Go Back Email Link
Shrimp Cocktail Spanish Style

Shrimp Cocktail Spanish Style 🦐 🇪🇸

An 80s recipe that is now famous all over the world, a classic shrimp cocktail, Spanish-style. Plump juicy shrimp served on a bed of salad and smothered in a sherry-infused cocktail sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Appetizer, seafood, Side Dish, tapas
Cuisine American, Mediterranean, Seafood, Spain
Servings 6 tapas
Calories 348 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Sieve or strainer
  • large mixing bowl
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Short Glasses (for serving)

Ingredients

For the shrimp cocktail

  • 21 oz. 600g cooked whole Shrimp
  • Lettuce leaves shredded
  • 3-4 small pink radishes cut into thin rounds
  • 3.5 oz. 100g shredded purple cabbage (for some color and crunch)
  • A dusting of Sweet paprika approx ½ tsp for serving
  • 1 Tbsp Capers

Shrimp Cocktail sauce

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp Sweet Sherry I used Pedro Ximénez Sherry
  • 1 large hard-boiled egg
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ½ tsp caper juice plus some capers for garnish
  • 1 Tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Step 1 - Prepare the cocktail sauce

  • Hard-boil an egg and once it has cooled, dice the egg white and yolk. We loosely diced our egg for a more chunky sauce consistency.
    1 large hard-boiled egg
  • Add the diced egg to a small mixing bowl.
  • Add all the remaining cocktail sauce ingredients to a small bowl.
    1 Tbsp Capers, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp Sweet Sherry, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, ½ tsp caper juice, 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Mix well with a fork or whisk.

Step 2 - Prepare the Salad

  • Shred lettuce and add to a large bowl.
    Lettuce leaves
  • Add the shaved purple cabbage and thinly sliced radishes.
    3.5 oz. 100g shredded purple cabbage (for some color and crunch), 3-4 small pink radishes
  • Mix well

Step 3 - Prepare Shrimp

  • Note: To save time, we used whole cooked shrimp for this recipe.
  • Remove the head and tail shells from the shrimp.
    21 oz. 600g cooked whole Shrimp
  • Optionally, leave the stub of the tail shell intact for easier eating.
  • Devein shrimp, then rinse and pat dry.

Step 4 - Arrange and serve

  • In a small glass (or plate), arrange a bed of salad, then add the shrimp and smother with lots of the cocktail sauce. Garnish with a few capers, a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley, and a dusting of Spanish sweet paprika.
    A dusting of Sweet paprika
  • Serve with toothpicks or cocktail forks.

Notes

Cooking Tips:

Prepared shrimp:
Save a ton of time by using cooked (prepared shrimp) for this recipe. Look for shrimp/prawns that have been cooked fresh and still have their shells on. Then, all that is needed to do is peel the shrimp, and you’re good to go! 
Make the cocktail sauce in advance:
The cocktail sauce is always best made in advance and refrigerated for a few hours. This really helps the flavors to meld and offers a more flavorful sauce. The sauce can be made up to 24 hours in advance and should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. 
Optional Ingredients for the sauce:
Serving options:
Spanish-style Shrimp cocktail is usually served as tapas and is served ‘para picar’ (to share) for 2-4 people on a single plate or platter with some small forks or toothpicks. Optionally, small single servings can be made by using a small glass or bowl and then layering the lettuce, shrimp, and sauce on top. 
Pedro Ximénez Sherry Substituted for Brandy: 
The original recipe by Penelope Casas uses brandy, but I find it too potent and have opted for a sweeter flavor provided by the Pedro Ximénez Sherry. For me, it is a better option.
Keyword 15-minute-meal, Cocktail Sauce, Prawn cocktail, prawns, seafood, shrimp, Shrimp cocktail