The Best 5-Ingredient Horseradish Cocktail Sauce

This is my go-to cocktail sauce recipe to serve with boiled shrimp, Low Country Boil, and steamed seafood. It's got only 5 ingredients and takes just about 5 minutes to make. The secret ingredient to this great cocktail sauce is zesty, zingy horseradish to give the sauce a little bit of a kick.

I grew up in Savannah, Georgia, so seafood has always been a staple for our family. My grandparents' house is right on the water, and we would fish, crab, and throw the cast net right off the dock, catching our dinner right then and there. I loved it when we would have a fish fry or Low Country Boil in the backyard, with the food spread out on a newspaper-covered long table.

We are still a seafood-loving family, and when we serve shrimp, I'm always in charge of making the cocktail sauce. The most crucial ingredient is the jarred horseradish. It adds just the right amount of sinus-clearing heat. I honestly can finish off a giant plate of shrimp with this cocktail sauce all by myself--it's seriously so good.

This is a great recipe to make for the holiday season. It's quick and easy, and if you pick up the steamed seafood from the store, you'll have a show-stopping appetizer ready in minutes. Add my sausage balls, ham and cheese empanadas, Georgia caviar, and pimento cheese dip, and you'll have an epic spread of crowd-pleasing hors d'oeuvres.

Ingredients

Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this homemade cocktail sauce recipe:

• ketchup
• prepared horseradish
• Worcestershire sauce
• lemon juice
• garlic

(See printable recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we've got our ingredients, let's make this best cocktail sauce recipe:

1. First, finely mince the garlic.

2. Then, stir together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

How to Make Shrimp Cocktail:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of Old Bay seasoning to the water.
2. Add 1 ½ to 2 pounds of shrimp (large, extra large, or jumbo shrimp) to the water.  Boil for 2 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.
3. Drain the shrimp and plunge in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
4. Peel and devein the shrimp, if desired, leaving the tails intact. Serve with the cocktail sauce.

Substitutions

Here are some ways to change up this recipe in case you don't have everything on hand:

• Ketchup - I prefer Heinz ketchup; I feel like it's got the right hint of sweetness to saltiness. If you use another brand, you may need to add a pinch of sugar or salt to the sauce. You can also use Heinz chili sauce instead of the ketchup.
• Horseradish - Look for bottled prepared horseradish in the condiment aisle or the produce section of the grocery store. If you'd like, you can also use grated fresh horseradish instead.
• Lemon juice - Instead of lemon juice, you can use lime juice, white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.

Variations

Want to try another variation? Here are some ideas:

• Spicy Cocktail Sauce - To make this sauce spicier, add more horseradish or your favorite hot sauce to taste.
• Bloody Mary Cocktail Sauce - Add a splash of vodka, some celery seed, and some minced celery for a cocktail-inspired sauce.
• Marie Rose Sauce - Stir in a little mayonnaise to make this classic British condiment for seafood.

Equipment

Here's the equipment you'll need to make this recipe:

• dry measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• chef's knife
• small bowl

Storage

Store the cocktail sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

You can freeze this cocktail sauce too! Transfer the sauce to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 6 months.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe Guidelines and Test Kitchen Tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food Safety

Don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe:

• Cover and refrigerate any leftovers--don't let them hang out at room temperature for too long
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.