co*cktail Sauce Recipe (2024)

Forget about the bottled stuff, this homemade co*cktail Sauce recipe is so much better than anything you can buy at the store. A short list of easy to stock ingredients creates this zingy condiment in about 5 minutes!

My Homemade Tartar Sauce recipe is another easy seafood sauce that rivals store-bought.

I recently bought some gorgeous shrimp for shrimp co*cktail and was positive I had a bottle of co*cktail sauce (or fish ketchup, as my boys have always called it) in my pantry. Well, nope! No sauce.

I had two choices. Mix up a homemade co*cktail sauce or skip the shrimp co*cktail. I went with the former and oh my!

I was shocked at how easy it is to create a super fresh, super delicious co*cktail sauce with ingredients I always have on hand. Why in the heck did it take me so long to do this?

I will now and forever make co*cktail Sauce from scratch. No more store-bought sauce for me.

co*cktail Sauce Ingredients

• Ketchup – Sweet and tomato-based – ketchup is the foundation for a good classic co*cktail Sauce.
• Horseradish– I have made this recipe with both cream-style horseradish and extra hot horseradish and they were both great.
• Worcestershire Sauce – Adds a bit of umami flavor.
• Lemon – Fresh lemon juice is a must. It really wakes up the flavor and helps balance it out.
• Freshly ground black pepper – Just a pinch for flavor.
• Tabasco Sauce – Add a little or a lot or leave it out altogether for a delicious, but milder sauce.

A big bonus to making your own co*cktail Sauce is that theheat can easily be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the horseradish and Tabasco. Make a super mild, kid-friendly sauce or spice it up as much as you’d like.

How to Make co*cktail Sauce

1. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and 1 tablespoon of the horseradish.
2. Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and Tabasco.
3. Taste and add additional horseradish and/or hot sauce, if needed.

The sinus clearing zing in co*cktail sauce comes from horseradish. I recommend starting with a small amount and working your way up to the flavor you’re after.

Storage Tips

If you plan to use the co*cktail Sauce within a day or two, just cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For longer storage, transfer the sauce to an airtight container before refrigerating. The acid in the lemon and ketchup should help it stay fresh and tasty for up to two weeks.

Serving Suggestions

What goes with co*cktail sauce? It goes beyond simple shrimp co*cktail!

• A triple batch of this recipe can be used to make a stunning Mexican Shrimp co*cktail.
• Serve it as a dipping sauce for Air Fryer Fish Sticks or Crispy Baked Fish.
• Mix a little into a simple meatloaf recipe or spread it over the top before baking.
• Place a small bowl on a platter with homemade Crab Cakes for a delicious appetizer.
• Use co*cktail sauce for dipping Everything Bagel Pigs in a Blanket.

Sign up for my freenewsletterfor all the latest recipes and join me onFacebook,InstagramandPinterestfor more cooking inspiration!