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The Ultimate 5-Minute Homemade Cocktail Sauce: Perfectly Zesty & Spicy for Shrimp Cocktail

A small white ramekin filled with thick, vibrant red homemade cocktail sauce, sitting on a counter near a window.

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Make restaurant quality homemade cocktail sauce in just five minutes. This zesty and spicy dipping sauce uses simple ingredients to create the best sauce for shrimp cocktail, oysters, and crab.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup prepared horseradish (use more for extra kick)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce (like Tabasco, adjust to taste)

Instructions

  1. Gather all your simple cocktail sauce ingredients.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, prepared horseradish, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.
  3. Stir the mixture well until all ingredients are fully incorporated and the color is uniform.
  4. Taste the sauce. Add more horseradish for spice or more lemon juice for tang, adjusting until you reach your preferred balance.
  5. Cover the bowl and chill the homemade cocktail sauce for at least 15 minutes before serving for the best flavor.
  6. Serve this zesty dipping sauce immediately with chilled shrimp or your favorite seafood.

Notes

  • For a thicker, restaurant quality cocktail sauce, use a ketchup that is less watery.
  • If you prefer a sweeter sauce, add 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar or a dash of sweet chili sauce.
  • Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

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