Shrimp cocktail is a classic appetizer that has been popular for decades. The combination of tender, juicy shrimp with a zesty cocktail sauce is hard to resist! However, traditional cocktail sauce recipes are loaded with sugar, which can make this dish off-limits for those following a keto diet.
So, is shrimp cocktail sauce keto friendly? The answer is that it can be if you make some simple substitutions. In this article we’ll take a detailed look at how to make shrimp cocktail keto-approved, from the shrimp itself to low-carb cocktail sauces.
An Overview of Shrimp Cocktail
A shrimp cocktail typically consists of chilled, cooked shrimp served with a tomato-based cocktail sauce for dipping. The shrimp are usually chilled on a bed of ice to keep them cold. Cocktail sauce recipes vary, but common ingredients include ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and sometimes mayonnaise.
Shrimp cocktail emerged as an appetizer in the late 19th century in the United States. One early recipe for shrimp cocktail was created by chef Charles Ranhofer in 1876. His recipe called for poaching shrimp in a court bouillon, chilling them, and then marinating the shrimp in tarragon vinegar before serving with a sauce on the side.
These days, shrimp cocktail remains a popular appetizer. It’s easy to prepare yet feels fancy enough to serve at parties. The only problem is that the traditional cocktail sauce is loaded with sugar, which can kick you out of ketosis.
Luckily we have some simple substitutions to make shrimp cocktail keto friendly!
Choosing Keto-Friendly Shrimp
The first step in making shrimp cocktail keto-friendly is choosing the right shrimp. Here are some tips:
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Opt for wild-caught shrimp – Farm-raised shrimp tend to have a less favorable nutritional profile Wild-caught shrimp have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids
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Remove the tails – The tails add extra carbs so go for peeled and deveined tail-off shrimp.
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Watch the shrimp size – Larger shrimp tend to be lower in carbs by weight than smaller shrimp. Jumbo and colossal shrimp are great keto choices.
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Avoid breaded shrimp – You’ll often see cocktail shrimp coated in breadcrumbs. Avoid these and opt for plain shrimp to limit carbs.
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Cook it simply – Boil, grill, or pan sear your shrimp in a keto-approved fat like olive oil or avocado oil. Avoid heavy sauces.
Follow these tips and your shrimp will be naturally keto friendly! Now let’s talk about the sauce…
Making Keto Cocktail Sauce
The sauce is what makes or breaks a shrimp cocktail. Traditional cocktail sauce gets its sweetness from ketchup or chili sauce, which are packed with sugar and off-limits on keto.
Luckily, we can make some easy swaps to ketofy cocktail sauce:
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Use no-sugar-added ketchup – Brands like Heinz make ketchup sweetened with sucralose instead of sugar. Use this as the base of your sauce.
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Swap in tomato paste – For an even lower carb option, swap ketchup for unsweetened tomato paste thinned with vinegar.
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Boost flavor with horseradish – Freshly grated horseradish adds a nice kick. Add 2-3 tablespoons per 1 cup of sauce.
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Season with lemon and hot sauce – Lemon juice and a dash of hot sauce also amp up the flavor.
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Thicken with xanthan gum – If needed, use a small amount of xanthan gum to thicken no-sugar ketchup.
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Skip the mayo – Most cocktail sauces include mayonnaise, which can add unnecessary fat and calories.
Follow these substitutions and you’ll end up with a zesty low-carb cocktail sauce perfect for your shrimp!
Here’s a sample keto-friendly cocktail sauce recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup no-sugar-added ketchup
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Dash hot sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
Instructions:
- Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Let chill for 30 minutes to thicken slightly before serving.
This sauce pairs perfectly with chilled shrimp for a keto appetizer everyone will love.
Additional Keto-Friendly Dipping Sauces
While cocktail sauce is the classic choice, there are plenty of other keto-approved sauces that pair well with shrimp:
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Pesto mayonnaise – Combine 1/2 cup primal kitchen mayo with 1/4 cup pesto.
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Sriracha mayo – Whisk sriracha into mayo. Add a squeeze of lime.
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Horseradish cream – Fold prepared horseradish into full-fat sour cream.
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Mustard sauce – Mix Dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings.
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Garlic butter – Melt butter with minced garlic, lemon juice, chili flakes and parsley.
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Guacamole – Skip the tomatoes and mash avocado with lime, cilantro and diced onion.
With any of these sauces, you can turn basic boiled shrimp into an exciting keto-friendly appetizer. Get creative with your seasonings and ingredients!
Tips for Low-Carb Shrimp Cocktail
Here are some final tips for keeping your shrimp cocktail low in carbs:
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Skip the crackers – Don’t ruin your shrimp with starchy crackers on the side. Enjoy them on their own.
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Watch your portion sizes – Stick to 4-6 oz shrimp per serving to keep carbs moderate.
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Add veggie crudites – For crunch, serve with raw veggie sticks like celery and peppers.
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Top a salad – Toss shrimp with lemon vinaigrette and pile them atop a bed of greens.
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Skewer them – Make shrimp skewers brushed with sauce for a hand-held appetizer.
Shrimp cocktail can absolutely be part of a keto diet. A 6 oz serving of shrimp contains around 1 gram of carbs. By pairing it with a homemade low-carb cocktail sauce, you can enjoy this classic appetizer while staying in ketosis.
Whip up a batch of keto shrimp cocktail for your next party or whenever you’re craving a refreshing appetizer! Your guests will be impressed with how you’ve lightened up this classic dish without losing any of the flavor.
This Keto Shrimp Cocktail with 3 Sauces takes the classic shrimp cocktail appetizer of the 90’s to the next level! Sweet, succulent shrimp with your choice of any or all of these 3 keto friendly dipping sauces that can be made in advance in just minutes? What’s not to like about that?
I LOVE SHRIMP. There. I said it. As far as I’m concerned, there is nothing bad about shrimp. I love the texture and subtle flavor of them hot or cold. They’re also cute, and with their tails still on, they make great finger foods with a built-in handle, amiright?
If you are allergic to shellfish, I’m sorry you can’t enjoy this recipe. And finally, these dipping sauces are great for a lot of different things. You can use them to dip vegetables or even chicken tenders.
Sometimes Mr. I just want to eat a bunch of cold shrimp with these sauces for dinner because I’m hungry. On other occasions, I’ll make a salad, add a lot of cooked shrimp, and dress it with the spicy Sriracha dipping sauce.
Most of the time, though, I make this keto shrimp cocktail as an appetizer for friends or when we pack a cooler and head out on the boat to fish or to our favorite beach on a nearby island that is out of the way. This Keto Shrimp Cocktail with 3 sauces is the perfect beach picnic food!.
Should be enough to make you fully on board with this keto shrimp cocktail idea. Let’s talk about the sauces now.
Here’s a classic cocktail sauce with lots of sour horseradish, but none of the added sugar and carbs you’d find in most sauces. This sauce doesn’t have much fat like the shrimp or the cocktail sauce, so use it the least of the three. Or, eat it with something fatty to keep your keto macros in check, with fat being the main macro and protein being the secondary.
The second sauce is more keto friendly as it’s a pesto mayonnaise containing lots of fat. This is my favorite sauce out of the three. It’s rich and full of flavor, and it goes great with cold shrimp or even lobster. You can also mix it with chopped cooked chicken to make an easy chicken salad. Super versatile, if you’re a fan of basil pesto then you’ll love this one.
However, the third sauce is a bit thinner and has a sweet and spicy kick from the Sriracha hot sauce. It is also made with mayonnaise. I love this one as a salad dressing, but it complements the sweet shrimp perfectly as well. This sauce is great for dipping fish sticks or crispy chicken tenders. You can find a version of this recipe in my cookbook, Keto for Life, along with my recipe for pecan-crusted chicken tenders that go well with it. ).
Because of this, this keto shrimp cocktail with 3 sauces is a great choice whether you’re going to the beach, the pool, or just want a quick and easy keto appetizer, lunch, or dinner that you can make in minutes.
Keto Cocktail Sauce Recipe | Keto Shrimp Cocktail Sauce
Is shrimp cocktail sauce keto friendly?
This keto cocktail sauce is a great way to add flavor to your favorite low carb seafood recipes without sacrificing taste. If you need some inspiration to use this keto friendly shrimp cocktail sauce, why not try our boiled shrimp recipe, these homemade crab cakes (low carb adaptation included), or this delicious seafood boil?
How do you make a keto shrimp cocktail?
Perfect for picnics on the beach, or anytime, this Keto Shrimp Cocktail has 3 versatile sauces to choose from! Place the shrimp in a serving bowl on a bed of ice to keep it cold. Serve with one or all of the 3 sauces below. Combine all of the cocktail sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir well.
Can you make a shrimp cocktail without sugar?
You can also find us on Facebook, and Pinterest. A simple sugar-free cocktail sauce for making shrimp cocktail or serving with other seafood. In addition to being made without sugar, it’s Whole30, paleo, keto, and low carb. In a small bowl combine the sugar-free ketchup, horseradish sauce, fresh lemon juice, hot sauce, and Worchestershire sauce.
Can you make ketchup with shrimp?
Serve with seafood and enjoy! *If you don’t have an emulsion blender, you can combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well blended. Keto cocktail sauce is the perfect condiment to have on hand when shrimp is on the menu. The richness of homemade ketchup takes the flavor level up a notch.