Classic Cocktail Sauce

By Melissa Clark

Published Dec. 22, 2021

Classic Cocktail Sauce
Joel Goldberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(281)
Comments
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A combination of pungent horseradish and sweet ketchup make up the foundation of this classic cocktail sauce, which is seasoned with lemon juice, hot sauce and a dash of Worcestershire. Drizzle it on a shrimp cocktail or dab it sparingly on raw seafood. A little of this assertive mixture goes a long way.

Featured in: To Eat Oysters Better, Treat Them Like Wine

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Ingredients

Yield:1 cup
  • ⅔cup ketchup
  • 3tablespoons prepared horseradish, store-bought or homemade
  • 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
  • ¼teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco, plus more to taste
  • Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

94 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 19 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 829 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl until well blended. Taste and add more lemon juice or hot sauce as needed. Cocktail sauce will keep in the refrigerator in a covered container for at least 2 weeks.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
281 user ratings
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Comments

John

Using Heinz Chili Sauce instead of ketchup makes a more interesting texture.

Steve

Been making cocktail sauce with fresh horseradish for a long time. Here in Houston, folks tend to like it on the spicy side and I tend to use a heavier ratio of horseradish to ketchup; also a LOT of Tabasco. For a twist, one can use Maggi sauce rather than “wooster” sauce. Soy sauce bends it another direction as well.

Dumboy

While Cocktail Sauce is delicious with shrimp, IMO it overpowers the flavor of the oysters. Better to use a mignonette or, my favorite, just fresh lemon juice and prepared horseradish (and Tabasco).

Mimi Mama

Oh Boy, this is a good one. Melissa never stears me wrong. Spicy lemony sauce is going great with my cracked crab during the 49'r game!

Mel B.

This is the one. It's identical to the recipe my mother used to make which I always looked forward to. I realized too late we were out out of Tabasco, so I subben a heavy pinch of chili flakes and a scant splash of white vinegar. Not quite the same but close enough. I used Mutti brand ketchup which has a rich tomato flavor, and while it's sweet, it's less of a sugary sweetness and more of the sweetness of a very ripe tomato.

Elizabeth T.

We used a mustard horseradish, and it was still so good.

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