This Florida Keys Pink Shrimp Cocktail appetizer is a simple, fresh, and flavorful dish that highlights the natural sweetness of locally sourced shrimp. Wild-caught, crisp, and fresh from Key West, these shrimp are perfect for a quick appetizer for parties.
According to the Key Largo Fisheries, an impressive 85% of pink shrimp available in the USA are from South Florida, and they certainly live up to their reputation. Whether served as a party dish or a last-minute appetizer, Shrimp Cocktail is our favorite appetizer and always a treat.
Jump to:
- Why We Love This Recipe
- Buying Shrimp
- Shrimp Size Guide
- Defrosting Frozen Shrimp
- How To Peel and Devein Shrimp
- Ingredients For Homemade Shrimp Cocktail
- How Long To Boil Shrimp For Shrimp Cocktail?
- Recipe
- Homemade Cocktail Sauce
- Make it Low Calorie and Low Carb!
- Storage
- How To Serve Shrimp Cocktail
- What Goes With Shrimp Cocktail?
- More Shrimp Recipes
- Takeaway
- FAQ
- Key West Pink Shrimp Cocktail
Why We Love This Recipe
Shrimp cocktail, Cóctel de Camarones, might sound fancy, but is simple to make.
You only need a few ingredients, and it's easy to prep ahead.
It's perfect for parties or even as a main dish if you're a big fan of shrimp like we are!
Buying Shrimp
Grocery stores offer a variety of cooked and raw shrimp, including white shrimp, brown shrimp, and pink shrimp.
In the Florida Keys, local pink shrimp are a favorite. They're sustainably harvested, fresh, and full of flavor, making them a popular choice. You can pick them up at any fish market or the grocery store.
When buying frozen shrimp, make sure the shrimp in the bag are loose, not frozen into a solid block.
Shrimp Size Guide
Shrimp are labeled jumbo, large, medium, and small. The size is based on the number you get per pound.
Jumbo-sized shrimp is preferred for shrimp cocktails so you can pick them up and they are sturdy enough to hold in your hand.
Jumbo = less than 20 per pound
Large = 20-30 per pound
Medium = 30-40 per pound
Small = more than 40 per pound
source: Florida Dept of Agriculture
Defrosting Frozen Shrimp
Make sure your shrimp are defrosted in cold water or in the refrigerator for a few hours. You don't want them to get to room temperature.
If you choose to soak the shrimp in cold water, make sure the water is cold so the shrimp doesn't start cooking from the heat of hot water.
I buy local shrimp by the pound that have their shells intact.
Try to keep the tails on for the shrimp cocktail so you have a little "handle" to pick them up. Leaving the tail on makes a much better presentation.
How To Peel and Devein Shrimp
To peel shrimp, hold the tail with one hand and grab the legs and shell with the other. Snap the shell back and pull it off, removing all pieces.
The dark vein running along the back of the shrimp can be removed by making a small cut along the back with a paring knife. Use the tip of the knife or your fingers to gently lift out the vein.
Rinse the shrimp under cold running water to clean them before cooking.
Ingredients For Homemade Shrimp Cocktail
- Shrimp
- Lemons
- Parsley
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ketchup
- Horseradish
- Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
How Long To Boil Shrimp For Shrimp Cocktail?
Boiling shrimp is easy. Make sure to leave the tail on so you can grab them when you go to eat them.
SMall and medium shrimp should be reserved for shrimp salads or stir-fries.
- For extra-large shrimp, boil for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn pink and opaque.
- For jumbo shrimp, you might need an extra 30-60 seconds.
- Colossal shrimp should be boiled 3-4 minutes.
Once cooked, immediately transfer the shrimp to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. This keeps them tender and prevents them from becoming rubbery.
Recipe
For perfectly cooked shrimp, boil the shrimp in a pot of seasoned water for 2-3 minutes, depending on their size.
- Mix the cocktail sauce ingredients and chill until ready to serve.
- Peel the shrimp by pulling off the legs and shell, leaving the tail intact. Use a paring knife to devein each shrimp.
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Add lemons, garlic, parsley, and onion, then cook for two minutes. Lower the heat to a simmer.
- Add the shrimp and cook for about three minutes, or until they turn pink and feel firm. Drain the shrimp in a colander.
- Transfer the shrimp to a bowl of ice water to cool for a few minutes. Drain again and place the shrimp in a covered bowl in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Arrange the chilled shrimp on a platter alongside a bowl of cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.
This shrimp cocktail is naturally low-carb and keto-friendly. If you're looking for more keto-friendly shrimp dishes, check out Keto Shrimp Dinner Recipes here! It includes a sugar-free cocktail sauce.
Homemade Cocktail Sauce
It's easy to buy cocktail sauce, but making it at home is simple and tastes even better!
Mix together ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, a splash of hot sauce, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice in a medium bowl.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make it Low Calorie and Low Carb!
Shrimp are loaded with iodine and are good for your thyroid according to Healthline.
Omit the cocktail sauce and go with melted butter and lemon juice for a low-carb meal.
Fresh shrimp is the star of the dish and without cocktail sauce, this dish has no sugar and no carbs!
Storage
After cooking, place the shrimp in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to two days.
They can be cooked a day in advance, making them convenient for serving later.
How To Serve Shrimp Cocktail
Arrange the shrimp on a light-colored platter, fully defrosted and ready to eat. Add lemon wedges and a bowl of cocktail sauce in the center for dipping.
If you have fresh parsley in the kitchen, add a few sprigs to the platter for an extra touch of color.
What Goes With Shrimp Cocktail?
For a main course, try any of these delicious recipes:
More Shrimp Recipes
- This Blackened Shrimp with Butter Sauce is a fun Sunday dinner meal.
- You'll only need one pan for this Peel and Eat Shrimp Recipe. Another shrimp appetizer that takes minutes to make!
- My daughter's favorite meal is Shrimp Tacos with Pico de Gallo. Tacos are always fun and these are a great summertime meal when it's too hot to use the oven.
- If you love fresh shrimp as much as we do, try this recipe for Key West Shrimp Salad. I make it with local pink shrimp, Old Bay seasoing, and mayo. You're gonna love it!
Takeaway
Key West Pinks are sweet with a good crunch and make the best shrimp cocktail!
The larger the shrimp, the more crunch they have. Large and jumbo shrimp are preferred for this appetizer. The smaller shrimp can be used for shrimp salad.
Make sure you buy quality wild-caught shrimp from the USA for the best results.
For perfectly cooked shrimp, boil the shrimp in seasoned water for a few minutes and then quickly move them to an ice bath to stop cooking.
Once cooked and cooled, arrange the shrimp on a platter and serve alongside a bowl of freshly made cocktail sauce with lemon wedges.
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FAQ
The dark vein on a shrimp is its digestive tract, often called the "sand vein." It runs along the shrimp's back and contains bits of food and waste. While it's safe to eat, some people remove it because it can feel gritty and might affect the shrimp's flavor. This process is called "deveining."
The amount of shrimp to buy per person depends on the type of dish and the size of the shrimp:
For appetizers, plan for about ¼ to ⅓ pound of shrimp per person.
For a main dish, plan for about ⅓ pound of shrimp per person.
Shrimp cocktail sauce is made with like ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. It's tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy, pairing perfectly with sweet shrimp.
Yes, frozen shrimp work great for shrimp cocktail. Thaw them in the refrigerator for a few hours or run them under cold water for a faster thaw. Once thawed, cook the shrimp and with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.
Key West Pink Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
FOR THE COCKTAIL SAUCE
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish (found in condiment aisle)
- 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce (such as Cholula)
FOR THE SHRIMP
- 2 pounds shrimp thawed if frozen, peeled and deveined
- 2 lemons halved
- 3 whole garlic cloves peeled
- 1 handful parsley flat-leaf or curly
- 1 onion peeled and quartered
FOR SERVING
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Mix together cocktail sauce ingredients and chill until ready to serve.
- Peel the shrimp: pull the legs and the shell off each shrimp, leaving the tail intact. Devein each shrimp with a paring knife.
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Add lemons, garlic, parsley, and onion; cook for two minutes. Lower heat to a simmer.
- Add the shrimp and cook three minutes or until shrimp are pink and firm to touch. Drain in a colander.
- Place shrimp in a bowl of ice water to cool for a few minutes. Drain; place shrimp in a covered bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Place chilled shrimp on platter beside a bowl of cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.
