Make authentic Coctel de Camarones with tender shrimp, crisp vegetables, and a flavorful tomato sauce. An easy Mexican seafood favorite.
This authentic Coctel de Camarones (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail) is fresh, vibrant, and incredibly easy to make. Enjoy it as an appetizer, light lunch, or refreshing dinner with saltine crackers or crispy tostadas.
Coctel de Camarones takes me straight back to Baja California—beautiful beaches, amazing wines, and some of the freshest seafood in Mexico. Whenever I visit Ensenada, I make a stop at Mercado Negro, the famous fish market where fishermen unload their daily catch. Just steps away, local seafood restaurants prepare the freshest shrimp cocktails I’ve ever tasted, and every bite reminds me why this classic recipe is one of my favorites.
If you love authentic Mexican seafood recipes, you’ll also want to try my Ceviche de Camaron.
Table of Contents
Quick Recipe Notes
- Taste profile: Fresh, tangy, and slightly spicy. Perfect for warm weather, parties, and potlucks.
- Texture: Juicy shrimp, mildly spicy, crisp and crunchy vegetables.
- Key Secret: Pickling the raw white onions in fresh lime juice first to remove the harsh bite and infuse zesty brightness. I love that it’s make-ahead friendly.
-Maggie
What is the difference between ceviche and Mexican shrimp cocktail?
- Shrimp Cocktail (Coctel de Camarón) is made of boiled shrimp mixed with cucumber and jalapeño, and covered in a flavorful, liquidy, spicy tomato sauce like a cocktail. It is ready to eat once it’s chilled. Unlike ceviche, the shrimp in Coctel de Camarón are fully cooked before being mixed with the broth-like tomato sauce, making it a great option for anyone who prefers cooked seafood.
- Ceviche is seafood (usually fish or shrimp) that is “cooked” in lime juice, marinating for hours or overnight in the fridge before serving. It is traditionally served with tostadas and chips.
🛒 Ingredients
For the Shrimp & Veggies
- White Onion: ¼ cup, finely chopped.
- Fresh Limes: Juice of 3 limes (about ¼ cup). Used to lightly pickle the onions and mellow their sharp flavor.
- Cooked Shrimp: 1 pound, peeled, deveined, and tails removed. Medium or large shrimp work best.
- Roma Tomatoes: 2, finely diced.
- Cucumber: 1, finely diced for fresh crunch.
- Jalapeños: 1–2, seeded and finely diced. Add more if you like extra heat.
- Cilantro: 1 bunch, stems removed and leaves chopped.
- Avocados: 2, peeled, pitted, and diced.
- Salt & Black Pepper: To taste.
For the Cocktail Sauce
- Clamato (Tomato Juice): 1½ cups. This gives the cocktail its authentic Mexican flavor.
- Ketchup: 1 cup for sweetness and body.
- Hot Sauce: 2 teaspoons, or more to taste. Valentina, Cholula, or Tapatío are all excellent choices.
Prep the Onion: Place the diced white onion in a small bowl and cover with the juice of fresh lime. Set aside. Why? This “pickles” the onion slightly and removes the harsh raw bite.
- Prepare the Shrimp Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the cooked shrimp, diced tomatoes, cucumber, jalapeños, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Tip: Add extra jalapeños if you prefer a spicier shrimp cocktail.
- Build the Base: To the bowl with the onions and lime juice, add the Clamato, ketchup, and hot sauce. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning before adding the shrimp. Add more hot sauce, ketchup, or Clamato until the flavor is balanced to your liking.
- Combine: Pour the cocktail sauce over the shrimp mixture and gently stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Garnish: Fold in the chopped cilantro and diced avocado.
Optional: Instead of mixing in the avocado, add it to individual servings just before serving to help it stay fresh and vibrant. - Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Chilling allows the flavors to blend together beautifully.
- Serve: Serve with lime wedges, homemade tostadas, tortilla chips, saltine crackers, and extra hot sauce such as Cholula, Valentina, Tapatio.
💡 Pro Tips & Recipe Variations
- The Name Game: You’ll see this recipe called Coctel de Camarón, Coctel de Camarones, or even Mexican Shrimp Cocktail. They’re all referring to the same delicious dish, with slight regional and personal preferences in naming.
- Shrimp Size Matters: Use medium or large shrimp depending on how you serve it. If you are using small appetizer cups, use smaller shrimp so it is easy to eat with a spoon.
- Sauce Consistency: Ketchup adds sweetness and thickness. If you prefer a thinner, “brothier” cocktail, omit the ketchup and use more shrimp broth mixed with a splash of tomato sauce.
- Easy Variations: diced jicama or diced celery for extra crunch, make it spicier with serrano peppers, or add octopus or imitation crab with the shrimp.
💾 Storing Instructions
Store leftover Coctel de Camaron in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- It is best consumed within 24 to 48 hours.
- The avocado may discolor slightly after a day.
- Stir well before serving because the vegetables naturally release liquid while refrigerated.
- Freezing is not recommended, as the texture of the shrimp and vegetables will suffer.
🌟 Maggie Tips
- Look for Clamato. It is commonly used to make authentic Mexican shrimp cocktail. If you can’t find it, whisk together 1 cup water with 4 ounces tomato sauce as a substitute.
- Buy shrimp that are already peeled and deveined to save prep time.
- Prepare it several hours ahead and refrigerate. Add the avocado just before serving.
🐟 More Mexican Seafood Recipes
- Camarones a la Diabla
- Shrimp Pozole
- Caldo de Camaron
- Shrimp Chile Rellenos
- Tortitas de Papa con Atun
- Ceviche de Pescado
- Camarones Rancheros
Once you try this authentic Coctel de Camarones recipe, you’ll understand why it’s such a beloved seafood appetizer in Mexico. It’s refreshing, packed with fresh flavors, and surprisingly easy to make at home. Whether you’re serving it for a family gathering, summer cookout, or quick lunch, this shrimp cocktail is always a crowd-pleaser.
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Coctel de Camarones
Make authentic Coctel de Camarones with tender shrimp, crisp vegetables, and a flavorful tomato sauce. An easy Mexican seafood favorite.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 377kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup onion finely chopped
- Juice of 3 limes about ¼ cup
- 1 lb cooked medium-sized shrimp – peeled deveined, and tails removed
- 2 roma tomatoes finely diced
- 1 cucumber finely diced
- 1-2 jalapeños pepper seeded and finely diced
- Salt and pepper
- 1 ½ cups tomato juice such as Clamato
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Hot pepper sauce
- 1 bunch cilantro – discard stems and leaves chopped
- 2 avocados – peeled pitted, and diced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the onion with the lime juice.
- Let stand for 10 minutes.
- In a separate and much larger bowl, add the shrimp, tomatoes, cucumber, jalapeños, salt and pepper. Mix to combine and set aside.
- You can add more jalapeños, if you like it spicier.
- To the onions, add the tomato juice, ketchup, and hot pepper sauce.
- With a fork, whisk to combine.
- Then add the tomato-onion mixture to the shrimp bowl.
- Stir to combine.
- Add the cilantro and avocados.
- Gently mix everything.
- Note: You can also top off the serving with the avocado instead of adding it to the mixture.
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Find shrimp that are already cleaned and deveined. That’s is the easiest way to make this recipe. Or, you will need to remove the digestive tract before cooking.
Optimal Shrimp Size: Medium to Jumbo shrimp. This all depends on how you are going to serve it and the size of your bowl or cup. The smaller the cup, the smaller size shrimp to use.
Coctel de Camarones lasts 2-3 days in the fridge. Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 286mg | Sodium: 1498mg | Potassium: 1166mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1248IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @MamaMaggiesKitchen or tag #MamaMaggiesKitchen!
Thank for the recipe Maggie! I am making this one soon!
Yay! You’re going to love this recipe.
Love this!!!
Yes! So so good.
Would love to try this!! Mexican cocktails are the best!!
Yes the are!
Mexcian shrimp cocktail looks delicous I would love to try it.
Looks and tastes even better! Hope you try it!
This was my first time making Shrimp Cocktail and this recipe knocked my socks off, it was perfect!
Thank you for sharing.
Yay! So glad you liked this recipe. It’s a favorite.
I love shrimp cocktail but have never tried it Mexican style. This is a must try for me.
It’s delicious! Hope you try it
I haven’t tried this recipe yet because I’m always trying to duplicate the ones served in Puero Penasco, Sonora, Mexico (Rocky Point). They don’t use cucumber or avocado but it’s the sauce that I haven’t been able to duplicate! It’s not Clamato (I hate it), it’s not V-8, it’s not catsup so it has to be tomato juice with herbs and spices! I WILL try this recipe!
Coctel de Camaron varies from region to region. I’ve had it without Clamato and just ketchup with hot sauce. Also had it with just tomato juice and hot sauce. I had it once with mango and jicama. All delicious! I suggest you ask them next time you’re there. It’s the only way to know for sure.
it could be they are using clam juice for the shrimp cocktail.
I make this all the time best recipe!! I like to go lighter on the ketchup and only use a 1/2 cup. I use red onion, large shrimp, and firm Avacados. Thanks for sharing:)
Glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for your comment.
It looks amazing. Perfect for Cinco de Mayo or any day!!!
So glad you enjoyed this!
This looks delicious and perfect for the warmer weather that will be here soon.
So glad you enjoyed this Beth!
My friends are going to freak out over this recipe! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed this!
Oh my goodness! This cocktail looks so fancy and delicious! Love it!
And it tastes even better than it looks!
I would definitely add some cucumber on it. Looks so delicious.
Thanks! Hope you try it!
I have never had a shrimp cocktail before. I always hear they’re amazing though. I’ll have to give it a try sometime.
It is amazing! Hope you try it
Spicy shrimp sounds delicious. I will have to get some shrimp to make this
Great. It’s a really yummy dish, hope you try it
That shrimp looks so amazing and added to all those great spices and sauces makes it a great appetizer. I kow my son will love this if I make it for him.
It’s amazing. hope you try it
Best recipe for shrimp cocktail!!!
Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed this.
Made this on a hot summer evening. My wife thanked me three times while she was eating it. Absolutely delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
So glad you and your wife enjoyed it! This recipe is really yummy.
I’m jealous of your trip! But this recipe seems like a good way to capture the flavors of your south-of-the-border adventure! Yum!
Thank you. Living so close to the border has its advantages. I could eat this Coctel de Camarones (or Mexican Shrimp Cocktail) everyday!
I am the worst on haggling price! Lol- love your comment that they’re disappointed if you don’t. I will keep that in mind and go for it next time I am in Mexico.
My Mexican mom is impressive to watch. Her haggling skills are the best. I could tell you stories… Ha! Unfortunately, I did not inherit those skills. lol.
Omg I miss this version of shrimp cocktail so much! It’s so loaded with flavours, so excited I can make this at home now! 🙂
That’s awesome! Hope you enjoy your Coctel de Camarones (or Mexican Shrimp Cocktail). 🙂
This sounds so so refreshing! I love dishes like this, and you can’t go wrong with juicy shrimp.
I could eat this Coctel de Camarones (or Mexican Shrimp Cocktail) every day, all day. Thank you for your comment!
Oh yes, I love all the ingredients in this shrimp cocktail.
Thank you! This Coctel de Camarones (or Mexican Shrimp Cocktail) is the best. 🙂