Authentic Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Coctel de Camarones estilo Mexicano)

I prepare this refreshing shrimp cocktail for my family a lot during the hot summer days. Being a Mexican family, we always add Mexican hot sauce (such as Valentina® or Tapatio®) and serve with saltine crackers on the side. The trick is to start with well-chilled shrimp, ketchup, and tomato juice cocktail so it can be ready after only chilling 1 hour in the fridge. Top with additional hot sauce and avocado slices if desired. Enjoy!

• Preparation Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 410 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 avocados - peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 1 cucumber, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup Spanish onion, chopped
• 1 pound chilled cooked medium shrimp - peeled, deveined, and tails removed
• 1 ½ cups chilled tomato and clam juice cocktail (such as Clamato®)
• 1 cup chilled ketchup (such as Heinz®)
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro - stems discarded and leaves chopped
• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (such as Valentina®)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Mix onion with lime juice in a small bowl and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, toss shrimp, roma tomatoes, cucumber, celery, jalapeno, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.

Step 3

Whisk tomato and clam juice cocktail, ketchup, cilantro, and hot pepper sauce in a separate bowl; stir dressing into shrimp mixture.

Step 4

Gently fold in avocados. Stir in onion mixture. Cover and chill thoroughly, at least 1 hour.