This Homemade Cocktail Sauce recipe combines zesty, tangy, and slightly sweet flavors to complement shrimp, crab, oysters, and more. You can easily adjust the heat level to taste for a restaurant-quality sauce that has a fresher flavor than bottled!

Need more dipping sauces for a seafood spread? Try my Homemade Tartar Sauce with Pickle Relish!

overhead of homemade cocktail sauce in a white bowl next to lemon wedges, a plate of shrimp, and a black spoon
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About This Recipe

If you’re anything like me, you’ve dipped your fair share of shrimp into cocktail sauce both at home and in restaurants! This zesty, tomato-based seafood sauce gets its signature spicy kick primarily from horseradish.

North American style cocktail sauce originated in the U.S. in the late 19th or early 20th century and was originally served with oysters. It gained widespread popularity during Prohibition as the dipping sauce for Shrimp Cocktail. It’s a classic, and easy to make at home with just 10 minutes of prep!

How to Make Homemade Cocktail Sauce

overhead of ingredients for homemade cocktail sauce in bowls with text overlays of ingredient names. Clockwise from top: halved lemon/lemon juice, pepper, Worcestershire, horseradish, hot sauce, ketchup, chili sauce.

Making homemade cocktail sauce couldn’t be easier. Just mix everything together in a bowl, let it chill to develop the flavors, and adjust the seasoning to taste. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Ketchup. Use whatever ketchup brand you like best; I use classic Heinz Tomato Ketchup. If you prefer to avoid high fructose corn syrup, Heinz’s “Simply Tomato Ketchup” is an alternative my family has enjoyed, with no artificial sweeteners.
  • Mild Chili Sauce. Years ago, a chef friend told me chili sauce is key to a great, restaurant-quality cocktail sauce. It adds a sweet-tangy flavor and mild spice to the base, adding dimension you don’t get from ketchup alone. I use Heinz Chili Sauce.
  • Prepared Horseradish. Look for jars of prepared horseradish (grated horseradish root packed in vinegar) refrigerated at the grocery store. (My favorite brand is Kelchner’s.) Adjust the amount to taste, whether you like your cocktail sauce mild, medium, or extra zesty.
  • Worcestershire Sauce. Adds savory, umami-rich flavor that balances the sweetness of the ketchup.
  • Freshly-Squeezed Lemon Juice. Brightens the sauce with fresh, tangy flavor. Adjust based on how vinegary your horseradish is and your personal preference.
  • Hot Sauce. Use your favorite hot sauce to add as much (or as little) heat as you like to your cocktail sauce. I usually add a few dashes of Tobasco.
  • Freshly-Ground Black Pepper. Add just a few grinds to finish the sauce.
overhead photo pf lemon juice being poured from a tablespoon measure into a white bowl of homemade cocktail sauce on a marble board.
Adding lemon juice.
overhead photo of unmixed cocktail sauce being stirred in a white bowl on a marble board
Mixing the cocktail sauce.

After mixing everything together, cover the sauce and refrigerate it for at least an hour (ideally, 2-4 hours) to let the flavors meld. Once chilled, taste and adjust the seasonings—add more lemon juice for brightness or horseradish/hot sauce for extra zing.

shaking hot sauce from a bottle into a bowl of homemade cocktail sauce on a white marble board
Adding hot sauce to taste.
overhead photo of homemade cocktail sauce mixed in a bowl with a black spoon
Mixed and ready to chill.

Serving and Storing

To store your homemade cocktail sauce, keep it in an airtight container—like a small mason jar—in the fridge for up to a week.

If you end up with leftovers (which we rarely do), you can freeze the sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Just thaw it overnight in the refrigerator when you’re ready to use it.

We most often serve this sauce with chilled, poached shrimp or steamed crabmeat for a classic Shrimp or Crab Cocktail. (Try my Roasted Shrimp Cocktail for a twist!)

Shrimp Cocktail is always a hit at my family’s holiday gatherings, especially when Prime Rib or Beef Tenderloin are on the dinner menu. It’s also a crowd-pleaser for game day spreads or as a refreshing starter for a summer seafood dinner.

overhead photo of a spoonful of cocktail sauce being held over a white bowl of cocktail sauce on a white board next to a plate of shrimp and lemon wedges

Here are a few other ways to serve this sauce: 

  1. Fried Seafood: Cocktail sauce is the perfect tangy dip for breaded and fried shellfish like crispy panko shrimp, popcorn shrimp, or bay scallops. It’s also a great way to add a zesty kick to a fried fish fillet sandwich.
  2. Seafood Cakes: Use it as a dipping sauce for Crab Cakes or Salmon Cakes, either in place of or alongside Tartar Sauce. (Try my Air Fryer Crab Cakes or Roux Crab Cakes!) 
  3. Oysters or Clams on the Half Shell: Cocktail sauce brings a bold, zesty kick to freshly shucked oysters or clams. Serve them on ice with cocktail sauce, lemon wedges, mignonette, and hot sauce for a raw bar experience at home.*

*Eating raw or undercooked seafood carries a risk of foodborne illness, especially for those with certain health conditions. Be sure to make an informed choice and always buy your seafood from a trusted source.

dipping a poached shrimp into a white bowl of cocktail sauce

More Dipping Sauces To Serve with Seafood

Homemade Cocktail Sauce

Whip up homemade Cocktail Sauce in just minutes! This zesty sauce is a classic for shrimp, crab, oysters, and more. Easily customize the heat to taste. You’ll never go back to store-bought!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 9 servings (2 tablespoons each)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
  • 1/2 cup mild chili sauce (I use Heinz)
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1-3 tablespoons refrigerated prepared horseradish (see note below)
  • 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice , plus additional to taste
  • hot sauce , to taste (I use Tabasco)
  • freshly-ground black pepper , to taste
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Instructions 

  • In a medium bowl, stir together ketchup, chili sauce, Worcestersire sauce, horseradish, and lemon juice until combined. Stir in a dash or two (more or less, to taste) of hot sauce and a few grinds of black pepper.
  • Cover the sauce and refrigerate it for at least an hour (preferably 2-4 hours) for the flavors to meld. Then, taste the sauce and adjust with extra lemon juice, horseradish, or hot sauce, if needed.
  • Serve chilled with your favorite seafood dishes (see the "Serving and Storing" section above for some of our favorite ways to use cocktail sauce). Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to 6 months.

Notes

  • Horseradish quantity: For a mild sauce, add 1 tablespoon of prepared horseradish; For a medium sauce, add 2 tablespoons (my family’s favorite); For an extra zesty sauce, add 3 tablespoons. I recommend starting with 1-2 tablespoons and increasing to taste since potency can vary by brand.
  • Lemon juice quantity: Some brands of prepared horseradish can be more vinegary than others. Start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and increase to taste, only if needed, or if you prefer a more tart flavor.
  • Hot sauce quantity: Again, this will vary by brand and your personal heat preferences.  Since it’s easier to add heat than to balance a sauce that’s too spicy, add the hot sauce a dash at a time, to taste.

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 30kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 173IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

About our recipes

Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.

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