• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Fresh Flavorful

  • Recipes
  • Entertaining
  • Adventuring
  • About
  • Clients
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Entertaining
  • Adventuring
  • About
  • Clients
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Entertaining
    • Adventuring
    • About
    • Clients
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Appetizers and Snacks

    Lemon Herb Shrimp Cocktail

    Lemon Herb Shrimp Cocktail is a delicious easy make ahead appetizer recipe that is such a crowd pleaser!

    shrimp cocktail platter with cocktail sauce and beer
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This chilled shrimp cocktail recipe can be made in minutes for cocktail hour as an appetizer or as a part of a light lunch or dinner.

    What is shrimp cocktail

    Shrimp cocktail, or prawn cocktail, is a classic chilled seafood appetizer that could also be considered a seafood salad or an actual cocktail (or hangover cure!) depending on how it’s served.

    juicy jumbo shrimps with lemon and homemade cocktail sauce

    There are many different seafood cocktail recipes. And the history of shrimp cocktails says that the shrimp cocktail evolved from the similar oyster cocktail that originated in the mid 19th century in San Francisco. Served shooter style in a glass and chugged down the original oyster cocktails were more similar Mexican shrimp cocktail, or coctel de mariscos, than they are to the American steakhouse version common now.

    Modern shrimp cocktail is all about the contrast of the big, fat, perfectly cooked sweet shrimp with the tangy, bright, and somewhat spicy cocktail sauce.

    Taking the flavor up another notch this shrimp cocktail recipe also tosses the delicious chilled shrimp in a bright lemon herb marinade.

    Shrimp cocktail tastes sweet from the shrimp and ketchup based sauce. It doesn’t taste all that spicy but you can adjust the spiciness when you make your own cocktail sauce. Add more or less horseradish or make it even spicier with the addition of tabasco hot sauce.

    If using precooked frozen shrimp simply defrost and rinse then toss with lemon seasoning and serve with a delicious homemade cocktail sauce. So easy.

    It’s the perfect make ahead recipe for a crowd or just as an appetizer for two for date night at home!

    Ingredients

    homemade cocktail sauce ingredients
    • Shrimp– jumbo shrimp or prawns, either peeled or unpeeled with tail on. 16-20 is a great size large shrimp but you can use whatever size you have. The size will be printed on the bag the shrimp are packaged in. The number refers to how many shrimp on average you can expect to get per pound, the smaller the number the bigger the shrimp. Purchase pre-cooked shrimp or substitute raw shrimp and poach or boil the shrimp to cook the shrimp yourself before serving.
    • Cocktail sauce – made from scratch with ketchup, lemon zest, lemon juice, horseradish and black pepper
    • Lemons
    • Fresh herbs – basil, cilantro, parsley and/or celery leaves or a mixture of different herbs
    • Salt and pepper
    • Old Bay seasoning – optional

    Step by step instructions

    1. Make Homemade Cocktail Sauce. Mix ketchup sauce, lemon zest, lemon juice, horseradish, pepper, and hot sauce in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
    2. Zest and juice another lemon and combine with chopped herbs, salt and pepper to make a shrimp marinade.
    shrimp marinade of lemon and chopped herbs in a bowl
    1. Prepare shrimp. Either rinse and pat dry precooked shrimp. Or defrost cooked shrimp, if frozen. If using raw shrimp poach in an herb lemon broth according to the instructions below, then quickly chill.
    2. Season cooked shrimp with the lemon herb marinade and season to taste with additional salt and pepper and Old Bay Seasoning, if using.
    shrimp cocktail on a platter with cocktail sauce and lemon
    1. Serve with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce, chopped celery optional.
    2. Enjoy!
    Shrimp Cocktail or prawn cocktail is a delicious easy make ahead appetizer recipe that is such a crowd pleaser! shrimp cocktail appetizer | shrimp cocktail recipe platter | shrimp cocktail sauce

    Boiling shrimp for shrimp cocktail

    Simply add herb stems and lemon rinds to a shallow skillet with a cup or two of chicken stock, beer or water. Bring to a simmer and add raw shrimp. Poach for 3-6 minutes depending on size of shrimp. Then immediately drain and add to a bowl of ice. Toss to chill until ice melts. Drain and continue with recipe as directed.

    How to serve

    Shrimp cocktail is typically served in some sort of a cocktail glass with the tails perched over the edges for easy grabbing. And the center filled with cocktail sauce for easy dipping.

    You can also serve shrimp on a chilled platter (set atop ice if leaving out for longer than 30 minutes).

    Or serve Shrimp Cocktail in individual serving cups with cocktail sauce and chopped celery spooned into the bottom.

    To serve as a meal serve shrimp cocktail with a large green salad, pasta or quinoa and rustic loaf of bread.

    Yield

    This recipe uses 1 pound of cooked shrimp, enough for roughly 3 appetizer servings or 2 meal sized servings.

    How to store

    Cocktail sauce can be made in advance and stored refrigerated for up to a week. And cooked shrimp is good for 3 to 4 days refrigerated.

    But lemon marinade and shrimp shouldn’t be combined for longer than 24 hours because of the way citrus can change the texture of shrimp. Instead store separately and combine before serving.

    shrimp cocktail platter with cocktail sauce and beer

    Lemon Herb Shrimp Cocktail

    Lemon Herb Shrimp Cocktail with bright lemon and herbs is the perfect appetizer recipe for a crowd, or just for two!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    appetizer recipes for a crowd, make ahead appetizer, shrimp cocktail, shrimp cocktail appetizer, shrimp cocktail recipe
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 269kcal
    Author: Tristin Rieken

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined, cooked
    • ½ cup ketchup
    • ½ teaspoon lemon zest finely grated
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon horseradish grated
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon hot sauce preferably Tabasco, optional
    • 1 tablespoon basil or cilantro, chopped
    • 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
    • Lemon wedges optional for serving
    • Celery optional for serving

    Instructions

    • Make Homemade Cocktail Sauce. Mix ketchup sauce, lemon zest, lemon juice, horseradish, pepper, and hot sauce in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
    • Zest and juice another lemon and combine with chopped herbs, salt and pepper to make a shrimp marinade.
    • Defrost cooked shrimp or poach raw shrimp in an herb lemon broth then quickly chill.
    • Toss chilled, cooked shrimp in the lemon herb marinade and. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and Old Bay Seasoning if you have it.
    • Serve with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce, chopped celery optional.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 365mg | Sodium: 860mg | Potassium: 843mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 536IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 2mg
    Made this recipe? Please share!Mention @freshflavorful or tag #FreshFlavorfulLife
    Nutrition Facts
    Lemon Herb Shrimp Cocktail
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 269 Calories from Fat 9
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 1g2%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 365mg122%
    Sodium 860mg37%
    Potassium 843mg24%
    Carbohydrates 18g6%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 14g16%
    Protein 47g94%
    Vitamin A 536IU11%
    Vitamin C 11mg13%
    Calcium 169mg17%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    love, Tristin signature

    Pin for later!

    A delicious easy make ahead appetizer recipe that is such a crowd pleaser!
    « Homemade Cocktail Sauce
    Lemon Mascarpone Fruit Dip »
    8 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    If you make this or any of Fresh Flavorful recipes be sure to share! Tag @freshflavorful on instagram or post a photo to the Fresh Flavorful Life Facebook page. Can't wait to see what you're making!

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    hey there!

    Hello! I'm Tris. Welcome to Fresh Flavorful where I hope to inspire you with simple recipes and ideas to eat deliciously, entertain easily and adventure often. More →

    reader favorites

    Vibrant Chewy Blueberry Cookies are a naturally colored purple cookie bursting with fresh blueberry flavor from fresh or frozen berries! blueberry cookies | blueberry recipes | blueberry desserts | purple foods

    Vibrant Purple Chewy Blueberry Cookies

    Blackberry infused iced earl grey tea with a splash of cream

    Blackberry Tea Iced Tea Latte

    Banana Chiffon Cake a light, fluffy cake with tender bite and rich banana flavor. chiffon cake | chiffon cake recipe | chiffon cake with lemon glaze | ripe banana recipes

    Banana Chiffon Cake

    Cranberry Citrus Paloma Punch big batch cocktail for holiday parties fresh cranberry puree citrus ice cubes vintage tequila punch #ad

    Cranberry Citrus Paloma Punch

    Footer

    Inspired by the beauty of gathering round a table Tristin Rieken shares ideas for living a Fresh, Flavorful Life!

    Inspired by the beauty of the Pacific Northwest recipe developer and food photographer, Tristin Rieken, shares easy recipes and simple ideas for eating, entertaining and adventuring your way to a Fresh Flavorful Life.

    • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Let’s work together!
    • Disclosure and Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2023 Fresh Flavorful on the Foodie Pro Theme

    8 shares