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Cocktail Sauce

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sauces & condiments•american•contains fish
20 minutes•1.5 cups•

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup prepared horseradish – excess liquid drained
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice – freshly squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper – freshly ground
Cocktail Sauce

Instructions

1. Drain any excess liquid from the prepared horseradish so it doesn’t thin the sauce.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, drained horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce until smooth and evenly combined.

3. Season with the kosher salt and black pepper, whisking to incorporate; adjust heat and acidity to taste.

4. Cover and chill 10–30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Stir before serving.

Cocktail sauce is a bright, tangy, and spicy cold condiment built on a tomato base sharpened with pungent horseradish. It balances sweetness from ketchup with lemony acidity and a savory depth from Worcestershire, while hot sauce adds a clean, peppery kick. The texture is smooth and spoonable, designed to cling to chilled seafood without overwhelming it.

It rose to fame in the United States alongside the shrimp cocktail, where the bracing heat of horseradish cut through the richness of shellfish. By the mid-twentieth century, it had become a steakhouse and supper-club staple, served with shrimp, crab, oysters, and clams. While related sauces exist elsewhere—such as the mayo-based Marie Rose in the UK—the American tomato–horseradish profile defines classic cocktail sauce.