If there is one tasty food item I love its shrimp, and this Roasted Shrimp Cocktail is beyond tasty! With minimal ingredients you’ll have this recipe ready no time.
Shrimp cocktail is one of my all-time appetizers and it doesn’t get any easier than roasting!
I’m not sure I can think of a more versatile protein. You can enjoy them hot, cold, or prepared in virtually any way. Yes, you heard that right ANY WAY!
They make the best hors-d’oeuvres and make salads and pasta better tasting and heartier. I would add shrimp to all my meals if I could.
Like chicken, shrimp can be added to almost anything, but shrimp is so much tastier, in my opinion!My favorite way to make shrimp is to roast it.
There his just something about roasted shrimp that a really get’s me and that is how I usually make my shrimp and that is why you’ll love this Roasted Shrimp Cocktail.
This recipe is inspired by Ina Garten, and it is incredible. I mean seriously, Forget that store bought stuff, you need to make it at home.
Some of my other favorite shrimp recipes that we have on the site include Peel and Eat Shrimp Cocktail, Bruschetta Grilled Shrimp and Panko Fried Shrimp.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- With minimal ingredients this recipe comes together quickly.
- With a homemade cocktail sauce it could taste any better.
- You can double this recipe to serve more people at parties or just to enjoy.
There are a couple of components that go into making an incredible Roasted Shrimp Cocktail Recipe. First, you have to get that amazing roasted flavor. It’s really fast and easy.
Just lay flat about one to two pounds of peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp. I like to leave the tails on. Season and roast at 400°F for only about 8-10 minutes.
That is literally all the work that you need to do to get that perfect roasted flavor on these bad boys! Did I not tell you that it was quick and easy?
WHAT IS A ROASTED SHRIMP COCKTAIL?
This is still a classic shrimp cocktail recipe, but instead of steaming or boiling the shrimp, we roast it!
Roasting the shrimp help to concentrate the flavors of the shrimp while roasting, making for a much for flavorful shrimp cocktail.
All you need to make roasted shrimp cocktail:
- Peeled and deveined shrimp, I suggest using a large or jumbo style shrimp
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Fresh crack black pepper
- Plus, dipping sauces such as cocktail sauce and drawn butter
- Optional: lemon wedges!
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED SHRIMP COCKTAIL:
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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Place the peeled and deveined shrimp in a large bowl, add the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine and coat in the seasoning.
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Place shrimp into a single layer, not touching on to a sheet tray.
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Roast for 8-10 minutes until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Serve warm, or chilled.
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Make the cocktail sauce before serving by mixing together the ketchup and horseradish. Taste, and if you like more of a kick, add more horseradish to your taste.
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Serve with the shrimp, drawn butter, and lemon wedges.
How much easier can you get than that? Can you see now why this is one of my favorite appetizer recipes? Little work with lot’s of flavors.
Sometimes the most simple ingredients really do make the best flavored recipes ever, you don’t need a huge ingredient list or a long time for a recipe to be good!
WHY DO YOU LEAVE THE TAILS ON?
I mentioned leaving the tail on. This is a point of contention for a lot of people. Hopefully, I can put an end to the controversy and before you leave that comment, hear me out!
Leaving the tail on is best practice for a couple of reasons. First of all, it looks better.
The presentation is really important because you eat with your eyes first. The tail sort of completes the appearance of the dish.
It also serves the practical purpose of a handle, giving people something to grab onto when they pick the shrimp up. This is perfect for gatherings.
You can, of course, use your discretion, but unless you are making a hands-off dish like my Shrimp Coconut Curry, I recommend leaving the tails on.
CAN YOU EAT SHRIMP TAILS?
Shrimp tails are usually very hard to eat, but they are not inedible. Depending on how the shrimp is prepared you can actually eat the whole thing.
It’s common to eat the tail of deep fried shrimp as long as the tail is super crispy.
DO YOU HAVE TO DEVEIN SHRIMP?
Deveining shrimp is part of the cleaning process. The “vein” is actually the shrimps’ digestive tract. The effects of deveining are more a matter of subtle taste differentiation and presentation than health.
However, if a shrimp is not deveined, it sends a signal to anyone eating your food that the shrimp has not been cleaned properly. They may find it off-putting or offensive.
WHAT DO I SEREVE WITH THIS?
As with my Roasted Shrimp Cocktail, there are three things that always go great with shrimp.
- Cocktail Sauce (which I make myself)
- Melted butter
- Lemon, or lime wedge.
I use lemon wedges, as well as melted drawn butter and my homemade cocktail sauce in my Ina Garten inspired Roasted Shrimp Cocktail Recipe.
HOW TO STORE:
When stored properly cooked shrimp that is stored in airtight containers or ziptop bags will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator. I do not recommend freezing already cooked shrimp.
The cocktail sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and that will last up to 1-2 weeks.
TIPS AND TRICKS:
- We use jumbo shrimp for this recipe, we find it the largest and easiest shrimp to eat with this recipe.
- You can buy fresh shrimp but make sure you peel and devein them before you roast and serve.
- We make our own homemade cocktail sauce, if you don’t feel like making your own you can use bottled, but highly recommend my recipe.
- Use cream-style prepared horseradish for this, it is not a pre-made sauce but more of a grated horseradish that you can find in your refrigerator section next to the sour cream.
- You can easily double this recipe to serve more people for parties or just because you love shrimp cocktail!
If you want a quick, easy and flavorful appetizer that everyone will love then you need to make my Roasted Shrimp Cocktail!
If you like this recipe you might also like:
Roasted Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 cracks fresh black pepper
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons horseradish*
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the peeled and deveined shrimp in a large bowl, add the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine and coat in the seasoning.
- Place shrimp into a single layer, not touching on to a sheet tray. Roast for 8-10 minutes until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Serve warm, or chilled.
- Make the cocktail sauce before serving by mixing together the ketchup and horseradish. Taste, and if you like more of a kick, add more horseradish to your taste. Serve with the shrimp, drawn butter, and lemon wedges.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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