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Summary
Zingy, nostalgic, and ready in minutes.
This cocktail sauce hits all the right notes: bright, punchy, a little spicy, and beautifully balanced. It takes just a handful of pantry staples to whip up a batch that beats anything from a bottle. Use it with cold shrimp, oysters, or even fried seafood for an instant upgrade.
6
5
minutes35
kcal5
minutesZingy, nostalgic, and ready in minutes.
Ingredients
120 g ½ cup ketchup
24 g 1½ tbsp prepared horseradish
7 g 1½ tsp lemon juice about 1/8 a lemon
5 g 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2.5 g ½ tsp hot sauce
0.3 g 1/8 tsp kosher salt
Directions
Before We Start
Horseradish: Use a prepared horseradish with a clean, sinus-clearing heat—not the creamy kind.
Hot Sauce: Adjust type and quantity to your spice preference. A vinegar-forward hot sauce like Crystal Hot Sauce works beautifully.
Make Ahead: The sauce tastes even better after chilling for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. You can store it for several weeks in the fridge, but the brightness from the lemon juice will dissipate, so it is better to make it no later than a day or two of when you plan to use it.Juice the Lemon
Slice a lemon in half, then cut it from root to tip into 8 wedges. Squeeze the juice from 1-2 wedges into a small bowl and measure to get the correct amount.
Combine All Ingredients
In a small bowl, mix together the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt. Stir until smooth and well-blended.
Taste and Adjust
Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed—more horseradish for heat, lemon for brightness, or hot sauce for kick.Chill (Optional)
For best flavor, refrigerate the sauce for 30 minutes before serving.
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Additional Details About This Recipe
Can I use fresh horseradish instead of prepared?
Yes, but start with a smaller amount and taste as you go—it’s more pungent.
What if I don’t have Worcestershire sauce?
A splash of soy sauce and a tiny bit of vinegar can mimic the umami depth.
How long does the cocktail sauce keep?
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1-2 weeks.
Can I freeze the cocktail sauce?
Don’t do it.
What seafood goes best with this sauce?
Shrimp is classic, but it also pairs beautifully with oysters, crab, or even fried fish.
Nutritional Facts (per 1.5 tbsp)
Values are approximate.
- Calories: 35
- Protein: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 240 mg
- Sugar: 6 g