Mexican-Style Shrimp Cocktail
Mexican shrimp cocktail is a delicious cross between crisp, cool gazpacho, a kicked-up salsa, and the easy shrimp cocktail appetizer everyone knows and loves.Â
This version features fresh, chilled shrimp in a slightly sweet, spicy sauce flavored with fresh cilantro and a kick of Sriracha. It’s packed with ripe summer sweet peppers, grilled corn, crisp cucumbers, and creamy avocado in every bite, and it’s ideal for a summer appetizer or light, cool dinner.
If you’re a fan of appetizers like this or a light summer dinner, try my tofu lettuce wraps and sweet and savory pear pizza, too!Â
This post contains affiliate links for products I use and recommend, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Â
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- APPETIZER OR DINNER. You’ll love how versatile this recipe is. Although shrimp cocktail is traditionally served as an appetizer, this version is filling enough to enjoy as a light dinner. It’s like gazpacho with shrimp.
- LOW CARB. Mexican shrimp cocktail is perfect for anyone who wants to eat light, lower-carb, and higher-protein.
- SO PRETTY! This easy appetizer is a showstopper, especially when served in pretty martini or cocktail glasses.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients needed to make Mexican shrimp cocktail. Substitutions and variations are in the section below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Shrimp.  Use medium to large-sized shrimp, 25-30 per pound (often labeled XL). You’ll cut them into three pieces, but buy small shrimp if you prefer to keep them whole. To make things easy, purchase precooked, shelled, and deveined shrimp.Â
Vegetable juice. This is the base of the sauce, so use a good-quality vegetable juice, like Knudsen brand. If you’re salt-sensitive, choose a lower-sodium vegetable juice and season it to taste.Â
Ketchup is another key ingredient in the sauce, adding some sweetness. Look for organic or all-natural ketchup without high fructose corn syrup.
Sriracha. It adds some heat and flavors the sauce.
Vegetables. I love to mix up the colors, so I use red onion, orange sweet pepper, fresh yellow corn, and avocado. The rainbow of colors makes this recipe a feast for your eyes.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use small-sized shrimp and leave them whole.
- Swap Clamato or plain tomato juice for the vegetable juice. Note that plain tomato juice doesn’t have quite the same flavor as vegetable juice.
- Swap Tabasco or any other hot sauce for the sriracha. Or omit it if you don’t like spicy sauce.
- If you have garden-fresh thin zucchini, dice and use them in place of the cucumber.
- Try this with small cooked bay scallops instead of or in addition to the shrimp.
Step-By-Step InstructionsÂ
1. Grill the corn. Let it cool for a few minutes, then cut the cob’s kernels. Chill the kernels while you prep the remainder of the recipe.
2. Make the sauce. Combine the vegetable juice, ketchup, lime juice, and Sriracha sauce in a bowl and mix well.
3. Prep your vegetables. Cut the vegetables into about ½ inch pieces and mince the onion. Cut the shrimp in thirds lengthwise. All of the ingredients should be about the same size so the shrimp cocktail is easy to eat with a spoon.
4. Combine the ingredients. Place the shrimp, sweet peppers, corn, red onion, cucumber, and cilantro in a bowl. Add the sauce and stir to combine. Add the avocado just before serving so it doesn’t brown. Spoon the mixture into small bowls or cocktail glasses.
Expert Tips
Make sure all of your ingredients are well-chilled before assembling or chill it for an hour or two before serving (add the avocado when you’re ready to serve). This Mexican shrimp cocktail is best served cold.
If you prefer to start with raw instead of precooked shrimp, peel and devein the shrimp first. Then, fill a large pan with 3 cups of water and two teaspoons of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat. Add the shrimp to the hot water, cover the pot, and let it sit for about five minutes or until the shrimp are opaque. Drain the shrimp and chill them in the refrigerator.
I don’t usually add extra salt to the cocktail sauce because vegetable juice is often salty enough. Taste the finished shrimp cocktail before adding salt.
What to Serve With Mexican Shrimp Cocktail:
- A bowl of tortilla chips or saltine crackers to scoop up the tomato-y deliciousness.
- Mango habanero salsa for another dipping option.
- Margaritas (of course!) or a cold pitcher of fruited sun tea.
- A flourless dark chocolate torte for dessert. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of Kahlua.
- Or keep dessert simple with a batch of no-bake chocolate peanut butter cookies.
Recipe FAQsÂ
You can make this recipe an hour or two before you plan to serve it, but don’t make it too far in advance because the vegetables may not be super crisp. Don’t add the avocado until just before serving because it will brown.
Leftovers are delicious the next day. Keep it refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
More Easy Party Appetizers
These easy party appetizers are perfect for a group or for a light and healthy dinner.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page. Your email will not appear publicly!
Mexican-Style Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 large ear corn on the cob
- 1 cup chilled vegetable juice low sodium if desired
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup with no high fructose corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice from 1 lime
- 1 pound chilled cooked shrimp (26-30 per pound) peeled, deveined, tails removed
- 1/2 medium red onion
- 1/2 English cucumber
- 1 medium yellow or orange sweet pepper
- 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
- 1 medium avocado
Instructions
- Heat the grill and spray the grill grate. Grill the corn for about 5 minutes, rotating it every few minutes to develop char marks on all sides. Remove it from the heat and let it cool.When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off. Place them in a small bowl and refrigerate them while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Combine the vegetable juice, ketchup, Sriracha, and lime juice in a small bowl or large measuring cup. Stir well to combine. Set this aside.
- Prepare your ingredients. Cut the shrimp into thirds lengthwise. Mince the onion. Dice the cucumber and sweet pepper into 1/2-inch pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, onion, cucumber, sweet peppers, corn, and cilantro. Pour the vegetable sauce mixture over everything and mix well to combine..
- Cut the avocado into dice-sized pieces and add it to the shrimp cocktail mixture. Gently fold it in.
- Serve in small bowls or martini glasses with chips or crackers if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
If you print this recipe, you can scan the QR code below to see updates and tips or leave a comment.