Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
This Mexican Shrimp Cocktail is a fun and festive party snack! Big chunks of shrimp in a saucy pico de gallo mixture layered with avocado, cilantro, and fresh lime juice.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time0 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6
Calories: 260kcal
- 3 Roma or plum style tomatoes diced
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro plus additional for garnish
- 1 jalapeno seeded as desired and finely diced
- 2 fresh limes
- salt to taste (plus additional to cook shrimp if needed)
- 12 ounces cocktail sauce homemade or your favorite brand
- 1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp cooked or raw (see instructions below for raw shrimp)
- 2 ripe avocados chopped
- tortilla chips or saltine crackers for serving
In a large mixing bowl combine the diced tomatoes, diced onion, chopped cilantro, and finely diced jalapeno. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the top, season with a little salt, and toss it together with a spoon. Add the cocktail sauce and stir until combined. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the shrimp.
If using cooked shrimp, skip to next step. If using raw shrimp, place them in a colander, rinse with cold water, and drain well. Remove tails if necessary. Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Drop in about one tablespoon of salt. Add the shrimp and cook for about two minutes or until the shrimp is white with pops of pink. Drain the hot water from pot and cover the shrimp with cold water to cool them down and stop them from cooking further. Drain well and transfer the shrimp to a cutting board.
Cut each shrimp into two or three pieces. Reserve some of the shrimp for garnish and transfer the rest to the chilled cocktail sauce mixture. Stir well to combine.
When ready to serve, remove the pits and chop the avocados. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lime over the top of the chopped avocado.
To Serve in a Bowl
To serve in a large bowl, garnish the top of the shrimp cocktail with the avocado, the reserved shrimp, and a little cilantro and allow people to serve themselves.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can get most of the prep for this Mexican Shrimp Cocktail recipe out of the way several hours in advance of your gathering. After combining the pico de gallo with the cocktail sauce, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. Reserve the cooked shrimp and avocado to add just before serving so it will be super fresh.
Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 191mg | Sodium: 1354mg | Potassium: 711mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 838IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 3mg