Zesty Low-Carb Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Cups are fresh, chilled, colorful, and full of bright flavor. Tender cooked shrimp are tossed with tomato, cucumber, red onion, jalapeño, lime, and a tangy tomato-based cocktail sauce, then served over crunchy purple cabbage.
A creamy avocado cilantro drizzle adds richness without making the recipe heavy. These shrimp cocktail cups are perfect for warm days, parties, appetizers, light lunches, or anytime you want something refreshing and satisfying.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe is quick, easy, and served cold, which makes it great for prepping ahead. There is no cooking required if you start with cooked shrimp, so everything comes together with simple chopping, mixing, chilling, and assembling.
You’ll also love the mix of textures. The shrimp cocktail is juicy and zesty, the cabbage slaw adds crunch, and the avocado sauce makes every bite creamy and flavorful.
Ingredients
For the shrimp cocktail:
- 1 lb / 450 g cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, chopped if large
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1/2 cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped, optional
- 1 cup tomato juice or Clamato
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For the cabbage slaw:
- 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 1 tbsp lime juice
For the avocado drizzle:
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tbsp lime juice
How to Make It
Pat the cooked shrimp dry with paper towels and place them in a large mixing bowl. If the shrimp are large, chop them into bite-sized pieces.
Add the diced tomato, cucumber, red onion, and jalapeño if using. Gently toss everything together.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the tomato juice or Clamato, ketchup, fresh lime juice, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
Pour the sauce over the shrimp and vegetables. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes so the flavors can blend.
In another bowl, toss the shredded purple cabbage with lime juice. This creates a simple crunchy slaw for the bottom of the cups.
Blend the avocado, sour cream or Greek yogurt, cilantro, and lime juice until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick to drizzle, add a small splash of water or lime juice to loosen it.
To assemble, add the cabbage slaw to serving cups. Spoon the chilled shrimp cocktail over the cabbage, then drizzle generously with the creamy avocado sauce. Serve cold with lime wedges if desired.
Cooking Tips and Serving Ideas
Pat the shrimp dry before mixing so the cocktail sauce stays fresh and flavorful instead of watery.
For a lower-carb option, use no-sugar-added ketchup and tomato juice instead of sweeter cocktail-style mixes. If using Clamato, taste before adding extra salt because it can already be seasoned.
Dice the vegetables small so every spoonful has shrimp, crunch, and sauce. If you like extra heat, leave some seeds in the jalapeño or add a few dashes of hot sauce.
Serve these cups in small glasses, clear appetizer cups, lettuce cups, or bowls. They are great for parties, meal prep lunches, summer dinners, or a light starter before grilled chicken, steak, or seafood.
How to Store and Prep Ahead
Store the shrimp cocktail mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep the cabbage slaw and avocado sauce separate until ready to serve for the best texture.
The avocado drizzle is best the same day it is made, but you can store it in a covered container with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to help reduce browning.
To prep ahead, chop the vegetables, mix the cocktail sauce, shred the cabbage, and chill the shrimp separately. Assemble the cups shortly before serving so the cabbage stays crisp.
Common Questions Answered
Can I use frozen cooked shrimp?
Yes. Thaw the shrimp completely, pat them very dry, and remove the tails before mixing.
Can I use raw shrimp instead?
Yes, but cook and chill the shrimp first. Boil, steam, or sauté the shrimp until pink and cooked through, then cool completely before making the cocktail cups.
Is this recipe spicy?
It can be mild or spicy depending on the jalapeño. Remove the seeds for a milder flavor, or add more jalapeño or hot sauce for extra heat.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes. Replace the sour cream or Greek yogurt with dairy-free yogurt, dairy-free sour cream, or a little extra avocado blended with lime juice.
Can I serve this without cups?
Yes. You can serve it in a large bowl over cabbage slaw, in lettuce cups, or as a chilled shrimp salad.
Print
Zesty Low-Carb Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Cups
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Fresh, zesty, and served cold, these low-carb Mexican shrimp cocktail cups are made with tender cooked shrimp, tomato, cucumber, red onion, jalapeño, a tangy lime tomato sauce, crunchy purple cabbage, and a creamy avocado cilantro drizzle. They are perfect for appetizers, parties, meal prep lunches, or a light refreshing dinner.
Ingredients
1. 1 lb / 450 g cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, and chopped into bite-sized pieces if large
2. 1 medium tomato, diced
3. 1/2 cucumber, diced
4. 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
5. 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped, optional
6. 1 cup tomato juice or Clamato
7. 1/3 cup ketchup, preferably no-sugar-added for a lower-carb option
8. 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, for the shrimp cocktail sauce
9. 1/2 tsp salt
10. 1/4 tsp black pepper
11. 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
12. 1 tbsp lime juice, for the cabbage slaw
13. 1 ripe avocado
14. 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
15. 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
16. 1 tbsp lime juice, for the avocado drizzle
17. Lime wedges, optional, for serving
Instructions
1. Pat the cooked shrimp dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Place the shrimp in a large mixing bowl.
2. If the shrimp are large, chop them into bite-sized pieces so they are easier to spoon into serving cups.
3. Add the diced tomato, diced cucumber, finely diced red onion, and jalapeño if using.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the tomato juice or Clamato, ketchup, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
5. Pour the tomato-lime sauce over the shrimp and vegetables.
6. Gently toss until the shrimp and vegetables are evenly coated in the sauce.
7. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to let the flavors blend.
8. While the shrimp cocktail chills, add the shredded purple cabbage to a bowl.
9. Toss the cabbage with 1 tbsp lime juice until lightly coated. Set aside.
10. Add the ripe avocado, sour cream or Greek yogurt, chopped cilantro, and 1 tbsp lime juice to a blender or food processor.
11. Blend until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick to drizzle, add a small splash of water or lime juice and blend again.
12. Add a layer of lime-tossed purple cabbage to the bottom of each serving cup.
13. Spoon the chilled shrimp cocktail mixture over the cabbage.
14. Drizzle each cup generously with the creamy avocado cilantro sauce.
15. Serve cold with lime wedges if desired.
Notes
Use cooked shrimp to keep this recipe quick and no-cook. If using frozen cooked shrimp, thaw completely and pat dry before mixing. For a lower-carb version, choose no-sugar-added ketchup and check the label on the tomato juice or Clamato. Add hot sauce or extra jalapeño for more heat.
Serving Suggestions
Serve cold in appetizer cups, small glasses, lettuce cups, or bowls. These shrimp cocktail cups pair well with lime wedges, sliced avocado, cucumber rounds, low-carb tortillas, grilled vegetables, or a fresh green salad.
Storage
Store the shrimp cocktail mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store the cabbage slaw and avocado drizzle separately for the best texture. Assemble the cups shortly before serving so the cabbage stays crisp and the avocado sauce stays fresh.
Nutrition
Estimated nutrition per serving: 255 calories, 12 g fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 9 g net carbs, 25 g protein, 6 g sugar, and 890 mg sodium. Nutrition is approximate and may vary based on the ketchup, tomato juice or Clamato, and sour cream or Greek yogurt used.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Lunch, Seafood
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
