You’ll never reach for storebought again once you dip your favorite seafood into the crimson pool of homemade Spicy Cocktail Sauce bursting with bold and tangy flavor. Combining pantry staples like chili sauce and ketchup with the fiery punch of horseradish, this is the ultimate sidekick to everything from grilled shrimp cocktail to even a dip for fries.
Have you ever made homemade cocktail sauce? Not only is this an easy recipe that you can throw together in a manner of minutes, but it puts you in control of both the quality of the ingredients and also the flavors. Want it a little spicier? Add more hot sauce or horseradish. Not feeling the sass go ahead and cut back a little.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Anyone can make this – There is zero cooking required for this cocktail sauce recipe. Just dump everything in a bowl and mix to combine. Looking for something to bring to a party with minimal effort? This is it. You can even buy already cooked cocktail shrimp if you like.
- Customizable – This is not only customizable to your spice level, but also easy to switch up for slightly different flavor profiles. Be sure to check out some variation options below.
- Make Ahead – Sure you can mix this up and serve it immediately, but it actually gets better when it’s refrigerated, and the flavors are allowed to come together. Make this several days in advance if you like.
- Party Friendly – This recipe homemade cocktail sauce is incredibly easy to double and trip to serve to a large crowd.
Ingredients
- Ketchup – This is the base for any classic cocktail sauce recipe. Use your favorite variety.
- Chili Sauce – Not as sweet as ketchup, this has a tangier flavor that balances the sweetness of the ketchup while also adding a slightly different texture.
- Lemon – Both the lemon and the zest are added brighten the flavors.
- Prepared Horseradish – Go ahead and prepare to clear your sinuses. This has a similar spice to mustard oil.
- Worcestershire Sauce – This adds saltiness and umami that balances the sweetness of the tomato base. The anchovies in Worcestershire also compliment seafood.
- Hot Sauce – This not only adds heat but also vinegary tang. You can change up the flavor profile by the type of hot sauce you use.
- Celery Salt – This is one of the secret ingredients in seafood seasoning that makes it irresistible, even on potatoes or rimming a bloody Mary. It adds salt, but also that grassy, verdant note of celery.
- Black Pepper – Cocktail sauce benefits from the bold flavor of black pepper. Freshly cracked is the best. Feel free to add more than the recipe calls for.
- Celery – This is completely optional but it adds freshness and texture.
How to Make Spicy Cocktail Sauce
- Prepare your mise en place. Grate your lemon zest and finely chop the celery.
- Mix your ingredients. Add all of your ingredients to a bowl and mix to thoroughly combine.
- Allow the cocktail sauce to chill. Cover the cocktail sauce and let it refrigerate for at least an hour. You can make this several days in advance.
- Taste and adjust. Before you serve your cocktail sauce taste and see if it needs anything additional. As the flavors marry you made want to add a little additional horseradish or lemon.
Variations
- Bloody Mary – For an adult friendly version, add a tablespoon of vodka to the recipe. Flavored vodkas such as jalapeno or black pepper work well. Replace the celery salt with seafood seasoning. Serve cocktail shrimp with a tablespoon or two of the cocktail sauce in shot glasses.
- Mexican – Replace the celery in this recipe with either pickled or fresh minced jalapeno. Add a tablespoon of finely minced cilantro and use lime juice and zest instead of the lemon. Also replace the hot sauce with a Mexican hot sauce like Valentina.
- Tequila – Make the Mexican version of the cocktail sauce and add a tablespoon of your favorite tequila.
- Sriracha – Replace the vinegar based hot sauce with sriracha and add one finely minced garlic clove. You can also replace the Worcestershire sauce with fish sauce for this version if desired.
Tips From the Beach
- Use refrigerated prepared horseradish. It tends to be fresher and have more flavor in addition to having less preservatives.
- If possible always allow your cocktail sauce to refrigerate before serving. This allows the ingredients to meld with each other and the flavors to mingle and become harmonious.
- Taste the cocktail sauce before serving it. You may want to add more spice or another dash of celery salt or Worcestershire sauce.
- If you don’t have chili sauce, don’t worry. Just replace it with the same amount of ketchup. Ketchup is sweeter so you may need to add a little additional Worcestershire or celery salt for balance.
How long does homemade cocktail sauce last?
If you don’t add the celery to this recipe it will last for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. If you do add the celery it will last for a week. Make sure to keep it stored in an airtight container.
Spicy Cocktail Sauce
You’ll never reach for storebought again once you dip your favorite seafood into the crimson pool of homemade Spicy Cocktail Sauce bursting with bold and tangy flavor.
- Prep Time: 5
- Chilling Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 tablespoon celery, finely diced, optional
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.
- Cover and allow to refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Taste before serving.
Notes
- You can replace the celery salt in this recipe for your favorite seafood seasoning like Old Bay.
- Have fun swapping out the hot sauces in this. Sriracha is a tasty option.