Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Coctel de Camarones)

Mexican shrimp cocktail, or "Coctel de Camarones," is a delicious and refreshing seafood dish popular in our Mexican cuisine. Whether enjoyed as a starter at a formal event or a casual get-together, shrimp cocktails always deliver a delightful burst of flavor in every bite.

Mexican Seafood

When you grow up in a seaport city, you know that seafood will be a big part of your life, especially if you live between the Navy Yard and a seafood packing warehouse. Believe it or not, I didn’t like eating fish and seafood as a child! I thought we ate it too often, especially that summer when my older brother took a job next door at the seafood warehouse.

In This Post

• Mexican Seafood
• Authentic Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Ingredients
• How To Make This Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Recipe: Step By Step Tutorial
• Notes, Tips, and Substitutions.
• More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
• Frequently Asked Questions About Shrimp Cocktails
• 📖 Recipe
•  
• 💬 Comments

Almost every other day, he would come home from work carrying a big bucket of shrimp. Fried shrimp, steamed shrimp, garlic shrimp, shrimp in sauce, shrimp cocktails, shrimp with rice… my mom made it all. I felt like I was Bubba from Forrest Gump!

At the end of the summer, I was eager for classes to start again; that way, my brother could return to high school, and we could finally take a break from all that shrimp. My hatred of seafood changed over time, and I look back and realize how lucky I was. 

Authentic Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Ingredients

This delicious cocktail recipe is very easy to make at home. Please read the instructions, notes, and tips before starting the recipe. 

Here's what you need:

Filling

• Raw shrimp (heads off)
• Onion
• Garlic cloves
• Bay leaf
• Fresh thyme

Sauce

• Ketchup
• Habanero Sauce or your favorite hot sauce*
• Lime juice
• Shrimp cooking broth (from boiling the shrimp)
• Salt 
• Black pepper

Garnish

• Red onion
• Cilantro
• Avocado

Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post!

For the hot sauce you can use your favorite hot pepper sauce, either Tabasco sauce, Tapatio sauce, or Valentina are popular choices. Of course, you can also add chopped jalapenos or serrano peppers.

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

How To Make This Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Recipe: Step By Step Tutorial

To make things easier for you, I will break down the directions for this recipe into sections.

Note: Before you start doing anything, make sure to clean the shrimp per the instructions listed above.

How do I properly clean the raw shrimp?

If you have already bought your shrimp deshell and devein, skip this step.

 Start by:

• Rinsing the shrimp in a colander under cool running water.
• Remove its shell and tails. Peeling the shrimp from the underside by the swimming legs is easier. The shells come off very quickly that way.

• With the help of a paring knife, devein the shrimp, making a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp. Remove the exposed vein and wipe the knife blade with a paper towel.

Boil The Shrimp

• Start boiling 6 cups of water in a large stockpot with the onion, garlic, bay leaf, and a small thyme branch.
• Once it starts boiling, add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes.
• After 2 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and drain the shrimp into a colander.

• Let the shrimp cool for at least ½ hour.

Make sure to reserve about 1 ½ cup of the shrimp cooking broth. You'll need this for later.

Make The Sauce

• In a large bowl, add the ketchup, followed by the hot sauce, lime juice, and shrimp broth.
• Mix everything and season with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Make The Shrimp Cocktail and Serve!

• Once the shrimp have cooled down, divide the shrimp into four (4) cups.
• Pour some sauce over the shrimp and top with the avocado, onion, and cilantro.
• For everyone’s taste, serve alongside olive oil, extra hot sauce, lime wedges, and Saltine Crackers.
• Enjoy!

Notes, Tips, and Substitutions.

• If you prefer to use cooked and peeled shrimp in this recipe, use 1 pound of already-cooked shrimp and one bottle of clam juice to substitute for the shrimp broth.
• Add 1 cup of shrimp broth; if it’s too thick for your taste, add the other ½ cup. You can also use another type of hot sauce instead of Habanero, like Tabasco.
• Even though this recipe does not require other ingredients, you can always add your favorite vegetable. Some people like to add chopped cucumber.
• Many different types of seafood can be used in Mexican shrimp cocktails. You could try Sautéed scallops, crab, or lobster meat instead of shrimp.

What To Serve With Spicy Shrimp Cocktail

This cocktail de Camarones is the ideal light meal or appetizer; I recommend serving it alongside some saltine crackers and a few extra lime wedges. If you are really into spice, make sure to have some extra hot sauce on the side and a cold beer.

Besides crackers and corn tostadas, this shrimp cocktail tastes amazing with some homemade tortilla chips!

More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy

If you enjoyed this recipe for shrimp cocktail, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:

• Seafood Cocktail
• Shrimp Aguachiles In Mango-Habanero Salsa
• Tequila Shrimp
• Dried Shrimp Patties
• Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Fish

I hope you make this Mexican shrimp cocktail! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment below and tell us all about it!

¡Buen provecho!

For more recipes, follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. In español Visit Us at Mexico en mi cocina.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shrimp Cocktails

Before I share my recipe, here are a few questions I've been asked and wanted to answer.

What's the difference between ceviche and shrimp cocktails?

Ceviche and shrimp cocktails are popular seafood dishes but differ in their preparation, ingredients, and flavors. Ceviche is typically made with raw fish or shrimp and “cooked” in citrus juices. The Mexican shrimp involves cooking “by boiling” the shrimp before serving. 

If you are looking for more of a ceviche recipe, look at this recipe for Ceviche Verde. It's one of my favorites!

What is a shrimp cocktail made of?

The shrimp is usually prepared raw and marinated with lime juice or a mix of lime, orange juice, or even lemon juice. For the sauce, some slight variations use diced Roma tomatoes, clamato juice, and other types of peppers, according to the region.

For today's recipe, I will show you how to make an authentic Mexican shrimp cocktail using ingredients easily found at your local Latin grocery store.

Is the cocktail shrimp cooked or raw?

We are starting out with raw shrimp for this specific recipe but will boil it before using it.

Can I use cooked shrimp instead of raw shrimp?

Yes! If you prefer to use cooked and peeled shrimp for this recipe, use 1 pound of already-cooked shrimp and one bottle of clam juice to substitute for the shrimp broth.

How long does a Mexican shrimp cocktail last?

The recipe for the shrimp cocktail will keep fresh and edible for up to two days after you prepare it. Just make sure to store it in an air-tight container in the fridge properly.

📖 Recipe