Impress everyone with a homemade Shrimp Cocktail. Learn how to make the best oven-baked shrimp and zesty shrimp cocktail sauce. This is so much better than a store-bought shrimp ring.
Just like our Shrimp Ceviche appetizer or Pico De Gallo, this roasted shrimp and cocktail sauce tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld so this is an excellent make-ahead recipe. Watch the video tutorial below and see how easy this is.
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This recipe was adapted from Ina Garten’s Roasted Shrimp Cocktail from one of my favorite cookbooks, Back to Basics.
Shrimp Cocktail Video Tutorial
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What is Shrimp Cocktail?
A Shrimp Cocktail is an appetizer with large cooked shrimp or prawns served with a tomato-based zesty cocktail dipping sauce. It is often packaged in supermarkets as a “shrimp ring” and typically sold refrigerated or frozen.
This homemade shrimp cocktail takes minutes to prepare and the flavor is so much better and is comparable to a shrimp cocktail you’d order in a fancy restaurant. Also, roasted shrimp are more flavorful than the boiled shrimp sold in supermarkets and you can’t beat a homemade cocktail sauce.
What is the Best Shrimp for Shrimp Cocktail?
The extra-large shrimp (16-20 count per pound) look best in a shrimp cocktail ring. This recipe also works great with the large shrimp (18-25 counts per pound). We recommend 2 lbs of shrimp to feed a crowd. Look for fresh or frozen shrimp that is:
- Raw (uncooked)
- Fresh, or frozen (most shrimp are sold frozen)
- Headless (head-on shrimp can get mushy and take more time to prepare)
- Wild-caught (if available)
- Tail-on – creates a handle for easier serving
- “EZ peel” or Already peeled and deveined – saves time
How to Cook Shrimp
Baked shrimp is so fast, easy, and hands-off like our Baked Honey Cajun Shrimp or our popular Cheesy Stuffed Shrimp. You don’t have to flip the shrimp and they turn out perfect every time. There’s something about roasting shrimp that amplifies their sweetness. If you prefer boiled, check out our boiled shrimp tutorial.
- Prep Shrimp – Peel and devein shrimp if needed then rinse and thoroughly pat dry shrimp paper towels and place them on a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Oil and Season – Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Bake – Toss together, arrange in a single layer and bake at 450˚F.
Shrimp Baking Chart
Shrimp cooks quickly and it’s important not to overbake or they will rubbery. Take them out when they turn pink and are just cooked through. For even baking, ensure that your shrimp are fully thawed and patted dry. Also, bake in a fully pre-heated oven at 450˚F so they bake up quickly and seal in their juices.
- Large 21 to 25 ct shrimp, bake 6-7 min
- Extra-large 16-20 ct shrimp, bake or 8-10 min
- Jumbo 11-15 ct shrimp (or U-15), bake 10-11 min
How to Make the Best Shrimp Cocktail Sauce
Shrimp cocktail sauce is easier than you think. Once you try homemade, you won’t want the store-bought sauce again! It’s really just a matter of combining ingredients: ketchup, a mild chili sauce, prepared horseradish (sold in the refrigerator section of the grocery store), fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
Is it Spicy? Add the horseradish sauce and hot sauce to taste depending on how much of a spicy kick you like. Just keep in mind the sauce does mellow out after refrigeration so I always make it slightly spicier than I think I need.
Our Best Shrimp Appetizers
These shrimp appetizers are always the first to disappear at parties and always get rave reviews. For more appetizer inspiration, explore all of our Appetizer Recipes Here.
- Coconut Shrimp – with 2-ingredient sauce
- Shrimp Fajitas – restaurant quality
- Shrimp Tacos – with shrimp taco sauce
- Hot Shrimp Dip – creamy and cheesy
- Bang Bang Shrimp – famous copycat
- Cucumber Shrimp bites – with guacamole
Shrimp Cocktail is impressive enough to serve at your New Years Party, for game-day, or when you need to satisfy that fierce craving for shrimp (remember you can make it ahead and it keeps well in the fridge).
Shrimp Cocktail Recipe with the Best Sauce
Ingredients
Baked Shrimp Ingredients:
- 2 lbs raw shrimp, 16-20 ct, peeled and deveined with tail-on
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges to serve (optional)
Shrimp Cocktail Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup mild chili sauce, we like Heinz
- 3-4 Tbsp prepared horseradish, or add to taste
- 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed, or to taste
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp hot sauce, such as Tabasco, or to taste
Instructions
- Thaw shrimp according to package instructions, then rinse under cold water and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Place shrimp on a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle on 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine then arrange shrimp in a single layer.
- Bake at 450˚F for 8-10 min or until shrimp turn pink and are just cooked through.* As soon as they come out of the oven, test a shrimp for doneness then transfer all shrimp to a serving platter. If they stay on the hot baking sheet, they can get overcooked.
- Combine all of the Cocktail Sauce ingredients, adding horseradish and hot sauce to taste (Add more if you love cocktail sauce with a spicy kick and less if you prefer a mild sauce). Cover and refrigerate sauce and shrimp for at least an hour or overnight. Serve chilled.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
This THE best shrimp cocktail recipe! I made it once for company and it’s become my standard for every get-together. You can adjust the horseradish to be stronger (the way my husband and daughter like it) or make it not so hot. (the way I like it) You will not enjoy regular shrimp cocktail at a restaurant again after making this. Key is to not overcook the shrimp, and the quick broil is wayyyyy better than boiled you get everywhere else. Thank you Natasha!
It sounds like you found a new favorite, Angel! I’m so happy it was a hit all around!
I made it’s absolutely amazing! I was blown away I’m so glad I didn’t buy store-bought. Anyway how long does it last in the fridge if I have it covered with ceranwrap
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hands down the best way to make shrimp cocktail. After a dozen or more times making it, I decided to use the zesty cocktail sauce from the dominant grocery chain in CNY – big mistake. The baking of the shrimp and the cocktail sauce recipe here can’t be beat.
Hi Botto! Thank you so much. I’m glad you love the recipe!
Excellent but I always add finely chopped COLD celery. Gives it great crunch.
I made your shrimp cocktail sauce. While the flavor was good, I thought it was too runny. I don’t like throwing food out. Is there anything I can do to thicken it up? Thank you.
Hi Kathy, I haven’t had it come out runny before – did you change anything or make any substitutions? It should be a thick sauce as you would expect with a cocktail sauce (see photo above for consistency). Also, adding too much lemon juice could be a culprit since that is the only watery ingredient here.
This recipe is so good! I added a drop of sesame oil for a subtle layer of flavor. It’s my go to cocktail sauce! About to try your beef stew slow cooker recipe. Awfully glad I found your blog! Keep those recipes coming! Also, great story about your family’s dedication to finding a better way of life for their children! It’s how America becomes a better place!
Hi Bev! Thank you for sharing. I’m glad you love the recipe. 🙂
Next time I’ll try your roasting method. Also, my husband made awesome shrimp cocktail sauce, similar to yours but with the addition of minced celery. Amazing with the addition of the minced celery.
Sounds great, Kathy!
I make this every year! I love it! My husband loves this! So fresh and delicious
Glad to hear that, Nora! Happy New Year!
Hey Natasha,
Would love to purchase some of the kitchen items that I see you using. Is there a link?
Hi Connie! I often link my tools in the blog notes or recipe (anywhere you see the red font, you can click on it for a link). Here is the link for my amazon shop where you can view my favorite tools and items.
How long should baking time be for 8-12 per pound extra large shrimp?
Hi Anastasiya, I recommend referencing the “Shrimp Baking Chart” on the recipe post! I hope that helps!
I know we are going to love this shrimp.? Can I use raw shell off and deveined. I will thaw first then proceed with the recipe.
Natasha, I have some large Argentina Red Shrimp. How do I tell when they are finished baking, they are naturally pink/red before cooking.
Hi Janet, the shrimp should be pink and opaque. You can also be sure by checking the temperature with a thermometer ensuring the internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ads cover up too much of your pages and cannot get rid of them—very annoying! Like your site but cannot print any recipes without get a bunch of ads printing on the page(s). Try x-ing the ads out but get sent to their sites instead.
Hi Marjorie, be sure you are clicking on the print button on the printable recipe card (Click Jump to Recipe to find the print button). That will only print the instructions and ingredient list. Thank you for sharing your concerns and feedback regarding the ads. The only way we can continue providing free recipes is by having ads on our site, so we are not able to remove those at this time. We find that most people would rather see the ads than pay to see the recipes. But we will definitely take note of your feedback and use it to improve our website.
I appreciate your feedback, and I hope you love every recipe you try.
I purchased cooked, tail on large shrimp – can I still roast them in the oven??
Hi Sandra, since they are already cooked, putting them into the oven will cause them to get rubbery and hard. I recommend only using raw shrimp for this recipe.
Awesome recipe. Adding 1 part chili sauce to 1 part ketchup makes a wonderful cocktail sauce.
Thank you for sharing that with us, Julie!
Hi, how many days in advance can I make these? Is two days in advance not good, only one day before?
Hi Yul, I think making it ahead a day or two should be okay as long as you refrigerate it.
Another great recipe! Thank you. Never stop doing what you are Doing! 🙂
You’re so nice! Thank you, Matt!
Great video (as always you’re fun to watch) and great looking recipe! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome and thanks a lot for watching!
Thank you for this quick and easy recipe. Absolutely delicious. The sauce is outstanding.
As suggested by one of the comments I used some of the sauce to put over cream cheese. It went great with crackers.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review, Sheila!
I’ve only ever seen prepared horseradish sauce in a bottle on the condiment aisle of my grocery store. What brand horseradish sauce do you use found in the refrigerator section?
Hi Mary, it’s usually near the seafood section or refrigerated condiments/ dressing. We found it is fresher with a better flavor.
I just made this yesterday for Christmas supper. Both shrimp and sauce were so good, tasted very fresh. The sauce was light, but not runny. Perfect!
For the reader asking about the horseradish sauce, not that this is not sauce in the recipe, but prepared horseradish. At my grocery store, it was found in the refrigerator section by refrigerated pickeles.
Thanks for sharintg! So glad that you enjoyed it.
Natasha, I really love all of your recipes and I trust that they will come out great. I made the shrimp and cocktail sauce exactly the way your recipe says for Christmas day appetizer for 20 people and it was a hit!! Thank you so much.
Yay, that’s fantastic feedback! Thank you so much for sharing, Cindy. I’m glad it was a huge hit.
Hi Natasha, do you not devain the shrimp? That part always takes forever
Yes or you may purchase peeled and deveined shrimps to save time