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Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

Mexican shrimp cocktail with plump, pink shrimp submerged in a vibrant tomato-lime sauce, finished with diced avocado for a creamy bite. Chilled and served in glasses, it’s a fresh seafood appetizer with jalapeño heat and cilantro garnish.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shrimp cocktail base
  • 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined peeled and deveined
  • 2 cup tomato juice or clamato juice use tomato juice or Clamato juice
  • 0.5 cup diced tomatoes
  • 0.25 cup diced cucumber
  • 0.25 cup diced avocado dice just before assembling if possible
  • 0.25 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp hot sauce
  • 1 jalapeño, minced
  • salt and pepper to taste to taste
  • 1 fresh cilantro for garnish for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 pot
  • 1 large bowl

Method
 

Cook and cool the shrimp
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the shrimp until pink and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes, then drain and cool completely.
  2. Let the shrimp cool until no longer warm so it stays plump when mixed into the cocktail sauce.
Make the tomato-lime cocktail sauce
  1. In a large bowl, combine tomato juice (or Clamato juice), diced tomatoes, diced cucumber, fresh lime juice, hot sauce, and minced jalapeño, then stir well.
  2. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir again to evenly distribute seasoning.
Assemble and chill
  1. Add the cooled shrimp to the sauce and gently fold until coated.
  2. Gently fold in the diced avocado so the pieces stay intact.
  3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill and let flavors meld.
Serve
  1. Spoon the chilled shrimp cocktail into chilled cocktail glasses.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and add lime wedges to serve.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the shrimp completely before mixing so the tomato-lime base doesn’t turn cloudy or break down the shrimp’s texture. Refrigerate covered for up to 2 days; the avocado is best within 24 hours for best texture. Freezing isn’t recommended because shrimp texture and diced avocado change after thawing. For a lower-sodium option, use low-sodium tomato/Clamato juice and season gradually with salt.