Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Coctel de Camarones)

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail or coctel de camarones is a boldly spiced appetizer of plump, roasted shrimp, confetti of crunchy aromatic vegetables, and creamy avocado swimming in a briny, tomato-based sauce. This recipe is a much-needed addition to Cinco de Mayo fiestas, cookouts, or lazy Saturday afternoon snacking sessions. The vast amount of textures and flavors it packs is a shock, considering how simple it is to prepare.

*This is an update from the original post I published in May 2019. The images and copy are new, but the recipe is unchanged.* 

What Is Mexican Shrimp Cocktail?

Mexican shrimp cocktail is an antojito or appetizer commonly served in Mexican restaurants. It’s similar to ceviche in that it’s combined with other ingredients like onions, cucumbers, and jalapeño peppers, but it contains cooked shrimp instead of raw. Additionally, unlike American-style shrimp cocktails, it’s more of a chunky dip than a separate shrimp and dip situation.

You can eat this shrimp cocktail as an appetizer or a heartier meal like lunch or dinner. This recipe makes enough to serve 12 appetizer portions or 6 meal-sized portions. We usually eat it as a meal around here… and as a late-night snack. 

Saltine crackers are the most common accompaniment to Mexican shrimp cocktail, though some Mexican restaurants serve it corn tortilla chips or tostadas. 

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make It?

Mexican shrimp cocktail is made with large shrimp, Tajín, kosher salt tomato juice concentrate with clam juice, ketchup, lime juice, prepared horseradish, hot sauce, red (purple) onion, cucumber, celery, avocado, fresh cilantro, and garlic. You can also add Worcestershire sauce for more umami flavor, but it’s not a must.

Additionally, you need saltine crackers or tortilla chips to scoop the shrimp cocktail with. 

Is The Shrimp In Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Raw?

This recipe is closer in appearance and consistency to ceviche than the shrimp cocktail we’re used to in the States. The main difference between Mexican shrimp cocktail and ceviche is that this shrimp is cooked instead of added to the sauce raw. There’s also the element of tomato, which is prominent in this recipe. Ceviche has more of an acidic, citrus-forward flavor. Most versions of this recipe call for boiled shrimp, but I’m not a fan of boiling proteins unnecessarily. Boiling shrimp takes longer and requires more effort (and ingredients) to ensure the shrimp tastes like something afterward.

I recommend buying head-off, deveined large, or jumbo shrimp for this recipe. You can buy peeled shrimp, but I prefer to peel them at home to save for seafood stock. You can also purchase cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp to cut down on the recipe preparation time even more. 

I prefer to roast the shrimp for this cocktail. It takes less time, resources, and equipment and leaves you with more shrimp flavor than boiling. Lightly grease a half-sheetpan with a neutral-tasting cooking spray or oil and plunk the shrimp onto the sheet pan.

Can I Replace The Shrimp With Another Type Of Seafood?

Sprinkle the Tajín and kosher salt evenly over the shrimp, then use your hands or a wide spatula to toss the shrimp in the seasoning blend. 

Tajín is a popular spice blend in Mexican cooking, snack recipes, and cocktail-making. It’s similar to chile powder, with more salt and a punch of acidity from lime. I’m a huge fan of adding Tajín to my Mexican recipes. If you can find it, you can replace it with my Mexican Spice Blend. Another replacement for Tajín is a store-bought Mexican seasoning blend or seafood seasoning as a last resort. 

Roast the shrimp in a 450°F (230°C) oven for 8 minutes or until pink and just beginning to curl. 

Remove the pan of shrimp from the oven and let them cool to room temperature while you make the tomato-veggie sauce. 

What Is Clamato?

Clamato is a tomato juice concentrate mixed with clam broth and lime juice. Clam broth and tomato juice give it its portmanteau: Clamato. It’s also the GOAT of Micheladas (similar to a bloody Mary, but made with beer), bloody Marias (a tequila-based version of Bloody Mary), and bartenders in the know add it to their Bloody Marys. There are various Clamato flavors, but I prefer the one made for Micheladas. This flavor contains a little spice from jalapeños and Worcestershire sauce for added umami flavor.

Ketchup adds more tomato flavor and also thickens the sauce. I recommend using a ketchup brand that doesn’t contain a ton of sugar. Heinz has a great no-sugar-added ketchup that works well here. Too much added sugar interrupts the citrus and tomato flavor profiles we’re trying to achieve here. Likewise, you want to use a Mexican hot sauce to add heat to this base. Regular hot sauce will work in a pinch but lacks the blend of chiles and the thickness that Mexican hot sauce brings to this recipe. Finally, make sure you’re using prepared horseradish. You don’t want to add the fresh stuff here. It packs too hard a punch, which you don’t want as it takes over the dish. 

Add the Clamato, ketchup, lime juice, Mexican hot sauce, and prepared horseradish to a large, nonreactive mixing bowl. Use a whisk or spoon to stir these ingredients together until smooth.

How Far Ahead Can I Mix The Shrimp Cocktail Base?

Next, fold in the diced onion, celery, cucumber, avocado, minced garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro. You can add more or a little less of these ingredients if you prefer, but I recommend making this recipe as is the first go-around. After, see what you can scale back or up on. I love the combination of the cool, crisp cucumber with herbal celery because they play well with the creamy avocado and punchy onion. 

Stir the veggie mix into the Clamato sauce using a spoon or rubber spatula. 

Cover the bowl and chill the tomato-veggie mixture overnight, or use it right away. 

Do I Have To Chill The Shrimp Cocktail?

Chop the shrimp, which should be cool by now, into 1/2-inch thick chunks. You want to ensure you and your guests can eat it as a dip. Cutting the shrimp too large will have you wrestlin’ to get it on your crackers or chips. Use the spoon to gently fold the shrimp into the tomato-veggie mixture. Be gentle while stirring so you don’t turn the avocado into guacamole.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the shrimp cocktail mixture for at least 30 minutes. This chilling allows the flavors to come together more cohesively. Can you serve it right away? Yes. The shrimp, however, will still be warm, and the “WOW” factor will be more of a “Oh, I guess that’s cool.”  

How Long Can I Store Mexican Shrimp Cocktail After Mixing It?

I recommend chilling the Mexican shrimp cocktail for at least 30 minutes before serving it. However, you can store it in the refrigerator for 2 days after mixing it together. 

Only serve from it with clean utensils to ensure your cocktail stays safe for consumption. Keep the shrimp cocktail refrigerated as much as possible by returning it to the fridge after you serve what you plan to enjoy.

How Do I Serve Mexican Shrimp Cocktail?

Before serving, stir the shrimp cocktail and taste it to see if you want more Tajín and salt, hot sauce, or lime juice. If the cocktail tastes too sweet, add more lime juice. 

To serve Mexican shrimp cocktail the authentic way, portion it into glass goblets, also called schooner glasses, and top with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro leaves. You can also serve it with lime wedges or more hot sauce (on the side) to allow guests to customize their flavors. 

Don’t worry about buying these glasses and never using them again. Serve my Mangonadas Margaritas or some obnoxious bloody Marys in them. If you absolutely refuse to buy them, you can serve your Mexican shrimp cocktail from small bowls or ramekins instead. 

How Long Can I Store Leftovers?

Store any leftover Mexican shrimp cocktail mix in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure to stir the cocktail well with a clean spoon before serving.

Don’t leave the shrimp cocktail out too long or risk exposing yourself to a foodborne illness. 

Can I Freeze Mexican Shrimp Cocktail?

No. I mean, yes, you can freeze the Mexican shrimp cocktail, but I don’t recommend it because the thawed results are unimpressive (and, yes, I did freeze a portion to tell you this with certainty). The end product is mushy, water-logged, and generally a disappointment, so enjoy this soon after chilling it.

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail is a flavorful, hearty version of the classic shrimp cocktail recipe. It satisfies my cravings for ceviche and shrimp without tons of acid on my palate. This shrimp cocktail is a unique and colorful way to start a party but also provides you with a creative lunch or light dinner if that’s your jam. Pin this recipe to your appetizer or Cinco de Mayo board for quick finding. Let me know what you think of it in the comments, too!

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Coctel de Camarones)

Marta Rivera at Sense & Edibility

5 from 27 votes

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail or coctel de camarones is a flavorful appetizer made with plump, roasted shrimp, a combination of crunchy aromatic vegetables, and creamy avocado swimming in a briny, tomato and clam flavored sauce.

This recipe makes enough to serve 12 appetizer portions or 6 meal-sized portions.

Servings: 12 appetizer portions

Print Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time 37 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Chilling time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Equipment

• schooner glasses or coupe or martini glasses for smaller portion sizes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the Roasted Shrimp

• 2 pounds (907 grams) large shrimp peeled, deveined, and tail off
• 2 teaspoons (1 gram) Tajín classic seasoning
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (9 grams) kosher salt or to taste

For the Tomato Sauce Mixture

• 2 cups (16 ounces or 475 milliliters) Clamato juice
• 1/2 cup (120 grams) low sugar ketchup
• 3 large limes juiced (about 1/3 cup or 80 milliliters)
• 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) Mexican hot sauce optional
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (10 grams) prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) Worcestershire sauce optional
• 1 medium English cucumber diced (2 cups or 295 grams)
• 2 stalks celery diced (1 cup or 135 grams)
• 1/2 large red onion minced (1 cup or 125 grams)
• 3 cloves garlic minced (2 tablespoons or 20 grams)
• 1/2 bunch cilantro chopped (about 1/2 cup or 40 grams), plus more to garnish
• 1 medium jalapeño deseeded and minced (2 1/2 tablespoons or 25 grams)
• 2 medium Hass avocados diced (1 1/2 cups or 215 grams)

To Serve

• saltine crackers
• tortilla chips

Instructions 

Roast the Shrimp

• Heat an oven to 450°F (230°C).

  Lightly grease a half-sheetpan with a neutral-tasting cooking spray or oil.
• Spread the shrimp onto the sheet pan, then sprinkle the Tajín and kosher salt evenly over the shrimp.

  Use your hands or a wide spatula to toss the shrimp in the seasoning blend. 
• Roast the shrimp in a 450°F (230°C) oven for 8 minutes or until pink and just beginning to curl. 

  Remove the pan of shrimp from the oven and let them cool to room temperature while you make the tomato-veggie sauce.

Prepare the Tomato-Clam Sauce

• Add the Clamato, ketchup, lime juice, Mexican hot sauce, prepared horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce (if using) to a large, nonreactive mixing bowl.

  Use a whisk or spoon to stir these ingredients together until smooth.
• Fold in the cucumber, celery, red onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, and avocado, and cilantro into the tomato sauce using a spoon or rubber spatula.  

Mix, Then Chill the Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

• Chop the shrimp, which should be cool by now, into 1/2-inch thick chunks or bite-sized pieces.  

  Use the spoon to gently fold the shrimp into the tomato-veggie mixture. Avoid mashing the avocado too much.
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate the shrimp cocktail mixture for at least 30 minutes.

Adjust the Spices, Then Enjoy

• Before serving, stir the shrimp cocktail and taste it to see if you want more Tajín and salt, hot sauce, or lime juice.

  If the cocktail tastes too sweet, add more lime juice. 
• Serve Mexican shrimp cocktail the authentic way, by portioning it into glass goblets (schooner glasses) and garnishing each portion with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro leaves.

  You can also serve it with lime wedges or more hot sauce (on the side) to allow guests to customize their flavors. 

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

• You can purchase cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp to cut down on the recipe preparation time.
• Replace Tajín with my Mexican Spice Blend, a store-bought Mexican seasoning blend, or, as a last resort, seafood seasoning. 
• Make your own version of Clamato by using an 11.5-ounce (340ml) can of vegetable juice (like V8) and 1/2 cup (120ml) of clam juice (found near the tuna fish or canned fish).
• Replace the Mexican hot sauce with regular hot sauce. 
• Replace the jalapeño pepper with a Serrano pepper for more heat.

Tips and Techniques:

• I recommend using a ketchup brand that doesn't contain a ton of sugar like Heinz No-Sugar-Added.
• Cutting the shrimp too large will make it difficult to eat with crackers or chips.
• I recommend chilling the Mexican shrimp cocktail for at least 30 minutes before serving it, but you can store it in the refrigerator for 2 days after mixing. 
• Only serve the Mexican shrimp cocktail using clean utensils to ensure your cocktail stays safe for consumption.
• If you don't have goblets (schooner glasses), you can serve your Mexican shrimp cocktail in small bowls or ramekins. 

Storage Instructions:

• You can cover the bowl and chill the tomato-veggie mixture overnight before adding the shrimp or use it right away. Don't leave the shrimp out if you do this. Store it in a covered container in the fridge as well.
• Store leftover Mexican shrimp cocktail mix in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Stir the cocktail well with a clean spoon before serving.
• Don't leave the shrimp cocktail at room temperature for extended periods to avoid the risk of a foodborne illness. 

Nutrition

Calories: 138kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 12gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 774mgPotassium: 426mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 625IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 1mg

Course Appetizer, Entree, lunch

Cuisine Hispanic, Latin American, Mexican

Keyword seafood, shrimp, shrimp cocktail

Tried this recipe?Mention @senseandedibility or tag #senseandedibility!