Mexican shrimp cocktail

Here’s an authentic Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Cóctel de Camarón)—fresh, tangy, and perfect as an appetizer or light meal.

🇲🇽🍤 Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Cóctel de Camarón)

Serves: 4
Prep time: ~25 minutes
Chill time: 15–30 minutes (optional but recommended)

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) shrimp, peeled, deveined, cooked & chopped

• 1½ cups tomato juice or Clamato

• ¼ cup ketchup

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (to taste)

• 1–2 tbsp hot sauce (Valentina, Cholula, or Tapatío)

• ¼ cup red onion, finely diced

• ½ cup cucumber, diced

• ½ cup tomato, diced

• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• Salt & black pepper to taste

Optional Add-ins

• 1 avocado, diced

• 1 jalapeño or serrano, minced

• 1 tbsp olive oil

For Serving

• Saltine crackers or tostadas

• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. Cook shrimp (if raw): Boil in salted water 2–3 minutes until pink; immediately ice-bath, then chop.

2. Make base: In a large bowl, mix tomato juice, ketchup, lime juice, and hot sauce.

3. Add vegetables: Stir in onion, cucumber, tomato, cilantro, and optional chile.

4. Fold in shrimp and avocado (if using).

5. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Chill 15–30 minutes for best flavor.

Tips for Best Flavor

• Use Clamato for the most authentic taste.

• Adjust lime and hot sauce to your heat preference.

• Keep it juicy, not soupy—the texture should be spoonable.

Variations

• Extra seafood: Add octopus or crab.

• Spicy: Add a splash of serrano salsa.

• Low-carb: Skip crackers; serve in lettuce cups.

If you’d like, I can give you a restaurant-style presentation, diabetic-friendly version, or extra-spicy Sinaloa-style cocktail.