Mexican shrimp cocktail always brings a smile to my face. The tangy tomato entrada or “entrance” to an amazing meal is a tough dish to follow. The combination of sweet, tart and spicy is the perfect medley to accompany the plump shrimp overflowing from the tall glass it is served in.

The most memorable and delicious shrimp cocktail I’ve ever experienced was at the Mercado Municipal in Zihuatanejo, a Mexican city in the state of Guerrero. Recommended by our taxi driver, the Mercado is a must stop for artesania shopping and local eats.

Overwhelmed by the mercado’s vivid colors, spiced odors and noisy hustle that seemed to blend together, we were waved in by a man on a megaphone telling us not to miss the best shrimp cocktail in town. We were convinced and made our way to a small food stand with a mural of a giant, scary-looking shrimp painted over clumpy and peeling turquoise paint.

As soon as we sat at the counter, two bulging shrimp cocktail glasses were placed in front of us, a stack of crackers, a bowl full of avocado halves and a couple of sweaty beers to wash it all down.

Trying to recreate that particular moment, here is my interpretation of the Mercado’s Municipal shrimp cocktail using Clamato and a few other ingredients I found at Walmart.

It’s a hit at family get-togethers, tailgates and football play off parties. If you prefer a spicy version, add a chopped up Serrano chile to the mixture and enjoy!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients for Shrimp Cocktail

16oz medium cooked shrimp, frozen, tail on peeled and deveined (about 70 count)

1 cup Clamato Tomato Cocktail

1 cup ketchup

3 lemons, juiced

1 cup orange flavored soda

½ onion

1 celery stalk

10 cilantro sprigs

2 avocados, chopped in cubes

assorted crackers

Instructions

Thaw shrimp in sealed bag by submerging it in warm water for approximately 15 minutes.  Remove tails and rinse.

Chop celery, onion and cilantro and place them in a large salad bowl.

Add Clamato Tomato Cocktail to salad bowl and gently stir.

Add lemon juice, orange soda, ketchup and avocado to mixture.

Stir ingredients to combine.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Serve with assorted crackers.

Disclosure: As part of the Walmart Moms program, SpanglishBaby received compensation and the products to facilitate this post. As always, all stories and opinions are our own.