Coctel de Camaron (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail)
Coctel de Camarón is a refreshing Mexican shrimp cocktail made with tender shrimp, a tangy tomato-based sauce, and crisp vegetables like cucumber, onion, and cilantro. It’s light, vibrant, and full of bold flavor, perfect for warm weather, a healthy appetizer, or a simple, satisfying meal.
Equipment
- Medium Pot
- Large mixing bowl
- Knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
Juice Base
- 2 cups tomato or vegetable juice
- 1 Roma tomato, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- ¼ white onion, diced
- 2 tablespoon cilantro, diced
- 1 jalapeño, diced use half for less spice
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- juice of one orange
- juice of one lime
- ¼ teaspoon yellow mustard
- 2-4 drops Tabasco sauce
- 1-2 tablespoon Mexican hot sauce such as Valentina
Shrimp
- 1 lb medium or large shrimp shell-on and deveined
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
To Serve
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
Instructions
Defrosting the Shrimp
- Place frozen shrimp in a bowl of cold water until fully thawed. Drain and set aside.
Prepare the Juice Base
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomato or vegetable juice with the diced vegetables, citrus juices, and seasonings (except hot sauces).
- Stir well, then add Tabasco and Mexican hot sauce to taste. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the shrimp.
Cook the Shrimp
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add salt and lime juice.
- Fill a medium mixing bowl with cold water and lots of ice.
- Working in batches of 6-8 shrimp, cook the shrimp for 3–4 minutes until pink and opaque. Using a slotted spoon, transfer immediately to the ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- Continue to cook the rest of the shrimp following the same steps.
- Once all the shrimp are cooked, reserve one cup of the cooking liquid and refrigerate to cool.
- Assemble
- Peel the shrimp and devein if it isn't already.
- Chop the shrimp if needed.
- Add shrimp and cooled cooking liquid to the juice mixture.
- Taste and adjust salt as necessary. If the shrimp cocktail is still not cold, add half a cup of ice to help it cool down.
- Serve cold in glasses or bowls and top with diced cucumber and avocado.
Notes
- Shrimp: Shell-on shrimp add more flavor, but pre-cooked shrimp can be used for convenience. If using pre-cooked shrimp, add a full cup of ice to make up for the missing cooking liquid.
- Spice level: Adjust jalapeño and hot sauce to your taste.
- Serving: Serve cold with crackers, tostadas, or on its own as a light meal.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2–3 days and stir before serving.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 175gCalories: 79kcalCarbohydrates: 5.9gProtein: 13.1gFat: 0.9gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 651mgPotassium: 245mgFiber: 0.9gSugar: 3.9gCalcium: 24mgIron: 3mg
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