You will be all set for entertaining company once you whip up the best Spicy Garlic Shrimp Cocktail recipe. The simple Two-Ingredient Cocktail Sauce recipe is guaranteed to be a crowd favorite too!
Do you cringe a little at the thought of preparing fancy appetizers for guests or bringing a dish to a gathering? I did until I found a few “go-to” recipes that are easy and can be put together in a hurry. This is one of them and it is the best shrimp cocktail out there, hands down. It has a little bite from the garlic and red pepper. Plus there’s plenty of horseradish in the Two-Ingredient Cocktail Sauce.
Spicy Garlic Shrimp Cocktail
You will love how easy it is to make this Spicy Garlic Shrimp Cocktail recipe and your guests will love how delicious it is. An added bonus is that it is gluten free and good for those who limit carbs, think Paleo friendly. My family is gluten free and so I always bring an appetizer. That way I know that we will at least have one thing that is gluten free. It can be hard coming up with recipes that everyone will love including kids and those who don’t have dietary restrictions. This shrimp cocktail fits the bill.
I like to keep the ingredients on hand. This can go from a bag of frozen shrimp to a plate in roughly 20 minutes. Doesn’t get more perfect than that. Shrimp cocktail is also so versatile. It can be perfect for a casual backyard gathering or it can be presented to look elegant by serving it individually in stemmed glasses. This Spicy Garlic Shrimp Cocktail looks just as appealing served up family style on a platter.
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
- 1 lb medium peeled/tail-on shrimp, defrosted and patted dry
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small serving dish whisk together the ketchup and horseradish. Chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the shrimp.
- The horseradish adds a kick, adjust the amount based on personal preference.
- In a medium saucepan melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the crushed garlic and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Add shrimp, cook just until they turn pink.
- Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Immediately remove from pan and allow to cool in a separate dish.
- Serve on ice in individual cocktail glasses (as pictured) or layer on a platter with green leaf lettuce. Pile the shrimp on top next to the dish of your cocktail sauce.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Quickly defrost shrimp by putting them in a colander and rinsing with cool water until defrosted. To cool shrimp quickly after cooking, put ice in a casserole dish then lay plastic wrap over the ice. Set the shrimp on top. They will cool without loosing flavor.

You can even add extra sauce choices like hot mustard to spice it up a little. You will love the simple Two-Ingredient Cocktail Sauce recipe though. It only requires prepared horseradish and ketchup. Make it ahead of time and have it chilling in the refrigerator. If you are more like me and fly by the seat of your pants, be sure to read my Home Chef Tip for getting this recipe made in a hurry.
We hope you enjoy the best Spicy Garlic Shrimp Cocktail recipe from SoFabFood Contributor, Jennifer from Honey Hydrangea, as much as we do. If you love this recipe, you can find more like it by visiting our Appetizer Section. For daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook and follow us on Pinterest. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply