Once you make this Homemade Cocktail Sauce Recipe, you’ll never want to buy the pre-made stuff again!
Pair this zippy and flavorful cocktail sauce with shrimp, crab, fried mozzarella sticks, burgers and so much more.
What Is Cocktail Sauce?
Cocktail sauce is a ketchup-based sauce that is perfect for dipping cooked shrimp in. It’s most popular with shrimp cocktail, but can also be used to enhance the flavor of eggs, omelets, crab, hush puppies and more.
The main ingredient in cocktail sauce is ketchup, but the second most important ingredient is horseradish sauce.
Horseradish sauce is found in the condiment aisle of the grocery store, near the ketchup. Look for “prepared horseradish” when buying it. Horseradish is a root vegetable that has quite the kick to it. It’s commonly found in other sauces like wasabi, or my Creamy Horseradish Sauce that’s great for steaks.
Ingredients In Cocktail Sauce
Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need in order to make this sauce at home. As always, you can find the full printable recipe located in the recipe card below.
- Ketchup
- Lemon Juice – fresh is best, but you can use bottled if in a pinch
- Worcestershire Sauce – adds a subtle savory flavor
- Prepared Horseradish – this comes in varying heats, use your preference
- Garlic
- Black Pepper
How To Make Homemade Cocktail Sauce Recipe
This recipe for easy cocktail sauce is as simple as combining all the ingredients together in a bowl, whisking and serving.
How To Store
As with most freshly made condiments, you’ll want to store this cocktail sauce in an airtight container in the fridge. Cocktail sauce can last for up to 6 months in the fridge if stored properly.
These are my favorite containers for storing sauces.
How To Use Cocktail Sauce
The most popular way to use cocktail sauce is in Shrimp Cocktail. Shrimp cocktail is cooked shrimp, usually served chilled, with the cocktail sauce served on the side.
Here are some more of my favorite ways to use cocktail sauce…
- On crab cakes
- With eggs or omelets
- As a topping for burgers or hotdogs
- Mixed into meatloaf for little extra zip
More Sauce Recipes To Try
Looking for more dips and sauces to make at home? Here are some of our favorites…
- Creamy Horseradish Sauce – great for using on Prime Rib or Beef Tenderloin
- Tartar Sauce – perfect for dipping my Crispy Beer Battered Fish
- Hollandaise Sauce – a fantastic topping to eggs, seafood and vegetables
- Homemade Enchilada Sauce – you’ll never buy the canned stuff again!
I can’t wait for you to try this delicious and zippy sauce!
Homemade Cocktail Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 ½ tbsp prepared horseradish
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a small dish and whisk together. Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to 6 months.
Ground Beef Cottage Pie Recipe
Linda Leone
This is delicious, I use a natural ketchup … less sweet … other than that this is spot on
Judy
I had to switch to chili sauce to lower sugar. Diabetes bit again.