Shrimp Cocktail is perhaps one of the most popular appetizer recipes ever. This post will provide you with a perfect shrimp cocktail sauce recipe, along with how to serve shrimp cocktail. A fun and easy presentation idea.
Nothing like a big ol’ platter of shrimp cocktail on the back deck on a Summer evening. And if you’re wondering how to serve shrimp cocktail to a group, check out my favorite serving presentation.
- Simply dig out your favorite large serving platter. Oval, square, round, any large platter will work.
- In a large bowl, place a fist full of arugula.
- Drizzle the arugula with 1/4 cup of olive and juice of 1/2 lemon.
- Add salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
- Using tongs toss the arugula to blend the oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
- Arrange the peppery arugula on your serving plate. Top with cooked shrimp and additional lemon wedges for garnish and for squeezing.
- Place the bowl of shrimp cocktail sauce to the side and serve.
The crisp arugula seems perfect on the palate as a chaser for that bite of shrimp that’s been dipped in the flavor explosion of a great cocktail sauce.
I must say, I’m partial to my shrimp cocktail sauce recipe. For us, it’s the perfect combination. Sweet with catsup, tangy with a bite of horseradish and a little Snap-E-Tom Juice thrown in goes well with the horseradish. Every time I serve this, I’m asked for the recipe.
- Arugula
- Cooked Shrimp
- Ketchup
- Lemons
- Snap-e-tom Juice, Tomato Juice, or Spicy V-8
- Prepared Horseradish
- Worcestershire Sauce
How To Make Shrimp Cocktail Sauce – It’s Easy.
- Step 1: Simply combine all ingredients into to small bowl.
- Step 2: Use a whisk to combine well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Shrimp Cocktail Recipe and Presentation
I hope you give this arugula salad shrimp cocktail presentation idea a try. It’s a great way to serve shrimp cocktail, adding some bulk to the appetizer. The flavors of the peppery arugula tossed with lemon and olive oil are a wonderful partner for sweet shrimp.
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How to Serve Shrimp Cocktail and Shrimp Cocktail Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound Shrimp cooked, peeled, deveined, tails left on
- For The Arugula Salad
- 1 bunch Arugula 1 fist full
- 1/4 cup olive oil good quality
- 1/2 lemon for juice
- Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
- For the Cocktail Sauce
- 1/2 Cup Catsup
- 2 heaping teaspoons horseradish — prepared or more to taste.
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel grated
- 1/4 Cup Snap-E-Tom Juice or Spicy V-8 or Clamato Juice
- 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Pepper
Instructions
- For the shrimp: In a pot of water, add several stalks of fresh parsley. Cut a lemon in half, squeeze the juice into the water and then add the lemons. Toss in one bay leaf and a small stalk of celery with leaves. Salt the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Turn up heat until boiling, add shrimp and boil until pink. That's 1 – 3 minutes depending on size of shrimp. With a slotted spoon, remove shrimp to a plate and pat dry. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Peel and devein.
- For The Cocktail Sauce: Simply combine all ingredients into to small bowl and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- For The Arugula Salad Serving Base: In a large bowl, place 2 fist full of arugula. Drizzle the arugula with 1/4 cup of olive and juice of 1/2 lemon.Add salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.Using tongs toss the arugula to blend the oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
- Arrange arugula salad on your favorite large serving platter.
- Arrange cooked shrimp on the platter along with several wedges of lemon for garnish and squeezing.
- Place bowl of shrimp cocktail sauce amongst the salad and shrimp.
Notes
Nutrition
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
I remember seeing this presentation on Vickie’s blog – it looks just perfect! I love the little serving dish with the birdies 🙂
I love that little serving dish with the birds too. Wish I would have bought 10 of them. They would have made great gifts.
Is that a society garlic flower?
Two of my favorite movies (Blazing Saddles and Big Lebowski?)
I’m a big Big Lebowski fan Chris.
Wonderful idea of serving the shrimp over arugula and I love your serving plate!
Thank you! I stopped by Hobby Lobby yesterday to see if they had more. GONE! Darnit. I’ve had so many compliments and it was so cheap I was hoping to find some for gifts.
What a great idea to serve it over arugula. Now why would I think you of all people would like arugula (smile)? Beautiful presentation Lea Ann. Only problem is that I could eat the whole platter. We like cocktail sauce with a kick too.
Sam
Yum, we love cocktail sauce with a good horseradish kick to it. I admired Vickie’s presentation too and will use a plate of arugula too the next time I serve shrimp this way. Your serving dish is very pretty, Lea Ann.
Thanks Cathy!
This looks so good and I do love the idea of serving it over dressed arugula. Yum! We are headed up for a family picnic at Rocky Mountain Nat’l Forest today. I don’t think my food will be quite as elegant as yours but I’m sure that the scenery will make up for it.
Have a fabulous day trip Karen. RMNP is so beautiful.
Wow- not even sure where to start! Both of your flora photos are a.maz.ing! I had to go back up and enlarge that first one to see the little bee – frameable art! And that shrimp sauce sounds delicious – and your photos really captured the fresh deliciousness of the dish. And speaking of dish – you should probably hide that one when I come your way. Beyond cute. I’m still laughing at Nancy’s line. I’m going to use it and nobody will understand what the heck I’m talking about. (whatev)
Really great post, LA!
And thank you so much for the shout out! 😉
You’re welcome! 🙂
And about that dish…I’m sure you saw my reply to Russ. Hobby Lobby, should have gotten 10 of them. Inexpensive and would make great gifts.
One of these days I’ll get a lens for my camera that will get a shot of that bee! Thanks for all the compliments Vickie. I’m so enjoying your idea of that shrimp and arugula. Had it again last night for dinner. Nice and summery and with all the heat we’ve had it sure was a nice no-cook meal.
You live in such a gorgeous place and make such beautiful things.
Thanks Greg!
I love that serving tray with the birds. Very cool.
Thanks Russ, I love that serving tray too. It’s quite large and they had a smaller one just like it with only one bird. Cheap at Hobby Lobby. I kick myself for not getting both. :/ It’s metal and a dark gray/brown.
LOL, Lea Ann!! Yes I was confused and it was hilarious! Thanks to my handy iPhone we were able to sort it all out. Yesterday some newscaster said “We don’t need no stinkin’ ” (can’t remember what we didn’t need as I was too busy laughing). You had to be there 😉
You speak the truth – this cocktail sauce was amazing!!! I encourage everyone to give it a try. And, btw – the first picture here may be my favorite from the trip. 🙂 Those grasses were beautiful and love how you caught them with the flowers.
I laugh everytime I think about it. And with that priceless awkward pause of silence after you said it … and then Neal pointing out that you had confused two quotes … LOL. Best that husbands point out that kind of stuff. 🙂 And what’s really funny, I don’t even remember why you said it. I mean we were at the grocery store???!!
I’m fond of that photo too. And with that little bee in the middle.
Ah- now that you said we were at the grocery store I think I remember – Had something to do with “We don’t need no stinkin’ aluminum foil” LOL!!
LOL .. and we did NOT need no stinkin aluminum foil!