp cocktail right now!
http://www.nmdiaries.com
OH my word! Every single dish looks as though its comes straight out of a cartoon thats how much they’re bursting with colour! The shrimps looks AMAZING! MY GOD im so hungry now!
http://www.nmdiaries.com
Guess what I’ll be cooking tomorrow! I love a shrimp cocktail. Ill have to try it with the horseradish and Worcestershire sauce. Those I typically dont put in. I love going down to Tijuana for these.
Great take on the classic shrimp cocktail. Love all the pictures.
Holy wow is all i can say. The recipe looks so tasty and the presentation puts it on an even higher notch. Love your creativity! I shall test this out
I love how you served the shrimp cocktail in a Margarita glass rimmed with lime juice and Tajin that was innovative twist. Plus your presentation and photography is exquisite you are a talented creative!
Yes! I just LOVE spicy foods. But I never have gotten a taste for shrimp. My son loves shrimp though, plus spicy stuff, so maybe I’ll make this for him.
★★★★★
This looks perfect for a New Year’s party! What a great recipe!
Now this sounds delicious. We are having people over on New Year’s eve and I am totally making this.
This shrimp cocktail would be fun to make for NYE this weekend!! Thanks for the idea and happy new year!
I love a good shrimp cocktail. This looks so yummy.
★★★★★
I love shrimp cocktail, and I love what you have done to this one! Sounds perfectly delicious and wonderful! I can’t wait to try it!
★★★★★
Such a fan of shrimp cocktail. I like this little mexican twist. I can see myself serving this at a game night.
I love how spicy this sounds. Delicious!! I think I may try it for our New Year’s party.
★★★★★
Yummy! Perfect for small get togethers! I’ll have to try it!
Heck yes! I love shrimp cocktail and this recipe looks awesome! I can’t wait to try it.
★★★★★
This loos so good and the weird thing is I have never had shrimp cocktail before I have no idea why or how that happened. I guess it’s time to introduce new tastes in the coming year.
I love that this is such a bright, healthy dish. We love a little zing from jalapenos at our house too!