What Is Seafood cocktail sauce and How Can I Use It?

Seafood cocktail sauce is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 12 recipes to get you started.

Recipes using seafood cocktail sauce

There are 12 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Smorrebrod (Denmark)

A traditional Danish Smørrebrød spread with smoked salmon, shrimp, roast beef, ham, blue cheese, eggs and fresh fruit on rye bread. A stunning no-cook platter that feeds 12.

Smorrebrod (Denmark)

A traditional Danish Smørrebrød spread with smoked salmon, shrimp, roast beef, ham, blue cheese, eggs and fresh fruit on rye bread. A stunning no-cook platter that feeds 12.

Northfork Crab Meat

Butter-sauteed crab meat with tarragon vinegar, parsley, and garlic served with cocktail sauce and lemon. A simple Long Island-style crab dish ready in 15 minutes.

Seafood Coctail Salad

Seafood cocktail salad with shrimp, avocado, honeydew, cantaloupe, orange, and strawberries on lettuce, dressed with a tangy cocktail-sauce-and-salad-dressing mix. A light summer main course.

Cajun Catfish with Spicy Strawberry Sauce

Cornmeal-crusted Cajun catfish served over a sweet-and-spicy strawberry sauce made with preserves, horseradish, hot sauce, and red wine vinegar. A bold Southern fish dish that surprises.

Shrimp Ono Nui

Crispy coconut-crusted jumbo shrimp fried golden and served with a tangy pineapple cocktail dipping sauce. This Hawaiian-style appetizer is ready in 20 minutes and feeds a crowd.

Barbecued Short Ribs for Smoker

Beef short ribs marinated overnight in barbecue sauce, cocktail sauce, and white wine vinegar, then wood-smoked low and slow until tender. Includes charcoal, electric, and gas smoker instructions.

Fried Fish Balls

Crispy-fried fish balls loaded with trout, onions, and peppers make an impressive freezer-friendly appetizer that's perfect for cocktail parties or game day spreads.

Broiled Spicy Shark

Shark fillets marinated in lemon juice, fresh basil, garlic, chili sauce, and soy sauce, then broiled and drizzled with a reduced marinade glaze. Meaty, spicy, and full of punch.

Irish's Crab Butter

Crab butter dip with cream cheese, mayo, lemon, Worcestershire, and real crab meat, chilled and topped with cocktail sauce. A rich, no-cook party appetizer for crackers.

Creamy Shrimp Quiche

Creamy shrimp quiche with Swiss cheese and a surprising spoonful of cocktail sauce whisked into the custard for a tangy seafood lift. An elegant brunch or light dinner in a flaky crust.

Cold Seafood Pizza

Cold seafood pizza on a flaky crescent roll crust layered with dill cream cheese, cocktail sauce, shrimp, bell pepper, and scallions. A crowd-pleasing no-heat appetizer for parties.

All 12 recipes