Crazy Simple Homemade Cocktail Sauce with Just 2 Ingredients

This homemade cocktail sauce takes just two ingredients:  ketchup and grated horseradish. Stir them together, taste, and add more horseradish if you like extra heat. That’s all there is to it.

Serve it with shrimp, fried fish, crab cakes, or a fish sandwich. It’s also a great dip for French fries and hush puppies.

My mom taught me how to make this sauce when I was a teenager. It’s so simple and so delicious that there’s no need to make it more complex.

I like mine spicy. I use 2 tablespoons of horseradish, and sometimes a bit more, for every ½ cup of ketchup. If you like a mild sauce, start with 1 tablespoon. You can always add more.

Quick recipe: Mix ½ cup ketchup with 1 tablespoon grated horseradish. Taste, then add up to another tablespoon—or more—to suit your taste. Serve with your favorite seafood.

Why You’ll Love This Cocktail Sauce

A good sauce can turn a simple meal into something you look forward to. This one gives you a sweet tomato base with a sharp kick of horseradish.

Here’s why it’s worth making:

• Just two ingredients. You need ketchup and grated horseradish.
• No cooking. Mix it in a small bowl with a spoon.
• Heat you can control. Make it mild, spicy, or somewhere in between.
• A small batch. Mix only what you need for your meal.
• Easy to scale. Double or triple it for a crowd.
• Lots of ways to serve it. It works with seafood, fries, and fried cornbread.

You don’t need a blender, a food processor, or a long list of spices. If the horseradish is already grated, the only real work is to measure and stir.

That makes it a handy recipe for a quick fish dinner. It’s just as useful when you need one more dip for a party.

What Is Cocktail Sauce?

Cocktail sauce is a tomato-based sauce with horseradish that is often served with seafood. The ketchup gives it sweetness and tang. The horseradish adds its sharp, spicy bite.

Some recipes use lemon juice, hot sauce, or Worcestershire sauce. My version keeps it simple with just ketchup and horseradish.

Those two ingredients give me the flavor I want without any extra steps. The best part is that I can change the heat each time I make it. If you’ve only had bottled cocktail sauce, try a small bowl of this version. You may find that the easy mix is all you need.

The Two Ingredients You Need

Ketchup

Use ½ cup of your favorite ketchup.

Since ketchup is the base of the sauce, choose one you enjoy on its own. Its flavor will still come through once you add the horseradish.

You don’t need a special brand for this recipe. Use what you keep in your fridge.

If you choose a ketchup with less sugar, the finished sauce may taste less sweet. That can work well, but taste as you mix so you get the balance you like.

Grated Horseradish

Use 1–2 tablespoons of ground, grated, or finely shredded horseradish.

I usually use jarred grated horseradish. It makes this sauce fast and easy to stir together.

Choose the grated horseradish product rather than a creamy horseradish sauce. The creamy kind will change both the taste and the texture of this recipe.

Some jars of grated horseradish are labeled “prepared horseradish.” Check the product itself and the ingredient list rather than relying on that word alone. You want the grated root product, not a creamy spread.

Start with 1 tablespoon if you don’t know how much heat you want. Stir it in well and taste before you add more.

Fresh Horseradish Is My Favorite Choice

Some friends of ours get fresh horseradish from a local Hutterite colony. When that’s available, it’s the absolute best choice.

If you can get fresh horseradish, I would choose it over bottled.

For this sauce, peel the root and grate it finely. A fine grate helps it blend into the ketchup so you don’t get large, tough shreds in each bite.

Fresh horseradish adds a little more prep, but I think it’s worth it. Jarred grated horseradish is still a handy choice when fresh isn’t an option.

Whichever kind you use, taste the sauce as you go. Don’t assume that the same spoonful will give you the same heat from every root or jar.

The recipe is a starting point. Your taste decides the final amount.

How to Make Homemade Cocktail Sauce

1. Measure the Ketchup

Add ½ cup ketchup to a small bowl.

Choose a bowl with enough room to stir without spilling over the edge. You don’t need a large mixing bowl for this batch.

2. Add the Horseradish

Stir in 1 tablespoon grated horseradish.

Even if you plan to make a spicy sauce, this is a good place to start when you use a new jar or fresh root.

3. Mix Well

Stir until the horseradish is spread through the ketchup.

Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. You want each bite to have the same mix of ketchup and horseradish.

A spoon works well. There’s no need to whisk hard or blend the sauce.

4. Taste and Adjust

Taste a small spoonful.

For more heat, add a little more horseradish, stir, and taste again. I like 2 tablespoons or more in my batch.

If you add too much, mix in more ketchup. This will make a larger batch, but it’s an easy way to bring the heat back down.

5. Serve

Spoon the sauce into a small serving bowl and enjoy it with your meal.

You can serve it as soon as it’s mixed. If you make it ahead, cover it and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.

How Much Horseradish Should You Use?

For every ½ cup ketchup, start with the amount that best fits your taste.

Your preference	Amount to start with
Less heat	1 tablespoon
More heat	1½ tablespoons
Spicy, the way I like it	2 tablespoons
Extra spicy	More than 2 tablespoons, added a little at a time

These are guides, not fixed heat levels. The horseradish you use can change how the sauce tastes.

If you’re serving guests, start with the lower amount. You can set out extra horseradish for those who like more spice. Another option is to split the sauce into two small bowls. Keep one less spicy and add more horseradish to the other. Label them “mild” and “spicy” so guests can pick the one they want.

What to Serve with Cocktail Sauce

Shrimp may be the first thing that comes to mind, but this sauce is good with much more than shrimp cocktail.

These are some of my favorite ways to use it.

Shrimp

Serve it with chilled cooked shrimp, fried shrimp, grilled shrimp, or shrimp from a seafood boil.

For a party, put the sauce in a small bowl with the shrimp nearby. For dinner, give each person a small dish for dipping.

If the shrimp has lots of seasoning, start with a little sauce so you can find the balance you enjoy.

Fried or Grilled Fish

Cocktail sauce is delicious with both fried and grilled fish.

Use it as a dip beside crisp fried fish. With grilled fish, serve it on the side and add a small spoonful as you eat.

You don’t have to cover the whole piece of fish. A little at a time lets you enjoy both the fish and the sauce.

Salmon Patties

Serve a small bowl of cocktail sauce with salmon patties.

The sweet ketchup and sharp horseradish give each bite a bit of contrast. Dip the edge of a patty into the sauce or add a small spoonful on top.

This is a simple way to use the recipe beyond a shrimp tray.

Crab Cakes

Cocktail sauce makes an easy dip for crab cakes, too.

Serve it on the side so each person can add as much as they like. If you make small crab cakes for an appetizer tray, set the sauce near them with a small spoon.

Fish Sandwiches

Spread a thin layer on a fish sandwich for a sweet, spicy kick.

Start with a small amount, especially if you make your sauce as spicy as I do. You can always serve more on the side.

It’s also nice to have a little bowl for the fries that go with the sandwich.

Hush Puppies

I love this sauce with hush puppies, also known as fried cornbread.

Their crisp outside and soft center make them great for dipping. The horseradish adds a sharp bite to the sweet ketchup base.

Put a bowl on the table with a basket of hush puppies and let everyone help themselves.

French Fries

Use it anywhere you might reach for ketchup but want more spice.

Dip French fries into it or serve it with a fish-and-fries meal. You can make a less spicy bowl for the fries and keep a hotter batch for yourself.

A Low Country Boil

Serve cocktail sauce with a low country boil for extra spice.

Set out small bowls so guests can dip shrimp and add sauce to their plates. If you have a group with mixed tastes, offer both a mild batch and a spicy one.

Keep extra sauce covered in the fridge and bring out more as needed.

How to Make a Larger Batch

This recipe is easy to double or triple.

Use the amounts below as a guide, then taste and adjust.

Batch size	Ketchup	Horseradish
Original batch	½ cup	1–2 tablespoons
Double batch	1 cup	2–4 tablespoons
Triple batch	1½ cups	3–6 tablespoons
Four batches	2 cups	4–8 tablespoons

For a crowd, start at the low end of the horseradish range. You can add more once the whole batch is mixed.

Stir well before you taste. A large batch needs a bit more mixing to spread the horseradish evenly.

The original recipe makes about 9–10 tablespoons of sauce, depending on how much horseradish you add.

Tips for the Best Flavor and Texture

Use ketchup you like. It makes up most of the sauce, so its flavor matters.

Grate fresh horseradish finely. Small pieces mix into the ketchup more easily.

Add heat in steps. A little more horseradish is easy to add. Taking it out is harder.

Taste with your food. Once you’ve checked the sauce on its own, try a bit with a fry or a piece of cooked fish. That helps you judge how it works with the meal.

Keep it thick enough to dip. Use the grated horseradish rather than pouring in loose liquid from the jar.

Make a small batch first. If you’re trying a new ketchup or horseradish, start with the original amount before making a party-size bowl.

Making It Ahead

You can mix this sauce before your meal and keep it covered in the fridge.

Store it in a clean jar or a small container with a lid. Give it a stir and taste it again before serving. For a party, keep the main batch in the fridge and fill a smaller bowl for the table. Refill that bowl as needed. Use a clean spoon to serve the sauce. Keep sauce that has touched seafood separate from the unused batch.

Because fresh root, jarred horseradish, and ketchup can vary, I prefer to make a modest amount for the meal rather than mix a huge batch to keep for a long time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make cocktail sauce with just ketchup and horseradish?

Yes. Mix ½ cup ketchup with 1–2 tablespoons grated horseradish. Start with less horseradish, taste, and add more if you want extra heat.

What kind of horseradish goes in cocktail sauce?

Use ground, grated, or finely shredded horseradish. Freshly grated root is my favorite choice. Jarred grated horseradish also works well. Avoid creamy horseradish sauce for this recipe.

Do you need lemon juice or Worcestershire sauce?

No. This recipe uses just ketchup and horseradish. Those two ingredients give it the sweet, tangy, spicy flavor I enjoy.

How do you make cocktail sauce more spicy?

Add more grated horseradish. Stir in a little at a time and taste after each addition. I use 2 tablespoons or more per ½ cup ketchup.

How do you make it less spicy?

Use less horseradish to start. If you’ve already mixed the sauce and it’s too hot, add more ketchup until it tastes right to you.

Can you use fresh horseradish?

Yes. Peel the root and grate it finely before mixing it into the ketchup. I prefer fresh horseradish whenever I can get it.

Is cocktail sauce only for shrimp?

No. Try it with fried or grilled fish, salmon patties, crab cakes, fish sandwiches, hush puppies, and French fries. It’s also great with a low country boil.

Does this recipe need to be cooked?

No. Stir the ingredients together in a bowl, taste, and serve. If you use fresh horseradish, you’ll need to grate it first.

More Homemade Sauces to Try

If you like easy sauces you can make at home, try these next:

• Homemade ranch dressing
• Three-ingredient honey mustard
• Homemade mustard from scratch

Printable Recipe Card

Save this recipe for your next fish fry, shrimp tray, or low country boil. It’s a simple sauce my mom taught me years ago, and it’s still one I love to make.

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