The Best Cocktail Sauce Recipe is made with a handful of ingredients, ready in 5 minutes, and is delicious served with fish and seafood! Quick, easy, and delicious recipe!

Homemade Cocktail Sauce is delicious served with boiled shrimp, scallops, shrimp tacos, and everyone’s favorite shrimp boil.

Homemade cocktail sauce and a serving spoon in a white bowl with blue rim on a marble surface with fresh herbs

I’m pretty picky about my Cocktail Sauce. The bottled stuff doesn’t make the cut with me. That’s the reason I developed my own years ago. And it’s absolutely the best I’ve ever tasted – and the reason I call it the Best Cocktail Sauce Ever.

This sauce comes together very simply in just a few minutes with only a handful of ingredients! My family loves this cocktail sauce! I think you will love it as well!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick and easy. This cocktail sauce recipe uses simple ingredients and is ready in 5 minutes! You control the amount of zestiness and heat without any ingredients you can’t pronounce!

Flavorful. This homemade cocktail sauce is flavorful and delicious served with fish and seafood.

Meal Prep Friendly. You can make this cocktail sauce and store it in the refrigerator to make dinner even easier. See the make-ahead information in my Storage Tips below.

How to Make Homemade Cocktail Sauce Recipe

Cocktail Sauce in white blue rimmed bowl surrounded by boiled shrimp

When you are making a special dinner that includes seafood or an appetizer like Boiled Shrimp, this homemade cocktail sauce is essential! It’s so easy to whip together right before serving the meal or to make ahead and keep in the fridge. Its fresh, zesty taste makes seafood so much more delicious!

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

Photo of ingredients used to make homemade cocktail sauce recipe.
  • Ketchup – the basis of this recipe is ketchup. Use your favorite brand that is mild-tasting with minimal ingredients.
  • Worcestershire Sauce – for the savory, or umami, flavor. You can use coconut aminos if you are sensitive to soy.
  • Lemon Juice – adds a touch of acid to the cocktail sauce to enhance the flavor. It also adds a zip of freshness to the sauce.
  • Horseradish – grated horseradish adds a bit of zestiness and a touch of spiciness to the cocktail sauce. Adjust the amount of horseradish to your preference. I’ve written this recipe as a “base recipe” that you can increase the amount of horseradish to your tastes. I also recommend serving additional horseradish on the side so those who prefer more can add it.
  • Stone House Seasoning – (optional) My house blend of salt, pepper, and garlic enhances the flavor of the cocktail sauce but I recommend trying the sauce first and then add if you feel like it needs it. It really depends on the brand of ketchup used if you need this additional seasoning.
  • Hot Sauce – (optional) Can also be served on the side for those who prefer it.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Add the ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce (or coconut aminos), and horseradish to a bowl. Mix together until they are well combined. Taste and add more horseradish or hot sauce as desired. Add the Stone House Seasoning if you believe it is needed as well.
  2. Serve or refrigerate if making ahead.

Storage Tips

To store leftovers. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. If the ingredients have settled, you may need to stir the cocktail sauce before serving.

To make ahead. Prepare the cocktail sauce according to the directions. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months or cover the serving bowl with wrap if planning to serve within a day or two. If the ingredients have settled, you may need to stir the cocktail sauce before serving.

To freeze. Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for 6 to 12 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You may need to stir the cocktail sauce to make sure well combined once thawed.

More Favorite Sauces

Photo of homemade cocktail sauce with a serving spoon in a white bowl with a blue rim.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can you keep homemade cocktail sauce?

Homemade cocktail sauce kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator lasts up to 6 months and in an airtight, freezer-safe container can be kept for 6 to 12 months in the freezer.

What are the ingredients for the best cocktail sauce recipe?

My homemade cocktail sauce recipe uses ketchup, lemon juice, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce (or coconut aminos). You can also add more horseradish to taste if you like more zest and add hot sauce if you like it spicy. Depending on the brand of ketchup, you may enjoy adding salt, pepper and garlic in my Stone House Seasoning.

What do you serve cocktail sauce with?

Cocktail sauce is delicious served with seafood. Try it with shrimp, scallops, oysters, and more!

Here’s my recipe for Homemade Cocktail Sauce. I hope you enjoy it!

Homemade Cocktail Sauce Recipe

5 from 48 votes
The Best Cocktail Sauce Recipe is made with a handful of ingredients, ready in 5 minutes, and is delicious served with fish and seafood! Quick, easy, and delicious recipe!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 12 – about 2 cups

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons horseradish, adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Stone House Seasoning, Optional, to taste
  • hot sauce, Optional, to taste

Instructions 

  • Add the ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce (or coconut aminos), and horseradish to a bowl. Mix together until they are well combined. Taste and add more horseradish or hot sauce as desired. Add the Stone House Seasoning if you believe it is needed as well.
  • Keep refrigerated.

Notes

Storage Tips:

To store leftovers. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. If the ingredients have settled, you may need to stir the cocktail sauce before serving.
To make ahead. Prepare the cocktail sauce according to the directions. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months or cover the serving bowl with wrap if planning to serve within a day or two. If the ingredients have settled, you may need to stir the cocktail sauce before serving.
To freeze. Store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for 6 to 12 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You may need to stir the cocktail sauce to make sure well combined once thawed.

Nutrition

Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.05g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 573mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 206IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Welcome to Add A Pinch

About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Recipe Review




138 Comments

  1. Having our own homemade cocktail sauce is so much better then those preservative added jarred sauces. You can always make it fresh and you know it is healthy. Plus those step wise pictures are so illustrative. Great work done.

  2. This is the ONLY reason I can think of for having ketchup in the fridge! I love it.

    It’s simple and so good.

    Remembering my mentioning Happy Hour Friday a while back? Would love it if you would add this today…looking for both drinks and appetizer and I think this qualifies. Now to find some shrimp!

    http://www.creative-culinary.com/cocoa-cayenne-espresso-roasted-walnuts

  3. Girlfriend!I know what you mean about not going back to jarred stuff. I can’t wait to give your cocktail sauce a try with my next batch of shrimp 😀 xoxo

  4. horseradish is the BEST part of cocktail sauce. I pretty much only like the stuff at red lobster. the bottle from the store- no matter the brand- just isnt right. Ill have to give this a try!

  5. My folks owned a fish restaurant when I was a teenager and I’d bet I’ve made a ton of cocktail sauce. I make mine the same way as you and it is delicious! You have me craving shrimp!

  6. We love cocktail sauce in our house, but my husband is super picky. Like you, he loves horseradish. This sounds like the perfect recipe!

  7. Once you’ve had GOOD cocktail sauce, it’s hard to go back to the jarred stuff. This sounds perfect!