The Best Cocktail Sauce Ever Recipe
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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.
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!
Table of Contents
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
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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- horsey sauce – (Horseradish Sauce)
- comeback sauce
- homemade BBQ sauce
- enchilada sauce
- hollandaise sauce
- caramel sauce
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
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
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
How long can this sauce last refrigerated?? It was delicious
Hi Shaun,
The cocktail sauce should keep about a week in the refrigerator if stored in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Just found this. I run the food service program for a international company. My vendor shorted me my regular cocktail sauce. I am so glad they did.
I will be using this recipe from now on.
Hi Chris,
I’m happy you found this recipe when you needed it! So glad you like it that much. Thanks!
Really good easy recipe. My father-in-law made his own cocktail sauce and this reminds me of it. I quartered the recipe because only my wife and I will eat it. I upped the horseradish because I like my cocktail sauce a little zinger.
Thanks, Dave!
Glad you liked it!
The store bought is still sitting in the fridge. My son wanted to make his own even though we had some expensive sauce in the fridge. This is so much better than any sauce we have ever had. Making it again on Saturday for ou guests.
Thanks so much, Deborah!
So glad your family likes this sauce.
NEVER will purchase a jar again and from now on, will do this home-made. We didn’t have ground horseradish in our kitchen, so we used Wasabe, to taste, in its place and added more lemon juice to taste . . . FANTASTIC! Thank you for a simple and successful recipe, Robyn! When I googled for the recipe, yours was the best search result!
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoy it, Anita! Thanks so much for letting me know! xo
Thanks, Anita! So glad you liked this recipe. The addition of the Wasabi sounds great. xo
The first time I made this it was way too “ketchupy”. Definitely not enough horseradish. I had to quadruple the amount of horseradish, and then it was fantastic.
I agree – you must be a southerner!
This is the perfect cocktail sauce! Being able to adjust the serving size is so nice too.
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoy it too, Mary! And I love that the recipe is helpful to you as well! Thanks! xo
I added just a tiny bit of liquid smoke. Perfection!
Made it in like 10 seconds, turned out perfectly thanks!
Glad you liked it, Remel! Thanks!
Do you mean horseradish sauce or root?
Hi David,
It’s not sauce, but a ground horseradish I find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Thanks!
Robyn, can you share what store and/or what brand? I can only seem to find “prepared” horseradish. And when I ask store associates, I get a blank stare.
I have used several brands, Brooke. Ask for fresh ground horseradish. I usually find mine at Publix or Kroger. Sometimes I have to ask for it in the deli section. A couple of brands are Silver Spring and Seminole. Hope you can find it in your store.