Homemade Cocktail Sauce Recipe
This homemade cocktail sauce recipe is the easiest thing you’ll make this holiday season, and it only requires 3 ingredients and one step. Plus, it tastes a million times better than store-bought cocktail sauce and can be customized to your taste. Makes 1 cup.
Why I love this homemade cocktail sauce
Holiday season is almost upon us. I mean there’s been Christmas stuff in the stores for weeks, and the other day I heard Christmas music at the mall. It’s not even Thanksgiving people! What is wrong with everyone?
After being away for the last five Novembers, I am really not used to this. It feels like someone re-wrote the calendar. I vote for celebrating one holiday at at time.
Luckily, with Thanksgiving comes holiday eating. Maybe not cookies, but there’s lots of festive things to eat. One of my favorites, is classic shrimp cocktail (preferably shrimp prepared with Old Bay), and cocktail sauce is one of the easiest condiments that you can make. It’s literally 2 – 3 ingredients.
I don’t know why anyone would even consider buying it. If you’re making shrimp, or even buying it, this holiday season, try making some homemade cocktail sauce. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
If you like this recipe, you have to try this homemade tartar sauce, and this homemade aioli and this ranch dip recipe.
Searching for holiday condiment recipes? bang bang sauce / romesco sauce / french onion dip / vegan caramel sauce
Ingredients & substitutions
- Ketchup – This common condiment is the foundation of cocktail sauce, use your favorite ketchup. If you want to make this recipe a little “cleaner” try buying a ketchup with no high fructose corn syrup. If you really want to control your sugar content, which is one of the benefits to making your own condiments, you could even try making your own ketchup.
- Prepared Horseradish – This ingredient is probably the most important to be picky about. You should be able to find prepared horseradish in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. If you prefer it spicier, feel free to add additional horseradish (bring it back with ketchup if you add too much. Whatever you do, don’t use horseradish “sauce” because that contains mayonnaise and other unnecessary ingredients. Make sure you use the freshest prepared horseradish you can find, or prepare it fresh at home if you’re feeling ambitious.
- Worcestershire sauce * – This adds just a bit more depth and boosts the savory flavor. If you don’t have it, don’t worry you can omit this and still enjoy your homemade cocktail sauce just as much. * Make sure to omit this if you would like your cocktail sauce to be gluten free.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How do you make homemade cocktail sauce?
Combine the ingredients. Add ketchup to a mixing bowl, then whisk in the lemon juice and worcestershire sauce. Then stir in the horseradish, if you like it spicy, go ahead and add the full 2 tablespoons of horseradish. Use a fork to stir when making your cocktail sauce. It acts similar to a whisk, but is much easier to clean. Mix everything together until it’s well combined.
Refrigerate. Then, refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve. If you’re entertaining, you can easily make this cocktail sauce ahead of time. I like to make a big batch of cocktail sauce around the holidays and keep it in the fridge, just in case. It should last in the fridge for at least a week, but always use your best judgement before serving.
Customize your cocktail sauce. For our family, we always make two bowls of cocktail sauce. One spicy bowl with extra horseradish and one that’s on the milder side. I like mine loaded with horseradish, but, again, do what makes your taste buds (or guests) happy. If you add too much horseradish, just add a bit more ketchup to bring it back to your desired level of spiciness.
Serving ideas for cocktail sauce. Cocktail sauce can be used for more than just dipping cold shrimp, here are some of my favorite ways to use it:
- Use it as a lighter dip for your crudités platter
- Top a meatloaf with it
- Serve it with crab cakes or fish cakes
- Swap it for ketchup in cocktail meatball sauce
- Add it to a relish tray
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 – 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- Splash of Worcestershire sauce*
Instructions
- In a bowl, stir together the ketchup, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon horseradish and Worcestershire sauce.
- If desired, add remaining horseradish.
