Shrimp Cocktail

Image: Baked shrimp on a plate, garnished with lemon slices and parsley, and shown with a bowl containing homemade cocktail sauce.

Description: Few summertime appetizers hit quite like shrimp cocktail! This recipe features minimally seasoned shrimp to let the flavor of the shrimp shine through, and an easy, homemade cocktail sauce that rivals great store brand cocktail sauces!

Yield: Recipe serves 2-4

Ingredients:

• Roasted Shrimp:

  • 2 lbs. raw jumbo shrimp, 16-20 ct, peeled and deveined with tail-on

  • 1 Tablespoon avocado oil, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

  • 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

• Shrimp Cocktail Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of ketchup

  • 2 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce

  • 2 Tablespoons sriracha chili sauce (or preferred hot sauce)

  • 2 Tablespoons horseradish

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 clove garlic, grated

• Garnish:

  • 1 Lemon, cut into wedges

  • Fresh Parsley

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

While the oven is preheating, mix the cocktail sauce components together in a mixing bowl, adjusting horseradish and hot pepper sauce to taste. If you prefer a spicier, zestier cocktail sauce, add more horseradish and hot pepper sauce but use less horseradish and hot pepper sauce if you prefer a mild sauce. Remove the sauce from the mixing bowl to a serving bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill while you cook and chill the shrimp.

Thaw shrimp completely first if using frozen shrimp. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Devein the thawed shrimp or use shrimp that are already deveined.

Add the shrimp to a big mixing bowl. Drizzle the avocado oil over the shrimp and stir to coat. Sprinkle over the salt and pepper, stirring as you go to get even coverage as you can. Arrange shrimp in a single layer on a large parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake at 400˚F for 10-12 min or until shrimp turn pink and are just cooked through. Remove from oven and test a shrimp for doneness. Promptly, transfer shrimp to a serving platter as they will continue cooking if you leave them on the hot baking sheet, and will likely overcook. Mine were perfectly cooked at around 10-ish minutes. Timing may vary based on your brand of oven.

Cover and refrigerate sauce and shrimp for at least an hour or overnight. When ready to serve, arrange on a serving platter along with the cocktail sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges and chopped parsley. Serve chilled.

Recipe Notes

If using smaller 18-25 count shrimp, roast 8-9 minutes.