Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, also known as Coctel de Camarones, is a delectable cornucopia of shrimp, onions, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, and jalapenos in a slightly spicy tomato dressing.
What is Mexican Shrimp Cocktail?
Many of you are probably familiar with the typical shrimp cocktail, which consists of 6-8 shrimp lining a glass with cocktail sauce in the center. This appetizer recipe is about one thousand percent tastier than that. It is a salad with crisp veggies like cucumbers, onions, and creamy avocado, sun-ripened tomatoes, and fresh, zesty jalapenos. Top it with a slightly spicy tomato sauce, and your taste buds will dance to the Macarena. If you like this recipe, try grilled shrimp, shrimp and grits, bacon-wrapped shrimp, and shrimp toast.
Ingredients for Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
How to make Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
First, peel and devein your cooked shrimp. Please see my helpful hints on deveining shrimp. Chop the onions, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, and jalapenos, reserving the avocado and jalapeno for last. Snip or chop a large bunch of cilantro. Add all the chopped goodies and peeled shrimp to a large bowl. Squeeze lime juice over the top and stir gently to coat.
Whisk together the ketchup, salsa-style tomatoes, and Mexican hot sauce in a small bowl. Doing this task separately will allow you to adjust the hot sauce to taste. Gently stir the sauce and the cilantro into the shrimp. Chill for about one hour. Spoon into small individual serving glasses and, if desired, garnish with more cilantro and lime slices.
Recipe Tips
- For convenience, purchase already-cooked shrimp from a local grocery store that does a good job of steaming shrimp with the shell on and not overcooking them.
- If good steamed shrimp are not available, you can steam your own. For easy beer-steamed shrimp, place beer in the bottom of a steamer and bring it to a boil. Add the unpeeled shrimp. Reduce to a simmer and cook until pink, which usually takes about 5 minutes. Make sure the shrimp is elevated above the simmering beer. You want it to steam, not boil.
- Cut your vegetables relatively small and mince the jalapeno. You want the shrimp to be the star of the show.
- For a more mild jalapeno taste, remove seeds and membranes. Use food-handling gloves to do this.
- Adjust the hot sauce to your liking.
How do you peel and devein shrimp?
Arrange a clean area to work near the kitchen sink, as you will need cold running water. To peel the shrimp, pull on the legs, and the shell will begin to peel away. For this particular recipe, remove the tails. Now, take a small pairing knife and make a shallow cut down the center of the shrimp’s back to the top edge of where the tail was. To remove the black intestine, run the cool water over the back of the shrimp and rub it so the vein will rinse out easily.
Storage
Mexican shrimp cocktail is best enjoyed shortly after being prepared. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
More Mexican Dishes
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Recipe (Cóctel de Camarónes)
Ingredients
- 1 lb large cooked shrimp peeled deveined and tails removed
- 1/4 cup sweet onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery chopped
- 1/2 cup English cucumber diced
- 1 large meaty tomato diced like a Beefsteak
- 2 ripe avocados peeled pitted and diced
- 1 jalapeno seeded membranes removed and minced
- 2 limes more if you want lime for garnish
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Dressing
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup salsa style tomatoes see notes
- 2 tablespoons Mexican hot sauce such as Cholula
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine shrimp, onion, celery, cucumber, tomato, avocado and jalapeno. Squeeze lime juice over the top and stir gently to coat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, salsa-style tomatoes, and Mexican hot sauce. Gently stir the dressing and the cilantro into the shrimp. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Chill for about one hour.
Notes
- There are several brands of salsa style tomatoes available at most grocery stores in the canned tomato section. Walmart has a really tasty one called Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa.
- Purchase already cooked shrimp from a local grocery store that does a good job on steaming shrimp with the shell on and not overcooking them.
- If good steamed shrimp are not available you can steam your own. For easy beer steamed shrimp simply place beer in the bottom of a steamer and bring to a boil. Add shrimp that has not been peeled. Reduce to a simmer and cook until pink which usually takes about 5 minutes. Make sure the shrimp is elevated above the simmering beer. You want it to steam not boil.
- Cut your vegetables fairly small and mince the jalapeno. You want the shrimp to be the star of the show.
- For a milder jalapeno taste remove seeds and membranes. Use food handling gloves to do this. If you do not have any gloves a sandwich bag will work in a pinch.
- Adjust the hot sauce to your liking. Some people only like a smidgen while others want a boat load.
Nutrition
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Emily Liao
Loved this shrimp cocktail recipe! So easy and refreshing.
Sheryl Smith
I have always loved my shrimp cocktail but thsi blows mine away! LOVE it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Sheryl! Glad that you liked it!!
Jennifer
The BEST shrimp cocktail ever! So flavorful! Just amazing. We loved it!
Suzy
So delicious and tasty! Went with the salsa you suggest and it was so good!
Natalie
This is the best shrimp cocktail ever!! The flavors go so well together! Definitely spices it up!
Natasha
This is such a great recipe, the result is awesome it was so tasty and every bite just makes you smile. Thank you for this!
Natalie
What a burst of flavors in your mouth!! I waited to long to make this, but will definitely be making it again!
Suzy
Love how tasty and delicious this is!
baltisraul
I had leftover Birria sauce from my Mexican stew and used that, chilled, for my dressing. This cocktail sauce just went to the top of my list. You can really turn out some great recipes and we always look forward to them.
Jeffery
Hi Beth, this Mexican shrimp cocktail is full of zest!
Beth Pierce
Yes it really is! Thanks Jeffery!
Amy D
I wish I had some of this made up and waiting for me right now! I could eat it all. But that’s not too terrible because it’s actually pretty healthy 🙂
Suzy
I’ve made shrimp cocktail lots of times but wow! This version is so delicious!
Lisa
This recipe is amazing and super flavorful! I always order shrimp cocktail in restaurants and now I’m happy to make it at home!
Tisha
This is a great way to spice up a normal shrimp cocktail! Love it!
Helene
I have always loved cooking seafood
Aimee Shugarman
LOVE this cocktail. So much flavor!