This Mexican Shrimp Cocktail is a deliciously simple and low carb dish you're sure to love! It can be served as an appetizer, snack, or even as a main dish.
What Makes This Mexican Shrimp Cocktail So Great
- Simple. Need an appetizer quick and in a hurry? This shrimp cocktail is the perfect recipe for you. Simply dice the veggies, make the sauce and then toss them all together with the shrimp.
- Versatile. Really, this Mexican Shrimp Cocktail can be whatever you want it to be! I've served these as appetizers before with my Instant Pot Pulled Pork Carnitas recipe and even as sides. I've personally eaten these as my main dish many times in the summer along with this Texas Caviar recipe - they're both perfect for hot days.
- Low carb. Shrimp cocktail sauce isn't particularly known for being low in carbs. However, this recipe uses a keto cocktail sauce I put together, making it far more keto-friendly than traditional shrimp cocktail recipes.
How To Make Shrimp Cocktail
- Chop. Chop all pico de gallo ingredients (except avocado) into small cubes of uniform shape and size. I totally cheat and use a chopper to chop everything including the tomatoes. Just be sure to put the tomatoes skin side down and it will go through your onions, tomatoes, cucumber, jalapeno and yes, even the cilantro. I use this pull chopper or this push chopper and love them both!
- Sauce. Mix all ingredients for the sauce.
- Mix. Mix sauce with chopped vegetables and shrimp and let it sit on the counter to let the flavors marry. If longer than 30 minutes, let it sit in the refrigerator.
- Serve. Serve and enjoy!
How is Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Keto?
When I made this, I wanted something fresh-tasting but high protein. As you know, with Keto it's important to get a lot of protein in a day. This Mexican Shrimp Cocktail fits the bill! Shrimp are an excellent source of protein, and avocados are great for fat content, both in which are beneficial to those living a keto lifestyle.
Does This Need To Be Made In Advance?
The beauty of this is you can make it all from scratch, or if you're in a hurry, buy some pico de gallo and get boiled shrimp and make this in a jiffy. I suppose I should have let them mix and mingle for a while but I was hungry so we ate it right away. Felt like summer in my mouth!
If you want to let the flavors meld, you can certainly make this in advance and store in the fridge. It's great chilled and is perfect for a warm summer day (like this Avocado Grapefruit Salad I eat a ton of in the summer too)! The tomato blends well with the herbs and the shrimp soak all that flavor up when they're allowed some time to marinate.
What Are These Called In Spanish?
If you want to order these in Spanish, or from a Mexican restaurant, you will likely see them on the menu as Coctel de Camarones, which literally translates to Cocktail of Shrimp.
A Mexican Shrimp Cocktail is sometimes served with chips at a restaurant, so keep that in mind if you're living a Keto lifestyle and want to avoid those carbs. Additionally, if you're serving these to non-keto guests, you may want to serve it with some chips in case they want to eat them that way as well.
Shrimp Cocktail Tips And Tricks
- This is best if served chilled. The flavors will blend best if it's allowed to sit in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer before eating.
- Save time by using store-bought pico de gallo and boiled shrimp.
- Use parsley instead of cilantro if you don't like it.
- Omit the hot sauce to keep it from being spicy, or add more to kick it up a notch!
- The traditional way to eat this is with an oyster fork, but you can just dig in like I did with any old utensil you have laying around. Unless, of course, you're serving this to guests, then maybe the oyster fork is the way to go.
- Sometimes people will even use the cocktail as a sort of dip to scoop up with chips. If you're making it at home, you can eat it however sounds most delicious to you!
What Do I Serve With Shrimp Cocktail?
Here are some delicious Mexican recipes, sides, main courses and desserts, that you can enjoy along with this recipe:
- Air Fryer Southwestern Roasted Corn - Perfectly sweet, tangy and spicy.
- Arroz Pina Colada - A simple, one step dessert recipe.
- Low Carb Stuffed Poblano Peppers - Delicious, low carb, and take under 30 minutes to make.
- Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa - Make this deliciously tender barbacoa recipe quickly in your Instant Pot.
- Instant Pot Tamale Pie - All of the taste of tamales but done in under an hour.
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos - Delicious shredded chicken tacos in just 30 minutes.
- Grapefruit Salad- a Creamy and Citrus summer salad recipe.
Whether you serve this as a starter, a side, or even as a full out low carb meal option, your sure to savor every bite of this delicious Mexican Shrimp Cocktail! Make sure to share this recipe with your friends on Pinterest and Facebook so they can enjoy it as well!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pico de Gallo:
- 1/2 Red Onion. chopped
- 2 Tomatoes
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 Jalapeño Peppers
- 3-4 tablespoons Cilantro
- 1 Avocado
For the Sauce:
- 1/8 cup Ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Cholula hot sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, or to taste
For the Shrimp
- 1/2 pound Shrimp, cooked, peeled, de-veined, and tails taken off
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Chop all pico de gallo ingredients (except avocado) into small cubes of uniform shape and size. I totally cheat and use a chopper to chop everything including the tomatoes. Just be sure to put the tomatoes skin side down and it will go through your onions, tomatoes, cucumber, jalapeno and yes, even the cilantro. I use this pull chopper or this push chopper and love them both!
- Mix all ingredients for the sauce.
- Mix sauce with chopped vegetables and shrimp and let it sit on the counter to let the flavors marry. If longer than 30 minutes, let it sit in the refrigerator.
- Serve and enjoy!
Shrimp Cocktail Tips And Tricks
- This is best if served chilled. The flavors will blend best if it's allowed to sit in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer before eating.
- Save time by using store-bought pico de gallo and boiled shrimp.
- Use parsley instead of cilantro if you don't like it.
- Omit the hot sauce to keep it from being spicy, or add more to kick it up a notch!
- The traditional way to eat this is with an oyster fork, but you can just dig in like I did with any old utensil you have laying around. Unless, of course, you're serving this to guests, then maybe the oyster fork is the way to go.
- Sometimes people will even use the cocktail as a sort of dip to scoop up with chips. If you're making it at home, you can eat it however sounds most delicious to you!
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Nutrition
Don't forget to check out my other Keto cookbooks.
Keto Instant Pot, Keto Fat Bombs, Sweets, & Treats, and Easy keto in 30 minutes.
Nadia
You can reduce the amount of carbs by using ketchup with no added sugars. Heinz has some! Came out great.
Ashley
If you don’t have precooked shrimp do you need to cook them first or do they cook in the lime juice?
Tra's VSG
Do you think this would work well with chunky salsa? I'm 2 weeks out and can't have uncooked veggies yet.
Two Sleevers
Yes absolutely. It will taste different of course but still should be good. Congrats on your surgery!
Two Sleevers
Hi Kirstin, the best way to do this is to decide portions based on the protein. So I'd say this makes 2 servings since each would include about 4 ounce of shrimp in it. I hope that helps!
Steve
There are alot of things missing from this. First thing being, just a way to rip off ceviche for everyone. Also, lime is the constant. It doesn't have to be the overwhelming flavor. Needs to be there. This is an appetizer. Looking to serve about 2 oz per person. Someone get something right. And its not keto because the ketchup is way too low. Buy keto ketchup and use. Trying to help the whole world here
Kirstin Marie Brashear
How much is considered a serving....the usual 1/2 cup for sleevers?