Oven-Roasted Shrimp Cocktail Recipe
A shrimp cocktail is as decadent and fancy as it sounds, right? Well, if there's a better way to start a meal, we haven't found it. Plus, there are health benefits to this fanciful cocktail. Shrimp derives about 80 percent of its calories from protein, making it one of the leanest sources of the belly-filling, metabolism-revving macronutrient. Yet, of course, when you order a shrimp cocktail at a restaurant, it can come with quite a few pitfalls and health danger zones. The problem is, eating shrimp cocktail outside of the house is a recipe for sodium overload, as restaurants tend to turn cocktail sauce into a saline solution. In our version, we cut back on the salt by making a fiery homemade cocktail sauce and improve matters with the shrimp by skipping the pre-cooked store-bought kind (most of which are pretty disappointing tasting) in favor of quickly oven-roasting fresh crustaceans tossed in Old Bay seasoning. The only thing this recipe is missing is a frosty beer, but we had a feeling you might have a few waiting for you in the fridge.
Nutrition: 180 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 620 mg sodium
Serves 4
You'll Need
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp olive oil
1⁄2 tsp Old Bay seasoning (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1⁄2 cup ketchup
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
1 Tbsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- On a baking sheet, toss the shrimp with the olive oil, Old Bay (if using), and salt and pepper. Bake for about 5 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and just firm.
- While the shrimp cook, combine the ketchup, lemon juice, horseradish, and sriracha.
- Taste and adjust the spice level to your preference. Serve with the shrimp.
Eat This Tip
How to devein shrimp
The vein running down the back of the shrimp is actually its digestive tract, so removing it is a pretty good idea before cooking. Luckily, it's also super simple.
Step 1: Peel off the shrimp shell and legs.
Step 2: Make an incision down the back of the shrimp.
Step 3: Remove the vein with a knife or your hands.
This recipe (and hundreds more!) came from one of our Cook This, Not That! books. For more easy cooking ideas, you can also buy the book!
