Ohhh yes 🍤🌶️🍅 Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Cóctel de Camarón)—fresh, zesty, slightly spicy, and so refreshing. Perfect as an appetizer or light meal. Here’s the authentic, crowd-favorite version.
🍤 Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Cóctel de Camarón)
Ingredients (serves 4)
Shrimp
- 1 lb (450 g) medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
- Salt
Cocktail Base
- 1 cup tomato juice (or Clamato for classic flavor)
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1–2 tbsp hot sauce (Valentina, Tapatío, or Cholula)
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Mix-ins
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup chopped tomato
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- Optional: 1 small jalapeño, finely chopped
For serving
- Saltine crackers or tostadas
- Extra lime wedges
Instructions
1️⃣ Cook shrimp
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add shrimp and cook 2–3 minutes, just until pink and opaque.
- Drain and immediately cool in ice water. Chop shrimp into bite-size pieces.
2️⃣ Make the cocktail sauce
- In a large bowl, mix tomato juice, ketchup, lime juice, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Taste and adjust heat and acidity.
3️⃣ Assemble
- Add shrimp, onion, cucumber, tomato, cilantro, and jalapeño.
- Gently fold in avocado last.
4️⃣ Chill & serve
- Refrigerate 30–60 minutes for best flavor.
- Serve cold with crackers or tostadas.
Pro Tips
- Clamato = authentic flavor (highly recommended).
- Shrimp texture: don’t overcook—rubbery shrimp ruins the vibe.
- Balance: it should be tangy, slightly sweet, and spicy.
- Make ahead: add avocado right before serving to keep it fresh.
If you want, I can give you:
- 🥭 Mango shrimp cocktail
- 🌶️ Extra-spicy coastal-style
- 🍺 Beer-infused Mexican shrimp cocktail
- 🦐 Raw-cured lime shrimp version
Just tell me the vibe 😏
