Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (coctel de camarones) includes juicy shrimp in a refreshing mix of diced veggies, cocktail sauce, clamato juice, and lime juice. Serve with saltine crackers or tortilla chips for the perfect summer appetizer, snack, or light meal.
Looking for more delicious shrimp recipes? Try my Shrimp Curry, Shrimp Tacos, and Shrimp Boil with Garlic Butter Sauce.
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This Mexican shrimp cocktail recipe is a lively twist on the traditional appetizer. It's succulent, spicy, and bursting with fresh, vibrant flavors. But what I really love about it is how easy it is to make – just a few gentle stirs and an hour of chilling time.
Enjoy coctel de camarones on a hot summer day by the pool or while sunbathing on the patio. Its beautiful presentation also makes it perfect for parties and outdoor gatherings.
Ingredients
Authentic Mexican shrimp cocktail is a mouthwatering mixture of tangy, spicy flavors. The addition of fresh lime juice adds a bright, zesty kick.
Clamato juice, a briny blend of tomato juice and clam broth, brings a savory depth to the cocktail. Crisp cucumber and creamy avocado provide a perfect balance of textures, making coctel de camarones truly irresistible!
- Cucumber, finely diced
- Roma Tomato, finely chopped
- Red onion, finely diced
- Cilantro, finely chopped
- Jalapeno, finely diced (optional)
- Shrimp, cooked and deveined
- Louisiana cocktail sauce
- Clamato juice
- Fresh lime juice
- Salt, more or less to taste
- Black pepper
- Avocado, diced
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Start by preparing the vegetables: finely dice the cucumber, chop the Roma tomato, dice the red onion, chop the cilantro, and, if you like a bit of heat, finely dice the jalapeno.
In a large bowl, combine these vegetables to create a fresh, vibrant base.
Then ensure your shrimp are cleaned, deveined, and have the tails removed. The shrimp should be cooked and defrosted, and you can either leave them whole or cut them into smaller pieces.
Add the shrimp to the bowl with the vegetables, then pour in the entire jar of cocktail sauce and the Clamato juice.
Add the fresh lime juice, salt, and black pepper to the mixture. Use a spoon to mix everything thoroughly until well combined. Finally, gently stir in the diced avocado.
Serve immediately or, for best results, refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Enjoy!
Hint: Chilling time is super important for this recipe. This marinade infuses the shrimp with bigger, bolder flavor. So let it set in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
What to Serve with Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Coctel de camarones is a versatile dish that pairs beautifully with a variety of sides and mains. Complement its fresh flavors with Mexican Corn Salsa or hearty slow cooker pulled pork tacos. For a refreshing twist, serve it alongside a crisp salad or atop a crunchy tostada.
Equipment
Use a large mixing bowl to combine all the ingredients and a sharp knife for finely dicing the vegetables and chopping the cilantro. You'll also need a a cutting board and a spoon for mixing everything. And if you're using raw shrimp, use a pan or pot to cook them.
How to Store Leftovers
Mexican shrimp cocktail is best enjoyed within 24 hours of making it. But if you store it in an airtight container, leftovers last up to 3 days. However, if it smells fishy, simply toss it.
Top tip
For the best shrimp cocktail, ensure all your ingredients are as fresh as possible. Fresh vegetables and ripe avocados enhance the dish's flavors and textures while using freshly cooked and properly cleaned shrimp will provide the best taste and quality.
FAQ
What is the difference between ceviche and shrimp cocktail?
Ceviche involves marinating raw seafood in citrus juices, which "cooks" the seafood with an acid like lime or lemon juice. Whereas shrimp cocktail uses pre-cooked shrimp mixed with a cocktail sauce. Also, ceviche typically includes a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables, whereas a classic shrimp cocktail has a simpler sauce and fewer ingredients.
What does a shrimp cocktail contain?
Traditional shrimp cocktail typically consists of chilled shrimp served with a simple tangy cocktail sauce made from ketchup and horseradish.
Can I use frozen shrimp for this recipe?
Yes, you can use frozen shrimp to make Mexican shrimp cocktail. Just make sure they are fully defrosted, cleaned, and cooked before adding them.
Related
Looking for other shrimp recipes like this Coctel de Camarones? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cucumber finely diced
- 1 roma Tomato finely chopped
- ¼ cup Red onion finely diced
- ¼ cup Cilantro finely chopped
- 1 Jalapeno finely diced (optional)
- 1 pound medium Shrimp cooked and deveined
- 1 jar Louisiana cocktail sauce
- 1 cup Clamato juice
- ½ cup Fresh lime juice
- ½ tablespoon Salt more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large Avocado diced
Instructions
- Add your finely chopped vegetables to a large bowl; including the cucumbers, tomatoes, purple onion, cilantro, and jalapeno if you are using it.
- Now make sure that your shrimp is cleaned and deveined, and that the tails are removed. The shrimp should already be cooked and defrosted. You can cut some of the shrimp up into smaller pieces, or leave them all whole.
- Add the shrimp to the bowl with the vegetables. Now add in the entire jar of cocktail sauce and the clamato juice. Next add in the fresh lime juice, and the salt and pepper.
- Use a spoon to mix up the shrimp cocktail very well, until everything is fully combined.
- Once the shrimp cocktail is completely mixed up, add in the diced avocado and gently stir it in. Serve immediately, or for best results, refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. And enjoy!
Video
Janet says
I made this tonight and it was pretty good. I didn't have shrimp from Mexico so used Argentina shrimp.
Tamara J. says
Hey there! Not sure if I wasn't clear, but you do not have to use shrimp from Mexico, you can use any shrimp for this recipe! I'm so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
iasaiah says
so good