Name: Cocktail Sauce
Yield: 12

Cocktail Sauce Recipe that’s tangy with a touch of heat, and it tastes so much fresher and better than anything store-bought.

Author’s Notes

Skip the Tray, Make It Yourself!

When it comes to appetizers, shrimp cocktail is one of the first things that comes to mind.

It’s one of those classic apps that just about everyone loves. Chilled shrimp are plump, firm, juicy, and just so good.

But for me, a good cocktail sauce recipe is what really makes it. It’s bold, tangy, and a little spicy with ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, and Worcestershire. Simple, fresh, and truly what seals the deal on this appetizer!

Skip the store-bought trays and make it yourself. This from-scratch sauce is way better than anything premade, I promise.

P.S. If you want a sweet appetizer to go with this one, you’ve GOT to try my new cheesecake dip!

All the ingredients in this recipe prepped out for straightforward assembly including the ketchup, horseradish, honey, garlic powder, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and lemon.

Cocktail Sauce Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients	Helpful Tip
Ketchup	Use a classic, thicker ketchup you love the flavor of. For me, nothing beats Heinz.
Prepared horseradish	Use prepared horseradish, not horseradish sauce, and drain off any excess liquid so the cocktail sauce stays thick instead of watery.
Lemon juice & lemon zest	Fresh lemon makes a big difference and adds brightness and freshness.
Worcestershire sauce & hot sauce	Start light and add more to taste since these build depth and heat fast.
Garlic powder, salt, & honey or sugar	A small touch of sweetness balances the tang and heat evenly in this cocktail sauce recipe. Salt brings it all together!

Quick Tip

Prepared horseradish is sharp and punchy since it’s grated root in vinegar, while horseradish sauce is milder and creamy, which softens the heat and changes the flavor.

All the ingredients for this cocktail sauce recipe added into a bowl and whisked together for an straightforward and satisfying sauce.

How To Make This Cocktail Sauce Recipe

Mix: Stir everything together in a bowl until smooth and fully combined.
Taste: Adjust to your liking by adding more heat, tang, or sweetness as needed.
Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can blend.

chelsea’s recipe tip

How To Adjust The Flavor

This cocktail sauce recipe is straightforward to tweak, which is why It is satisfying to it so much.

For more heat, add more prepared horseradish or hot sauce.
More tang, add a little more lemon juice.
Thicker sauce, make sure the horseradish is drained well before adding it.
For a sweeter sauce, add a tiny bit more honey or sugar.

Storage

Store this cocktail sauce recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days. Give it a quick stir before serving since it may separate slightly as it sits.