San Antonio Seafood Cocktail

Three ingredients turn standard cocktail sauce into something with a Tex-Mex kick. Equal parts picante sauce and ketchup with a squeeze of fresh lemon create a dipping sauce that’s tangy, sweet, and spicy all at once. It’s the kind of thing you’d find at a San Antonio patio party served with a platter of chilled seafood and a stack of cocktail picks.

The picante sauce (or chunky salsa) replaces the horseradish in a traditional cocktail sauce, bringing tomato chunks, peppers, and onion along with the heat. Mixed with ketchup, it mellows into something that pairs with any cold seafood: shrimp, scallops, crab meat, or a combination platter of all three.

Chill the sauce before serving. Cold sauce against cold seafood is the whole point, and the flavors blend better after resting in the fridge.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a thick, chunky picante sauce or salsa. Thin, watery salsa makes a runny cocktail sauce
• Adjust the heat by choosing mild, medium, or hot picante sauce based on your crowd
• Fresh lemon juice is a must here. Bottled juice tastes flat and metallic next to fresh
• Arrange the seafood on a leaf lettuce-lined platter around the bowl of sauce for easy party serving

Variations

• Avocado addition: Stir in diced avocado for a creamier, guacamole-inspired cocktail sauce
• Cilantro lime: Add chopped fresh cilantro and extra lime juice for a brighter, more Mexican flavor
• Spicy upgrade: Stir in a few dashes of hot sauce or a minced chipotle pepper for serious heat