Coctel de Camarones (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail)
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Updated Jul 30, 2025, Published Feb 11, 2023
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This Coctel de Camarones, also known as Mexican shrimp cocktail, is a dish I could eat every single day. It’s cold, crunchy, zesty, and loaded with juicy shrimp in a tangy tomato base that’s perfect with chips, crackers, or a spoon straight from the fridge.
Table of Contents
- What is Coctel de Camarones?
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- Optional Variations
- How to Make Coctel de Camarones
- Serving & Topping Suggestions
- Coctel de Camarones Expert Tips & Tricks
- Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Recipes You’ll Love
- Coctel de Camarones (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail) Recipe
This recipe is especially close to my heart. My mom used to sell her Mexican shrimp cocktails at our family grocery store, Soza’s Grocery. She’d make them fresh every day and sell them in clear plastic cups with a side of saltine crackers. A bottle of Tabasco sat on the counter so customers could spice up their cups just how they liked. It was a barrio (neighborhood) favorite, and the kind of snack that brings back the best memories.
This recipe is also published in the Muy Bueno cookbook.
What is Coctel de Camarones?
Coctel de camarones is Mexico’s take on shrimp cocktail, but don’t expect shrimp just dipped in cocktail sauce. This isn’t your typical shrimp cocktail, it’s a flavor-packed, spoonable mix of shrimp and crunchy veggies in a tangy tomato base.
It’s often served in cups or glasses with saltines or tostadas, and found everywhere from coastal seafood shacks to casual lunch counters and family fiestas.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Refreshing and easy – No cooking required if you use pre-cooked shrimp.
- Packed with flavor – The V8 juice, lime juice, hot sauce, and creamy horseradish create a zippy, savory sauce.
- Totally customizable – Add heat, sweetness, or mix in other seafood.
- Quick & easy – I love how simple this coctel de camarones recipe is to prepare. Use pre-cooked shrimp and the rest comes together in about 15 minutes! It’s easy enough for a WFH lunch but tasty enough to serve to company.
- Easily scalable – Making it for a fiesta? You can double, triple, or even quadruple the recipe. Just scroll down to the recipe card, adjust the yield, and it’ll do the math for you.
- Make-ahead friendly – The longer it chills, the better it gets.
- Nostalgic and authentic – Just like my mom used to make at Soza’s.
- Versatile for any occasion – From Super Bowl parties to Christmas to the dog days of summer — this is a no-cook, chill-perfect dish that works year-round.
Ingredients & Substitutions
You’ll find everything you need for this easy Mexican shrimp cocktail at your local grocery store or Latin market.
- Shrimp – Use cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp. I prefer medium (41/50 count). If starting with raw shrimp, simply salt 5 cups of water (make it taste like the sea), bring it to a boil, and poach the shrimp for about 2 minutes until pink. Then drain and transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking.
- Lime juice – Fresh-squeezed is best for brightness and balance.
- Red onion – Soaked in lime juice to mellow the sharpness.
- V8 juice – I use original V8 as the base. You can also use tomato juice or Clamato if preferred.
- Ketchup – Adds sweetness and body to the sauce.
- Hot sauce – Valentina, Cholula, or Tabasco all work great. My mom always used Tabasco, so it’s my go-to.
- Creamy horseradish – Adds a little tangy zip to the mix.
- Cilantro – Freshly chopped for a pop of herby flavor.
- Avocado – Creamy and rich. Stir in right before serving.
- Garlic Powder – For a hint of garlicky sweetness.
- Jalapeño – Optional, but delicious if you like a little kick.
Find the complete list of ingredients and amounts in the printable recipe card below.
Optional Variations
This recipe hasn’t been tested with all of these substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
- Mix in imitation crab, scallops, or cooked octopus
- Add diced cucumber for crunch
- Use spicy V8, Clamato Picante or add a splash of beer for more depth
- Add diced mango or pineapple for a sweet-spicy twist
How to Make Coctel de Camarones
Step 1: Mix the base. In a large bowl, stir together the ketchup, vegetable juice (like V8), creamy horseradish, lime juice, hot sauce, and garlic powder until well combined. Give it a taste and add more hot sauce or chile if you want to kick up the heat.
Step 2: Add the fresh ingredients. Add the red onion, chopped jalapeño (if using), cilantro, and shrimp. Gently mix everything together, then carefully fold in the avocado so it stays chunky and doesn’t get smashed.
Step 3: Let it chill. Cover and refrigerate the cocktail for 2 to 3 hours to let all those bold flavors mingle and develop.
Step 4: Serve and enjoy. Spoon the coctel into small bowls or glasses and serve with saltine crackers or homemade corn tortilla chips on the side.
More of a visual learner? Watch this video to see how easy my coctel de camarones recipe is to make.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
- Serve in a large goblet as an entrée or in a margarita glass or dessert bowls as an appetizer.
- Serve with saltine crackers, homemade corn tortilla chips, or homemade tostada shells on the side.
- Add a dash of hot sauce, squeeze of lime, or sprinkle of Tajín on top
- Garnish with cilantro sprigs, lime wedges, or extra avocado slices
- Pair with a cold Mexican lime chelada for the full experience!
Coctel de Camarones Expert Tips & Tricks
- Cooking shrimp from scratch? Salt 5 cups of water (it should taste like the sea), bring to a boil, and poach shrimp for 2 minutes until pink. Drain and transfer to an ice bath to chill.
- Use pre-cooked shrimp to keep things fast and easy
- Opt for peeled and deveined shrimp to cut down on prep time
- To quickly defrost shrimp, place them in a colander in the sink and run cool water over them, tossing every few minutes. They should be ready in 10 minutes or less
- Soak the onion in lime juice to remove its harsh bite
- Chill well – it tastes best after a couple of hours in the fridge
- Add avocado just before serving to prevent browning
- Taste and adjust – Add more lime, creamy horseradish, or hot sauce to fit your flavor preferences
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best texture, add avocado fresh each time you serve. Not freezer-friendly.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a Mexican shrimp cocktail made with shrimp, onion, lime juice, and avocado in a zesty tomato-based sauce with V8 juice, hot sauce, and horseradish.
Mix marinated red onion with cooked shrimp, then combine with V8, ketchup, hot sauce, horseradish, and cilantro. Chill and stir in avocado before serving.
Yes! You can prep it several hours ahead, just wait to stir in the avocado until right before serving.
Definitely. Just thaw, pat dry, and use as directed.
While both are refreshing Mexican seafood dishes served cold, the key difference is that ceviche uses raw seafood “cooked” in citrus juice, while Coctel de camarones uses cooked shrimp mixed into a tomato-based sauce. Coctel is more saucy and spoonable, often served with crackers, while ceviche is typically tangier and a bit more citrus-forward.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you tried my recipe for Coctel de Camarones (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail), please be sure to let me know how it turned out by rating and reviewing it below!
Coctel de Camarones (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable juice, recommend V8
- 1 to 2 tablespoons creamy horseradish, (add more or less according to spicy tolerance)
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1/2 teaspoon bottled hot sauce, recommend Tabasco
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1 jalapeno, diced (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 pound medium to large shrimp, shelled, deveined, and cooked
- 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and chopped
- Saltine crackers or tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Stir together the ketchup, vegetable juice, horseradish, lime juice, hot sauce, and garlic powder until well combined. Taste and add more chile or hot sauce if you would like it spicier.
- Add the onion, jalapeno (if using), cilantro, and shrimp and mix well. Gently stir in the avocado.
- Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.
- Serve in 4-ounce glasses with saltine crackers or corn tortilla chips.
Video
Notes
- Shrimp: I recommend medium shrimp (41/50 count) for the perfect bite. Use pre-cooked shrimp to save time, or cook raw shrimp by poaching in salted boiling water for 2 minutes until pink, then transferring to an ice bath to chill.
- Hot Sauce: Adjust the heat level to taste. Valentina, Cholula, or Tabasco all work great — or add diced jalapeño for even more kick.
- Avocado: Stir in avocado just before serving to keep it fresh and prevent browning.
- Make-Ahead Tip: You can mix everything (except avocado) several hours ahead of time. It gets even better after chilling.
- Serving Suggestion: Serve in bowls or cocktail glasses with saltine crackers or corn tortilla chips for scooping.
- Scalable: Use the “yield” tool in the recipe card to easily double or triple the recipe for a party or gathering.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
I followed the instructions exactly and this was fantastic! My husband asked me to PLEASE make this again and I will. Exactly the kind of dish I like to make in the summer because there is minimal cooking! YUM!