A vibrant twist on the classic cocktail sauce, this Cocktail Sauce without Horseradish is perfect for all your seafood needs! With only a few simple ingredients, you'll have a zesty sauce in no time!
Have you ever wanted to make something and you go to the pantry or refrigerator and realize you don't have an ingredient? It's the worst! You go to the refrigerate to make pancakes but realize you don't have milk, so you have to make pancakes without milk. While they are still amazing, it's not what you wanted to originally make.
This easy recipe is made with only ketchup, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. All ingredients that are likely already in your kitchen!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's made with only a few simple ingredients. Like I mentioned above, you only need a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen to make this homemade cocktail sauce recipe!
- It can be made ahead of time! Make this easy cocktail sauce recipe up to 24 hours ahead of time. Keep it covered in the refrigerator and bring it out when you are ready to serve it.
- It's easy to make! You don't have to go to the store and buy cocktail sauce, make your own cocktail sauce! This dipping sauce is so easy to make in your own house!
Ingredients in Cocktail Sauce Without Horseradish
- Ketchup. I like finding a ketchup that does not have high fructose corn syrup in it and that has a pretty low sugar content. Keep in mind that ketchup is pretty loaded with sugar, but if you can find one without added sugar, that's the way to go.
- Seasonings. Chili powder, garlic powder, and salt will all be used.
- Fresh lemon juice. Lemon juice gives this dipping sauce a tangy flavor that elevates it to the next level.
- Worcestershire Sauce. Does anyone actually know how to pronounce this sauce? I sure don't! But it is always in my refrigerator just in case I need to make a Bloody Mary or cocktail sauce.
- Hot sauce. Use your favorite hot sauce. We are only using a few dashes of hot sauce though. If you like spicy flavors or a really spicy cocktail sauce add more hot sauce or a really spicy sauce.
See printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.
Step By Step Instructions
Tips and Tricks
- Sometimes cocktail sauce is made with chili sauce. I prefer mine with ketchup, but if you prefer chili sauce, feel free to use that!
- To make this a keto cocktail sauce, make sure that your ketchup is keto and or a sugar-free ketchup.
- For a more intense garlic flavor, grate fresh garlic in the sauce instead of garlic powder.
- Soy sauce can be added instead of salt to give a more depth of flavor too! Wasabi paste will intensify the spice but also give a more Asian flavor to this delicious sauce.
- For a more intense tomato flavor, mix in a tablespoon of tomato paste.
What To Serve With Cocktail Sauce Without Horseradish
- Fresh shrimp is obviously what you think of when you think of this seafood sauce! One of our favorite appetizers is Instant Pot Steamed Shrimp and dipping them in this homemade shrimp cocktail sauce no horseradish recipe.
- Crab cakes, salmon, or fried fish are all perfect to serve with this delicious seafood sauce.
- Zucchini fritte can be dipped in this homemade sauce too!
- Fresh raw oysters or fresh raw clams can be topped with a little bit of this sauce too! Don't forget the squeeze of lemon!
Storage Tips
The longer this homemade shrimp cocktail sauce sits in the refrigerator, the better! The flavors will meld together to make a more intense sauce if it sits in the refrigerator for a long time. Keep the sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days before you need to serve it.
You can also freeze this sauce! To freeze it, separate it into an ice cube tray and cover it. This will also freeze great in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months before you need to use it. When you are ready to use it, take out the sauce and place it in the refrigerator until it defrosts.
Questions About Cocktail Sauce Without Horseradish
If your cocktail sauce congeals or gels, it's because of the acid in the horseradish and the pectin from the tomato sauce in the ketchup. Since we do not have horseradish in this recipe, you don't have to worry about it congealing.
Yes! This recipe is vegan as long as the Worcestershire sauce is vegan. Ketchup is usually always vegan, but it's good to read the ingredients.
Yes! It is naturally gluten free. Make sure that you are readying the ingredients to make sure that wheat is not included in the ketchup or the Worcestershire sauce.
More Homemade Sauces
Did you make this recipe and love it?
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📖 Recipe
Cocktail Sauce Without Horseradish
Ingredients
- ½ cup Ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Hot Sauce 4 Dashes
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
- This makes about ¾ cup of sauce. Feel free to double or triple this recipe is you have pounds of shrimp that you are making for a large crowd.
- Sometimes cocktail sauce is made with chili sauce. I prefer mine with ketchup, but if you prefer chili sauce, feel free to use that!
- To make this a keto cocktail sauce, make sure that your ketchup is keto and or a sugar-free ketchup.
- For a more intense garlic flavor, grate fresh garlic in the sauce instead of garlic powder.
Kristin says
A good cocktail sauce is everything. Delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
H says
I used jalapeno ketchup and black pepper ketchup and didn't have any citrus, so a dash of apple cider vinegar and a 3 finger pinch of brown sugar. Even with the subs, it is the bomb dot com, better than any other cocktail sauce I've had!