Here’s a classic Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Cóctel de Camarones)—fresh, tangy, a little spicy, and perfect chilled.
🍤 Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1½–2 lbs shrimp, peeled & deveined
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup clamato or tomato juice
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 1–2 tbsp hot sauce (Valentina, Tapatío, or Cholula)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Fresh add-ins
- ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup tomato, diced
- ½ cup cucumber, diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 avocado, diced
For serving
- Saltine crackers
- Extra lime wedges
Instructions
- Cook the shrimp
- Bring salted water to a boil.
- Add shrimp and cook 2–3 minutes until pink.
- Drain and immediately place in ice water to stop cooking.
- Chop shrimp into bite-size pieces if desired.
- Make the sauce
- In a large bowl, mix ketchup, clamato (or tomato juice), lime juice, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Combine
- Add shrimp, onion, tomato, cucumber, and cilantro.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Chill
- Refrigerate 30–60 minutes for best flavor.
- Finish & serve
- Gently fold in avocado just before serving.
- Serve cold with saltines and extra lime.
Tips & Variations
- Extra spicy: Add chopped serrano or jalapeño.
- Sweeter style: Add a splash of orange juice.
- Seafood mix: Add cooked octopus or crab.
- No clamato: Use V8 or plain tomato juice.
This cocktail is refreshing, bright, and perfect for warm days 🌞🍤
If you want, I can also share a street-style version, Sinaloa-style, or a quick no-cook shrimp version.
